The Roman Republic

Many of Agrippina’s strengths were also her greatest weaknesses. Her political ability and ambition were great strengths of character, as was her determination, but at times she aimed too high and was ultimately brought down by the very traits that had enabled her to achieve positions of power. Agrippina was able to become one of the most significant women of the Ancient Roman World, but at the same time she was considered manipulative, and was despised by many, including eventually her son - the Emperor Nero, who had her killed in the year 59 CE. Despite holding no official political status, and being limited by her gender, Agrippina reached unprecedented heights and helped stabilise the Claudius Regime, demonstrating her strength as a

According to Tacitus’s his father-in-law, the Agricola’s career abroad is his time in Britain and his return to his family in Rome. His career was shortened by an envious emperor, who has considered his for military successes of his commanders’ victory a possible threat to his power and a

Some policies and institutions of the Roman Republic were useful to help them succeed in conquering first Italy and then the Mediterranean world. Before of the institution of the republic, the romans were a monarchy since their beginning and they were basically a pastoral people. Rome suffer several changes and improvements under the control of the Etruscan kings. The Etruscan were civilization settled north of Rome in Etruria, and they once had control over almost all the Italic peninsula. The Etruscans influences in Rome were profound, they transformed Rome from a pastoral community to a city (91). The Etruscan built the street and roads that help the development of temples, markets, shops, streets, and houses. They basically brought urbanization to Rome. It is fairly to say that the Rome republic was a fusion between the elements of the Etruscan civilization and the Rome elements. The combination of the different political institutions and policies made the Romans succeed in their conquest territories.

Writing has always been the primary vehicle for social commentary and reform. From Upton Sinclair’s damning exposure of the meat processing industry in The Jungle, to George Orwell’s grave warning concerning communism in Animal Farm, to William Goulding’s disturbing look at human nature post World War 2 in Lord of the Flies, countless authors have attempted to expose flaws in their society through writing. Rome, as a growing republic, and later as a sprawling empire, was consistently rife with corruption, abuse of power, and the degradation of morals. Writers like Sallust, Juvenal, and Tacitus saw these social flaws as opportunities, whether to drive social or political change, or to increase their influence, or just to make a statement to the government and the Roman people. However, these three writers each took a different approach to his commentary. Through comedic hyperbole and satire, Juvenal looked to expose the moral degradation of Roman women in Satire VI. On the other hand, Sallust focused on political corruption in the late Roman Republic, using the history of the Jugurthine War as a lens by which to observe the corruption he despised. With yet another approach, Tacitus aimed to criticize despots like Emperor Domitian and to denounce imperialism through the biography of Agricola, the Roman general who conquered Britain.

Agrippina the Younger found inspiration and motivation from her powerful, yet somewhat dysfunctional family. Her mother, Agrippina the Elder, was considered to be a good example of a Roman Mater. Agrippina’s parents were, like most Roman aristocratic couples, were married as a political alliance but unlike most they lived in concordia. Agrippina’s father held many political and military positions and had obtained many victories and was honoured by his emperors. Although in 19AD Germanicus travelled to Egypt and this was said to greatly displease emperor Tiberius as men of senatorial and imperial rank were barred from entering Egypt without permission, and upon his return died of suspected poisoning. Agrippina the Elder publicly blamed and quarrelled with emperor Tiberius and Piso (Tiberius’ appointee to Syria) over her husband’s death and for this she was constantly targeted but she was still popular with the every-day Roman citizens.

The Roman Republic was a “democratic” republic, which allowed first citizens to vote, and to choose their governors in the senate (Hence, their consuls). However, it was a nation ruled by its aristocracy, and, consequently, the entire Republic`s power was concentrated in a few individuals. Furthermore, the Senate was controlled by Patricians, which directed the government by using wealth to buy control and power over the decisions of the senate and the consuls. This situation aroused the inconformity of the people; as result, a civil war took place in the Republic (destroying it), and then the Roman Empire was born.

In a move to reduce the family’s potential threat and ability to make alliances, Tiberius decided that Agrippina the Younger would marry the much older Cnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus in AD 28 (The Woman Who Would Rule Rome). Little is known concerning the early life of Agrippina the Younger or her marriage to Cnaeus Domitus Ahenobarbus. The ancient writer Suetonius described him as a “wholly despicable character” who was “remarkably dishonest” (The Twelve Caesars, Nero, 5, 6). Suetonius even termed Ahenobarbus as “detestable in every aspect of his life” (Suetonius. Nero. 5.1).

Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (b. A.D. 12, d. A.D. 41, emperor A.D. 37-41) represents a turning point in the early history of the Principate. Unfortunately, his is the most poorly documented reign of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The literary sources for these four years are meager, frequently anecdotal, and universally hostile.[[1]] As a result, not only are many of the events of the reign unclear, but Gaius himself appears more as a caricature than a real person, a crazed megalomaniac given to capricious cruelty and harebrained schemes. Although some

Agrippina was willing to do anything to get what she desired, including marrying her uncle, Emperor Claudius and poisoning him only a few years later, for acclaim for the throne for her son. However, when Nero was appointed ruler, he was still too young, so too Agrippina’s advantage, by the Senate's ruling, she was able to co-rule, side by side with her son. Appendix 1 shows a coin produced during early in Nero’s reign showing this relationship of power. Depicted are both Nero and his mother’s bust, facing one another, each head the same size, symbolising their equal power and importance. This power acclaimed by a woman was something rare in ancient Roman culture as it was far beyond what a woman was expected to behave like. Nevertheless, Nero can be seen in the 35-month episode between his orders to kill his mother in 59 and his alike handling of his wife Octavia (also step sister) in June 62 (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2018). Nero was led into this immorality by his frustration with his mother’s own controlling nature and her fury in her losing control of her son, by Nero falling in love with Poppaea Sabina, who is suggested to have persuaded Nero to take full control of the

The Roman Republic was a time of ancient Roman civilization characterized by a republican form of government. The

The Portrait Head of Agrippina the Elder is located in the Rome gallery at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. This marble sculpture represents Agrippina the Elder. Agrippina the Elder was the daughter of Agrippa, a friend and supporter of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Her mother was Augustus’s daughter Julia. Later, Agrippa the Elder married Augustus’s great nephew Germanicus. She had nine children, one of which who became an emperor, Caligula. Agrippina's husband died, and it was rumored that he had been poisoned. Agrippina was then banished from Rome and tragically died of starvation in exile. Throughout her life, Agrippina was viewed as having a high social status. The creator of the Portrait Head of Agrippina the Elder had used elements such as hair style, facial expression, and female characteristics to represent Agrippina as

Tacitus talks about the influence of Agrippina the younger as a sign of weakness of the principate representing Claudius and Nero as her pawn. Her position of power as a female to this day is unmatched; known as the granddaughter, daughter, sister, wife, and mother of men. ( Tacitus) Agrippina, an Imperial woman of the Julio-Claudian bloodline a female Caesar lived through all five of the Julio-Claudian emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Agrippina the younger roles in the empire is recognized but is not credited for the influence she had in shaping the Roman Empire from the time of Claudius to the beginning of Nero’s reign. Tacitus is writing is from the perspective of an old Roman Senator providing the accounts of Agrippina life in power from a male point of view. His accounts of her life portray her as a vindictive, scandalous female who has stepped above her station. (Tacitus) Suetonius another old Roman Senator accounts would agree with Tacitus in regards to Agrippina 's outrageous behavior. However, it can be argued that she was an emperor while she is not given credit her influence played a huge part in affecting the direction of the Empire and Roman society especially when it comes to women in a position of power.

Franzero attributes much of Nero's early success obtaining the throne to his mother. Agrippina was a very beautiful, ruthless, and deceitfully clever woman. She had the unique ability of positioning herself well, regardless of the situation. Three of Agrippina's two husbands died as a result of being poisoned. During her pregnancy with Nero, Agrippina visited a Persian Magician that foretold her horoscope. "You will give birth to a son, who shall be Emperor, but will assassinate his mother." Agrippina replied: "Let him murder his mother but be Emperor!" —Necet me dum reget! She was dedicated to seeing her son become one of Rome's most prominent politicians. She wouldn't allow anyone to stand in the way of his progress. Her desire to thrust her son into the leading role of emperor was the one overriding factor that would encompass the lion share of her life. This ambition would succeed and, ironically enough, would inevitably lead to her undoing.

Since its collapse, historians have attempted to explain the struggle for power and control over both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire that followed. To explain the complexities of the Roman Republic, the Empire, and their political complexities can be a daunting task. For nearly ten centuries Rome would rule most of the known world before the fall of the Western Empire (Byzantine) in 476 C.E. Before that fall occurred, a fundamental change would take place that would transform the original Republic into the Roman Empire. Many factors would be directly and indirectly responsible for this transition. These would

Gaius and Lucius Julius Caesar were adopted by Augustus in 17 BC. They were under the care of Agrippa if he should die. Augustus and Agrippa had their powers renewed and became involved in Gaul and the northern frontiers of Italy. Agrippa will turn his attention to the eastern provinces. In 13 BC, Tiberius received his first consulship, which was an important step for him in the political and social ladder. Agrippa started to return from the east, however he fell ill and died. This was a crushing blow for Augustus to lose his lifelong friend. This was probably the only man in his circle he could truly trust. He had helped Augustus in both the political and military world of Rome. Agrippa was a humble man and seems to be content with the role he was given. There was a grandiose funeral from him and was even buried in Augustus mausoleum.