The Young Augustus and South Italy

What is it about?

This article explores the relationship between Augustus' father and the young Augustus with the region of Thurii in South Italy as described by Suetonius. It endeavors to show how and why Suetonius' account of these relationships may differ from the history.

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Why is it important?

The contribution of this article is its reading of Suetonius' biography of Augustus as Hadrianic literature. Suetonius writes for a Hadrianic readership that likely includes Hadrian himself, and his depiction of Augustus is shaped by Hadrian's interest in the first Roman emperor. Indeed, in some ways Suetonius assimilates his Augustus to the figure of Hadrian.