Tiberius

Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ty-BEER-ee-əs; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor from AD 14 until his death, reigning as the second ruler of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to politician Tiberius Claudius Nero and his wife, Livia Drusilla. In 38 BC, Livia divorced Nero and married Augustus. Following the untimely deaths of Augustus's two grandsons and adopted heirs, Gaius and Lucius Caesar, Tiberius was designated Augustus's successor. Prior to this, Tiberius had proved himself an able diplomat and one of the most successful Roman generals. His conquests of Pannonia, Dalmatia, Raetia, and (temporarily) parts of Germania laid the foundations for the empire's northern frontier. Early in his career, Tiberius was happily married to Vipsania, daughter of Augustus's boyhood friend, distinguished general and intended heir, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. They had a son, Drusus Julius Caesar. After Agrippa died, Augustus had Tiberius divorce Vipsania and marry his step-sister Julia, Agrippa's widow and Augustus' daughter; Tiberius relented. This second marriage proved scandalous, deeply unhappy, and childless; ultimately, Julia was sent into exile by her father. Around 4 AD Augustus had Tiberius adopt his nephew, the able and popular Germanicus, as his son and heir, passing over Tiberius's son Drusus. On Augustus's death in AD 14, Tiberius became princeps at the age of 55. He seems to have taken on the responsibilities of head of state with great reluctance and perhaps a genuine sense of inadequacy in the role, compared to the capable, self-confident and charismatic Augustus. From the outset, Tiberius had a difficult, resentful relationship with the Senate and suspected many plots against him. Nevertheless, he proved to be an effective and efficient administrator. After the deaths of his...