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- #1. Tiberius Was A Successful General Under Augustus
- #2. He Became The Adoptive Son Of Caesar Augustus
- #3. Tiberius Increased the Roman Treasury
- #4. He Was Caesar During The Ministries Of John The Baptist And Jesus Christ
- #5. His Son Was Killed By His Trusted Advisor
- #6. Tiberius Struggled With The Senate
- #7. Tacitus Claimed Tiberius Was Murdered
#1. Tiberius Was A Successful General Under Augustus
In 6 BC, Tiberius launched a pincer movement against the Marcomanni. Setting out northwest from Carnuntum on the Danube with four legions, Tiberius passed through Quadi territory in order to invade Marcomanni territory from the east.
Meanwhile, General Gaius Sentius Saturninus would depart east from Moguntiacum on the Rhine with two or three legions, pass through newly annexed Hermunduri territory, and attack the Marcomanni from the west.
The campaign was a resounding success, but Tiberius could not subjugate the Marcomanni because he was soon summoned to the Rhine frontier to protect Rome's new conquests in Germania. (Wikipedia)
#2. He Became The Adoptive Son Of Caesar Augustus
Caesar Augustus did not have a male heir, and his only child was Julia the Elder. In order to secure male heirs, it would be up to Julia to birth grandsons that Augustus could adopt.
She gave him three heirs, but the first two died, and the third was corrupt.
After the death of his first two grandsons, Gaius and Lucius, Caesar adopted Tiberius as his son and arranged a marriage between him and Julia. Perhaps Augustus followed the example of Julius Caesar in this adoption.
The marriage did not work, but it did secure Tiberius as the heir to Augustus.
#3. Tiberius Increased the Roman Treasury
Tiberius is usually viewed as an ineffective emperor of Rome. However, he did manage to increase Rome's coffers by 3 billion sesterces.
He accomplished this by not engaging in costly wars and by bolstering Rome's defenses. By not engaging in wars, he focused on trade and effective diplomacy.
The result was a stronger, more consolidated empire, ensuring the imperial institutions introduced by Caesar Augustus would remain for centuries to come.
#4. He Was Caesar During The Ministries Of John The Baptist And Jesus Christ
Caesar Augustus presided over Rome during the birth of Jesus, and Tiberius would be a Roman Emporer when John the Baptist began his ministry and then during the ministry of Jesus.
It is doubtful he would have known about Christianity. Christians did not receive their name until later on in Antioch, after the death of Jesus. However, he is named in Luke 3:1 as a way to date the events that occurred in the Gospels.
John the Baptist was killed by Herod, who was the ruler of the Jews in the region. Jesus only dealt with Pontius Pilate, who was the governor of Judea and had the authority to authorize a crucifixion without permission from Tiberius.
#5. His Son Was Killed By His Trusted Advisor
Tiberius' son, Drusus Julius Caesar, was heir to the throne after his notable general Germanicus died while in Syria. However, his second in command of the Empire was a man he trusted named Sejanus.
Sejanus and Drusus began to have disagreements, which resulted in Sejanus and Drusus' wife, with whom he was having a secret affair.
Tiberius never suspected Sejanus in the murder of his son and even put him in command of Rome after he took a leave of absence.
Later, Sejanus would be arrested and executed for plotting against Tiberius. Apicata, the wife of Sejanus, passed away suddenly after her children were executed by Tiberius. She wrote a letter to Tiberius revealing the nature of his son's murder.
#6. Tiberius Struggled With The Senate
Tiberius tried to play the same role as Augustus but did not have the talent. He did an excellent job increasing the wealth of the empire and ensuring its safety.
However, he never gained the trust of the Senate. This is due to his vague commands and lackluster energy. He would often take long leaves and leave others in charge.
After the debacle with Sejanus, his reputation would never recover, and he would take a permanent leave.
After his death, the Senate refused to vote Tiberius for the divine honors that had been paid to Augustus, and mobs filled the streets yelling, "To the Tiber with Tiberius!" The bodies of criminals were typically thrown into the river instead of being buried or burnt.
This displays how unpopular he was at the end of this reign.
#7. Tacitus Claimed Tiberius Was Murdered
Tacitus was one of the active historians during the reign of Tiberius. He disliked the Emporer and likened him to a tyrant. However, he tried to hold true to the Greek historian Herodotus and stay somewhat objective when it came to the death of Tiberius.
Tacitus relates that the emperor appeared to have stopped breathing and that Caligula, who was at Tiberius' villa, was being congratulated on his succession to the empire when news arrived that the emperor had revived and was recovering his faculties.
Those who had moments before recognized Caligula as Augustus fled in fear of the emperor's wrath, while Macro took advantage of the chaos to have Tiberius smothered with his own bedclothes.
Other reports at the time say that Caligula actually smothered the Emporer with the help of a friend.
It is unclear as to what happened with the death of Tiberius. Even if he had survived that incident, it was clear his health was on the decline, and he would not be around longer.