A Numidian by birth, Tacfarinas became an auxiliary in the Roman army In 17, he deserted, gathered together a group of followers, ravaged the provinces and became the leader of the local Musulamii. Four Roman generals campaigned against the rebel. camillus defeated the Musu-lamii and their Moorish allies in 17, winning triumphal honors, while the new proconsul of Africa, apronius, helped to thwart a Tacfarinas attack in 20 c. e. Blaesus used guerrilla tactics against him in 22, and in 24 P. cornelius dolabella arrived to finish the war. Marching through the country with four flying columns, Tacfarinas was trapped by the Romans and killed in battle.
Tacitus (1), Publius Cornelius (c. 55-120? c. e.) Last of the great Roman classical historians
Little has survived of his own life except for the barest details of a public career. He was probably of Gallic descent, attaining senatorial rank during the reign of Vespasian. Further advancement came after 77, when he married the daughter of agricola. He was made a QUAESTOR in 81 and a praetor in 88, and received an appointment to the quindecemviri. With a consulship in 97, Tacitus had survived the harsh time of domitian, a period that saw the death of his father-in-law and a regime whose cultivated despotism left a major mark on his writings. Viewed as one of the foremost orators of the age, Tacitus delivered the funeral oration for L. verginius RUFUS in 97. Three years later he prosecuted Marius Priscus for extortion, receiving help from pliny the Younger. In 112-113, Tacitus became proconsul of Asia, dying a few years later.
By 100, Tacitus had already turned to writing. clearly an admirer of the Republic, Tacitus was willing (or driven) to describe the despotic rule of the empero r s. His policy of re p o rting only verifiable accounts rather than rumor or gossip, made his narratives all the more vivid. His style was fluid and direct, his text a mixture of poetical color and classical methodology. Ultimately, the wri ter’s own independence and vision transcend the often bitter, melancholy, and outrageous tales. His extant works are :
Annals The longest, and perhaps finest, of Tacitus’s writings. His last project, he was possibly working on it at his death. It covers the entire Julian dynasty from after the death of Augustus in 14 C. E. to perhaps the death of nero in 68. All or part of 11 books (of 16) are extant; there may have been more. Called also Ob Excessus Divi Augusti (After the death of the deified Augustus), the Annals was written chronologically, highlighting the events of each year, often with a list of the consuls, and including events both in Rome and in the provinces. Tacitus wrote that he hoped to finish with accounts of the reigns of Augustus, nerva, and trajan, the former for the Annals and the latter for the Histories, but he never attained his goal.
Dialogue on the Orators (Dialogus de Oratoribus)
This treatise was once considered his first book, though new dating places it perhaps around 100 and not in the late 70s, as was theorized. There has always been debate about Tacitus’s authorship, a view now held in scholarly disrepute because of the inability to find a contemporary capable of writing it. In the Dialogue, Tacitus pleads the decay of oratory, using Ciceronian rhetoric, argument, and observation.
Germania (De Origine et Situ Germanorum) Germania was a monograph on the peoples inhabiting the barbarian lands behind the Rhine. While Tacitus was aware of the great threat posed to the empire by the Germans, his book displayed remarkable interest, detail, and even sympathy toward the tribes and their cultures. While much of his information was inaccurate, Tacitus compared the Germans to the Romans; although the Romans naturally fared well, the historian admitted to the vitality of the barbarians and to the deteriorated ways of his own people.
Historia With the Annals, Tacitus’s most important work. Composed sometime around 106-107, the Histories covered the events of the Roman Empire from 69 to 96, under the rule of galba, otho, VITELLIUS, VESPASIAN, TITUS, and Domitian. Unfortunately, the latter sections did not survive; all that remains of perhaps 14 books are books one to four and part of book five, roughly the entire civil war and some of the events that followed. It is fascinating because of the emphasis placed on the major and minor players alike, each with their own, often three-dimensional character.
On the Life of Julius Agricola (De Vita lulii Agri-colae) This biography was published probably in 98. Centering on his father-in-1 aw’s campaigns in Britain (britan nia), it is the primary source for the events of Agricola’s life and care e r. Agricola was more of a Iaudatio than a mere biography. There was, as well, a reminder of the tyranny of Domitian, contrasted with the loyalty of Agricola.
Suggested Readings: Chilver, Guy E. FA Historical Commentary on Tacitus’ Histories IV and V New York: Oxford University Press, 1985; Dudley, Donald R. The World of Tacitus. Boston: Little, Brown, 1969; Kraus, C. S., and A. J. Woodman. Latin Historians. Oxford, U. K.: Oxford University Press, 1997; Mellor, Ronald. Tacitus. New York: Routledge, 1993; Syme, Ronald. Tacitus. Oxford, U. K.: Clarendon Press, 1958; Tacitus, Cornelius. Empire and Emperors: Selections from Tacitus’ Annals. Translated by Graham Tingay New York: Cambridge University Press,
1983;--. The Annals of Imperial Rome. Translated
With an introduction by Michael Grant. New York: Penguin, 1964;-. Annales. Edited by Henry Furneaux.
Oxford, U. K.: Clarendon Press, 1965;--. De Vita
Agricolae. Edited by R. M. Ogilvie. Oxford, U. K.: Clarendon Press, 1967;--. Historiae. Edited by H. Heubner. Stuttgart, Ger.: B. G. Teubner, 1978; -. The
Histories. New York: Penguin, 1989.
Tacitus (2), Marcus Claudius (d. 276 c. e.) Emperor from November 275 to around June 276 Tacitus is one of the least known emperors because of the large amount of wholly unreliable information about him. His reign was detailed in the writings of the scrip-tores HISTORIAE AUGUSTAE, EUTROPIUS (1) and others, who describe him as an old senator, chosen by the senate to succeed aurelian and to recreate the constitutional government of former days, but such accounts were probably inaccurate. Tacitus was most likely a senator elected by the army in 275 to follow Aurelian. The Senate naturally agreed, while Tacitus humbly accepted power. The new emperor asked that Aurelian be deified and then declared his half brother Florian his Prefect of the praetorian GUARD. The pair then set out against the goths, who threatened to ravage ASIA minor once more. Tacitus won a major victory, taking the title Gothicus Maximus, but he died soon after, in June 276, either at the hands of the army or of natural causes.
Tamesis (Thames) The most important river in Britain, giving direct access to the sea to the provincial city and port of londinium (London). The river had potential in terms of economic growth that was not overlooked by the traders there, even before the Roman conquest. After the rise of Londinium, the river became even more valuable.
Tapae Dacian site of two battles fought between the Romans and the Dacians, in 88 and 101 c. E. The first battle was part of Emperor domitian’s campaign against the Dacian King decebalus, with the Roman legions under the command of Tettius Julianus. Taking place near the Iron Gates, a deep gorge cut by the Danube River about 100 miles east of modern Belgrade, the conflict was an absolute success for Rome. Not only were the Dacians soundly defeated, but also Decebalus’s lieutenant Vezinas, died on the field. While the first battle ended the war, it did not prevent later struggles. Another war broke out between Decebalus and Emperor trajan, at the head of his own LEGIONS. During his advance on Dacia, Trajan fought at the same site. Decebalus was unvanquished. The conflict continued.
Tarentum, Treaty of Agreement signed in the spring of 37 B. C.E. between Octavian (Augustus) and Marc ANTONY. The year 38 had proven an unhappy one for Octavian and Antony, for the pirate Sextus pompey had shown himself to be a fearsome opponent to Caesar’s heir, and Antony was in desperate need of troops. Octavian had missed a meeting at brundisium, blaming Antony for not waiting. By the spring of 37, a new place and date was set at Tarentum, and Antony arrived with 300 ships for use by Octavian against Pompey, expecting in return help for his war against parthia. The meeting was fraught with mistrust and tension. A disaster might have occurred had not octavia intervened, bringing the two stubborn men to the table. In the end, the triumvirate was reaffirmed; the two men promised mutual support and stripped Sextus Pompey of all rights and privileges given at misenum. The two departed, but suspicions remained between them.
Tarsus Also spelled Tarsos; the capital of the province of cilicia. Situated in cilicia campestris, on the river cydnus, it was probably founded by the Syrians and later used as a focal colony for the Greeks. The city suffered from attacks in the first century b. c.e. by Tigranes of Armenia and the famed Cilician pirates. When pompey THE GREAT defeated the pirates in 67 b. c.e., he created the Cilician province, declaring Tarsus its capital. Tarsus was highly favored in the imperial administration of Augustus, due in part to the emperor’s tutor, athenadorus who came from that city, which hosted the imperial legate and provincial assembly. The first metropolis in cilicia, Tarsus enjoyed considerable autonomy, including freedom from taxes. Her prized status was eventually challenged by the citizens of Anazarbus to the northeast. Two events made Tarsus memorable. In 41 b. c.e., Marc Antony greeted cleopatra there after she had sailed up the Cyd-nus in her famous gold barge. And in the first century C. E., Tarsus produced its most famous son, the Christian Saint Paul of Tarsus.
Tatian (second century c. e.) Christian writer and theologian, of Assyrian descent
Tatian was educated in Greek rhetoric and philosophy. Between 150 and 165, he converted to Christianity, becoming a pupil of justin martyr. Tatian displayed tendencies toward gnosticism, finding full expression for his heretical views during a trip to the East (c. 172), when he founded the sect of the Encratites, a Gnostic group of ascetics. He wrote two important works, the Oratio ad Graecos (Address to the Greeks), a vicious condemnation of Hellenic civilization, and the Diatessaron, a history of the life of christ that remained a doctrinal source for the syrian church until the fifth century.
Tatianus, Flavius Eutolmius (fl. late fourth century c. e.) Praetorian prefect of the Orient from 388 to 392 From LYCIA, Tatianus served as an advocatus to various g o v e rnment officials and was appointed praefectus augustalis of Egypt in 367. In 370, he became head of Syria and the Orient (until 374), earning, according to LIBANIUS, the reputation of flogging criminals to death. In 381, Emperor theo do sius i summoned him back to court, and in 388 made him Praetorian prefect. He acted as the main agent of government while Theodosius was in the West. He was made a consul in 391, while his son Pro c ulus became prefect of the city of Constantinople.
Through the intrigues of rufinus, the MAGISTER OFFICIO-RUM, Tatianus’s political position was slowly destroyed. He was forced to watch the execution of his son and was himself condemned. Reprieved, Tatianus was exiled to Lycia, w h e re he remained until Rufinus suffered his own demise. Tatianus was rehabilitated but re p o rtedly died a blind beggar. A pagan, Tatianus used legislation to further his own anticlerical views, refusing to allow criminals to find sanctuary among the clergy or for monks to enter towns.
Taurus, Titus Statilius (fl. late first century b. c.e.) Highly respected general and consul during the later Rep ubl i c
Taurus became one of the leading supporters of Octavian (Augustus) against Marc antony. Considered by the writer Velleius Paterculus to be second only to Marcus AGRIPPA in military importance, Taurus was used in a large number of operations by Octavian. In 36 b. c.e. he won over virtually all of Africa and, in 34 took over the campaign against the Dalmatians when octavian departed for Rome to assume a consulship. When the Civil War e rupted against Antony, Ta u rus made a successful charge against enemy cavalry near Actium that convinced Philadelphus, king of Paphlagonia, to desert Antony’s cause. in 29 he was in spain, suppressing local tribes, including the cantabri and Astures. consul in 26, he was given command of the city of Rome of Augustus, when the emperor set out on his tour of the provinces. Taurus also erected a stone amphitheater in the Campus Martius, the first of its kind in Rome. His heirs included four later consuls and NERO’s third wife, Statilia messallina.
Taxation For centuries, the imperial tax system was a demonstration of the favored status of Rome and italy, and mirrored Rome’s policy toward its provinces and subject peoples. The government of the Republic followed the Greek model in its program of taxation, in that it had no direct taxes, with the exception of emergencies or extraordinary situations. There were, however, forms of indirect revenue enhancement. The most important of these were the 5% charge on the manumission of slaves (vicesima manumissionis) and the harbor tax. Allies or clients of Rome did not pay any taxes either, but fulfilled their oaths with troops and with ships.
All of this changed as the Republic acquired provinces. Each territory had to yield a fixed sum in direct and indirect taxes, but there was no set method for collection. Whatever local system was in place at the time could be retained so long as it fulfilled the purpose and was reasonably efficient. A more uniform formula for taxation was put in place by the imperial regime of Augustus. The key to taxation was the census used in every province to determine populations. From those figures came new quotas. Rome and italy were, of course, spared every kind of direct tax but continued to pay indirectly.
Thus the census was increasingly important to the entire imperial financial system.
All Roman citizens were immune to direct taxation until the year 217 C. E., when caracalla issued the monumental Constitutio Antoniniana, by which all residents of the empire were given full citizenship. All were now subject to payment, except for Italy, which retained its historic privilege until at least the time of Diocletian in the late third century. That emperor ended Italian supremacy and instituted direct taxation, the same found in every other province.
The direct tax, collected from the provinces, was called TRIBUTUM. During the Republican era the tributum consisted of a fixed amount (stipendium) or a tithe (de c u m ae). With the dawning of the empire and the application of the census, more accurate means of judging population were available. Based upon the census figures, a number of taxable regions per province (areas eligible for taxation) was found (the iuga or c api ta), a group of taxable units that would vary from census to census. From the capita was calculated how much was owed in the main direct tax, the tributum solis or land tax. Anyone who owned land paid, but provinces also had to make payments in other items or services. These included arm s, food, and or other supplies for the legions that defended them or the bureaucrats who administered the cities. For those who did not own land there was a different tax, the tributum capitis, or poll tax. All members of this group who were over the age of 20 or 25, male or female, were liable, but females paid only half. Two forms of the tri b u-tum capitis existed, one for the country and another for the city Taxes in the city were based on whatever pro p e tty was owned and on wages from a field of work.
Collection was in the hands of the provincial government, trickling down to the local community and the exactores, the loathed tax collectors. The treatment given to Matthew in the New Testament accounts was very typical, while in some regions any protest against the empire was often started with the wholesale slaughter the tax collectors, the most prominent image of imperial tyranny. In the later years of the empire all means were used to ensure the acquisition of revenues, the main burden falling on decuriones, or local magistrates. Any arrears in taxes had to be paid by them, an arduous and expensive obligation that could lead to imprisonment, torture, and even death if not fulfilled.
The indirect system of taxation was considerably adjusted by the fiscal policy of Augustus. Citizens had to pay the harbor tax but new taxes were added as well. A 4% tax on the price of slaves formed the quinta et vices-ima manicipiorum, while the tax on manumission continued. The centesima rerum venalium levied a 1% charge on all goods sold at auction, and the vicesima hereditatum et legatorum imposed a 5% tax on inheritance of estates over 100,000 sesterces by persons other than the next of kin, or on all willed legacies.
Temple of Apollo Large temple erected by Augustus (Octavian) on the Palatine Hill in Rome in 28 B. C.E., in honor of his Greek divine patron, apollo. Octavian had pledged to construct a suitable place of worship to the god as part of his vows to avenge the death of Julius CAESAR. Seemingly, Apollo blessed Octavian in this endeavor, for there was a small temple to the god at actium, overlooking the battle that sealed Octavian’s final victory, in 31 B. C.E. As a clear indication of his devotion to Apollo, Augustus had the temple placed next to his own humble residence on the Palatine. Dedicated in 28 B. C.E., the sanctuary housed both an image of the god and two libraries, one in Greek and the other in Latin.
Temple of Castor and Pollux A shrine dedicated to the gods Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri), situated prominently in the forum romanum to honor the deities who, according to legend, came to the aid of the Romans in 496 B. C.E. at the battle of Lake Regillus against the Latins. For their help, Aulus Postumus Albinus, the commanding general, promised to build them a place of worship in the city The site was well chosen, and the temple was completed in 484. in design the sanctuary was of average size, typically rectangular. it required renovation in 117 B. C.E., by Lucius Dalmaticus, by which time it had probably accumulated around it many tabernae veteres, or shops and vendors. The presence of these stalls no doubt contributed to the destruction of the temple in 14 B. C.E., when a fire struck the Forum. Tiberius, in Augustus’s name, dedicated the rebuilt temple, the last structure finished in the Augustan principate, in 6 C. E. gaius CALIGULA, in 40, turned the temple into a vestibule, cutting the temple in two between the statues so that they might act as gatekeepers to his own divine person. CLAUDIUS returned them to their rightful place in 41. As typical of the decline in Rome, the temple was destroyed in the fourth century c. E. and never rebuilt. Of interest was the 1985 discovery by archaeologists of 86 teeth near the ancient entrance to the temple; the teeth belonged to the patients of a dentist who operated out of a nearby taberna. Popular usage changed the name of the temple to Aedes Castoris, or Temple of Castor.
Temple of Concord One of the numerous temples within Rome’s forum romanum; dedicated to the goddess Concordia, a minor deity of unity The first temple was founded by Marcus Furius Camillus in 367 B. C.E.; the site chosen was the comitium, or meetingplace of the Patricians. A new Temple of Concord was ordered to be built sometime after the death of Gaius Gracchus, by the unpopular consul Opimius (c. 121 B. C.E.), and yet another one was created by Tiberius in honor of himself and his brother drusus in 10 C. E. In the Forum Romanum, the temple occupied the position just behind the later Arch of Severus, next to the Temple of Vespasian and the Dungeons of tullianum. African marble was used in the construction of the lost temple, and the interior was apparently well decorated. The senate met there often, including the day in 31 c. e. when it condemned the Praetorian Prefect sejanus to death.
Temple of Divus Augustus The sanctuary constructed by Emperor tiberius and his mother livia in 14 c. e. as part of the ceremonies surrounding the deification of AUGUSTUS following his death. Where the temple was positioned has not been verified, but literary evidence places it between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. Quite possibly it was placed near the basilica JULIA, in the Velabrum. Augustus’s temple was an example not only of the aggrandizement of the cult of the emperor, the imperial cult, but also of the psychology of Tiberius and gaius caligula. Tiberius ensured that the building was completed and then dedicated other edifices in his name. Gaius Caligula seemingly began his reign with a dedication to Augustus at the temple but then desecrated the sanctity of it with a bridge over the temple and connecting his palace to the Capitoline and the tempee oe JUPITER. CEAUDius deified Livia in 41, and put a statue to her in the shrine.
The Temple of Castor (Courtesy Fr. Felix Just, S. J.)
Temple of Divus Claudius Temple constructed to the deified Emperor Claudius upon the Caelian Hill. Emperor nero probably began construction of the sanctuary, setting it along the route of the Aqua Claudia, the aqueduct feeding that part of the city. The emperor apparently wished the outside of the temple to be decorated with fountains but focused so ardently upon this aspect of the construction that the temple itself was left incomplete. VESPASIAN, who came to power in 69 c. e., took upon himself the task of finishing the building. Despite its impressive arching, the shrine was never a major place of worship.
Temple of Divus Julius Small shrine devoted to the m em ory of Julius caesar that occupied one of the main axis points of the forum romanum. It was positioned directly across the Forum from the temple of concord and was surrounded by some of the most beautiful edifices in Rome, the basieica aemieia, tempee of vesta,
TEMPEE OF CASTOR AND POEEUX, and the BASIEICA JUEIA. Caesar’s temple was promised to him by Octavian (Augustus) as his avenger in 42 b. c.e. The site chosen was the very spot where Caesar was cremated after his assassination. Although work probably began and continued throughout the 30s, the temple was not dedicated until 29 B. C.E., by Octavian. It was part of his deliberate program to honor his family, while making Rome more grand.
Temple of Isis The sanctuary of the Egyptian goddess found in the campus martius. Worship of Isis was brought to Rome from the Nile, finding acceptance among the inhabitants but kept out of the pomerium (the sacred boundary) by the senate to preserve the inviolability of Roman social tradition. In 52 and 48 b. c.e., the Senate ordered her place of worship in Rome destroyed. Each time her devotees returned, and a new temple was decreed in 42 b. c.e. Official support for Isis came during the reign of gaius caeiguea (37-41 c. e.), when this temple was ordered built to her in the Campus Martius. Although still outside the pomerium, Gaius ensured that Isis was surrounded by other beautiful structures, including the PANTHEON and the baths of Agrippa. In 80, a fire destroyed much of the area, but domitian saw to the repair of the temple, and a final renovation was made during the time of severus aeexander (222-235).
Temple of Jerusalem, Great The center of worship in JERUSAEEM that served for centuries as the heart of JUDAISM. Its destruction in 70 c. e. had a profound effect upon the Jewish religion and upon Jewish history. Biblical scholars consider that there were three such temples in Jerusalem: the first was Solomon’s temple, built in the 10th century b. c.e; a second was named after Zerubabel, the local Persian governor at the time of reconstruction (c. 520 B. C.E.); and the third and most famous was
Herod’s temple (c. 19 B. C.E.), an improvement completed to Herod’s grand design. The last two temples figure prominently in Roman relations with the Jews.
In 63 B. C.E., PO MPEY THE GREAT captured Jeru s al e m and desecrated the temple by entering the Holy of Holies, though he did not touch anything there. His fellow triumvir CRASSU S (1), however, plundered the temple tre as u ryof 2,000 silver talents. hero d the great became the king of JUDAEA in 37 b. c.e. and 18 years later began work on redesigning the entire stru c t u re. To convince the Jews of his plans, he had to finish all preparations for the new temple before touching a stone of the old edifice. In the end, the temple complex was very pleasing. Gold covere d the temple, with a sanctuary along Solomonic dimensions, and the stru c t u re was placed on a large platform; the entire area was decorated with gates and columns. Furt h e r building made the temple a key part of Jeru s a l e m.
During the Jewish Revolt, it was clear to the Romans not only that Jerusalem was the focus of the entire war, but also that the Great Temple had to be captured. Thus, when General titus laid siege to the city in 70, the entire operation was aimed at reaching the holy site. There has been debate as to whether or not Titus wanted the temple destroyed; JOSEPHUS the historian argued against this, but other sources pointed to Titus’s acquiescence. In any event, the entire building was burned, except for two gates, its defenders dying rather than surrendering. The vessels of the temple that could be rescued were gathered up and carried by Titus’s aides in his triumph in Rome.
Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus The great structure devoted to Jupiter Optimus Maximus (Jupiter Greatest and Brightest) on Rome’s Capitoline Hill. If the broad state RELIGION of Rome had an emotional or divine center, it was here, beneath the gilded roof of this vast shrine, where JUPITER, aided by MINERVA and JUNO, looked down upon the Eternal City.
The Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was very old, dating to 509 B. C.E., when it was dedicated. It was built under the influence of the Etruscans; altars were erected not just to Jupiter but also to Juno and Minerva, the three major deities of the Roman religion: Jupiter as supreme god, Minerva as patroness of the arts and reason, and Juno in her incarnation as Moneta, goddess of finance. Here the consuls came upon entering office to sacrifice white bulls, and it was to Jupiter that a victorious general rode in a chariot as part of his triumph.
Because of its position on the Capitol, the temple figured in numerous historical events. It was burned in 83 B. C.E. and rebuilt. Emperor GAIUS CALIGULA connected it to his palace on the Palatine by building a bridge over the TEMPLE OF Divus AUGUSTUS. In 69 C. E., the brother of Vespasian, Flavius SABINUS, took refuge on the Capitoline from the aggression of Emperor vitellius. He sealed up the entrance to the temple and was besieged. As a result of bitter fighting, virtually the entire structure was reduced to rubble. The Flavians then repaired the damage, only to have it burned again in 80. Completely restored, the temple served for centuries as one of the leading symbols of PAGANISM in Rome.
Temple of Mars Ultor Shrine constructed by Emperor AUGUSTUS in honor of Mars Ultor, or Mars the Avenger, and placed in the most prominent position in the FORUM AUGUSTUM. In 42 b. c.e., before the battle of PHILIPPI, Octavian made a pledge to build a temple to Mars if he should prove victorious. As both BRUTUS and CASSIUS were killed in the battle, Octavian felt certain that Mars had been on his side. As Mars was also the supposed founder of the Julian gens (or clan), Augustus chose to situate the temple in his own Forum. The Forum was dedicated in 2 B. C.E., and the temple itself contained statues of Mars, venus, and the deified Julius CAESAR—also the legionary standards lost at carrhae in 55 B. C.E. but restored to Rome in 20 b. c.e. As the Avenger, Mars Ultor received gifts from those who had achieved vengeance upon their enemies, such as GAIUS CALIGULA, who murdered Lepidus in 39 C. E. and, as though he had prevented his own assassination, sent three daggers in gratitude to the shrine.
Temple of Peace Also called the Forum of Peace and the Forum of Vespasian; the so-called Templum Pacis was the creation of Emperor vESPASIAN, who began the work in 71 C. E., and dedicated the entire structure in 75. The Temple of Peace was one of numerous architectural projects started by Vespasian to celebrate both the triumph of Rome over the Jews and the return of tranquility to the Roman world. Desiring to find a prominent location for the sanctuary, Vespasian chose one of the last remaining sites available in the vast complex of the Roman forums, just to the north of the FORUM ROMANUM and to the east of the FORUM TRANSITORIUM. Within the temple were stored the many items removed from JERUSALEM and brought to Rome by TITUS. A fire destroyed the temple in 192, but Septimius SEVERUS repaired it, placing within it a marble model of Rome.
Temple of Saturn One of the oldest temples in Rome, located in the FORUM ROMANUM and fulfilling both a religious and a political function. Dedicated in 498 or 497 B. C.E., the Temple of Saturn was near the temple of concord on the southwestern edge of the great Forum Romanum. Later, the BASILICA JULIA was constructed near it. Aside from the statue of saturnus, the government placed within the shrine the state treasury, or aerarium. Subsequently, the treasury was known as the Aerari Sat-
Temple of Vesta The home of the goddess of the Roman hearth. As VESTA was both an ancient deity and an important one in terms of the Roman state, her temple was situated in the forum romanum, eventually located near the temples of Castor and Divus Julius, and the Arch of Augustus. King Numa (c. 700 b. c.e.) was the builder of the original temple of Vesta, choosing a round shape, probably imitating the original circular hut where she was worshiped. There was no statue of Vesta to be found, rather she was represented by an eternal flame. Anyone could enter during the day, but admission was restricted to the interior, where relics of Vesta were safeguarded, and at night all men were refused entry.
Temples of Minerva Three notable sites of worship, particularly the shrine at the temple of jupiter capitoli-NUS, that honored this goddess. As Moneta, or patroness of finance, Minerva had a chapel in the temple of Jupiter and two other temples, one in the forum transitorium and one called Minerva Chalcidica, both constructed under the patronage of domitian, who revered the deity with fervor. Minerva’s temple in the Forum Transitorium was the principle feature of the area. With columns supporting the entire forum, the temple itself was dominated by a statue of the goddess. Domitian died before he could complete his work, but nerva finished the project, dedicating it in 97 c. e. The first temple of Minerva Chalcidica had been built in 29 b. c.e. by AUGUSTUS, but another temple of interest was erected in the Campus Martius by Domitian, near the pantheon and the baths of Agrippa.
Tenth Legion One of the most famous legions in the Roman army Julius Caesar’s Tenth Legion was involved in the gallic wars and in the civil war with pompey the GREAT, as the “Old Guard” of Julius Caesar. The Legio X Fretensis, as it was known by its contemporaries, was the elite inspiration for Roman legions throughout the Republic. References to its battlefield achievements were considerable, as the cohorts assumed near-heroic proportions. Caesar first encountered the Tenth in Helvetia, when he arrived in Geneva to assume control of Gaul. He immediately marched the Tenth off to battle against migrating Helvetians. Henceforth, the soldiers of the legion were ever at his side. one of the earliest and most dramatic episodes of bravery came in 58 b. c.e. in the struggle with the German chieftain Ariovistus. Facing a shortage of cavalrymen, Caesar selected certain soldiers from the Tenth, and put them on mounts. The legion subsequently was known as the Legio X Equestris, or Legion of the Knights.
At the battle of pharsalus in 48 b. c.e., against Pom-pey, the cohorts served as the anchor of Caesar’s line. Positioned on the right flank, where Caesar knew the main Pompeian blow would fall, the Tenth successfully withstood a furious assault, holding the flank long enough for Caesar to make his devastating counterattack and win the day. The legion no doubt would have participated in the Parthian War, had Caesar not been assassinated. His successor Octavian (Augustus) used the legionaries throughout the civil war with Marc ANTONY, but after the battle of Actium in 31 b. c.e. he disbanded the nucleus of the legion. The replacements had no sense of the original esprit de corps and the unit became once more the Legio X Fretensis. It had a long career during the imperial epoch, including participation in the Jewish War (c. 66-70 C. E.).
Terentia (fl. late first century b. c.e.) Wife of Maecenas Reportedly a very beautiful woman, Terentia was loved desperately by Emperor AUGUSTUS. She may have been one of the reasons for his leaving Rome in 16 b. c.e. to tour provinces and was possibly a cause for the deteriorating relationship between her husband and the emperor. That Augustus admired her was certain, despite the fact that her brother, Licinius murena, was executed in 22 B. C.E. for conspiracy against him.
Terentius, Marcus (fl. first century c. e.) Intimate associate of the Praetorian Prefect Sejanus spared by Emperor Tiberius, because of his honest (and ingenious) defense When placed on trial for his friendship with the fallen PRAETORIAN PREFECT, Terentius, a knight, refused to deny his status as a client but exclaimed loudly that, on the contrary, he had pursued the favor of Sejanus. After all, he argued, Sejanus had been honored by Tiberius, and “if the emperor did no wrong in having such a friend neither did I; if one such as he was deceived by the Prefect, what surprise is there that I was deceived? It is our duty to regard highly all whom the emperor trusts, regardless of what kind of men they might be—all that matters is that they please the emperor.” He was immediately acquitted.
World History
