Maaike van Etten, BA

RMA student in Classics and Ancient Civilizations

Title research: The Perception of "Bad" Emperors in the Principate in Ancient Historiography.
About this project: I aim to research what distinguishes Caligula and Commodus as “bad” emperors. I will adopt a contextual approach that concentrates on the correlation between the portrayal of emperors in the ancient sources and their self-projection through coins and busts. I aim to determine whether there is a model for the “bad” emperor, or if their reputation is solely reliant on those who document their lives.

Working at KNIR: 16 April - 14 May 2024

Email address: m.e.j.m.van.etten@vu.nl

University: VU Amsterdam