NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Lives of the Twelve Caesars

The Twelve Caesars is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire. The Twelve Caesars, also known as Lives of the Caesars (Latin: De vita Caesarum), which was written in 121 during the reign of the emperor Hadrian, was the most popular work of Hadrian's personal secretary, Suetonius, and is the largest among his surviving writings. It was dedicated to a friend, the Praetorian prefect Gaius Septicius Clarus, in 119. An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area - City 1,285 kmÂ² (580 sq mi) - Urban 5... Map of Constantinople. ... â€œKingdomâ€ redirects here. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: A republic is a form of government maintained by a state or country whose sovereignty is based on popular consent and whose governance is based on popular representation and control. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: An autocracy is a form of government in which the political power is held by a single person. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Western Roman Empire is the name given to the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... The Head of Government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Consul (abbrev. ... The Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus) was the main governing council of both the Roman Republic, which started in 509 BC, and the Roman Empire. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... Combatants Octavian Mark Antony, Cleopatra VII of Egypt Commanders Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Mark Antony Strength 260 warships, mostly liburnian vessels 220 warships, mostly quinqueremes and 60 egyptian warships Casualties Unknown Almost all of Antonys fleet The Battle of Actium was a naval battle of the Roman Civil War between... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC - 30s BC - 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s Years: 36 BC 35 BC 34 BC 33 BC 32 BC 31 BC 30 BC 29 BC 28 BC 27 BC... The Roman Empire is not the Holy Roman Empire (843-1806). ... The Western Roman Empire is the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 286. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... April 2 - Mehmed II begins his siege of Constantinople (Ä°stanbul). ... For other uses, see Augustus (disambiguation). ... An engraving depicting what Theodosius may have looked like, ca. ... This article is about the Roman Emperor. ... Julius Nepos on a coin. ... Constantine XI: The last Byzantine emperor is considered a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus Roman provinces on the eve of the assassination of Julius Caesar, c. ... The Western Roman Empire is the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 286. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Julian solidus, ca. ... Aureus minted in 193 by Septimius Severus to celebrate XIIII Gemina Martia Victrix, the legion that proclamed him emperor. ... First row : c. ... The sestertius was an ancient Roman coin. ... The As (plural Asses) was a bronze, and later copper, coin used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire, named after the homonymous weight unit (12 unciae = ounces), but not immune to weight depreciation. ... Image File history File links Timeline_icon. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC â€“ March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... 121 is a traditional clan of RA3 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. ... Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus (January 24, 76 â€“ July 10, 138), known as Hadrian in English was Roman emperor from 117 â€“ 138, as well as a Stoic and Epicurean philosopher. ... Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus ( 69/75 - after 130), also known as Suetonius, was a prominent Roman historian and biographer. ... Praetorian prefect (Latin Praefectus praetorio) was the constant title of a high office in the Roman state that changed fundamentally in nature. ... Events Roman Empire Roman Emperor Hadrian stations the Legio VI Victrix in Roman Britain, to assist in quelling a local rebellion. ...

The Twelve Caesars was considered very significant in antiquity and remains a main source on Roman history. The book discusses the significant and critical period of the Principate from the end of the Republic to the reign of Domitian; comparisons are often made with Tacitus whose surviving works document a similar period. The Principate is, according to its etymological derivation from the Latin word princeps, meaning chief or first, the political regime dominated by such a political leader, whether or not he is formally head of state and/or head of government. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus Roman provinces on the eve of the assassination of Julius Caesar, c. ... Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 â€“ 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman Emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (c. ...

Critical approaches: Reliability

Suetonius used the imperial archives to research eyewitness accounts, information, and other evidence to produce the book. He also quotes from Gaius Asinius Pollio, Cremutius Cordus and the Acts of Augustus. Gaius Asinius Pollio ( 76/75 BC-AD 5) was a Roman orator, poet and historian. ... Aulus Cremutius Cordus (c. ... Res Gestae Divi Augusti, (Latin: The Deeds of the Divine Augustus) is the funerary inscription of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, giving a first-person record of his life and accomplishments. ...

However, critics say the book is founded on gossip and citations of historians who had lived in the time of the early emperors, rather than on primary sources of that time. The book can be described as very racy, packed with gossip, dramatic and sometimes amusing. There are times the author subjectively expresses his opinion and knowledge.

Though he was never a senator, Suetonius took the side of the Senate in most conflicts with the princeps, as well as the senators' views of the emperor. This resulted in biases, both conscious and unconscious. Suetonius lost access to the official archives shortly after beginning his work. He was forced to rely on second-hand accounts when it came to Claudius (with the exception of Augustus' letters which had been gathered earlier) and does not quote the emperor.

Despite this, it provides valuable information on the heritage, personal habits, physical appearance, lives and political careers of the first Roman Emperors. It mentions details that other sources do not. For example, Suetonius is the main source on the life of Caligula, his uncle Claudius, and the heritage of Vespasian (the relevant sections of the Annals by his friend and contemporary Tacitus being lost). Suetonius made a reference in this work to "Chrestus", which may refer to "Christ". During the book on Nero, Suetonius mentions a sect known as the Christians (see Historicity of Jesus). Like many of his contemporaries, Suetonius took omens seriously and carefully includes reports of omens portending Imperial births, accessions and deaths. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 â€“ January 24, 41), more commonly known by his nickname Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ... Imperator Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (November 17, 9â€“June 23, 79), known originally as Titus Flavius Vespasianus and usually referred to in English as Vespasian, was emperor of Rome from 69 to 79. ... The Annals, or, in Latin, Annales, is a history book by Tacitus covering the reign of the 4 Roman Emperors succeeding to Caesar Augustus. ... Christ is the English of the Greek word (ChristÃ³s), which literally means The Anointed One. ... This article is about the veracity of Jesus existence. ...

Influence on later literature

Lives of the Caesars served as a model for the biographies of 2nd century emperors compiled by Marius Maximus. This collection, apparently entitled Caesares, does not survive, but it was a source for a later biographical collection, known as Historia Augusta, which now forms a kind of sequel to Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars. The Historia Augusta is a collective biography, partly fictionalized, of Roman emperors and usurpers of the second and third centuries. Marius Maximus was a Roman biographer, writing in Latin, who in the early decades of the 3rd century AD wrote a series of biographies of twelve Emperors, imitating and continuing Suetonius. ... The Augustan History (Lat. ...

In the ninth century Einhard modelled himself on Suetonius in writing the Life of Charlemagne, even borrowing phrases from Suetonius' physical description of Augustus in his own description of the character and appearance of Charlemagne. Robert Graves names The Twelve Caesars as one of his major sources for I Claudius and Claudius the God (dramatized by the BBC). Graves also made a widely read translation of The Twelve Caesars, first published in Penguin Classics in 1957. (8th century - 9th century - 10th century - other centuries) Events Beowulf might have been written down in this century, though it could also have been in the 8th century Viking attacks on Europe begin Oseberg ship burial The Magyars arrive in what is now Hungary, forcing the Serbs and Bulgars south... Einhard as scribe Einhard (also Eginhard or Einhart) (born about 775 in the valley of the River Main, died March 14, 840, at Seligenstadt, Germany) was a Frankish historian and a dedicated servant of Charlemagne. ... Portrait of Robert Graves (circa 1974) by Rab Shiell Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 â€“ 5 November 1955) was an English poet, scholar, and novelist. ... I, Claudius is a novel by Robert Graves, (ISBN 067972477X) first published in 1934, dealing sympathetically with the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the history of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and Roman Empire, from Julius Caesars assassination in 44 BC to Caligulas assassination in 41 AD... I, Claudius is a novel by Robert Graves, (ISBN 067972477X) first published in 1934, dealing sympathetically with the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the history of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and Roman Empire, from Julius Caesars assassination in 44 BC to Caligulas assassination in 41 AD... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GBÂ£4 billion (US$7. ... Penguin Books is a British publisher founded in 1935 by Allen Lane. ...

Constituent works

Life of Julius Caesar

The first few chapters of this section are missing. Suetonius begins this section by describing Caesar's conquests, especially in Gaul and his Civil War against Pompey the Great. Several times Suetonius quotes Caesar. Suetonius includes Caesar's famous decree, "Veni, vidi, vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered). In discussing Caesar's war against Pompey the Great, Suetonius quotes Caesar during a battle that Caesar nearly lost, "That man (Pompey) does not know how to win a war." This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This article refers to the Roman General. ... Veni, vidi, vici (IPA or ) is a famous Latin phrase coined by Roman general and consul Julius Caesar in 47 BC; Caesar used the phrase as the full text of his message to the Roman senate describing his recent victory over Pharnaces II of Pontus in the Battle of Zela. ... This article refers to the Roman General. ...

Suetonius describes an incident that would become one of the most memorable of the entire book. Caesar was captured by pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. Caesar engaged in debate and in philosophical discussion with the pirates while in captivity. He also promised that one day he would find them and crucify them (this was the standard punishment for piracy during this time). When told by the pirates that he would be held for a ransom of 20 talents of gold, Caesar laughed, and said that he must be worth at least 50 talents. Just as he had promised, after being released, Caesar captured the pirates and crucified them.

It is from Suetonius that we first learn of another incident during the life of Julius Caesar. While serving as governor in Spain, Caesar once visited a statue of Alexander the Great. Upon viewing this statue, Suetonius reports that Caesar fell to his knees, weeping. When asked what was wrong, Caesar sighed, and said that by the time Alexander was his (Caesar's) age, Alexander had conquered the whole world. Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1] Megas Alexandros; July 356 BCâ€“June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336â€“323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history. ...

Suetonius describes Caesar's gift at winning the loyalty and admiration of his soldiers. Suetonius mentions Caesar commonly referring to them as "comrades" instead of "soldiers." When one of Caesar's legions took heavy losses in a battle, Caesar vowed not to trim his beard or hair until he had avenged the deaths of his soldiers. Suetonius describes an incident during a naval battle. One of Caesar's soldiers had his hand cut off. Despite the injury, this soldier still managed to board an enemy ship and subdue its crew. Suetonius mentions Caesar's famous crossing of the Rubicon River, (the border between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul), on his way to Rome to start a Civil War against Pompey and ultimately seize power. Rubicon River may refer to: Rubicon (Rubico), an ancient Latin name for a small river in northern Italy. ... Cisalpine Gaul (Latin: Gallia Cisalpina, meaning Gaul this side of the Alps) was a province of the Roman Republic, in Emilia and Lombardy of modern-day northern Italy. ...

Suetonius later describes Caesar's major reforms upon defeating Pompey and seizing power. One such reform was the modification of the Roman calendar. The calendar at the time had already used the same system of solar years and lunar months that our current calendar uses. Caesar updated the calendar so as to minimize the number of lost days due to the prior calendar’s imprecision regarding the exact amount of time in a solar year. Caesar also renamed the fifth month (also the month of his birth) in the Roman calendar July, in his honor (Roman months started in March, not January as they do under the current calendar). Suetonius says that Caesar had planned on invading and conquering the Parthian Empire. These plans were not carried out due to Caesar's assassination. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (787x799, 169 KB) Map of Gallia (58 BC) with important Tribes, Towns, Rivers etc. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (787x799, 169 KB) Map of Gallia (58 BC) with important Tribes, Towns, Rivers etc. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Parthian Empire at its greatest extent, c60 BCE. The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Parthia was the arch-enemy of the Roman Empire in the east and...

Suetonius then includes a description of Caesar's appearance and personality. Suetonius says that Caesar was semi-bald. Due to embarrassment regarding his premature baldness, Caesar combed his hair over and forward so as to hide this baldness. Caesar wore a senator's tunic with an orange belt. Caesar is described as routinely wearing loose clothes. Suetonius quotes the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla as saying, "Beware the boy with the loose clothes, for one day he will mean the ruin of the Republic" This quote referred to Caesar, as Caesar had been a young man during Sulla's Social War and subsequent dictatorship. Suetonius describes Caesar as taking steps so that others would not refer to him as king. Political enemies at the time had claimed that Caesar wanted to bring back the much reviled Roman Kingdom. Image File history File links CS002910. ... Image File history File links CS002910. ... Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (Latin: LÂ·CORNELIVSÂ·LÂ·FÂ·PÂ·NÂ·SVLLAÂ·FELIX)[1] ( 138 BCâ€“78 BC), usually known simply as Sulla,[2] was a Roman general and dictator. ... Template:Campaignbox Social War This article is about the conflict between Rome and her allies between 91 and 88 BC The Social War (also called the Italian War or the Marsic War, Social come from Socii meaning Â¨AlliesÂ¨) was a war from 91 â€“ 88 BC between the Roman Republic and...

Finally, Suetonius describes Caesar's assassination. Shortly before his assassination, Caesar told a friend that he wanted to die a sudden and spectacular death. Suetonius believes that several omens predicted the assassination. One such omen was a vivid dream Caesar had the night before his assassination.

The day of the assassination, Suetonius claims that Caesar was given a document describing the entire plot. Caesar took the document, but did not have a chance to read it before he was assassinated.

Suetonius says that upon being stabbed, Caesar reproached the conspirator Brutus, asking "And you, my child?" This specific wording varies slightly from the more famous quote, "Even you, Brutus?" from William Shakespeare’s play "Julius Caesar." Brutus is a Roman cognomen used by several politicians of the Junii family, especially in the Roman Republic. ...

Life of Augustus

Before he died, Julius Caesar had designated his great nephew, Gaius Octavius (who would be named Augustus by the Roman Senate after becoming emperor) as his adopted son and heir. Octavius' mother, Atia, was the daughter of Caesar's sister, Julia Caesaris. Emperor Augustus An old, beginning of the 20th century photo plate. ... Emperor Augustus An old, beginning of the 20th century photo plate. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC â€“ March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ... The Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus) was the main governing council of both the Roman Republic, which started in 509 BC, and the Roman Empire. ... Julia Caesaris and her husband, the praetor and commissioner Marcus Atius Balbus, had 3 daughters, all named Atia Balba. ... Julia is the name of two daughters of Gaius Julius Caesar III and Aurelia Cotta, who were also the parents of Julius Caesar. ...

Octavian (who had not yet been named Augustus by the Roman Senate) finished the civil wars started by his great-uncle, Julius Caesar. One by one, Augustus defeated the legions of the other generals who wanted to succeed Julius Caesar as the master of the Roman world. Suetonius includes descriptions of these civil wars, including the final one against Mark Antony that ended with the Battle of Actium. Antony had been Octavian's last surviving rival, but committed suicide after his defeat at Actium. It was after this victory in 31 BC that Octavian became master of the Roman world and imperator (or emperor). His declaration of the end of the Civil Wars that had started under Julius Caesar marked the historic beginning of the Roman Empire, and the Pax Romana. Octavian at this point was given the title "Augustus" (meaning "the venerable") by the Roman Senate. Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC â€“ March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ... Bust of Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (Latin: MÂ·ANTONIVSÂ·MÂ·FÂ·MÂ·N[1]) ( January 14 83 BC â€“ August 1, 30 BC), known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. ... Combatants Octavian Mark Antony, Cleopatra VII of Egypt Commanders Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Mark Antony Strength 260 warships, mostly liburnian vessels 220 warships, mostly quinqueremes and 60 egyptian warships Casualties Unknown Almost all of Antonys fleet The Battle of Actium was a naval battle of the Roman Civil War between... The Latin word imperator was a title originally roughly equivalent to commander during the period of the Roman Republic. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... Roman Empire at its greatest extent with the conquests of Trajan Pax Romana (27 BCE-180 CE), Latin for the Roman peace, was the long period of relative peace experienced by the Roman Empire. ... The Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus) was the main governing council of both the Roman Republic, which started in 509 BC, and the Roman Empire. ...

After describing the military campaigns of Augustus, Suetonius describes his personal life. A large section of the entire book is devoted to this. This is partly due to the fact that after Actium, the reign of Augustus was mostly peaceful. It has also been noted by several sources that the entire work of "The Twelve Caesars" delves more deeply into personal details and gossip relative to other contemporary Roman histories.

Suetonius describes a conflicted relationship between Augustus and his daughter, Julia. Augustus had originally wanted Julia, his only child, to provide for him a male heir. Due to difficulties regarding an heir, and Julia's promiscuity, Augustus banished Julia to an island and considered having her executed. Suetonius quotes Augustus as repeatedly cursing his enemies by saying that they should have "a wife and children like mine." The Battle of Actium, 2 September 31 BC, by Lorenzo A. Castro, painted 1672 The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The Battle of Actium, 2 September 31 BC, by Lorenzo A. Castro, painted 1672 The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ...

According to Suetonius, Augustus lived a modest life, with few of the luxuries that his rank would have allowed him to have. Augustus lived in an ordinary Roman house, ate ordinary Roman meals, and slept in an ordinary Roman bed.

Suetonius describes certain omens and dreams that predicted the birth of Augustus. One dream described in the book suggested that his mother, Atia, was a virgin impregnated by a Roman God. In 63 BC, during the Consulship of Cicero, several Roman Senators dreamt that a king would be born, and would rescue the Republic. 63 BC was also the year Augustus was born. One other omen described by Suetonius suggests that Julius Caesar decided to make Augustus his heir after seeing an omen while serving as the Roman Governor of Hispania Ulterior. Image File history File links Illus266_-_Marcus_Antonius. ... Image File history File links Illus266_-_Marcus_Antonius. ... Cicero at about age 60, from an ancient marble bust Marcus Tullius Cicero (IPA:Classical Latin pronunciation: , usually pronounced in American English or in UK English; January 3, 106 BC â€“ December 7, 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, political theorist, philosopher, widely considered one of Romes greatest orators... A Roman governor was an official either elected or appointed to be the chief adminstator of Roman law throughout one or more of Ancient Romes many provinces. ... During the Roman Republic, Hispania Ulterior was a region of Hispania roughly located in Baetica and in the Guadalquivir valley of modern Spain. ...

Suetonius includes a section regarding the only two military defeats Rome suffered under Augustus. Both of these defeats occurred in Germany. The first defeat was inconsequential. During the second, the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, three Roman Legions (Legio XVII, Legio XVIII, and Legio XIX) were slaughtered by Germanic barbarians due to poor planning by the Roman General Publius Quinctilius Varus. Much of what is known about this battle was written in this book. According to Suetonius, this battle "almost wrecked the empire." It is from Suetonius where we get the reaction of Augustus upon learning of the defeat. Suetonius writes that Augustus hit his head against a wall in despair, repeating, Quintili Vare, legiones redde! ('Quinctilius Varus, give me back my legions!') This defeat was one of the worst Rome suffered during the entire Principate. The result was the establishment of the rivers Rhine and Danube as the natural northern border of the Roman Empire. Rome would never again push its territory deeper into Germany. Suetonius suggests that Augustus never fully got over this defeat. Battle of the Teutoburg Forest Conflict Roman-Germanic wars Date 9 Place Teutoburg Forest Result German victory In the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (AD 9) an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius (also known in German as Hermann), the son of Segimerus of the Cherusci, ambushed and wiped... Legio XVII was a Roman legion levied by Augustus Caesar around 41 BC. The legion was destroyed in the battle of Teutonburg Forest (September 9, 9 AD). ... Legio XVIII was a Roman legion levied by Caesar Augustus around 41 BC. The legion was destroyed in the battle of Teutonburg Forest (September 9, 9 AD). ... Legio XIX was a Roman legion levied (drafted into military service) in 41 or 40 BC by Augustus. ... The Defeated Varus (2003), a sculpture by Wilfried Koch in Haltern am See, Germany. ... The Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ... The Danube (ancient Danuvius, Iranian *dÄnu, meaning river or stream, ancient Greek Istros) is the longest river in the European Union and Europes second longest river. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ...

Life of Tiberius

Suetonius describes the early career of Tiberius, which included his command of several Roman armies in Germany. It was his leadership in these German campaigns that convinced Augustus to adopt Tiberius and to make him his heir. According to Suetonius, Tiberius retired at a young age to Rhodes, before returning to Rome upon the death of Augustus. The ascendance of Tiberius to the throne was possible due to the fact that the two grandsons that Augustus had died before Augustus, and the last grandson, Postumus Agrippa, although originally designated co-rule with Tiberius. was later deemed morally unsound by Augustus. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus, also known as Agrippa Postumus or Postumus Agrippa, was the grandson of Roman Emperor Augustus and was named after his father Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. ...

Augustus began a long (and at times successful) tradition of adopting an heir, rather than allowing a son to succeed an emperor. Suetonius quotes from the will Augustus left. Suetonius suggests that not only was Tiberius not thought of highly by Augustus, but Augustus expected Tiberius to fail. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (614x800, 162 KB) Summary Bust of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (614x800, 162 KB) Summary Bust of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. ...

After briefly mentioning some successes, Suetonius goes into depth regarding the madness of Tiberius. Tiberius would not only have homosexual sex (which was not unusual in the ancient world), but he would also have sex with boys. The extent was considered, even by Roman standards, to be extreme. Although Suetonius doesn't suggest it, other historians have suggested that Tiberius may have had sex with his successor Caligula when he was very young. Tiberius was very cruel to his subjects. He would arbitrarily have people executed. Offenses as innocent as speaking ill of Augustus were punishable by death. He would crush the heads of children with his bare hands. Suetonius describes Tiberius once forcing a subject to drink large quantities of wine. He then had the subject's genitals tied so tightly that he could not urinate.

Tiberius died of natural causes. Suetonius describes widespread joy in Rome upon his death. There was a desire to have his body thrown off a particular cliff and into the Tiber River, as this he had done many times previously to others. Tiberius had no living children and no living heir when he died. However, he did have an adopted grandson, Gaius Caesar Caligula. Tiber River in Rome The River Tiber (Italian Tevere), the third longest river in Italy (disputed — see talk page) at 406 km (252 miles) after the Po and the Adige, flows through the Campagna and Rome in its course from Mount Fumaiolo to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which it reaches...

Life of Caligula

Most of what is known about the reign of Caligula comes from Suetonius. Caligula was so hated upon his death, in the upper classes it is to be noted, that the Roman Senate issued a decree that all records of him be destroyed. In addition, other contemporary Roman works, such as those of Tacitus, contain little, if anything, about Caligula. Therefore, most of what existed at some point regarding his reign was lost long ago. The Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus) was the main governing council of both the Roman Republic, which started in 509 BC, and the Roman Empire. ... Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (c. ...

Suetonius refers to Caligula as Gaius during most of the work, his true name; Caligula being the name given to him by his father's soldiers: 'little boots', as he would often dress in miniature battle gear and 'drill' (as he knew not the commands, but the troops loved him all the same though, and pretended to understand him) the troops at a young age. Caligula's father, Germanicus, was loved throughout Rome as a brilliant military commander and example of Roman pietas. Tiberius had adopted Germanicus as his heir, with the hope that Germanicus would succeed him. Germanicus ended up dying before he could succeed Tiberius. Bust of Gaius Caligula in the Louvre, Paris File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Bust of Gaius Caligula in the Louvre, Paris File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pietas, as virtue of the Roman Emperor Herennius Etruscus, celebrated with the instruments of cult, such as patera and lituus. ...

Upon the death of Tiberius, Caligula became emperor. Initially the Romans loved Caligula due to their memory of his father. But most of what Suetonius says of Caligula is negative. Suetonius says that Caligula was worse than Tiberius. Modern historians have speculated that he may have had anything from Schizophrenia to Encephalitis. Suetonius describes Caligula as having an affliction that caused him to suddenly fall unconscious. Suetonius believed that Caligula knew that something was wrong with him. Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection. ...

Suetonius cited examples of Caligula's insanity, whose supposed 'infamy' lives to this day, however there is evidence to support the logic behind a rival theory, that he based himself as some sort of romano-greco ruler, almost an equivalent to the older meaning of 'tyrant'. Most, if not all, of the surviving examples of Caligula's madness come from Suetonius too. Caligula appointed his horse to the Senate, however again, it has been suggested that this was merely to insult the senators, as if to say his horse could do a better job than them. He married one of his sisters, although it is important to note that incest was rife in all areas of society at the time, and also had had sexual relations with multiple men, although it is important to note that only certain kinds of homosexual acts in much of Ancient Rome, and Ancient Greece too, were looked down upon, that would be being on the receiving end of homosexual anal intercourse as this was seen to 'put men upon the level of women', so it more of a sexist view than anything really. It is no wonder therefore that this time was seen as a 'corrupted one' compared to the earlier Republican era, where monogamy, faithfulness and honesty were qualities much more put into practice.

He tells also, that Caligula once sent an army to the northern coast of Gaul. As they prepared to invade Britain, one rumour had it that he had them pick sea shells on the shore, although this was probably a fabrication of one of his enemies back in Rome, the word for shell in Latin doubling as the word that the legionaries of the time used to call the 'huts' that the soldiers erected during the night while on campaign, and that he had no choice but to return as there was dissent among the Senate. He once built a walkway from his palace to a Pagan Temple, so that he could be closer to his "brother," the Roman God Jupiter, as he believed himself to be a deity, not uncommon among Roman emperors, although this bridge building adventure may have something to do with him almost being challenged to by a prophecy, or that he was imitating the 'apparently infamous' crossing of the Hellespont by Xerxes, prior to his invasion of Ancient Greece. He would also have busts of his head replace those on statues of different Gods. Pagan may refer to: A believer in Paganism or Neopaganism Bagan, a city in Myanmar also known as Pagan Pagan (album), the 6th album by Celtic metal band Cruachan Pagan Island, of the Northern Mariana Islands Pagan Lorn, a metal band from Luxembourg, Europe (1994-1998) Pagans Mind, is... Temple of Hephaestus, an Doric Greek temple in Athens with the original entrance facing east, 449 BC (western face depicted) For other uses, see Temple (disambiguation). ...

He would call people to his palace in the middle of the night. When they arrived, he would hide and make strange noises. At other times, he would have people assassinated, and then call for them. When they did not show up, he would remark that they must have committed suicide, part of his apparent odd sense of humour, sadism some cried. Download high resolution version (3456x2304, 756 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (3456x2304, 756 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Caligae (Latin; singular Caliga) are heavy military sandals as worn in ancient Rome. ...

Suetonius describes several omens that predicted the assassination of Caligula. He mentions a bolt of lightning that struck Rome on the Ides of March, which was when Julius Caesar was assassinated. Lightning was an event of immense superstition in the ancient world. The day of the assassination, Caligula sacrificed a flamingo. During the sacrifice, blood splattered on his clothes. Suetonius also describes a comet that was seen shortly before the assassination. In the ancient world, comets were believed to foretell the death or assassination of important people. Suetonius even suggested that Caligula's name itself was a predictor of his assassination, noting that every Caesar named Gaius (such as the dictator Gaius Julius Caesar) had been assassinated. Vincenzo Camuccini, Mort de CÃ©sar, 1798. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC â€“ March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ...

Caligula was an avid fan of Gladiatorial combats. He was assassinated shortly after such a fight. Suetonius mentions two possible scenarios describing the exact events. The assassination plot had been put together by several angry subjects supposedly young, fanatical men intent upon restoring the Republic, states one theory. Although what we hear of Caligula of the plebs or commoners is all good, as he did provide a stable economy, and paid the legions in good time, important in keeping the peace and the borders safe of emboldened enemies, making the time a healthy, prosperous one for the lower class, save for the upper echelons of society and power, who were affected by his so called 'ravings'. Caligula was only the first of what would be many Roman Emperors who were to be assassinated.

Life of Claudius

Suetonius describes Claudius as the first emperor adopted into the Julian family. The previous emperors (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, as well as the earlier dictator Julius Caesar) had all been born into the Julian family,

The assassination of Caligula caused Claudius to become frightened. He hid behind some curtains, convinced that he would be murdered next. A soldier noticed his feet underneath the curtains and took him to a Praetorian camp, where he was declared emperor. Image File history File linksMetadata Emperor_Claudius. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Emperor_Claudius. ...

We learn from Suetonius that Claudius was the first Roman commander to invade Britain since Julius Caesar a century earlier. He also went farther than Caesar, and made Britain subject to Roman rule. Caesar had conquered Britain, but left the Britons alone to rule themselves. Claudius was not as kind. The invasion of Britain was the only major military campaign under his reign. Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC â€“ March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ...

His madness was similar to that of Tiberius. Like Tiberius, he was not as cruel as Caligula. Suetonius discusses some of the cruelties that Claudius had been known for, although he does not devote as much attention to this as he did to Caligula's cruelty or even to that of Tiberius.

Suetonius discusses several omens that foretold the assassination of Claudius. He mentions a comet that several Romans had seen shortly before the assassination. As mentioned earlier, comets were believed to foretell the deaths of significant people. Upon hearing of this, Claudius ordered the execution of several Roman citizens, including Senators and aristocrats. Claudius was shortly after this the victim of an assassination conspiracy, dying of poison.

Suetonius paints Claudius as a ridiculous figure, belittling many of his acts and attributing the objectively good works to his retinue.^[1] Thus the conception of Claudius as the weak fool, controlled by those he supposedly ruled, was preserved for the ages. Claudius’s dining habits figure in the biography, notably his immoderate greed and his affection for the city taverns, on which several other emperors attempted to impose tight regulations.

His personal and moral failings aside however, most modern historians agree that Claudius generally ruled well. They cite his military success in Britannia as well as his extensive public works. His reign came to an end when he was poisoned by a mushroom, probably by his last wife Agrippina in an attempt to have her own son from a previous marriage ascend the throne.

Life of Nero

Suetonius portrays the life of Nero in a similar fashion to that of Caligula—it begins with a recounting of how Nero assumed the throne ahead of Claudius' son Britannicus and then descends into a recounting of various atrocities the young emperor allegedly performed. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 440 Ã— 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1604 Ã— 2183 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 440 Ã— 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1604 Ã— 2183 pixel, file size: 1. ...

One characteristic of Nero that Suetonius describes was Nero's fascination with music. Suetonius describes Nero as being a gifted musician. He had one boy castrated, and then had sex with him as though he were a woman. Suetonius quotes one Roman who lived around this time who remarked that the world would have been better off if Nero's father Gnaeus Domitius had married someone more like the castrated boy.

It is in Suetonius we find the beginnings of the legend that Nero "fiddled as Rome burned." Suetonius recounts how Nero, while watching Rome burn, exclaimed how beautiful it was, and sang an epic poem about the sack of Troy while playing the lyre. Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ...

Suetonius describes Nero's assassination, and remarks that his death meant the end of the reign of the Julio-Claudians (due to the fact that Nero had no heir). According to Suetonius, Nero was condemned to die by the Senate. When Nero knew that soldiers had been dispatched by the senate to kill him, he committed suicide.

Life of Galba

The book about Galba is short. This is because Galba's reign was only several months long. Galba was the first emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. The Year of the Four Emperors was a year in the history of the Roman Empire, 69, in which four emperors ruled in a remarkable succession. ...

Galba was able to ascend to the throne because Nero's death meant the end of Julio-Claudian rule.

Suetonius includes a brief description of Galba's family history. Suetonius describes Galba as being of noble birth, and born into a noble patrician family. Suetonius also includes a brief list of omens regarding Galba and his assassination.

Most of this book describes Galba's ascension to the throne and his assassination, along with the usual side notes regarding his appearance and related omens. Suetonius does not spend much time describing either any accomplishments nor any failures of his reign.

Life of Otho

His full name was Marcus Salvius Otho. Otho's reign was only a few months. Therefore, the book on Otho is short, much as the book on Galba had been.

Suetonius used a similar method to describe the life of Otho as he had used to describe the life of Galba. Suetonius describes Otho's family, and their history and nobility. And just as Suetonius had done with prior Caesars, he includes a list of omens regarding Otho's reign and assassination.

Suetonius spends most of the book describing the ascension of Otho, his assassination, and the other usual topics. Suetonius suggests that as soon as Otho ascended the throne, he started defending himself against competing claims to the throne.

According to Suetonius, Otho suffered a fate similar to the fate Galba had suffered. It was the loyalists of another aspiring emperor (in this case, the next emperor Vitellius) who wanted to kill him. Suetonius claims that one night Otho realized that he would soon be murdered. He contemplated suicide, but decided to sleep one more night before carrying out a suicide. That night he went to bed, with a dagger under his pillow. The next morning he woke up, and stabbed himself to death.

Life of Vitellius

In the book of the last of the short-lived emperors, Suetonius briefly describes the reign of Vitellius.

Suetonius says that it was the followers of Vitellius who had assassinated Otho.

This book gives an unfavorable picture of Vitellius; however it should be remembered that Suetonius' father was an army officer who had fought for Otho and against Vitellius at the first Battle of Bedriacum. Emperor Otho. ... In the Year of the four emperors (69 C.E.), Marcus Salvius Otho, with the support and aid of the Praetorian Guard, had his predecessor Galba murdered in January and claimed the throne for himself. ...

Suetonius includes a brief description of the family history of Vitellius, and related omens.

Suetonius finally describes the assassination of Vitellius. According to Suetonius, Vitellius was dragged naked by Roman subjects, tied to a post, and had animal waste thrown at him before he was killed. However, unlike the prior two emperors, it was not the next emperor who killed Vitellius. The next emperor and his followers had been waging a war against the Jews in Palestine at the time. The death of Vitellius and subsequent ascendance of his successor ended the worst year of the early principate.

Life of Vespasian

Life of Titus

Life of Domitian

Notes

Complete editions and translations

Bibliography

External links

Categories: Biographies (books) | Latin biographies | 2nd century books Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive, and distribute cultural works. ... Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive, and distribute cultural works. ... Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus ( 69/75 - after 130), also known as Suetonius, was a prominent Roman historian and biographer. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC â€“ March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ... For other uses, see Augustus (disambiguation). ... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC â€“ March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 â€“ January 24, 41), more commonly known by his nickname Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ... For other persons named Claudius, see Claudius (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nero (disambiguation). ... Servius Sulpicius Galba (December 24, 3 BC â€“ January 15, 69) was Roman Emperor from June 8, 68 until his death. ... Emperor Otho. ... Vitellius, Museo Nazionale della CiviltÃ Romana, Rome Aulus Vitellius Germanicus (September 24, 15â€“December 22, 69) was Roman Emperor from April 17 69 to December 22 of the same year, one of the emperors in the Year of the four emperors. He was the son of Lucius Vitellius, who had... Imperator Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (November 17, 9â€“June 23, 79), known originally as Titus Flavius Vespasianus and usually referred to in English as Vespasian, was emperor of Rome from 69 to 79. ... For other uses, see Titus (disambiguation). ... Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 â€“ 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman Emperor of the gens Flavia. ...

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