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Document Details : Title: Vespasian and the Wrath of Agrippina Subtitle: A Reconsideration Author(s): ALLEN, Bruce Ware Journal: Latomus Volume: 84 Issue: 4 Date: 2025 Pages: 661-691 DOI: 10.2143/LAT.84.4.3295505 Abstract : A single line by Suetonius claims that the rising senator Vespasian, war hero, and former consul, retired from public life from fear of Agrippina the Younger’s hatred. Supporting evidence for this claim, or that Agrippina had any grievance at all against Vespasian, is weak and circumstantial. Prior to Agrippina’s marrying Claudius, Vespasian, a client of her grandmother and of Claudius, was well positioned to promote her interests, not least of all her irregular marriage to Claudius in January of AD 49. Then at her most powerful, she did nothing to quash his consulship in AD 51 and likely approved it. By AD 69, the Year of Four Emperors, her reputation, and that of her son Nero, had plummeted. The newly elevated Flavians had every reason to disassociate themselves from both mother and son under whom Vespasian and Titus had prospered, instead honoring the Divine Claudius and son Britannicus. |
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