eQuizShow

Agrippina

Role of Imperial Women

Question: True or false - women of the Julio-Claudian period had more personal freedom than women at any other time in Roman history.
Answer: True

Question: Why did ambitious men seek to marry Julio-Claudian women?
Answer: To link themselves to the emperor, and to popular leaders such as Augustus, and Germanicus.

Question: List two privileges enjoyed by the Vestal Virgins.
Answer: Special seats at the games
Sacrosanctity


Question: What is the best way to describe the role Julio-Claudian women play din public affairs?
Answer: Influence

Question: How did Agrippina seek to further her own ambitions?
Answer: Strategic marriage - to Claudius.

Background and rise to prominence

Question: Was Agrippina Julian or Claudian?
Answer: Julian

Question: Name Agrippina's husbands:
Answer: Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus
Crispus Passienus
Claudius


Question: Why might Claudius wish to marry Agrippina?
Answer: Link to Germanicus, and the freedmen were promoting her.

Question: When and why was Agrippina exiled?
Answer: In AD40 - she was involved in a conspiracy with her sister Livilla. Gaius believed they were plotting against him.

Question: What impact did Agrippina's marriage to Claudius have on Rome?
Answer: Tacitus: the country was transformed - complete obedience was accorded to a woman.
Possible rivals eliminated or exiled
Nero was adopted by the princeps.
Claudius killed ...?


Career

Question: What do Pallas, Seneca and Burrus have in common?
Answer: They were Agrippina's clients.

Question: How did Agrippina gain prominence when Gaius became emperor? (3 things)
Answer: 1. Honorary Vestal Virgin
2. Seats in the imperial enclosure at the games
3. Included in the annual vows for the emperor's safety


Question: List two signs that Agrippina had secured her own power during her marriage to Claudius - not connected to Nero:
Answer: Praetorian bodyguard
Title Augusta
Coinage
Divine honours in the east
Driving to the Capitol in the carpentum
Having Lollia Paulina exiled


Question: Give there pieces of evidence showing that Agrippina was promoting Nero as successor:
Answer: Engaged to Octavia in AD49
Claudius adopted him AD50
Claudius & Nero appeared on coins together
Assumed toga virilis early
Games held in his name
Donations made in his name to troops & the public


Question: What are some of the historical views regarding why Agrippina's influence declined during Nero's reign?
Answer: Bauman, Weidemann: withdrawal of Seneca & Burrus' support
Tacitus: Nero's affair with Acte
Warmington: She began to threaten Nero with hints about Britannicus



Evaluation

Question: True or false - historians have suggested that Agrippina's death began the downfall of Nero and the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
Answer: True - Tacitus leans this way, amongst others.

Question: Which sources tend to be more critical of Agrippina - ancient or modern?
Answer: Ancient.

Question: How might you argue that Agrippina's death was a turning point in Nero's reign?
Answer: He was unfettered, and his behaviour became more risky.

Question: Why was Agrippina unsuccessful at gaining actual political power?
Answer: As a woman, this was beyond her reach. However, she did have a degree of political influence.

Question: What is Agrippina's legacy?
Answer: Nero as emperor.
Her skilful exploitation of patronage.
The manipulation of relatives to gain influence.


Random

Question: Which ancient writer spoke of Agrippina's 'rigorous, almost masculine despotism'?
Answer: Tacitus

Question: What was the first watchword Nero gave the Praetorian Guard after his accession?
Answer: The best of mothers

Question: Why would Nero's accession speech have offended Agrippina?
Answer: He spoke of downgrading the Domus (imperial household) and separating it from the state. 

Question: What impact did Nero's removal of Pallas have on Agrippina?
Answer: He was one of her chief supporters. Agrippina responded by supporting Britannicus' claim to power, so Nero had him killed.
The struggle of wills between Agrippina & Nero becomes more public.
Agrippina is exiled.


Question: Did Agrippina murder Claudius? Evidence?
Answer: Yes: advantages to be gained. She was keen to secure Nero's position, and Claudius was leaning towards Britannicus. The ancient sources uniformly agree that she did.
Maybe: the modern sources remain divided