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Pallas (freedman)

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25: 171:. Historians acknowledge that he never embezzled directly from the imperial account, and his wealth may have come from his financial acumen. Some ancient historians claim he was able to control the emperor through his high-ranking position, but this is probably not the case. This is shown when he could not prevent his fellow freedman-administrator 194:
Modern historians suggest that their relationship was strictly business, and they helped each other with mutual goals. Pallas' influence on Agrippina was real and became well-known, but he continued to advise Claudius on matters of state. He was the source of a law that stated that a free woman who
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succeeded Claudius, Narcissus was arrested and executed. Pallas retained his position in the treasury for a time. It has been suggested that he assisted Agrippina in murdering Claudius since he was sure of his future security but this security did not last long. In 55, Nero dismissed Pallas from
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freedmen. Pallas was made secretary of the treasury. He did this job with such efficiency that Cornelius Scipio proposed before the Senate that he be rewarded. The position apparently enabled Pallas to reward himself as well, and was rewarded by the Senate of 15 million sesterces; he is cited by
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notes his intent to reunite the Julian and Claudian families through the marriage, and prevent either a future husband of Agrippina, or Agrippina herself, from claiming the throne. But the ancient authors also state that the real reason for his choice was that Pallas and Agrippina were lovers.
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As a freedman, Pallas rose to great heights in the imperial government. From the beginning of Claudius' reign, the Senate was openly hostile to him, which forced him to centralize powers. The daily maintenance of the empire was too much for one man, so Claudius divided it up among his trusted
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Pallas did not elude Nero's wrath forever, and was killed on Nero's orders in 62 -- possibly to gain access to his large fortune, part of which was his by right as Pallas' official patron. Some money must have gone to Pallas' family, as a descendant of his became
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Pallas between the years of 31 and 37, when he would have passed the minimum age for freedom. He is listed as owning land in Egypt during that period, possibly as a reward for his servitude. When Antonia died in 37, he became the client of her son,
199:, another powerful freedman at the court, hoped to bring down Agrippina by revealing her alleged affair with Pallas, which would also have undermined the position of her son 134:. In accordance with Roman custom, Pallas took the name of her father when freed. Josephus mentions him as the slave sent by Antonia to deliver evidence to the emperor 336: 46: 346: 68: 216: 331: 196: 39: 33: 50: 116: 249: 227:, who was prominent in Nero's circle, came to Pallas' defense at the trial and facilitated his acquittal. 108: 179: 139: 172: 224: 104: 318:
Oost, S.V. "The Career of M. Antonius Pallas." American Journal of Philology 79 (1958). 113–139.
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Greek freedman and secretary in Rome during the reigns of Roman Emperors Claudius and Nero
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married a slave would remain free if the master approved. According to Tacitus,
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He further accused Pallas of conspiring to overthrow him and place
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as much as 400 Million sesterces according to Cassius Dio LXII.14)
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service, tired of having to deal with any allies of Agrippina.
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In the second half of Claudius' reign, Pallas chose to support
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as he is later listed as one of the richest men of the time by
18: 207:, Nero's principal competitor for the succession. When 115:, Pallas and Felix descended from the Greek Kings of 182:as the new empress after the fall of Empress 8: 163:to have a personal fortune of 300 million 69:Learn how and when to remove this message 32:This article includes a list of general 265: 88:and secretary during the reigns of the 7: 219:, the husband of Claudius' daughter 203:. Narcissus had allied himself with 84:(died AD 62) was a prominent Greek 38:it lacks sufficient corresponding 14: 272:Pliny the younger, Letters VIII.6 175:from being executed for treason. 138:concerning the murder of his son 122:Pallas was originally a slave of 99:. His younger brother was Marcus 23: 1: 337:Emperor's slaves and freedmen 197:Tiberius Claudius Narcissus 363: 238:Pallas is a character in 347:1st-century Greek people 53:more precise citations. 82:Marcus Antonius Pallas 281:Tacitus Annals XII.53 252:, he is portrayed by 180:Agrippina the Younger 130:and niece of Emperor 140:Drusus Julius Caesar 146:. Antonia probably 332:1st-century Romans 295:. p. XII.53. 223:, on the throne. 79: 78: 71: 354: 306: 303: 297: 296: 288: 282: 279: 273: 270: 126:, a daughter of 74: 67: 63: 60: 54: 49:this article by 40:inline citations 27: 26: 19: 362: 361: 357: 356: 355: 353: 352: 351: 322: 321: 315: 310: 309: 304: 300: 290: 289: 285: 280: 276: 271: 267: 262: 221:Claudia Antonia 169:Pliny the Elder 111:. According to 109:ludaea Province 75: 64: 58: 55: 45:Please help to 44: 28: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 360: 358: 350: 349: 344: 339: 334: 324: 323: 320: 319: 314: 311: 308: 307: 298: 283: 274: 264: 263: 261: 258: 254:Bernard Hepton 240:Robert Graves' 101:Antonius Felix 90:Roman Emperors 77: 76: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 359: 348: 345: 343: 340: 338: 335: 333: 330: 329: 327: 317: 316: 312: 302: 299: 294: 287: 284: 278: 275: 269: 266: 259: 257: 255: 251: 247: 246: 241: 236: 234: 228: 226: 222: 218: 217:Faustus Sulla 213: 210: 206: 202: 198: 192: 189: 185: 181: 176: 174: 170: 166: 162: 156: 154: 149: 145: 141: 137: 133: 129: 125: 124:Antonia Minor 120: 118: 114: 110: 106: 102: 98: 94: 91: 87: 83: 73: 70: 62: 52: 48: 42: 41: 35: 30: 21: 20: 301: 292: 286: 277: 268: 243: 237: 229: 214: 193: 177: 157: 121: 81: 80: 65: 59:January 2015 56: 37: 245:I, Claudius 205:Britannicus 128:Mark Antony 51:introducing 326:Categories 260:References 148:manumitted 105:procurator 34:references 291:Tacitus. 250:TV series 248:; in the 184:Messalina 165:sesterces 235:in 167. 173:Polybius 153:Claudius 136:Tiberius 132:Augustus 93:Claudius 86:freedman 342:Antonii 313:Sources 188:Tacitus 161:Tacitus 144:Sejanus 117:Arcadia 113:Tacitus 47:improve 293:Annals 242:novel 233:consul 225:Seneca 36:, but 209:Nero 201:Nero 103:, a 97:Nero 95:and 142:by 107:of 328:: 256:. 186:. 119:. 72:) 66:( 61:) 57:( 43:.

Index

references
inline citations
improve
introducing
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freedman
Roman Emperors
Claudius
Nero
Antonius Felix
procurator
ludaea Province
Tacitus
Arcadia
Antonia Minor
Mark Antony
Augustus
Tiberius
Drusus Julius Caesar
Sejanus
manumitted
Claudius
Tacitus
sesterces
Pliny the Elder
Polybius
Agrippina the Younger
Messalina
Tacitus
Tiberius Claudius Narcissus

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