Roberl D.

SkeeIs
Irofessor RonaId MeIIor
Hislory 114 (1I)
}anuary, 28 2O14
Auguslus conlra Suelonius
There are numerous imorlanl differences belveen lhe manner in vhich
Auguslus orlrays himseIf in his !"# %"#&'"( and lhe vay Suelonius deicls him. ne of
lhe more comeIIing vays lheir accounls conlrasl is in lhe fashion by vhich Auguslus'
oIilicaI oonenls cum miIilary enemies are handIed in each of lhe vorks.
Moreover, il is inleresling lo onder some of lhe reasons vhy lhere are differences in
lheir reckonings.
Suelonius rovides a usefuI slruclure for us by grouing Auguslus' earIy
oonenls vilh lheir corresonding hve civiI vars (426, 9). He furlher commenls
Marcus Anlonius vas arly lo bolh Mulina and Aclium, roviding narralive bookends
(426, 9). Auguslus menlions lhe dealh of lhe ConsuIs in ballIe (255, 1), bul says nolhing
of vhich ballIe. He aIso slales lhal he vas rovided Imerium, aIongside ConsuIs Iansa
and Hirlius, for lhe soIe reason lhal lhe slale shouId suffer no harm (255, 1). Suelonius
rovides furlher delaiI of lhis hrsl conicl belveen Auguslus and Anlonius. Aside from
reveaIing vho Auguslus' oonenl vas, he informs us of lhe circumslances: Anlonius'
siege of Decimus rulus in Mulina (426, 1O).
Auguslus exIains hov he drove lhe murders of |hisj falher inlo exiIe, and lhe
subsequenl IegaI aclions (255, 2). Suelonius' accounl differs IillIe on lhose delaiIs, bul
R.D. SkeeIs 2
does vhal Auguslus does nol names names rulus and Cassius (426, 9).
Moreover, vhere Caesar's heir cIaims he lvice defealed lhem in ballIe for lheir
having made var on lhe reubIic (255, 2), Suelonius' narralion idenlihes some
imorlanl omissions. NameIy lhal Auguslus Iosl lhe hrsl ballIe, had lo ee lo
Anlonius' division, and a number of rominenl Romans crediled Anlonius vilh lhe
viclory al IhiIii (427, 13). There is no menlion in lhe !"# %"#&'" of Auguslus' siege of
Lucius Anlonius in Ierusia, vhereas Suelonius devoles lvo chalers lo il (427, 14-15).
The Iongslanding SiciIian var gels brief menlion in Auguslus' accounl
1
, hrsl as
free|ingj lhe sea of irales (26O, 25), and Ialer as lhe sIave var (261, 27). WhiIe
omilling rinciaI aclors in lhe camaign, he does laIk aboul relurning lens of lhousand
of sIaves lo lheir maslers, and his consoIidalion of rovinces cIosesl lo IlaIy (26O, 25).
Suelonius' accounl is nol |usl more comIele lhan Auguslus', il rovides vaIuabIe
hisloricaI informalion in lerms of key hgures in lhe conicl. Nol lhe Ieasl of vhich vas
one of Auguslus' feIIov Triumvirs
2
, Leidus (428, 16). Iurlhermore, Suelonius discusses
hov Auguslus ends u consoIidaling Leidus' Iegions under his ovn cognizance, lhen
banishes him effecliveIy ridding himseIf of lvo ma|or rivaIs by lhe var's comIelion.
Aclium, vhich ve recognize loday as a ivolaI oinl in Roman hislory, is IillIe
more lhan aIIuded lo (aIbeil named) in lhe !"# %"#&'")# chaler lvenly-hve( and his
olher feIIov Triumvir Marcus Anlonius onIy varranls menlion as Auguslus'
anonymous former enemy (26O, 24-25). Auguslus oinls oul lhal lhis former enemy
Iooled Asialic lemIes and lhese ilems vere for his rivale use (26O, 24). Anlonius' co-
1 The rinces' vilrioI here caIIing an anonymous Sexlus Iomey bolh a irale, and lvice associaling
him vilh Ieading a sIave revoIl againsl lhe Roman eoIe is cerlainIy in arl due lo lhe Ialler's falher
having so lreacherousIy belrayed lhe former's adolive falher. This belrayaI vas sellIed nol unIike lhe
conicl belveen lheir descendenls (Suelonius 4O5, 35).
2 The cIosesl Marcus Leidus gels lo an honorabIe menlion in lhe !"# %"#&'" is vhere lhe rinces says
I refused lo reIace in lhal ofhce |Ionlifex Maximusj my coIIeague vho vas sliII aIive (257, 1O).
R.D. SkeeIs 3
ruIer and vife CIeoalra is never named, nor imIied, her kingdom meriling onIy I
added Lgyl lo lhe ruIe of lhe Roman eoIe (26O, 27). Auguslus Ialer aIIudes lo
Anlonius vhen calaIoging a relurn of Roman miIilary slandards Iosl (261, 29).
Suelonius devoles lvo chalers lo Aclium, roviding imorlanl delaiIs Iike Auguslus
had lhe viII vhich Anlonius had Iefl in Rome, naming his chiIdren by CIeoalra
among his heirs, oened and read (Suelonius 429, 17). He aIso discusses lhe ballIe's
bIoody
3
aflermalh, and lhe founding of NicooIis (43O, 18).
Auguslus says he underlook lhese ballIes for lhe re-eslabIishmenl of lhe
ReubIic, and lo have reslored freedom lo lhe slale vhich vas oressed by lhe
over of a cIique (255, 1). Suelonius allribules lhese civiI vars lo a somevhal differenl
basis: he considered nolhing more incumbenl on him lhan lo avenge his uncIe's dealh
and mainlain lhe vaIidily of his enaclmenls (426, 1O). Why vouId Auguslus omil
seemingIy key informalion` In lhe hrsl Iace, he vas nol vriling hislory. Il is safe lo say
lhal Auguslus sav no need lo rovide his former enemies any nolice in a roaganda
iece inlended lo gIorify his Iegacy, and eslabIish a framevork for successors.
3 This loo is an imorlanl conlrasl in lheir accounls in lhal severaI chiIdren are execuled (Suelonius 429,
17). In each case of civiI var discussed aboul Suelonius discusses an Auguslus vho vas a coId kiIIer of
his calured enemies, vhereas lhe !"# %"#&'" slales as viclor I sared lhe Iives of aII cilizens vho
soughl ardon (255, 3).
R.D. SkeeIs
Works Ciled
Auguslus, Res Geslae Divi Augusli. *+" ,-#&./-'0# .1 203-"0& !.4"5 20 20&+.6.78 .1 &+"
9':./ ;/-&-07#< Ld. MeIIor, RonaId. London: RoulIedge, 2O13. Irinl.
Suelonius, Life of Auguslus. *+" ,-#&./-'0# .1 203-"0& !.4"5 20 20&+.6.78 .1 &+" 9':./
;/-&-07#< Ld. MeIIor, RonaId. London: RoulIedge, 2O13. Irinl.