Emperors Behaving BadlyEmperors Behaving Badly

The Julio-ClaudiansThe Julio-Claudians

Where the Trouble Where the Trouble Started…Started…

Augustus unable to Augustus unable to produce heirproduce heir

Died in 14 CEDied in 14 CE "Alas for the "Alas for the

Roman people, to Roman people, to be ground by jaws be ground by jaws that crunch so that crunch so slowly!" slowly!"

Tiberius Claudius NeroTiberius Claudius Nero

Augustus’ adopted Augustus’ adopted sonson

Reigned from 14 Reigned from 14 to 37 CEto 37 CE

Never wanted to Never wanted to be emperorbe emperor

Failed at “playing Failed at “playing Augustus”Augustus”

Bad Behavior in PublicBad Behavior in Public Treason trialsTreason trials Rarely left RomeRarely left Rome Poorly managed Poorly managed

provinces, Spain in provinces, Spain in particularparticular

Heavy Drinker- Heavy Drinker- Biberius Caldius MeroBiberius Caldius Mero

MiserMiser Neglected Public Neglected Public

Works, Augustus’ Works, Augustus’ Temple, Pompey’s Temple, Pompey’s TheatreTheatre

Theodorus- ‘mud, Theodorus- ‘mud, kneaded with blood’kneaded with blood’

MaiestasMaiestas Daily executionsDaily executions Nearly every crime Nearly every crime

became punishable by became punishable by deathdeath

Hated the games, cut Hated the games, cut back fundingback funding

Established Praetorian Established Praetorian Guard, treated them Guard, treated them better than border better than border soldierssoldiers

Private ProblemsPrivate Problems Private “playhouse”Private “playhouse” Pans and nymphsPans and nymphs His ‘minnows’His ‘minnows’ Few immune from Few immune from

his desireshis desires Had trouble Had trouble

trusting people, trusting people, despised his despised his mothermother

Afraid of thunder Afraid of thunder and fishand fish

More Succession More Succession ProblemsProblems

Tiberius withdrawn Tiberius withdrawn in later yearsin later years

SejanusSejanus No heir named, No heir named,

immediate family immediate family deaddead

Two possible heirs, Two possible heirs, Gaius Caesar and Gaius Caesar and Tiberius GemellusTiberius Gemellus

Died March 16, 37 Died March 16, 37 CECE

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Caligula)Germanicus (Caligula)

Son of Germanicus, a Son of Germanicus, a great Roman generalgreat Roman general

Nickname stuck- Nickname stuck- “little soldiers’ boots”“little soldiers’ boots”

Very popular with the Very popular with the masses and soldiersmasses and soldiers

Reigned from 37 to 41 Reigned from 37 to 41 CECE

““I am nursing a viper I am nursing a viper in Rome’s bosom.”- in Rome’s bosom.”- TiberiusTiberius

No Problems at FirstNo Problems at First

Caligula appeals to Roman peopleCaligula appeals to Roman people Recalled exilesRecalled exiles

Held banquets and gave many giftsHeld banquets and gave many gifts Revived Public WorksRevived Public Works

However, later in the same year he However, later in the same year he was appointed, suffered a “brain was appointed, suffered a “brain

fever”fever”

……Possibly Drove Him Possibly Drove Him InsaneInsane

Ships at BaiaeShips at Baiae Replaced heads of Replaced heads of

statues of gods with his statues of gods with his ownown

Wore a wig and Wore a wig and commoners’ clothes for commoners’ clothes for ‘nightly activities’‘nightly activities’

Declared himself a living Declared himself a living godgod

Cancelled some holidays Cancelled some holidays honoring Augustushonoring Augustus

Incest- DrusillaIncest- Drusilla Killed several relatives, Killed several relatives,

painfullypainfully

More ExploitsMore Exploits Hoped for natural Hoped for natural

disastersdisasters Hated the handsomeHated the handsome Unfair taxesUnfair taxes ‘‘Gather seashells!’Gather seashells!’ Stole from Alexander Stole from Alexander

the Great’s tombthe Great’s tomb Created poisons in Created poisons in

spare timespare time Tried to make Incitatus Tried to make Incitatus

a senator, leader of cult a senator, leader of cult in his honorin his honor

Palace on the waterPalace on the water Emptied treasuryEmptied treasury Altered the games Altered the games

unexpectedlyunexpectedly Secretly killed people Secretly killed people

for funfor fun Foul languageFoul language Had people tortured Had people tortured

while he was eatingwhile he was eating HypocriteHypocrite Orgies Orgies

Caligula Assassinated…Caligula Assassinated… 41 CE, Caligula 41 CE, Caligula

violently stabbed to violently stabbed to deathdeath

Issue of succession Issue of succession comes up again…comes up again…

Augustus took Augustus took special measures to special measures to ensure that Tiberius ensure that Tiberius Claudius would not Claudius would not become emperorbecome emperor

Only one ‘capable’ Only one ‘capable’ left aliveleft alive

Tiberius ClaudiusTiberius Claudius

Reigned from 41 to Reigned from 41 to 54 CE54 CE

Historians have Historians have differing opinions differing opinions on his characteron his character

Generally agreed Generally agreed that he had some that he had some forms of physical forms of physical disabilitiesdisabilities

Better than the Last Better than the Last Two..Two..

Erratic court behaviorErratic court behavior ParanoidParanoid Easily swayed by Easily swayed by

othersothers Killed thirty-five Killed thirty-five

senators and 300 senators and 300 equitesequites

GluttonyGluttony Sex addictSex addict BriberyBribery Adopted NeroAdopted Nero

Succession Once Again Succession Once Again DisputedDisputed

Claudius died in 54 CEClaudius died in 54 CE Senate was naturally Senate was naturally

concerned with safetyconcerned with safety Claudius named his Claudius named his

adoptive son Nero as adoptive son Nero as heir (Agrippina had a heir (Agrippina had a strong hand in this)strong hand in this)

Not many options…Not many options…

NeroNero Became emperor at Became emperor at

age sixteenage sixteen Influenced by Influenced by

Agrippina and Seneca Agrippina and Seneca early in reign.early in reign.

Ruled from 54 to 68 Ruled from 54 to 68 CECE

Promised to rule as Promised to rule as Augustus hadAugustus had

Difficult to discern Difficult to discern fact from fiction.fact from fiction.

Nero’s OffensesNero’s Offenses Forced senators to do Forced senators to do

battle in the gladiatorial battle in the gladiatorial gamesgames

Shows he put on were Shows he put on were dangerous at timesdangerous at times

Would ignore pleas to Would ignore pleas to return to Romereturn to Rome

Would don a disguise Would don a disguise and attack men at nightand attack men at night

Petty crimesPetty crimes Forced his friends to Forced his friends to

throw him partiesthrow him parties Opened numerous Opened numerous

temporary brothelstemporary brothels

Raped numerous Raped numerous people, even a Vestal people, even a Vestal VirginVirgin

Attacked private parts Attacked private parts of men and women of men and women bound to stakesbound to stakes

Emptied treasuryEmptied treasury Seized assets of those Seized assets of those

‘disloyal’ to him‘disloyal’ to him MatricideMatricide FratricideFratricide Gruesomely killed auntGruesomely killed aunt Killed nobility to save Killed nobility to save

himselfhimself

Great Fire of RomeGreat Fire of Rome

64 CE64 CE Strongly suspected Strongly suspected

Nero caused fireNero caused fire ““fiddled while fiddled while

Rome burned”Rome burned” Lasted six days, Lasted six days,

seven nightsseven nights

Persecution of ChristiansPersecution of Christians

First emperor to do First emperor to do soso

Would throw parties Would throw parties lit by Christians on lit by Christians on burning crossesburning crosses

Blamed fire on themBlamed fire on them Suspicious due to Suspicious due to

their strange rituals their strange rituals and monotheismand monotheism

End of Julio-ClaudiansEnd of Julio-Claudians Nero committed Nero committed

suicide in 68 CEsuicide in 68 CE No living male No living male

relativesrelatives Start of Flavian Start of Flavian

dynasty soon to followdynasty soon to follow Rome may never have Rome may never have

truly recoveredtruly recovered Start of Flavian Start of Flavian

dynasty under dynasty under Vespasian Vespasian

Legacy of Julio-ClaudiansLegacy of Julio-Claudians

The EndThe End

““Bear in mind that I can do Bear in mind that I can do anything I want to anyone I anything I want to anyone I

want!” - Caligulawant!” - Caligula