Lyon Tablet

The Lyon Tablet is an ancient bronze tablet that bears the transcript of a speech given by the Roman emperor Claudius. The surviving bottom portion of the tablet was discovered on Croix Rousse Hill, Lyon, France in 1528. It currently resides in the Museum of Gallo-Roman Civilization in Lyon.

Claudius made the inscribed speech before the Roman Senate in 48 AD. It was a proposal to allow monied, landed citizens from further Gaul to enter the Senatorial class, and thus the Senate itself, once they had reached the necessary level of wealth. He evoked the Etruscan origins of his own family, the Claudius (gens), and the more recent admittance of men from Gallia Narbonensis.

The tablet gives important insight into both the character of Claudius and Senate-emperor relations. Claudius goes into a long-winded digression on the early history of Rome - one which shows the impact of his tutelage under the historian Livy. This kind of pedantry is characteristic of Claudius and immediately identifies him as the speaker. Several interjections by senators are also recorded, mostly urging Claudius to get to the point. This shows that, in the mid-first century, the senators could still treat the emperor as though he were just another member during debates. The speech also contains references to other events during Claudius' reign, such as the fall of Valerius Asiaticus, who Claudius singles out for damnation. The tablet also raised some questions about the trust-worthiness of the historian Tacitus, who records a version of the speech in his annals. Tacitus' version is almost completely different from Claudius' original as presented on the tablet, and excludes many details.

The elite of Lyon, then known as Lugdunum, most likely had the tablet made in gratitude. Claudius had been born in Lyon, and was probably seen as patron of the city.

Links to the Text

* [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/claud.inscr.html Original Latin text of the Lyon Tablet (from The Latin Library)]
* [http://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Oratio_Claudii Original Latin text of the Lyon Tablet (from Wikisource)]
* [http://omega.cohums.ohio-state.edu/latin/latin_prose_comp/claudiusdegallis.htm Original Latin text of the Lyon Tablet with notes in English]
* [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/tacitus/tac.ann11.shtml Original Latin text of Tacitus' version of the Lyon Tablet speech (beginning from "maiores mei, quorum")]
* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/48claudius.html An English translation of the second half of the Lyon Tablet]
* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann11a.html An English translation of Tacitus' version of the Lyon Tablet speech]
* [http://www.africacomics.net/download/guida_didattica/unita1.pdf An Italian translation of the first and the beginning of the second half of the Lyon Tablet (on page 11)]
* [http://spazioweb.inwind.it/latinovivo/Annales.htm An Italian translation of Tacitus' version of the Lyon Tablet speech (beginning from "I miei antenati, il più")]