Master and God by Lindsey Davis

Author:Lindsey Davis
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781444707359
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Published: 2012-05-12T02:09:07+00:00

19

Domitian became more cruel. Commentators, writing afterwards, assigned this to the year of the Saturninus Revolt and the Dacian treaty, either a bad reaction to Domitian’s betrayal by the German legions and his suspicions of conspiracy, or inability to take criticism heaped on him for buying off the Dacians. Certainly the joy Domitian hoped would greet his return failed to materialise. His brooding presence simply depressed everyone. He knew it.

This idea of his increased cruelty became accepted, a ‘truth’ that would outlast him by centuries, even though statistically Domitian despatched fewer opponents than emperors before or after him: Claudius, who was seen as bumbling and benign, or Hadrian, so cultured and energetic, both executed their enemies ruthlessly and in far greater numbers.

Even so, with the Emperor in Rome again, nobody felt safe. Anyone of standing who voiced opposition, or was perceived as thinking it, ran the risk of that heavy knock on the door. Sombre men with swords would demand the master of the house, while slaves cowered and women of the family knew not to try to intervene. Execution was a rapid, efficient death. Proud, resigned or terrified, victims accepted their fate. The soldiers were gone almost before neighbours noticed them, the corpse left behind contemptuously for the family to dispose of. There was no public announcement. Other men of standing soon heard about it and were warned.

Cynics said Domitian never became crueller, because he had been a murderous despot all along.

To fuel his persecution complex, in Syria a ‘false Nero’ popped up, the third since the real Nero died. Pretenders usually appeared in the excitable east where religious cults had an exotic backwoods craziness. Mad emperors gained mad followers. Barmy believers decided that Nero, whose suicide had occurred at a time of political chaos and in a villa outside Rome, never really died at all. People were persuaded that Nero survived in hiding; over-coloured superstitions even claimed he died, yet would be resurrected. A new Nero might arise as a Champion of the East, a heroic conqueror who would overthrow tyranny in the world.

This presupposed there was a tyrant. The sane never dared say so.

All a claimant needed to attract gullible devotees was to resemble Nero and play the harp; if his musicianship was appalling, it was more authentic. The first impostor had appeared shortly after the real Nero died. A decade later, Terrentius Maximus gained a wide following in Syria during the reign of Titus, fleeing with his harp to Rome’s old enemies, the Parthians, who only reluctantly handed him over for execution. Now a third ‘Nero’ threatened Domitian. Obviously a crazyman, yet Domitian himself would never possess such charismatic power; it must be galling for an individual who analysed everything so deeply. He had to send troops to hunt down the new menace, troops who were badly needed elsewhere.

Despite these trials, Domitian made the year one of florid celebration. On his return from the Rhine and Danube, he celebrated a double Triumph; ostensibly it was for

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