Character is destiny: the political implications of Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars

Abstract

The absence of moral didacticism in the Lives of the Caesars is one of the most notable features of Suetonius' biographies. If Suetonius believes that an emperor who acts virtuously secures himself and the body politic, why does he not actively encourage the imitation of virtue? Suetonius does not offer moral exhortation because his account of the role an emperor's character or nature plays in their political and private actions suggests that the potential for moral instruction and improvement is severely circumscribed. Therefore, this article explores the political implications of Suetonius' account of the relationship between an emperor's character and their political fate to illustrate the potential limitations of the mirror-for-princes genre.