summary of suetonius divus augustus Flashcards
(9 cards)
1-5
1) importance of Octavia family
2) paternal ancestors of Octavian: entered senate in time of roman kings, patricians under tullius, had to be made patrician again under JC, some branches remain equestrian until octavians father enters senate - mark antony jokes that Octavians great grandfather was a freedman, rope maker and grandfather a money changer
3) summary of octavian’s father’s career
4) maternal ancestors: many senators - mark antony says great grandfather born in africa - perfumer and baker, also taunted for being a money changer
5) when he was born and how his birth place became consecrated
6-10
6) his nursery - no one dares enter where the locals think he was born except essential reasons and only after a purification ritual - superstition of something terrifying in there. guy who ignored it found dead the next morning in his bedsheets
7) process of his name changing through his life via birth, adoption etc
8) summary of his life from childhood to principate (very brief)
9) the 5 civil conflicts he participated in
10) motivations for listed warfare - vengeance for Caesar’s death and to enforce his decrees ran caesars funeral games, antony demanded bribe where he was consul to be allowed as candidate for tribuneship of people before being a senator, refused and joined optimates because they detested antony, tried to have A assassinated but was discovered - raised army of veterans to protect himself and the state
11-15
11) rumour that augustus responsible for Hirtius and Pansa death - he took control because they were consuls who died and antony was in flight
12) deserted senatorial party when antony fled to lepidus - fined citizens of Nursia and exiled them from their city to express his regret at former connection to the party
13) forming 2nd triumvirate - fought twice at philippi, showed no mercy, flung brutus’ head at the foot of caesars statue. did not allow burial, Augustus brings vets back to italy to give municipal land - evicted and vets both unhappy with outcome
14) Mark antony’s brother attempts a revolt - Augustus starved cit you Peruvian into surrender - rumours Augustus tortured and killed a man - turned out to be false
15) dedicated 300 human sacrifices from the defeated at perusia
16-20
16) sicilian war - storms wrecked his ships, grain supplies prevented from reaching rome - had to negotiate armistice bc of impending famine. created julian harbour in Baiae. Defeated Pompeii. nearly captured at one point (augustus that is). Lepidus arrives from africa to help him
17) defeat of Antony at actium, read antony’s will to get support - named cleopatras children as heirs. Pardoned city Bononia which had ancient ties to the Antonii. ships wrecked whe he went to put down a mutiny. antony driven to suicide and then cleopatra. Caesarian killed and his two sons by Fulvia. spared other children by cleo \
18) takes the sarcophagus of alexander - turns egypt into a roman province, founded Nicopolis
19)various rebellions / conspiracies against him
20) campaigns in Dalmatia and Cantabrians - only foreign campaigns he commanded in person
21-25
21) consolidation of the empire, apparently never warred against nations without just cause - insisted barbarians swear oaths to keep the peace in temple of mars the avenger. generally sold rebels into slavery away from their home and didn’t do worse punishment - had to remain slaves 30 years. Parthians returned standard
22) gates of temple of janus closed and triumphs
23) defeats of lollius and virus
24) strengthened discipline in armies - discharged entire 10th legion in disgrace for insubordination. if cohort broke in battle - executed every 10th man by lot
25) stopped addressing troops as comrades as soon as civil war over - referred to them as soldiers rarely allowed freedmen in army, excluded them from firemen in rome, when in army they were segregated
26-30
26) seized consulship and marched on rome as an enemy, threatened them with army to confirm his consulship, list of following consulships he holds and stuff for gaius/lucius
27) during triumvirate - opposed proscription but enforced it when it was passed, then it ended and augustus said it would only end if he had greater freedom in future. killed a suspected spy, Augustus quite unpopular as triumvir, tortured people - power of tribune for life
28) considered restoring republic after death of mark antony, but decided to keep power - lots of building in rome to help make it resistant to fire and flood
29) list of building projects in rome - new forum to accommodate rising population etc. list of projects he named for members of his family
30) civic improvements - creates city districts, nightswatch, access to city, restored temples
31-35
31) waits for lepidus to die to take over chief priesthood, burned all prophecies beyond the sybilline books, restored calander, increase ranks and dignity of priesthoods, revived old rites, more restoration
32) cracked down on crime, burned old treasury debts to stop blackmail, expunged old unresolved cases - could be renewed charge if accuser willing to risk prosecution if they are wrong. ducenarii division of jurors created
33)work in the courts as a judge, very dedicated and seems fair
34) revision of laws (social reform - marriage , adultery etc) but moral laws quite unpopular so softened
35) reduced size of senate assisted by agrippa - compelled them to resign but keeping their honours, began a privy council - lot chosen, 6 months
36-40
36) banned publication of senate proceedings and other admin changes
37) creating new offices to maintain roads, aqueducts, buildings, dredge the tiber, distribute grain etc, revived censors office
38) honouring military successes, encouraging sons of senators into public life quickly, greater responsibility when they entered military life
39) reviewed the equestrians for poor behaviour
40) equestrians enter election as tribunes, equestrians made much poorer by civil war, tightened up citizenship requirements - strict even in family requests, revived toga requirement in forum
41-45
