The Senate
Tacitus
11.1Claudius heard the trial of Asiaticus in a bedroom – no access to the Senate was allowed.
11.13As censor, Claudius issued an edict to control the theatre, and reprimanded the consul Publius Pomponius, who had written ribald pieces for the stage.
11.15He consulted the senate on the question of founding a college of diviners.
11.23After a speech by Claudius it was agreed to allow citizens from Gaul to become senators –
11.25Claudius conducted a purge of unsuitable senators (giving them the option of a noble resignation) and selected new members.
The consulVipstanusproposed the Claudius be called ‘Father of the Senate’ – but Claudius reprimanded him for excessive flattery.
11.35At least one senator was executed for taking part in Messalina’s conspiracy.
11.38After Messalina’s conspiracy, the senate decreed that her name be removed from private and public places.
12.4Silanus was accused of incest and removed from the quaestorship by Vitellius (in his role as censor). Eprius Marcellus took over the praetorship.
12.5Vitellius sought the agreement of the Senate to the marriage to Agrippina – ‘Members were not lacking to rush from the curia.... Claudius then entered the senate, and requested a decree legitimizing for the future also the union of uncles with their brothers' daughters.
12.9Pollio proposed that Claudius be entreated to betroth Octavia to Nero.
12.22Claudius denounced Lollia to the senate.
12.25Claudius sought the senate’s agreement to adopt Nero.
12.41By ‘the sycophancies of the senate’, the senators urged Claudius to allow Nero to become consul aged 19.
12.53ConsulBarea Soranusmoved that Pallas be honoured.
12.59Taurus committed suicide – despite Agrippina’s support senate expelled his accuser Tarquinius.
12.68When Claudius died, the senate was called, and Nero succeeded peacefully.
Suetonius
12He recalled no one from exile except with the approval of the senate. He obtained from themembers as a favour the privilege of bringing into the House with him the prefect of the praetorian guard and the tribunes of the soldiers, and the ratification of the acts of his agents in the provinces.He asked the consuls for permission to hold fairs on his private estates.
14He held four consulships in addition to his original one... He administered justice most conscientiously both as consul and when out of office.
16As censor ‘he was variable, and both his theory and his practice were inconsistent.
23When about to conduct business of special importance in the House, he took his seat between the two consuls or on the tribunes' bench.
24He gave the consular regalia even to the second grade of stewards. He created a freedman as a senator, although he insisted that he be first adopted by an eques, declaring that his family-founder had done so in the past.
25He restored to the senate the provinces of Achaia and Macedonia, which Tiberius had taken into his own charge.
29He had 35 senators killed.