HIST 2904 Lecture 3: Lecture Three Ancient Rome.doc
Document Summary
After nero - galba, support from senate, praetorians. He did not buy the praetorians - out of touch and clearly he isn"t going to last for long. Tacitus, histories, 1. 5; i do not buy my soldiers, i choose them . Pleasing to the senate but doesn"t buy off the praetorians then he is failing one of those systems that he has to qualify to be a great ruler. Alienates everyone who matters and is rapidly falling out of favour. Executes everyone who was close to nero. Character is flat, he comes after nero who was an unpleasant individual but he had maybe too much character, galba is dull and marches to his own tune. May have initially favored the senates and the praetorians but fell out of touch. Alone when aulus vitellius (january, 69) proclaimed by his troops vitellius = legate for lower.
