Narcissus
Family: Julio-Claudian · Role: freedman and secretary · First appears: Claudius 28
Narcissus was a Julio-Claudian freedman and secretary, serving Claudius as both patron and employer. At Claudius 28, he and Pallas were in high favour, receiving immense presents and quaestorian and praetorian honours by decree of the senate: “He not only allowed them to receive, by decree of the senate, immense presents, but also to be decorated with the quaestorian and praetorian ensigns of honour.” Claudius indulged them in amassing wealth and plundering the public.
At Claudius 37, Narcissus and Messalina contrived to have their enemy Appius Silanus put to death. During Claudius’s reign, Narcissus used his influence to have Vespasian sent to Germany in command of a legion; when Narcissus later died, Agrippina’s hostility toward his friends left Vespasian vulnerable. In the account of Vitellius, Lucius Vitellius worshipped golden images of Narcissus and Pallas among his household gods.
Relationship record
Life events
- Claudius secured Narcissus and Pallas immense presents and quaestorian and praetorian honours by senatorial decree.(Claudius 28)
- Claudius indulged Narcissus and Pallas in amassing wealth and plundering the public.(Claudius 28)
- Messalina and Narcissus contrived to have Appius Silanus put to death.(Claudius 37)
- With: Messalina Appius Silanus
- “We are informed, that Appius Silanus was got rid of in the same manner, by a contrivance betwixt Messalina and Narcissus, in which they had their several parts assigned them.”
- Vespasian was appointed commander of a legion in Germany through Narcissus's influence.(Vespasian 4 · 📍 Germany)
- Narcissus died, leaving Vespasian vulnerable to Agrippina's hostility.(Vespasian 4)
- “Agrippina, who still held great sway over her son, and hated all the friends of Narcissus, who was then dead.”
Claudius 28
- patron: Claudius “But above all others, Narcissus, his secretary, and Pallas, the comptroller of his accounts, were in high favour with him. He not only allowed them to receive, by decree of the senate, immense presents, but also to be decorated with the quaestorian and praetorian ensigns of honour. So much did he indulge them in amassing wealth, and plundering the public, that, upon his complaining, once, of the lowness of his exchequer, some one said, with great reason, that ‘It would be full enough, if those two freedmen of his would but take him into partnership with them.’”
- employer: Claudius “But above all others, Narcissus, his secretary, and Pallas, the comptroller of his accounts, were in high favour with him.”
Claudius 37
- enemies with Appius Silanus “We are informed, that Appius Silanus was got rid of in the same manner, by a contrivance betwixt Messalina and Narcissus, in which they had their several parts assigned them.”
- patron: Claudius “The day following, Claudius related the whole affair to the senate, and acknowledged his great obligation to his freedmen for watching over him even in his sleep.”
Vitellius 2
- admirer: Lucius Vitellius “He likewise worshipped golden images of Narcissus and Pallas among his household gods.”
- with Lucius Vitellius (Lucius worshipped a golden image of Narcissus.) “He likewise worshipped golden images of Narcissus and Pallas among his household gods.”
Vespasian 4
- protégé: Vespasian “In the reign of Claudius, by the interest of Narcissus, he was sent to Germany, in command of a legion;”
Titus 2
- patron: Claudius “a physiognomist being introduced by Narcissus, the freedman of Claudius, to examine the features of Britannicus”
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Extracted from the original text of The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. Made with Rho MD.