Agrippina’s Relationship with Other Members of the Imperial Court
Ancient Assessment – Agrippina – by Sophie Mulley
Describe Agrippina’s relationship with other members of the imperial court. (10 MARKS)
“Agrippina was a formidable adversary. She had political allies at all levels, acquired during Claudius’ reign, and she knew how to exploit her Augustan lineage and descent from Germanicus to the full.” – Griffin
Agrippina the younger is recognized as one of the most ambitious women in history who encompasses a great desire for power, wealth and supremacy. The Julio Claudian period was solely a patriarchal society, but this didn’t mean women could not hold any influence. It is in this period we see ambitious women such as Agrippina attaining power through men. Agrippina chose specific individuals with influential talents; she formed political allies with them in the positions of power that would ultimately pave the way to her own desires and ambitions centered mostly around the promotion of Nero, and what Tacitus describes as “a vigorous, almost masculine despotism.”
Agrippina acquired political support and influence she needed through the orator Seneca and the praetorian prefect Afrianus Burrus. These two figures played an important role throughout the rule of Agrippina. They are quite often mentioned together, as if they had worked together, but they both worked individually with only the same beliefs and values in the state. Seneca and Burrus “enjoyed a unanimity rare in partners in power and were equally influential by different methods” says Tacitus. This would both be of service to, and see to the downfall of Agrippina for “although they owed their positions to her, had little love for petticoat government” Quotes Scullard.
The Relationship between Agrippina and Seneca was purely to insure Nero’s accession to the throne, and to ultimately grant Agrippina the power and authority needed to have her desired influence on the Empire. The relationship began as a strong bond that allowed both, prosperity and power,
Describe Agrippina’s relationship with other members of the imperial court. (10 MARKS)
“Agrippina was a formidable adversary. She had political allies at all levels, acquired during Claudius’ reign, and she knew how to exploit her Augustan lineage and descent from Germanicus to the full.” – Griffin
Agrippina the younger is recognized as one of the most ambitious women in history who encompasses a great desire for power, wealth and supremacy. The Julio Claudian period was solely a patriarchal society, but this didn’t mean women could not hold any influence. It is in this period we see ambitious women such as Agrippina attaining power through men. Agrippina chose specific individuals with influential talents; she formed political allies with them in the positions of power that would ultimately pave the way to her own desires and ambitions centered mostly around the promotion of Nero, and what Tacitus describes as “a vigorous, almost masculine despotism.”
Agrippina acquired political support and influence she needed through the orator Seneca and the praetorian prefect Afrianus Burrus. These two figures played an important role throughout the rule of Agrippina. They are quite often mentioned together, as if they had worked together, but they both worked individually with only the same beliefs and values in the state. Seneca and Burrus “enjoyed a unanimity rare in partners in power and were equally influential by different methods” says Tacitus. This would both be of service to, and see to the downfall of Agrippina for “although they owed their positions to her, had little love for petticoat government” Quotes Scullard.
The Relationship between Agrippina and Seneca was purely to insure Nero’s accession to the throne, and to ultimately grant Agrippina the power and authority needed to have her desired influence on the Empire. The relationship began as a strong bond that allowed both, prosperity and power,