CLASSICS 219: THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Precept 3 : I, Claudius

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Readings
• WARD pp. 300-324
• Suetonius, "Claudius", in The Twelve Caesars Penguin ed., pp. 185-212
• Tacitus Annals Bk. 11, sec. 1-7, 11-38 (ch. 9 and 10 in Penguin ed., pp. 231-234, 236-255, 261-263, 269- 271, 275-283)
• L&R pp. 1-26, 41-42, 50-55, 285-288

Two important subjects to concentrate on this week: how did the Augustan principate develop in its first century (some important themes are covered at L&R 1-26), and what did a Roman emperor do? We focus particularly on the strange figure of the emperor Claudius (hero of Robert Graves' brilliant novel I, Claudius), who was the most important of Augustus' immediate successors in developing the Augustan model.

1. Without reference to Roman history, (think e.g. of Napoleon or a Chinese emperor), what does the word emperor mean to you? Be prepared to define what an emperor is or should be.
The essence of a great modern book on the Roman emperor (Fergus Millar, The Emperor in the Roman World) is that The emperor was what the emperor did. Try while reading the sources this week to construct a job description of what a Roman emperor actually did: scandal aside, how did he spend a working day, what sort of tasks did he perform, what sort of people did he meet? Think in terms of broad categories or areas of interest and activity. What does it add up to? What might He was what he did mean? BE PREPARED TO CITE EXAMPLES.
2. Read three documents carefully: Claudius' words to the senate (L&R 41-42, 52-55) and his letter to the Alexandrians (285-288). What are their main points, and how do they contribute to understanding of larger policy issues? BE PREPARED TO CITE THE TEXTS.
3. Note carefully the law granting the powers of an emperor to Vespasian, Lex de Imperio Vespasiani in A.D. 70 (L&R 11-13). What precisely are those powers and do they differ from those developed by Augustus? Is there anything strange about them? BE PREPARED TO CITE THE TEXT.
4. What do you perceive as the main changes or developments in the basic Augustan blueprint for the principate by the time of the death of Nero (A.D. 68) ? Look particularly for: changes in the emperor's own position; the growth of bureaucracy; the senate; policy regarding provincials; and religious policy. Any others? BE PREPARED TO CITE EXAMPLES.

We will have the first Map Quiz in Precept this week. Details are on the Syllabus.

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Last Updated: 2005-10-07

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