Table Of ContentCAMBRIDGE GREEK AND LATIN CLASSICS
TACITUS
ANNALS
BOOK XV
EDITED BY RHIANNON ASH
TACITUS
ANNALS
BOOK XV
EDITED BY
RHIANNON ASH
Fellow and Tutor in Classics, Merton College, Oxford
CAMBRIDGE
P UNIVERSITY PRESS
CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
University Printing House, Cambridge cB2 8Bs, United Kingdom
One Liberty Plaza, 2oth Floor, New York, Nv 10006, USA
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, vic 3207, Australia
314-321, 3rd Floor, Plot g, Splendor Forum, Jasola District Centre,
New Delhi — 110025, India
79 Anson Road, #06—04/06, Singapore 079906
Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.
It furthers the University's mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of
education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781107009783
DOI: 10.1017/9780511842214
© Cambridge University Press 2018
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2018
Printed in the United Kingdom by Clays, St Ives plc
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-1-107-00978-3 Hardback
ISBN 978-0-521-26939-1 Paperback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of
URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
CONTENTS
Preface page vii
List of Abbreviations 1X
List of Maps xi
Introduction 1
1 Tacitus
2 The Sources, Historiography, and Nero 2
3 Annals r5: Structure and Artistry Q
4 Parthia and Armenia 12
5 dhe Perils of Gloria: Corbulo and Seneca 18
6 The Pisonian Conspiracy 21
7 Speeches, Style, and Language 29
8 Manuscripts 27
CORNELII TACITI AB EXCESSV DIVI AVGVSTI
LIBER OVINTVS DECIMVS 20
Commentary 55
Works Cited 320
Indexes
I Index to the Introduction to the Whole Volume 351
2 General Index 352
3 Latin Words 965
Urheberrechtlich geschitztes Material
PREFACE
One of Salvador Dalí's most memorable paintings is Dematerialization
Near the Nose of Nero (1947), depicting a fragmenting bust of Nero
hovering above a dissected base which encloses a split pomegranate
spilling out its seeds. The painting has been seen as an example of the
‘iconography of trauma' which found expression in various media in
the years following the explosion of the atomic bombs at the end of
World War II. It is part of Tacitus' enduring legacy that his depictions
of the imperial period, especially Nero and the devastation of the fire
in Rome in AD 64, have had such a rich and expressive afterlife.
By a fortunate twist of fate, when I was taking my A-levels back in
1986, one of my set texts happened to be Tacitus Annals 15. The
experience of engaging with this extraordinary piece of historical
writing was simply transformative and inspired me to become a classi-
cist. Doubtless my eighteen-year-old self would have been staggered to
find out that more than thirty years later, I would be publishing my own
commentary on that very same text. It has been a surreal pleasure to be
able to look back on my own Latin text and notes from that time to see
what I found tricky and fun about Annals 15 all those years ago. If this
commentary provides users with even a tiny fraction of the pleasure
that Tacitus' text has given me over the years, it will be extremely
gratifying.
It is a great pleasure to be able to thank a number of people who
provided me with invaluable help and encouragement as I prepared
this commentary. Tony Woodman and Chris Pelling both generously
read and commented on my draft and made suggestions which
improved it at every turn. So too did the series editors Stephen
Oakley and Philip Hardie. Their selfless contributions as wise helms-
men of the Green and Yellow ship are an extraordinary reflection of
their generosity as scholars. I was acutely aware when sending them
sections of my commentary that they were simultaneously juggling
many other emerging volumes in the series, as well as their own
research commitments. I thank them both warmly, both for their
involvement in this volume and for their heroic efforts on behalf of
the series as a whole. As always, Michael Sharp, the Classics editor at
Cambridge University Press, has overseen the project from conception
to completion with his usual competence and kindness.
When I first started work on this commentary in 2009, I was lucky
enough to have E.J. Kenney on board as one of my editors, although at
Vil
viii PREFACE
that point he was scaling down his day-to-day involvement in the Green
and Yellow series. His unerringly perceptive and helpful comments
during the early stages were invaluable and I hope that it gives him
some pleasure that this volume has now seen the light of day. I also
want to express my gratitude to Celia Schultz at the University of
Michigan who invited me in 2014 to come to Ann Arbor and speak
to her lively Classics and Ancient History graduates about my commen-
tary while it was work in progress. It has been an integral part of
preparing this volume that I have tried out ideas before various audi-
ences, not least of all many different students and teachers in Britain.
Their responses and reactions have sharpened and improved this
commentary in so many ways.
Completion of this commentary was only made possible by two terms
of sabbatical leave granted by Merton College, Oxford, in 2014-15.I
am grateful to the Governing Body for allowing me this time for
research. During that time, the capable Alberto Rigolio stood in for
me and undertook my undergraduate teaching and other college
duties with exemplary efficiency. Warm thanks are also due to two
talented and genial colleagues, Luuk Huitink and Guy Westwood,
who successively held career development fellowships in Ancient
Greek at Merton College. Together with my immediate colleague in
Ancient History, Jonathan Prag, their efficiency and hard work behind
the scenes contributed to a lively and well-run teaching team and
created a stimulating intellectual environment which has allowed me
time to complete the commentary in the most congenial setting.
Finally, I dedicate this commentary to the genial and unique trium-
virate of Ted, Tony, and Chris, without whom this book would not have
been possible.
ABBREVIATIONS
L’année épigraphique
Allen, J.H., J.B., Greenough, G.L. Kitteredge, A.A. Howards,
and B. D'Ooge, eds. (1983), Allen and Greenough's New Latin
Grammar. New Rochelle, NY
The Cambridge Ancient History. Second edition. Cambridge
Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum (1828—77). Berlin
(1873-), Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. Berlin
Chausserie-LapréeJ.,P . (1969), L'expression narrative chez les
historiens latins: histoire d'un style. Paris
Cornell, T.J. etal. (2013), The Fragments of the Roman Historians.
Oxford
Gerber, G. and A. Greef, eds. (1962), Lexicon Taciteum.
Hildesheim
Gildersleeve, G.L. and G. Lodge (1895?), Latin Grammar. London
(1873-), Inscriptiones Graecae. Berlin
Kuhner, R. and C. Stegmann (1955), Ausführliche Grammatik
der lateinischen Sprache. Hanover
Leumann, M., J.B. Hofmann, and A. Szantyr (1965), Lateinische
Grammatik: Syntax und Stilistik. Two volumes. Munich
Steinby, E., ed. (1993-2000), Lexicon Topographicum Vrbis
Romae. Six volumes. Rome
Martin, R.H. and A.J. Woodman, eds. (1989), Tacitus: Annals.
Book IV. Cambridge
Woodcock, E.C. (1959), A New Latin Syntax. London
Hornblower, S. and A. Spawforth, eds. (2003), Oxford Classical
Dictionary. Oxford
Glare, P.G.W., ed. (1968—82), Oxford Latin Dictionary. Oxford
Klebs, E., H. Dessau, and P. de Rohden (1897-8),
Prosopographia Imperii Romani saec. I. II. III. First edition. Berlin
Groag, E., A. Stein, et al. (1933-), Prosopographia Imperii Romani
saec. I. II. IIIl. Second edition. Berlin and Leipzig
(1894-1980), Real-Encyclopádie der classischen
Altertumswissenschaft. Stuttgart
Sutherland, C.H.V. and R.A.G. Carson (1984), The Roman
Imperial Coinage. Volume one: from 31 BC to AD 69. London
Burnett, A., M. Amandry, and P.P. Ripolles, eds. (1992-),
Roman Provincial Coinage. Volume one. London
ABBREVIATIONS
Woodman, A.J. with C.S. Kraus, eds. (2014), Tacitus: Agricola.
Cambridge
Woodman, A.J. and R.H. Martin, eds. (1996), The Annals of
Tacitus, Book 3. Cambridge
MAPS
Map 1. The central and eastern regions of the Roman empire
Map 2. Italy
Map 3. Rome
Map 4. Parthia and Armenia and the east
