Agricola, as seen by Tacitus was a general and governor, who's footsteps every other ruler should follow. If Tacitus believed that there was one good thing about Rome, it was Agricola. Calgucus's speech was used by Tacitus as a leeway to keep himself out of trouble.Ĭalgucus was a leader of the British force and gave his speech to the British forces at Mount Graupius, therefore Tacitus could not be held responsible for making this depiction of Rome, yet it is obvious to readers today why it is included. It was not of any concern to the Romans that other nations were in poverty, any land that they could gain the Romans wanted, regardless of the condition. An excerpt from Calgucus's speech reveals the greed of Rome, "The wealth of an enemy excites their greed, his poverty their lust for power…Robbery, butchery, rapine these liars call "empire": they create desolation and call it peace"(Tacitus, 20). Tacitus discouraged this insatiable ambition. They held an impervious belief that it was their certainty to rule the world, and so they sought to do just that. Tacitus discretely paints Rome to be a corrupt empire with greedy, tyrannical rulers who held complete control over all aspects of Roman life.
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