The Training of Three Roman Emperors

Abstract

THE EMPERORS NERO, Titus, and Domitian were the first who, after a number of years of specific preparation for the principate, actually reached the throne. In this article I propose to examine the education of the three young emperors and the preparations made to ensure a smooth succession for them by their predecessors, parents, and political advisers. Their training may be divided into private and public sectors; to the former belongs the schooling in academic and military subjects, to the latter the regulated displaying of the future princeps to the army and people and the bestowal of public offices and titles. The preparation of Nero for the principate dates from Agrippina's marriage to Claudius early in 49. For some years before this event there had been bitter rivalry between Agrippina and Messalina and their respective parties: Nero and his mother were part of an intense political struggle, the prizes of success being influence over the emperor and popularity with the people. The former had been achieved by Messalina as the wife of Claudius, and only a disastrous error on the part of Messalina could give Agrippina's party any hope of dominating him. But in popularity the daughter of Germanicus had the advantage, and it is this that accounts for the constant hostility of Messalina and her efforts to destroy Agrippina and her son.' Agrippina, then, was assured of popular support for her son as heir to the throne, once Messalina was out of the way. Her hopes were fulfilled when Messalina brought about her own ruin in 48: Agrippina became the wife of Claudius (Tac. Ann. 12.1-8), supported by the powerful secretary a rationibuts, Pallas, who used his power so immoderately that Nero got rid of him within a year of his accession (Tac. Ann. 13.2 and 14). The other leaders in Agrippina's group were the Gaul, Burrus, and the Spaniard, Seneca. Burrus had had a long career as imperial procurator and was a man whose military reputation would make him important in reconciling the army to the aims of Agrippina's party: in 51, therefore, he replaced two supporters of Messalina's party as sole praetorian prefect. Seneca was distinguished for his philosophical writings and literary style; but his political career had been interrupted after his quaestorship by eight years of exile, from