Lives of the Caesars

by Suetonius

Calvini

Ahenobarbi.

Lucius Do...

Two young men, twins of impressive bearing, are said to have appeared to him once, as he was returning from the countryside, and to have given him orders to announce to the senate and people victory...

Between them, they achieved seven consulships, a triumph, two censorships, and promotion to the patricians, all the while continuing to use the same cognomen. And they took no other forenames than Gnaeus and Lucius.

Lucius

Gnaeus.

great-grandfather’s grand—father,

Gnaeus Domitius*

Allobroges

Arverni,

Licinius Crassus

Ahenobarbus,

Julius Caesar

Corfinium*

Massilia,

fighting at Pharsalus.*

Gnaeus Pompey

[3] He left a son,* who, without doubt, was far superior to the rest of the family. He, though he was innocent, had been condemned under the Pedian law* as one of Caesar’s assassins, and so joined cause with Brutus and Cassius, being closely related to them.

After their deaths he kept the fleet which had been entrusted to him and increased it. Only when his side was utterly defeated everywhere did he hand the fleet over to Mark Antony—on his own initiative and as if he were conferring a great favour. And he alone, of all those who had been condemned by that same law, had his civil rights restored to him and fulfilled the highest offices.

When, later, civil war broke out again and he was made a legate by that same Mark Antony, he was offered the supreme command by those of his side who were ashamed of the alliance with Cleopatra but, suffering from a sudden illness, dared neither to a...

Servilia Nais.

[4] This Domitius was father of the man who was later well known for being named as executor in Augustus’ will.

He was no less famous in his youth for his skill in chariot driving than he was to be later for the triumphal ornaments ...

Lucius Plancus

[5] He and the elder Antonia* were the parents of Nero’s father, a man loathsome in every respect.

As a young man, on a trip to the east accompanying Gaius Caesar,* he killed his own freedman, on the grounds that the man would not drink as much as he was ordered, and was himself dismissed from the entourage, yet made no attempt to regulate his lifestyle.

When his own sister’s jokes brought him into public disrepute for this and the team managers complained, he issued an edict* that prizes should subsequently be handed over on the spot.

Shortly before Tiberius died, Domitius was accused of treason, adultery, and incest with his sister Lepida but escaped prosecution because of the change of regime.

[6] Nero was born at Antium, nine months after Tiberius died, on the eighteenth day before the Kalends of January,* just as the sun was rising, so that he was touched by its rays almost before he could be laid on the ground.*

Many people made numerous and sinister predictions about his birth-signs. Among the warnings was even the pronouncement of his father, who responded to his friends’ congratulations saying nothing could be born of himself and Agrippina that would not inspire loathing and bring disaster for the state.

At three years old he lost his father. Heir to a mere third part of the estate, he did not even get that much, for his co-heir, Caligula seized everything.*

When soon afterwards his mother was relegated he was left virtually penniless. His aunt Lepida brought him up, placing him in the care of two tutors, one a dancer, the other a barber.

However, when Claudius succeeded to the empire, Nero not only got back his father’s property but increased his wealth with an inheritance ...

When his mother was recalled to Rome and re-established, his position was so improved by the favour and influence she exercised that, according to a popular rumour, Claudius’ wife Messalina sent some men to strangle him during his sies...

[7] When he was still only a young boy he participated most enthusiastically and successfully in the Troy game at the Circus.

Annaeus Seneca,

For when, after his adoption, his brother Britannicus, through habit, continued to address him as Ahenobarbus, he tried to convince his father* that Britannicus was not really his child but a substitute.

When his aunt Lepida was on trial he publicly gave evidence against her in order to please his mother who was striving to undermine her position.

On the occasion of his first public appearance in the Forum, he promised gifts for the people and money for the soldiers and announced a parade of the praetorian guard, whic...

[8] When the death of Claudius was publicly announced, Nero, who was then seventeen, approached the guards between the sixth and the seventh hour, for in consequence of the terrible omens which had occurred throughout the day, no earlier time had seemed suitable for embarking on his reign.

In front of the steps to the Palatine, he was saluted emperor then taken by litter to the praetorian camp, where he addressed the soldiers briefly before returning to the senate house, where he remained until evening.

[9] Beginning with a display of filial respect, he provided Claudius with a most magnificent funeral at which he gave the official eulogy and declared him to be a god.

He paid the highest honours to the memory of his father Domitius and allowed his mother the greatest influence over all matters private and public.

Even on the first day of his reign, he gave as the password to the tribune of the watch ‘the best of mothers’ and afterwards he often rode ab...

[10] In order to provide a more certain measure of his disposition, he declared that he would rule according to the prescriptions of Augustus and he let slip no opportunity to demonstrate his generosity, his clemency, or his affability.

More onerous taxes he reduced or did away with. He cut to a quarter of their original rate the rewards paid to informers under the Papian law.*

He gave four hundred sesterces to each man of the people and, in the case of senators of noble family who had lost their ancestral fortunes, he provided annual sal...

used to greet members of all the orders accurately and without prompting.*

[11] He provided a great many games* of different kinds: Youth Games, circus games, theatrical performances and gladiatorial contests. In the Youth Games* he included old men of consular rank and respectable old women as participants. In the circus games, he assigned separate seating to Roman knights* and even ran chariots drawn by teams of camels.