Transcript SP1a: The Impact of the death of Augustus - Julio-Claudians-at

SP1a: The Impact of the death
of Augustus
HISTORICAL PERIOD:
THE JULIO-CLAUDIANS
What are the concerns?
 Augustus knew that he couldn’t live forever...but the
question remained as to who could and should
succeed him.
 Some of the concerns that would have faced him
include:
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
Technically a republic not monarchy
Legitimate heir
When to announce the succession
Republic not a monarchy
 Once Augustus had secured his position in Rome, he constantly declared
that he had restored the Republic.
 However, Augustus was bestowed with many titles, but the ones that
wielded him the most power were
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princeps senatus – right to speak first in the senate
princeps civitatis – first citizen in the Roman state; technically no powers but implied
supremacy and authority.
 Constantly Augustus refused to take on titles that would authorise him to
have supreme administrative power over matters such as law, military
command, policy making, life and death. This is known as “imperium”, yet
many historians would argue that he held “maius imperium” or greater
power.
 If Augustus had in fact restored the republic, then in a republic there are no
hereditary titles or positions. To announce a successor would imply not a
republic but a monarchy or dictatorship.
Legitimate heir
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Despite the concept of a republic Rome,
Augustus is reported to have been
concerned about what would happen to
Rome after his death and wished to
appoint someone to follow in his stead
and ensure a strong Roman Empire.
Time and again he pinned his hopes on
an heir of the Julian bloodline. Augustus
did not have sons to either of his wives.
His only hope of this was through his
daughter Julia, and the sons she had with
Marcus Agrippa.
Unfortunately he was thwarted by their
untimely deaths. Leaving only his stepsons Tiberius and Drusus as potential
heirs.
Augustus
(died 14AD)
Caius Caesar
(died 4AD)
m
Julia
Tiberius
Claudius
Nero
Lucius
Caesar (died
2AD)
Agrippa
Postmus
(died 14AD)
Livia
Nero
Claudius
Drusus
Announcing the successor
 To announce a successor may have
offended the senate. Augustus was
careful about keeping them on
side.
 Once Augustus appoints someone
to take over from him, it can result
in negative actions, such as
deferring power to the successor,
suggests less capable to manage
affairs of state.
 “He solved this with typical
Augustan shrewdness by having
his chosen successor assume the
powers of tribune and proconsul
while he was still alive. Therefore,
when Augustus died, the new
emperor would already hold the
important offices to guarantee a
smooth transition of power. Over
time, and the memories of the
Republic faded would fade and it
would be taken for granted that the
emperor's son or chosen successor
should be the next emperor, even if
he did not already hold the
appropriate powers.”
From
http://www.flowofhistory.com/uni
ts/birth/4/FC32