Suetonius and his treatment of the Emperor Domitian’s favourable accomplishments
Geoff W. Adams
Studia Humaniora Tartuensia, vol. 6 (2005)
Abstract
Suetonius has become one of the most influential and important ancient sources for our understanding of the socio-political climate in First Century Imperial Rome and the personalities of its emperors. However, he has illustrated in his texts a bias, often in a subtle manner that illustrates the historical and cultural aspects of the literary climate during this period. One notable example is his Life of the Emperor Domitian, which corresponds well with the maturity of Suetonius’ writings by this time, but is also unique because of its construction and personal attributes, being the most recent imperial life written by Suetonius. This life illustrates both the literary climate of this period (being clearly influenced by its Senatorial audience) as well as the damning and lasting impressions that the damnatio memoriae has had upon the historical sources on the Emperor Domitian.
Suetonius’ De Vita Caesarum has been the subject of much discussion, particularly with reference to the bias evident within his biographies. This inquiry focuses upon theLife of Domitian, the prejudices that Suetonius held in this composition, and how apparent such tendencies are throughout his work.
It is clear that this biography was imbued with a fair degree of hostility towards the deceased emperor. Although Suetonius’ work was not as vicious as the writings of Tacitus and Pliny, negative representation of Domitian still pervades his biography. In order to examine this aspect of Suetonius it is necessary to compare the prevailing literary trends of the period, the format of his biography and the nature of his bias. This examination centres upon the inaccuracies that are attributable to the author’s prejudice in his Life of Domitian and his compliance with literary trends in the post-Domitianic era.
Geoff W. Adams
Studia Humaniora Tartuensia, vol. 6 (2005)
Abstract
Suetonius has become one of the most influential and important ancient sources for our understanding of the socio-political climate in First Century Imperial Rome and the personalities of its emperors. However, he has illustrated in his texts a bias, often in a subtle manner that illustrates the historical and cultural aspects of the literary climate during this period. One notable example is his Life of the Emperor Domitian, which corresponds well with the maturity of Suetonius’ writings by this time, but is also unique because of its construction and personal attributes, being the most recent imperial life written by Suetonius. This life illustrates both the literary climate of this period (being clearly influenced by its Senatorial audience) as well as the damning and lasting impressions that the damnatio memoriae has had upon the historical sources on the Emperor Domitian.
Suetonius’ De Vita Caesarum
has been the subject of much discussion, particularly with reference to the bias evident within his biographies. This inquiry focuses upon the Life of Domitian
, the prejudices that Suetonius held in this composition, and how apparent such tendencies are throughout his work.
It is clear that this biography was imbued with a fair degree of hostility towards the deceased emperor. Although Suetonius’ work was not as vicious as the writings of Tacitus and Pliny, negative representation of Domitian still pervades his biography. In order to examine this aspect of Suetonius it is necessary to compare the prevailing literary trends of the period, the format of his biography and the nature of his bias. This examination centres upon the inaccuracies that are attributable to the author’s prejudice in his Life of Domitian and his compliance with literary trends in the post-Domitianic era.
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