Italicus and Claudius: Tacitus, Annales xi 16-17

Abstract

The fortuitous survival of ILS 212 provides an important control against the historical technique of Tacitus. But elucidation of the Emperor’s speech to the Senate in the light of external epigraphic evidence has tended to overshadow the normal internal correspondences of Tacitean narrative. Significantly, only a few pages prior to the memorable event of 48, we find in the German digression of 47 superficial and deep reflections by the historian on the admission of the Gauls to the Senate, and on the Princeps responsible for that step.