Tacitus Anti Emperor Feelings example essay topic

Tacitus lived under the reign of Domitian, twenty years after Nero. His family originated from southern Gaul. After becoming a barrister he was promoted to the position of provincial governor in 112-113 AD in Asia. Under the reign of Domitian, Tacitus was incredibly lucky that he managed to survive, unlike many of his colleagues. Domitian disposed of rivals and opposition, thus making him a very paranoid man. The killings of these men started Tacitus' anti-emperor feelings.

Domitian's reign was modelled on Tiberius' who Tacitus also heavily criticised. But, in Annals 13 and 14, Tacitus concentrated n Nero, whom he despised. Tacitus' personal career as the provincial governor had revealed to him, at court and in administration, the play of power that lay behind the imperial facade of rule. He was especially familiar with the effects of dynastic control.

It tended to corrupt the rulers as it had in the period from Vespasian to Domitian, and to reduce the supporting nobles to servility, while only military revolt within Rome or from the frontier legions could change the situation, as it had done at the end of Nero's reign. An example of his negative outlook on emperors is in AD 55 when Nero exempted Lucius Vet us from swearing allegiance. This act of supposed good will had completely the opposite effect on Tacitus. Nero's name is often tarnished throughout the Annals as Tacitus saw fit, for example, he described Marcus Julius Silenus as being 'the first casualty of the new reign (Nero's reign).

' The opening sentence in AD 56 explains 'the year was a time of peace abroad, but disgusting excesses by Nero in Rome. ' The emperor went round the city dressed like a worker and he used to beat people up. When a senator fought back he was later forced to commit suicide by Nero. These two extracts are not just observations by Tacitus, but heavy criticisms against a man who was unworthy for his post.

Tacitus stood against self - indulgence and extravagant displays of wealth as he saw these as being major flaws of the aristocracy and nobility. Although Tacitus was far more interested in moral behaviour, he saw these flaws as the basis for Rome's decline at the time of Nero. An example of this decaying Rome was in Ad 60 when the people of Pompeii and Nu ceria assaulted each other at the gladiatorial event. Nero passed the investigation onto the Senate, who subsequently made the consuls take care of the matter. When the consuls reported back, the Senate acted. This and other examples of an idle Rome really infuriated Tacitus who wanted to see the city as the model centre of the world.

He just recognised corruption for what it was. Tacitus discusses to politics in the Annals because he was interested in it due to his time as a senator. In AD 59, Tacitus tells the reader how 'promiscuity and degradation throve. ' Tacitus saw Nero's creation of the youth games as an immoral act.

There were huge anti-Greek feelings at this time against people who acted in the 'Greek or Latin style. ' Tacitus uses these examples to link the political decline in Rome with the lack of morals. He links all the debauchery that happens with nero. All vices were practised in this time with no sign of recovery.

Tacitus gets very upset by this, as the emperor should have been a figurehead who set a good example rather than exactly the opposite. Rome was now formed on a completely differ net basis than before as sycophancy and political gain now ruled the world. Tacitus had previously been a lawyer, which is evident in is work. He constructed speeches in such a way that they are very persuasive. He wrote about Cassius debating with an anti-slave notion and he did it very powerfully. 'Teh only way to keep down this scum is by intimidation.

Innocent people die you say. Yes, and when in a defeated army. ' As Tacitus was a lawyer, he would have had to write very effective speeches to be read aloud in public and this is shown in the Annals as the speeches are very well balanced and rhetorical. In his speeches he used a mixture of short and long sentences. These made the phrases punchy and allowed Tacitus to stress certain points. One of Tacitus' most successful ways of creating prejudice was by 'damning aside.

' For example, Tacitus said that Tiberius refused the title 'father of his Country' and also declined the senates' proposal that obedience should be sworn to his enactments, but at the end of the paragraph said, 'nevertheless he did not convince people of his Republicanism. ' An obvious interest of Tacitus is that of women. He seemed to despise women who had power and used it in the wrong way. Agrippina is the first woman in Annals 13 and 14 to become a target for his criticisms, and his accounts of Agrippina are glaringly biased against her.

She had got herself into a position of power by marrying her uncle, emperor Claudius. She had then used her position to ensure that her son, Nero, would succeed her husband. Tacitus was obviously horrified by Agrippina's quest for power. Another character who proved to be ruthless at the political game and Tacitus disliked was Poppaea. From the way in which tacitus introduces her into the Annals we can immediately see his bias against her. 'Poppaea had every asset except goodness.

From her mother, the loveliest woman of her day, she inherited distinction and beauty. Her wealth, too, was equal to her birth. She was clever and pleasant to talk to. She seemed respectable.

But her life was depraved. ' However, he did not hate all women as he made Octavia to be a tragic figure. He said that Octavia 'virtually died on her wedding day,' and 'young though she was, (she) had learnt to hide sorrow, affection, every feeling. ' He obviously felt sorrow for Octavia as she was married to a monster and had had to watch all her loved ones die. Tacitus was interested in drama and action as it shows when he puts tension and drama into his writing. When Tacitus wrote the Annals the society in which he lives was very much theatrical. there are dramatic scenes throughout the Annals.

The ones in Annals 13 and 14 are that of Brittannicus' death and Cctavia's death. He also made the life of Agrippina into a drama. First there is the appeal of Poppaea for Agrippina's death, then there is tension increased by digressions (different accounts), dramatic irony (warm greetings for Agrippina at Nero's villa), reversal of fortune (collapse of boat and her escape), omens (trumpets blasts from the grave) and her own comment at her murder 'strike here. ' I all seems melodramatic. He also took an interest in investigating his narrative with vivid images as though he were having to build a picture up in a blind person's mind.

This is shown in his description of Brittanicus' death, 'his body convulsed, (and) he instantly ceased to breathe. ' Tacitus then goes on to describe what everyone else in the room looked like or was doing. For example, he describes Nero as ' (lying) back unconcernedly,' Agrippina on the other hand 'tried to control her features. But their evident consternation and terror showed. ' Tacitus originated from Gaul and seemed interested in researching foreigners to Rome. He constructed his speeches in such a way that he could influence people's perceptions of foreigners.

When two German delegates visited Rome they decided to sit with senators because there was 'no race on earth (that) was braver and more loyal than the Germans. ' This example proves that the people that Rome saw as barbarians were a lot more human than they thought. Tacitus enforces this point when dealing with Boudicca's rebellion. When the britons revolted and slaughtered many Romans, Tacitus saw this as a justified act. He xe presses his opinions by claiming that both Romans and the Britons were guilty in performing barbarous acts. Tacitus' good education and amazing ability to write, mad him hate Nero, because Nero could not even write his own speeches and needed 'borrowed eloquence.

' It was also this education that stimulated his interest in philosophy and the philosophers of the time. Tacitus respected Seneca greatly for his views, but when dealing with Thrasea Paetus he criticised his exit of the senate after Agrippina's death as a brave, but foolish act. Paetus' bravery held him down later as Nero 'forced him to commit suicide. ' Tacitus links the supernatural forces and omens in the Annals with philosophy. He did not usually agree with them but used them as dramatic devices where public opinion believed them. When Nero desecrates the source of the Marci an Aqueduct 'divine anger was apparent when he became seriously ill.

' Although Tacitus may not have believed them, they became a part of his narrative technique, adding interest and originality to his work. All these additions in his work seemed from his moral ideas, but he did not take the same views as the majority of philosophers. He used the characters as his moral examples. Corbulo was probably his best example. He was in command of the Roman forces in Armenia while in conflict with Tiridates. Corbulo lived exactly the same life as his soldiers and endured all the common hardships.

He was greatly respected by Tacitus, not only for his skills as a commander, but for his brilliant discipline. Corbulo may have been strict, but he was a very fair leader and his troops followed him devoutly. In the later Annals, Tacitus expressed displeasure when Nero 'forces him to commit suicide. ' Out of all the characters Tacitus has shown the reader that Corbulo is the one who he feels should have been emperor.

Overall, my impression of Tacitus is one who has had his views tainted and distorted by tyrannical rulers and unjust emperors. He heavily criticises Nero for his extravagance and habits, but especially for his short - sightedness. The omens, his hatred of megalomaniac women like Poppaea and his brilliant creation of speeches (Agrippina's death) all contribute to his unique narrative style. Tacitus goes far beyond the philosophers and his Roman compatriots in his focus on political, social, and psychological evil, and, for him, it was Rome's own moral failure engendered all the evils that led to the decline of freedom. I personally think that he was a brilliant literary artist, and his account of the significant period in Roman history is viv d and searching.