Table of Contents
Is Suetonius credible?
Suetonius is free from the bias of the senatorial class that distorts much Roman historical writing. His sketches of the habits and appearance of the emperors are invaluable, but, like Plutarch, he used “characteristic anecdote” without exhaustive inquiry into its authenticity.
Where did Suetonius get his information from?
Suetonius’ sources are authors like Cluvius Rufus, Pliny the Elder, and a collection of letters by the emperor Augustus. As far as we can see, he treats his subject matter more or less objectively. His biographies contain much gossip, but Suetonius does not ignore or misrepresent information from his sources.
Why is Suetonius important?
AD 69 – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies of 12 successive Roman rulers, from Julius Caesar to Domitian, likely entitled De vita Caesarum….
Suetonius | |
---|---|
Notable works | The Lives of the Twelve Caesars |
Is Tacitus a bias?
Tacitus objected to great concentration of power in the hands of the early emperors. He had a particularly heavy bias against the emperor Tiberius, whom he portrayed as a sinister and cruel emperor, purging his opponents from the Senate by having them tried for treason and executed.
Is Suetonius a primary source?
Suetonius’s work would be considered a primary source because as second-century Roman, he is using his work to express his views and opinions on how previous emperors had exercised their power. Suetonius’s work would be considered a secondary source because he wasn’t alive during Julius Caesar’s reign.
What does Suetonius say about Caesar?
While serving as quaestor in Hispania, 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, he had conquered the whole world.
What did Suetonius write about Caligula?
But Suetonius wrote “The Lives of the Caesars” in 121 A.D., 80 years after Caligula was assassinated at age 28 by members of the Praetorian Guard.
What does Tacitus say about Tiberius?
There is no doubt Tacitus wished to leave a poor impression upon the Emperor. Not all of what Tacitus has to say on Tiberius is negative; such as during the earthquake in Asia, Tacitus mentions the generosity of Tiberius and how he was able to settle disputes between private citizens in law courts.
Is Suetonius a secondary source?
Is Suetonius a primary source Augustus?
Primary Sources: “The Deeds of the Divine Augustus” by Augustus ( English translation of Res Gestae Divi Augusti) Suetonius, “Divus Augustus” (an outline by John Paul Adams)
What did Suetonius considered bad qualities in a leader?
Suetonius conveys his opinion of each emperor indirectly through how he portrays their vices and virtues. According to Suetonius, a Roman leader’s good and bad qualities included their military successes, relations with the citizens of Rome, mental stability, and private relationships.
Is Suetonius a reliable historical source?
[6] ” Using this evidence it could be concluded that Suetonius’ can qualify as a historical source as he rarely introduces any bias. Combined with this, the availability of sources which Suetonius had as private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian encourages him to be perceived as a reliable historian.
What is Suetonius’s style of writing?
Suetonius appears to focus on events which are of interest to him rather than looking to present a wide basis of factual detail.
How reliable are Suetonius’ accounts of Nero’s life?
On the one hand, the lack of Suetonius’ own opinions and his lack of a desire to make a judgement on the Emperors shines favourably upon the reliability of Suetonius’ writings, though the fact that he lost access to the Imperial archives before writing the account of Nero’s life, makes his account prone to gossip and not totally dependable.
How do you find sources to compare Suetonius’s the Twelve Caesars with?
To find sources to compare Suetonius’ The Twelve Caesars with I looked in the book Augustus to Nero: A Sourcebook on Roman History: 31 BC – AD 68 by David C. Braund. This book has a section on sources about the emperors.