Tacitus And Roman Imperialism - 1850 Words

Tacitus believes that Roman Imperialism has a variety of attributes that include prosperity, cruelty, and jealousy. He is more so critical of conquests attempted by people he does not favor. Tacitus is a great source of the Roman imperialist results as he lived through emperor’s who were thought to be effective and others who were unsatisfactory to say the least. He favored the Trajanic regime that he was serving under while criticized Domitian’s reign undoubtedly. Overall, his opinion on imperial rule was mostly negative since it promoted the corruption of the ruler and the ruled, increased secrecy, paranoia, cruelty and moral downgrades in the emperors, and an increase in greed, hypocrisy, and cowardice in the subjects. While he talks†¦show more content†¦Yet human nature is so weak that the cure lags behind the disease. As our bodies, which grow so slowly, perish in a flash, so too the mind and its interests can be more easily crushed than brought again to l ife. Tacitus is ecstatic about the current and last regime slowly bringing back freedom to the empire, but acknowledges that it is an extremely sluggish process that can be inhibited more easily than furthered. Roman imperialism can be a two-headed beast, one bringing joy and prosperity while the other rains down fire and brimstone. However, Tacitus could be viewed as hypocritical considering he condemned Domitian’s desire for military glory while loving the reign of Trajan. Obviously, this is partially because the former wanted to steal glory from Tacitus’ father-in-law. Tacitus finishes with, â€Å"Yet I shall find some satisfaction, even with the unskilled and unpractised voice, in recording the servitude we once suffered and in gratefully acknowledging the blessings we now enjoy.† He understands that living under an imperial leadership relies heavily on the individual currently in possession of power and that the outcome can differ greatly. Although imperialism is quite terrible at times, he acknowledges that it can lead to a variety of positive outcomes. Similarly, conquest and integration of conquered peoples is a processShow MoreRelatedGalgacus: On Roman Imperialism Essay1344 Words   |  6 PagesCornelius Tacitus was a Roman historian and senator who wrote several historical documents, including some discussing ancient Britain. In approximately 98 CE, Tacitus wrote a particular document called, â€Å"Galgacus: On Roman Imperialism,† which focused on a speech supposedly delivered by Galgacus, a Briton military leader. If Tacitus in fact did write this speech celebrating the Britons and calling them to fight for freedom, why would he use Galgacus’s name? Firstly, Tacitus was a Roman senator whoRead MoreAn Ethnography Of The Germanic Tribes1146 Words   |  5 PagesTacitus’ Germania, written roughly at the end of the first century AD, serves as an ethnography of the Germanic tribes and aims to provide concrete analys is of the fundamental aspects of barbaric society. However, historians often note the significant difficulties with the work particularly when observing the source of Tacitus’ information on the Germanic tribes. Additionally, stemming from the uncertain origin of Tacitus’ knowledge of barbaric society surfaces various tensions naturally producedRead MoreWhat Are Tacitus Motivations For Writing The Annals2556 Words   |  11 PagesWhat are Tacitus reasons (both explicit and implicit) for writing The Annals? Tacitus’ motivations for writing The Annals are multifaceted. First, he was promoting the stance that the empire, despite its shortcomings, was necessary for the stability of Rome at the time. Secondly, he wanted to give an honest and fair account of Rome during the reigns of four emperors of the principate: Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius and Nero. A republic, like Rome, moves at a maddeningly slow pace. Legislation is putRead MoreAnalysis Of Upton Sinclair s Lord Of The Flies 2428 Words   |  10 PagesSallust, Juvenal, and Tacitus saw these social flaws as opportunities, whether to drive social or political change, or to increase their influence, or just to make a statement to the government and the Roman people. However, these three writers each took a different approach to his commentary. Through comedic hyperbole and satire, Juvenal looked to expose the moral degradation of Roman women in Satire VI. On the other hand, Sallust focused on political corruption in the late Roman Republic, using theRead MoreThe Rise Of The Roman Empire1428 Words   |  6 PagesThe Roman Empire is widely regarded as one of, if not the most dominant government to ever exist. Early civilization in Europe was dominated by the Romans, and their constantly growing empire. With the help of Greek political ideas, the Romans adopted one very similar where supreme power is held by the people from their elected representatives. These representatives were a part of the Senate, where all political laws were made and enforced, very similar idea to the type of Senate that exists