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A historiografia imperial romana revela-se uma fonte tão escassa como polémica. O caso de Tibério César é exemplar: a representação trágica de Tibério como um misantropo ressentido e dissimulado na obra mais sistemática sobre o seu reinado, os Annales de Tácito, sobrepôs-se aos evidentes méritos do governante
prudente e escrupuloso. A defesa, por vezes exaltada, do imperador, iniciada com o Iluminismo, manifesta, porém, um utilitarismo que desvaloriza o real impacto da personalidade do governante na sociedade do seu tempo. Veleio é um apologista de Tibério, mas tem vindo a ser revalorizado por apresentar nas peculiares Historiae Romanae a visão particular da nova classe de homines noui
provinciais que constituíram a base da administração imperial, perspectiva marcada, no seu caso, por uma relação de clientela e serviço público. O terminus ad quem da obra implica que Veleio assistiu ao retorno dos processos de lesa-majestade, mas assume, em prol da paz e estabilidade, uma defesa absoluta e solidária das atitudes do imperador. Destes retratos aparentemente antagónicos sobressai, curiosamente, um perfil algo convergente: um homem complexo e contraditório, marcado por tragédias pessoais e sobretudo pelo exercício do poder absoluto, incompatível com a sua emotividade.
Roman imperial historiography proves to be a source simultaneously scarce and controversial. The case of Tiberius Caesar is exemplary: the tragic representation of Tiberius in the most systematic work on his reign, the Annals of Tacitus, as a resentful and concealing misanthrope overlapped the obvious merits of the prudent and scrupulous ruler. However, the sometimes incensed defence of the emperor, begun by the Enlightenment, appears as a utilitarianism that devalues the real impact of the ruler’s personality on the society of his time. Velleius is an apologist of Tiberius, but has been revalued for presenting, in his peculiar work Historiae Romanae, the particular vision of the new class of provincial homines noui that formed the basis of the imperial administration, a perspective influenced, in his case, by a relationship of patronage and public service. The terminus ad quem of the work implies that Velleius witnessed the return of the maiestas law suits, but he undertakes, on behalf of peace and stability, an absolute and solidary defence of the emperor’s behaviour. From these seemingly conflicting pictures stands out, oddly enough, a somewhat converging profile: a complex and contradictory man, marked by personal tragedy and specially by the exercise of absolute power, incompatible with his emotivity.
Roman imperial historiography proves to be a source simultaneously scarce and controversial. The case of Tiberius Caesar is exemplary: the tragic representation of Tiberius in the most systematic work on his reign, the Annals of Tacitus, as a resentful and concealing misanthrope overlapped the obvious merits of the prudent and scrupulous ruler. However, the sometimes incensed defence of the emperor, begun by the Enlightenment, appears as a utilitarianism that devalues the real impact of the ruler’s personality on the society of his time. Velleius is an apologist of Tiberius, but has been revalued for presenting, in his peculiar work Historiae Romanae, the particular vision of the new class of provincial homines noui that formed the basis of the imperial administration, a perspective influenced, in his case, by a relationship of patronage and public service. The terminus ad quem of the work implies that Velleius witnessed the return of the maiestas law suits, but he undertakes, on behalf of peace and stability, an absolute and solidary defence of the emperor’s behaviour. From these seemingly conflicting pictures stands out, oddly enough, a somewhat converging profile: a complex and contradictory man, marked by personal tragedy and specially by the exercise of absolute power, incompatible with his emotivity.
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Tibério Veleio Patérculo Tácito Historiografia romana Percepção do poder Tiberius Caesar Velleius Paterculus Tacitus Roman historiography Perception of power
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Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra