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Document Details : Title: Hostility and Goodwill in Suetonius and the Historia Augusta Author(s): NEWBOLD, R.F. Journal: Ancient Society Volume: 28 Date: 1997 Pages: 149-174 DOI: 10.2143/AS.28.0.630074 Abstract : In beginning his narrative of Nero’s last days, Suetonius in c. 41 records that Vindex issued frequent insulting edicts against Nero, reproached him for being a poor lyre-player and called him Ahenobarbus rather than Nero. Then to Rome came news of the revolt of Galba and the Spanish provinces. Nero composed verses that made fun of the leaders of the revolt (42.2) and supposedly planned to kill army commanders and provincial governors, murder exiles everywhere and all Gauls in Rome, and poison the senate en masse (43.1). Hostility against Nero grew because he was perceived to be exacerbating high grain prices. His statues were used to insult him, and derogatory graffiti were posted (45.2). An anti-Vindex speech of Nero’s was delivered in the senate (46.3) and then came news of further revolts (47.1). An officer of the praetorian guard made an insulting response to Nero’s attempt to persuade them to flee with him (47.2) and the senate sentenced him to be flogged to death (49.2). Insult, revolt, planned massacre, invective and capital condemnation, these are some of the many ways in which hostility appears in the pages of Suetonius. |
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