Emperor Domitian
notes from the richard alston textbook
- Created by: rosie
- Created on: 25-10-14 12:13
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- Domitian
- The Imperial Court
- good emperors were supposed to consult a wide range of people but Domitian was depicted as secretive and as concentrating power in the court
- Domitian continued to promote his family although unlike his father not only the men
- his niece was rumoured to be his lover
- spent a lot of time at Alba not in Rome
- Domitian surrounded himself with experienced and politically astute men
- Conflict between the senate and Domitian led to paranoia.
- many people close to the Emperor were exiled, killed etc.
- Conflict between the senate and Domitian led to paranoia.
- for example Sabinus was killed soon after an attendant got confused and hailed Sabinus as emperor instead
- Persecution of philosophers
- There was probably an atmosphere of paranoia during the later years of his reign and possibly earlier as well
- War and Military Policy
- the campaign led by Agricola in Britain was quite successful
- However they had to withdraw troops due to conflict in Germany
- Continued his father’s policy of expansion in Germany and Britain.
- Led some campaigns in Germany himself.
- Battles with the Dacians quite unsuccessful, although peace was finally achieved the frontier was still not secure
- the campaign led by Agricola in Britain was quite successful
- Image
- he tried to win favour with exhibitions of largess
- collected taxes from jewish people quite harshly
- prosecuted people for being atheists (as it could show a refusal to believe he is emperor)
- wanted to be adressed as 'deus et dominus'
- Generous to the plebs
- he tried to win favour with exhibitions of largess
- Had ambitious building plans e.g. completed temple to his father and made himself a new palace
- Assasination
- Domitian's increased paranoia and killings of people close to him probably led his to be assassins to feel they would be safer with him dead
- his assassin's were some of his freedmen, although later Domitia and Nerva were also rumoured to be involved
- Finance
- Good
- 'bad' emperors are often accused of being greedy or bad with finance
- the disasters in Titus' reign had cost a lot
- he seems to have ad a fairly relaxed attitude towards debts
- Bad
- is accused of having senators killed to get their money
- collection of taxes severe
- had to reduce level of silver content in coins
- Vespasian had left a full treasury
- Taxes on inheritance were raised
- Good
- The Imperial Court
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