The ancient world, from the earliest times to 800 AD . curred the crucifixionof Christ. The great authority for this period is the Roman historian Tacitus is affected by the prejudice of the Roman nobles, and hepaints Tiberius in colors much too dark. (Munros Source Book, 140-150, gives extracts.) The worst cruelties of Tiberius reign were due,too, to his misplaced trust in Sejanus, his minister and commander ofthe praetorians. For a time this infamous miscreant virtually ruled th© 46S THE ROMAN EMPIRE (§577 capital, while Tiberius, in disgust, withdrew to his beautiful retreat ont
The ancient world, from the earliest times to 800 AD . curred the crucifixionof Christ. The great authority for this period is the Roman historian Tacitus is affected by the prejudice of the Roman nobles, and hepaints Tiberius in colors much too dark. (Munros Source Book, 140-150, gives extracts.) The worst cruelties of Tiberius reign were due,too, to his misplaced trust in Sejanus, his minister and commander ofthe praetorians. For a time this infamous miscreant virtually ruled th© 46S THE ROMAN EMPIRE (§577 capital, while Tiberius, in disgust, withdrew to his beautiful retreat onthe island of Capri, near the Bay of Naples, to manage the affairs of theempire at large. Finally Sejanus plotted against the life of Tiberius,and was himself put to death. 577. Caligula, 37-41. — In the absence of nearer heirs,Tiberius adopted his grandnephew Caligula. This princehad been a promising youth, but, crazed by power, or by aserious illness, he became a capricious madman, with gleamsof ferocious humor. Would that the Romans had all one. Ruins of the Claudian Aqueduct. Near Rome; from a photograph. See also the same in the view of the Appiai\ Way, on page 344. neck! he exclaimed, wishing that he might behead them allat one stroke. His deeds were a series of crimes and ex-travagant follies. The gladiatorial shows and the wild-beastfights of the amphitheater fascinated him strangely. It issaid that sometimes, to add to the spectacle, he orderedspectators to be thrown to the animals, and he entered the 1579] AUGUSTUS TO AURELIUS 469 arena himself as a gladiator, to win the applause of the peoplewhom he hated. After four years, he was slain by officers ofhis guard, — the only way to rid the world of an insanemonster. 578. Claudius, 41-54. — Caligula had named no a moment the Senate hoped to restore the old Republic;but the praetorians (devoted to the great Julian line) set up asemperor Claudius, the uncle of Caligula. Claudius had beena timid, gentle
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