Tiberius (14 - 37 AD)
Family
Son of Livia (wife of
Augustus)
by her first husband. He was adopted by Augustus in 4 AD.
Principal Events (Foriegn)
- Germanicus' campaigns to avenge the disaster of Varus in Germany
(14-16 AD)
- Germanicus' expedition to the east (17-19 AD)
- Vitellius' management of the Persian succession crisis in 35-36
Principal Events (Domestic)
- Mutiny of the Rhine and Danubian legions (14 AD)
- Treason trial of Libo Drusus (16 AD)
- Death of Germanicus, the heir designate of Tiberius) (19 AD)
- Trial of Piso on the charge of treason (including poisoning
Germanicus) (20 AD)
- Death of Drusus (Tiberius' son and heir designate) (23 AD)
- Retirement to capri (26-37 AD)
- Conspiacy of Sejanus (the praetorian prefect who tried to eliminate
Caligula, the heir apparant) (31 AD)
- Mass treason trials of supporters and alleged supporters of Sejanus
(31-32 AD)
Outlines of Policy
Tiberius was dedicated to maintaing the system set up by Augustus, and
weas deeply conservative. This conservatism is reflected in, among
other things, social legislation such as the senatus consultum of 16
AD, and his desire to avoid foriegn wars (he explicitely stopped
Germanicus from campaigning further in Germany). In financial
matters, he appears to have been extremely tight-fisted. He disliked
public entertainments, and there were few public building projects.
The most remarkable feature of his reign were his retirement to Capri
in 26 (he never returned to Rome) and his prosecution of Agrippina,
the wife of Germanicus, and Germanicus' two elder sons in the late
twenties (allegedly under the influence of Sejanus), actions which
effectively eliminated mature heirs to the throne.
Further Reading
Tacitus, Annals;
Suetonius, Tiberius;
Cassius Dio, History of Rome 57-58;
Velleius Paterculus book 2;
Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18;
A. Garzetti, Tiberius to the Antonines;
B. Levick, Tiberius the Politician.