How Did Freedmen Influence Claudius
Influence of freedmen on Claudius
The term freedman refers to a former slave who has been liberated from slavery. The empire delegated his authority to senators, members of his family and personal staff. In addition to family and friends, the emperor also relied on his freedmen. Claudius was not the first princeps to use freedmen in the day to day running of the empire. As a matter of fact he made no attempt to conceal the influence of these freedmen on his ruling of Rome. As the role of princeps became more demanding, so did the role. Delegation of tasks, which an empire was unable to perform, advantaged freedmen as they gained additional roles within the administration. Claudius endeavoured to increase the efficiency within the centralised administration. He attained this by dividing the secretariat into departments, each being under the control of one freedman. During the reign of Claudius the two most significant freedmen were Narcissus and Pallas who began as slaves, became prominent freedmen and died rich. Their influence …show more content…
‘Claudius had an...... But his firmest devotion was reserved for Narcissus, his sectary ‘Suetonius (Page 197)
His position was described as ab epistulis (secretary general) this involved being responsible for all correspondences externally or internally. Cassius Dio illustrates that Narcissus was extremely loyal to Claudius, gaining high regard in which only few freedmen possessed.
‘Having greater power than any of his time, amassing the extraordinary fortune of 400,000 Sesterces’ Cassius Dio
Claudius confided and acknowledged advice from his entrusted freedmen, Narcissus. He played a crucial role for Claudius which involved the concealment of a mutiny previous to the invasion of Britain, the death of Appius Junius Silanus and the downfall and death of
The term freedman refers to a former slave who has been liberated from slavery. The empire delegated his authority to senators, members of his family and personal staff. In addition to family and friends, the emperor also relied on his freedmen. Claudius was not the first princeps to use freedmen in the day to day running of the empire. As a matter of fact he made no attempt to conceal the influence of these freedmen on his ruling of Rome. As the role of princeps became more demanding, so did the role. Delegation of tasks, which an empire was unable to perform, advantaged freedmen as they gained additional roles within the administration. Claudius endeavoured to increase the efficiency within the centralised administration. He attained this by dividing the secretariat into departments, each being under the control of one freedman. During the reign of Claudius the two most significant freedmen were Narcissus and Pallas who began as slaves, became prominent freedmen and died rich. Their influence …show more content…
‘Claudius had an...... But his firmest devotion was reserved for Narcissus, his sectary ‘Suetonius (Page 197)
His position was described as ab epistulis (secretary general) this involved being responsible for all correspondences externally or internally. Cassius Dio illustrates that Narcissus was extremely loyal to Claudius, gaining high regard in which only few freedmen possessed.
‘Having greater power than any of his time, amassing the extraordinary fortune of 400,000 Sesterces’ Cassius Dio
Claudius confided and acknowledged advice from his entrusted freedmen, Narcissus. He played a crucial role for Claudius which involved the concealment of a mutiny previous to the invasion of Britain, the death of Appius Junius Silanus and the downfall and death of