Political Dissidence Under Nero : The Price of Dissimulation

Vasily Rudich examines dissidence under Nero from both historical and psychological perspectives and inquires into the balance of the universal and historically conditioned components of political behaviour. The careers of numerous dissident individuals and their attempts at accomodation to a hostile reality are discussed. Introduction: The Age Of Dissimulation. The Augustan Principate. Ancestral Customs The Status Of The Senate. Senatorial Dissimulatio. The Equestrians, The Urban Plebs, And The Provincials. Many And Good Versus Few And Powerful The Informers. The Imperial Friends And Companions The Imperial Family: Dynastic Dissidents Nero's Personality. The Rhetoricized Mentality Of The Latin Silver Age -- 1. The Years Of Expectation. I. Death Of Claudius And Nero's Accession; M. Iunius Silanus. Ii. The Dawn Of The Golden Age; Nero's Augustinianism; The Murder Of Britannicus. Iii. The Golden Five Years; Seneca And Burrus. Iv. Agrippina And Rubellius Plautus; Cornelius Sulla, Burrus, And Pallas; The Vibullius-antistius Sosianus Affair. V. Pomponia Graecina, The Religious Dissident; The Case Of Suillius Rufus; Poppaea Sabina And Otho; Iulius Montanus, A Dissident By Misadventure. Vi. The Exile Of Cornelius Sulla; Thrasea Paetus And The Theory Of Small Deeds -- 2. The Years Of Frustration. I. The Matricide; Thrasea Paetus' Demarche. Ii. Nero's Public Image; The Festivals Of Juvenalia And The Neronia I. Iii. The Exile Of Rubellius Plautus; The Revolt In Britain; Agricola. Iv. The Debate Over The Household Of Pedanius Secundus; The Ferocious Cassius Longinus. V. Memmius Regulus, The Model Senator; The First Treason Trial: Antistius Sosianus; Thrasea Paetus' Liberty; Fabricius Veiento; Persius. Vi. Death Of Burrus; The Rise Of Tigellinus; Seneca's Retirement. Vii. Execution Of Rubellius Plautus And Cornelius Sulla; The Murder Of Octavia -- 3. The Years Of Action. I. The Mysterious Denunciation: Thrasea Paetus' Secession Ii. Nero In Naples; P. Vatinus, The Imperial Parasite; D. Iunius Silanus Torquatus. Iii. Sex, Scandal, And Glamor; Nero As Werewolf; The Great Fire And Persecution Of The Christians. Iv. The Pisonian Conspiracy: Origin And Membership; C. Calpurnius Piso. V. Lucan; Plautius Lateranus. Vi. The Equestrians And The Praetorians: Claudius Senecio And Subrius Flavius; Epicharis. Vii. Exposure Of The Plot And Breakdown Of The Plotters: Flavius Scaevinus And Antonius Natalis. Viii. Death Of Seneca. Ix. Executions; The Case Of Faenius Rufus. X. Vestinus Atticus, Sexual Dissident; The Victims; Musonius Rufus, The Roman Socrates. Xi. The Winners; Milichus The Savior; Nerva, Agent Provocateur? -- 4. The Years Of Decimation: I. I. Queen Dido's Treasure; The Fiscal Crisis; Confiscations And Proceeds; The Roman Gulag; Neronia Ii; Death Of Poppaea Sabina; Nero's Matrimonial Plans: Antonia And Statilia Messallina, His Last Wife. Ii. The Attack On Cassius Longinus And L. Iunius Silanus Torquatus; The Family Of Antistius Vetus. Iii. The Fate Of Anteius Rufus And Ostorius Scapula; Antistius Sosianus, The Dissident Turncoat; Rufrius Crispinus; Seneca's Two Brothers; Annaeus Cornutus; Anicius Cerealis. Iv. Petronius, The Aesthetic Dissident V. Barea Soranus And His Daughter Servilia; Thrasea Paetus: Virtue Itself; The Stoicized Senator; Cossutianus Capito's Offensive. Vi. The Trial Of Thrasea Paetus; Eprius Marcellus As Prosector; The Crime Of Inactivity; Thrasea Paetus' Circle: Helvidius Priscus, Paconius Agrippinus, Curtius Montanus; Thrasea Paetus' Last Hours: Behold, Young Man . . . -- 5. The Years Of Decimation: Ii. I. (digression: The Vespasianic Thaw; The Neronian Informers In The Time Of Trouble; Helvidius Priscus Versus Eprius Marcellus). Ii. Nero's Grand Tour; Nero And The Greeks. Iii. Vespasian: The Years Before The Purple; The Outbreak Of The Jewish War. Iv. The Vinician Conspiracy; Decimation In The Army: Domitius Corbulo And The Scribonii Brothers. V. The Regency Of Helius; The Fall Of The Crassi; (digression: The Vespasianic Thaw; Senatorial Campaign Against The Informers; The Failed Impeachment Of Aquilius Regulus). Vi. Nero's Return; The Gathering Of The Storm -- 6. The Year Of Revolution. I. The War Over Nero; The Revolt Of Vindex. Ii. Verginius Rufus And His Divine And Immortal Deed; Clodius Macer, The Adventurer. Iii. Galba: His Career And Proclamation; The Pronunciamento Of Vitellius; The Five-day-caesar, Piso Licinianus; Otho's Putsch; Tiberius Alexander. Iv. The Agony Of Tigellinus; Nymphidius Sabinus And His Abortive Coup; Nero's End: What An Artist . . . Vasily Rudich. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. BOOK COVER......Page 1 HALF-TITLE......Page 2 TITLE......Page 3 COPYRIGHT......Page 4 DEDICATION......Page 5 CONTENTS......Page 6 PREFACE......Page 10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 14 INTRODUCTION......Page 16 I......Page 34 II......Page 37 III......Page 42 IV......Page 49 V......Page 55 VI......Page 60 I......Page 66 II......Page 70 III......Page 75 IV......Page 78 V......Page 83 VI......Page 91 VII......Page 95 I......Page 104 II......Page 109 III......Page 111 IV......Page 115 V......Page 121 VI......Page 124 VII......Page 129 VIII......Page 133 IX......Page 138 X......Page 145 XI......Page 153 I......Page 158 II......Page 162 III......Page 169 IV......Page 177 V......Page 182 VI......Page 193 I......Page 202 II......Page 208 III......Page 211 IV......Page 216 V......Page 221 VI......Page 226 I......Page 230 II......Page 234 III......Page 240 IV......Page 250 CONCLUSION......Page 258 PREFACE......Page 264 INTRODUCTION......Page 266 1 THE YEARS OF EXPECTATION......Page 277 2 THE YEARS OF FRUSTRATION......Page 292 3 THE YEARS OF ACTION......Page 304 4 THE YEARS OF DECIMATION: I......Page 318 5 THE YEARS OF DECIMATION: II......Page 329 6 THE YEAR OF REVOLUTION......Page 340 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 356 SOURCES: EDITIONS AND COMMENTARIES......Page 357 SECONDARY LITERATURE......Page 359 INDEX OF NAMES......Page 368 INDEX OF SUBJECTS......Page 384 Vasily Rudich examines the phenomenon of dissidence under Nero's infamous reign from both a historical and psychological perspective. He portrays the predicament of the dissident in Nero's Rome through the thoughts of the dissidents themselves. Those who endured the tribulations of Nero's rule did so for varying reasons, ranging from cynical opportunism to intransigent opposition. Political Dissidence Under Nero shows their various efforts at adjustment to the hostile reality of Nero's rule and describes their careers in the form of a dramatic narrative. Rudich's is a study of a society sufferi The reign of Nero Ceasar Augustus (AD 54-68), a time of terror and of a crisis of values, is well suited for a case study of dissidence under the Roman Empire.