The Julio-Claudians

[Spurius]

I had a hard time actually picking an answer, so I decided to throw it up to all of you too.

 

First, the obvious choice would be Augustus. In many ways the western world owes him much, and he was seemingly an intelligent man who was a good conversationalist and a shrewd politician.

 

Then I thought, how about the dangerous ones...Caligula or Nero. But I thought that would be too much Hollywood.

 

I settled on Tiberius because he spanned the spectrum of the Julio-Claudians. In his younger days, especially when he carried his brother's body back from Germany, he epitimized the strength and honor of the line. Later his lists and treason trials made him as dangerous as any emperor. I tend to discount the depths of his perversions as listed by Seutonius, but they was no doubt he was a randy goat too.

 

So as a representative of the line, I choose Tiberius Nero Caesar.

[Spurius]

Damnit, The Question should be:

 

" Which Julio-Claudian emperors' hand would you most like to shake? "

[Primus Pilus]

Ahh thanks for the edit on the question

 

Nero and Caligula... hmm I suppose it could've been 'fun' to be acquainted with these guys... but umm, who really knows where that hand has been

 

Tiberius would be interesting to meet, but depending on the time of his reign, you could lose your hand just trying to greet him.

 

Augustus is the obvious choice.

 

However, I think I'd like to meet a man who rose from ridicule to the most powerful office in the world. Overcoming the stigmatism of his own defects in order to become a very effective ruler. Of course, being a Julio-Claudian helped. Had he been born into a less influential family, he may not have had any opportunity at all, but I still think I'd like to meet Claudius and ask him about his book on the Etruscans.

[pompeius magnus]

I'd have to go with Augustus, do i dare say his full name: Gaius Octavius Octavianun Augustus Julius Caesar, did I type that right. Then again I have not gotten to studing the empire in full yet. Still working on the early days and the republic.

[Zeke]

The only one out of all those the wasn't depmented was the first one. Augustus would be the most likly, maybe Caligua

[Crag]

Well Cal and Nero would be interesting for the sheer spectacle of unbridled mental instability...

 

Claudius is admirable especially give his handicap and how his society viewed his flaw...

 

I have to join the majority and say Augustus, he is right at the heart of the transition to Empire and the genesis of western Civilisation as we still percieve it today.

[Ursus]

My obvious answer is Augustus. If the Republic had to fall to a warlord (and to be bluntly honest it most likely had to), thank the gods it fell to someone who ruled with relative restraint and a sense of cultural aesthetics. Augustus is a nice example of (mostly) benevolent despotism.

[Primus Pilus]

Except, of course, the proscription of all opposition. Though that primarily occured earlier in the Second Triumvirate. Still, Augustus not making the same mistake as Caesar by showing leniency towards his opponents allowed his rule to take hold in relative stability. Without that, who knows how long the civil wars would've lasted.

[lucius artorius castus]

i would like to shake claudius's hand and tell him to mix parchment or papryus with another plant in order to not have acid slowly decay his works he completed.