Study Questions for
Assignment 15
Tacitus, Annals, Pages
31-156 (bks. I-III)
- Page 31, second
paragraph. Why couldn't historians who lived during the reigns of Tiberius,
Gaius, Claudius, and Nero write objectively about those emperors? Why couldn't
those who lived immediately afterwards write objectively? Why does Tacitus
believe he can? What other limitations prevent a historian from giving us a
complete and accurate picture of an age? (Finite knowledge is one--how does this
affect a history? Bias is another--how does this affect a history? Look at the
paragraph at the bottom of 327 and top of 328 and compare it with the second
half of Page 365. How do we know the depiction of Christianity is inaccurate?
What might this suggest about the depiction of the Druidic religion on 327 and
328? What does all this suggest about a historian's bias? Can bias be avoided?)
In light of these limitations, what is our obligation as readers of
histories? Pages 31-34 What does
Tacitus's attitude toward Augustus appear to be?
- Pages 40-41. What was the Senate's attitude toward Tiberius upon Augustus's death?
- Pages 43-60. What were
the causes of the mutinies in the army? How were the mutinies dealt
with?
- Page 83. How did
Germanicus test the morale of his men before the battle? What did he
discover?
- Pages 88-89. How would
you characterize Germanicus as a military commander? Why did Tiberius recall him
to Rome when the war against the Germans was almost won?
- Page 90. Why does
Tacitus give the details of the beginnings, progress, and conclusion of the Libo
case? What evil that for many years corroded public life did this case initiate?
(note how Tiberius handles the case, the slave incident on Page 91 being a
particularly good example)
- How did Germanicus
die? How was Piso involved? What was Tiberius's attitude toward Germanicus and
Piso?
- How would you
describe the relationship between Tiberius and the Senate? What does the middle
paragraph on page 150 tell you about it?
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