Roman emperors Augustus Tiberius Claudius. Tiberius Augustus Caesar
Tiberius I, Claudius Nero - Roman emperor from the Julius-Claudian family, who ruled in 14-37. Gen. November 16, 42 BC. + March 16, 37
Tiberius, stepson of Augustus, belonged to the ancient patrician family of the Claudians. His father was Gaius Caesar's quaestor during the Alexandrian War and, being in command of the fleet, contributed greatly to his victory. During the Perusian War, he fought on the side of Lucius Antonius and, after defeat, fled first to Pompey in Sicily, and then to Antony in Achaea. At the conclusion of the general peace, he returned to Rome and here, at the request of Augustus, he gave up his wife, Livia Drusilla, who by this time had already given birth to a son, Liberius, and was pregnant with her second child. Soon after this, Claudius died. Tiberius's infancy and childhood were difficult and turbulent, as he accompanied his parents everywhere in their flight. Many times at this time his life was on the verge of death. But when his mother became the wife of Augustus, his situation changed dramatically. He began his military service in 26 BC. during the Cantabrian campaign, where he was a military tribune, and a civil tribune in 23 BC, when in the presence of Augustus in several trials he defended King Archelaus, the inhabitants of Thrall and the inhabitants of Thessaly and brought to trial Fannius Caepio, who Varro Murena conspired against Augustus, and achieved his conviction for lese majeste. That same year he was elected quaestor.
In 20 BC. Tiberius led the campaign of Roman troops to the east, returned the Armenian kingdom to Tirana and in his camp, in front of the commander’s rostrum, placed a diadem on him. He received the praetorship in 16 BC. After her, for about a year he ruled Shaggy Gaul, troubled due to the discord of leaders and raids of barbarians, and in 15 BC. waged war in Illyria with the Vindeliki and Reti. Tiberius first became consul in 13 BC.
He first married Agrippina, daughter of Marcus Agrippa. But although they lived in harmony and she had already given birth to his son Drusus and was pregnant for the second time, he was told in II BC. give her a divorce and immediately marry Julia, daughter of Augustus. For him this was immeasurable mental torment: he had deep heartfelt affection for Agrippina. Julia, with her disposition, was disgusting to him - he remembered that even with her first husband she was looking for intimacy with him, and this was even talked about everywhere. He yearned for Agrippina even after the divorce; and when he happened to meet her just once, he looked at her with such a look, long and full of tears, that measures were taken so that she would never come into his sight again. At first he lived in harmony with Julia and responded to her with love, but then he began to distance himself more and more from her; and after the death of his son, who was the key to their union, he even slept separately. This son was born in Aquileia and died while still an infant.
In 9 BC. Tiberius waged war in Pannonia and conquered the Brevkov and Dolmatians. For this campaign he was awarded an ovation. The following year he had to fight in Germany. They write that he captured 40,000 Germans, settled them in Gaul near the Rhine and entered Rome triumphantly. In 6 BC. he was given tribunician power for five years.
But amid these successes, in the prime of life and strength, he unexpectedly decided to retire and retire as far as possible. Perhaps he was pushed to this attitude towards his wife, whom he could neither blame nor reject, but could no longer tolerate; perhaps the desire not to arouse hostility towards himself in Rome and to strengthen his influence by his removal. Neither the request of his mother, who begged him to stay, nor the complaint of his stepfather in the Senate that he was leaving him, did not shake him; Having met even more determined resistance, he refused food for four days.
Having finally obtained permission to leave, he immediately went to Ostia, leaving his wife and son in Rome, without saying a word to any of those accompanying him and kissing only a few goodbye. From Ostia he sailed along the coast of Campania. Here he lingered at the news of Augustus’s ill health; but since there were rumors that he was waiting to see if his wildest hopes would come true, he set out to sea almost in the middle of a storm and finally reached Rhodes. The beauty and healthy air of this island attracted him even when he dropped anchor here on his way from Armenia.
Here he began to live as a simple citizen, content with a modest house and a slightly more spacious villa. Without a lictor and without a messenger, he continually walked around the gymnasium and communicated with the local Greeks almost as an equal. He was a regular visitor to philosophical schools and readings.
In 2 BC. he learned that Julia, his wife, was convicted of debauchery and adultery, and that Augustus, on his behalf, gave her a divorce. He was glad to hear this news, but still considered it his duty, as much as he could, to intercede with his stepfather on behalf of his daughter in his repeated letters. The following year, Tiberius's term as tribune expired, and he thought about returning to Rome and visiting his relatives. However, in the name of Augustus it was announced to him that he should abandon all concern for those whom he had so willingly abandoned. Now he was already forced to stay in Rhodes against his will. Tiberius retired into the interior of the island, abandoned the usual exercises with a horse and weapons, abandoned his father’s clothes, put on a Greek cloak and sandals, and lived in this form for almost two years, every year more and more despised and hated.
Augustus allowed him to return only in 2 AD on the condition that he would not take any part in state affairs. Tiberius settled in the gardens of Maecenas, gave himself up to complete peace and was engaged only in private affairs. But not even three years had passed since Gaius and Lucius, the grandchildren of Augustus, to whom he intended to transfer power, died. Then, in 4 AD, Augustus adopted Tiberius along with the brother of the deceased, Marcus Agrippa, but first Tiberius had to adopt his nephew Germanicus.
From then on, nothing was missed for the rise of Tiberius - especially after the excommunication and exile of Agrippa, when he obviously remained the only heir. Immediately after his adoption, he again received tribunician power for five years and was entrusted with the pacification of Germany. For three years Tiberius pacified the Cherusci and Chauci, strengthened the borders along the Elbe and fought against Marobod. In 6, news came of the fall of Illyria and the uprising in Pannonia and Dalmatia. This war was also entrusted to him, the most difficult of the external wars of the Romans after the Punic War. With fifteen legions and an equal number of auxiliary troops, Tiberius had to fight for three years under the greatest difficulties of all kinds and an extreme lack of food. He was recalled more than once, but he stubbornly continued the war, fearing that a strong and close enemy, having met a voluntary concession, would go on the attack. And for this perseverance he was generously rewarded: he subjugated and brought into submission the entire Illyricum, which stretches from Italy and Noricum to Thrace and Macedonia and from the Danube to the Adriatic Sea.
Circumstances gave even greater significance to this victory. Just around this time, Quintilius Varus died in Germany with three legions, and no one doubted that the victorious Germans would have united with the Pannonians if Illyricum had not been conquered before. Therefore, Tiberius was awarded a triumph and many other honors.
In 10, Tiberius again went to Germany. He knew that the reason for Var's defeat was the rashness and carelessness of the commander. Therefore, he showed extraordinary vigilance in preparing to cross the Rhine, and himself, standing at the crossing, checked each cart to see if there was anything in it beyond what was required and necessary. And beyond the Rhine he led such a life that he ate sitting on the bare grass and often slept without a tent. He maintained order in the army with the greatest severity, restoring the old methods of censure and punishment. With all this, he entered into battles often and willingly and in the end achieved success. Returning to Rome in 12, Tiberius celebrated his Pannonian triumph.
In 13, the consuls introduced a law so that Tiberius, together with Augustus, would govern the provinces and carry out a census. He performed the five-year sacrifice and went to Illyricum, but was immediately called back from the road to his dying father. He found August already exhausted, but still alive, and remained alone with him the whole day. ***
He kept the death of Augustus a secret until young Agrippa was killed. He was killed by a military tribune assigned to him to protect him, having received a written order to this effect. It is unknown whether this order was left by the dying Augustus or whether Livia dictated it on his behalf, with or without the knowledge of Tiberius. Tiberius himself, when the tribune reported to him that the order had been carried out, stated that he had not given such an order.
Although he, without hesitation, decided to immediately accept the supreme power and had already surrounded himself with armed guards, a guarantee and a sign of dominance, in words he renounced power for a long time, playing the most shameless comedy: he reproachfully told his pleading friends that they did not know what This monster - power, then with ambiguous answers and ostentatious indecision kept the Senate in tense ignorance, which approached him with kneeling requests. Some even lost patience: someone, amid the general noise, exclaimed: “Let him rule or let him go!”; someone told him to his face that others were slow to do what they promised, and he was slow to promise what he was already doing. Finally, as if against his will, with bitter complaints about the painful slavery he imposed on himself, he assumed power.
The reason for his hesitation was fear of the dangers that threatened him from all sides: two mutinies broke out among the troops at once, in Illyricum and Germany. Both armies made many extraordinary demands, and the German armies did not even want to recognize a ruler who had not been appointed by them, and with all their might they pushed Germanicus, who was in charge over them, to power, despite his decisive refusal. It was this danger that Tiberius feared most.
After the cessation of the riots, having finally gotten rid of fear, he initially behaved as an exemplary one. Of the many highest honors, he accepted only a few and modest ones. Even the name Augustus, which he received by inheritance, he used only in letters to kings and rulers. From then on, he received the consulate only three times. Servility was so disgusting to him that he did not allow any of the senators to approach his litter, either for greetings or on business. Even when he heard flattery in a conversation or in a lengthy speech, he immediately interrupted the speaker, scolded him and immediately corrected him. When someone addressed him as “Sovereign,” he immediately announced that they would not insult him like that again. But he endured disrespect, slander, and insulting poems about him patiently and steadfastly, proudly declaring that in a free state both thought and language should be free.
To the senators and officials he retained his former greatness and power. There was no matter, small or large, public or private, that he did not report to the Senate. And he always conducted other affairs in the usual manner through officials. The consuls were so respected that Tiberius himself invariably stood in front of them and always gave way.
But gradually he made himself feel like a ruler. His natural sullenness and innate cruelty began to appear more and more often. At first he acted with an eye on the law and public opinion, but then, filled with contempt for people, he gave full power to his secret vices. In 15, the beginning of the so-called lèse-majesté trials began. This old law was hardly applied under Augustus. When Tiberius was asked whether to bring those guilty under this law to trial, he replied: “The laws must be executed,” and they began to be executed with extreme cruelty. Someone removed the head from the statue of Augustus to replace it with another; the case went to the Senate and, due to doubts that arose, was investigated under torture. Little by little it came to the point that it was considered a capital crime if someone beat a slave in front of the statue of Augustus or disguised himself, if he brought a coin or a ring with the image of Augustus into a latrine or into a brothel, if he spoke without praise about any of his words or in fact. Tiberius was no less harsh towards his loved ones. For both of his sons - both his native Drusus and his adopted Germanicus - he never experienced fatherly love. Germanicus inspired envy and fear in him, since he enjoyed the great love of the people. Therefore, he tried in every possible way to humiliate his most glorious deeds, declaring them useless, and condemned the most brilliant victories as detrimental to the state. In 19, Germanicus suddenly died in Syria, and it was even believed that Tiberius was the culprit of his death, having given a secret order to poison his son, which was carried out by the governor of Syria, Piso. Not satisfied with this, Tiberius later transferred his hatred to the entire family of Germanicus.
His own son Drusus was disgusted with his vices, as he lived frivolously and dissolutely. When he died in 23 (as it turned out later, poisoned by his own wife and her lover Sejanus, prefect of the Praetorians), this did not cause any grief in Tiberius: almost immediately after the funeral, he returned to business as usual, prohibiting prolonged mourning. The envoys from Illion brought him condolences a little later than the others, and he, as if the grief had already been forgotten, mockingly replied that he, in his turn, sympathized with them: after all, they had lost their best fellow citizen Hector (Suetonius: “Tiberius”; 4, 6, 7-22, 24-28, 30-31, 38, 52,58). ***
In 26, Tiberius decided to settle away from Rome. It is reported that he was expelled from the capital by the love of power of his mother Livia, whom he did not want to recognize as his co-ruler and whose claims he could not get rid of, because the power itself went to him through her: it was reliably known that Augustus was thinking of transferring the principate to Germanicus, and only after many At the request of his wife, he gave in to her persuasion and adopted Tiberius. This is what Livia constantly reproached her son, demanding gratitude from him (Tacitus: “Annals”; 4; 57). From then on, Tiberius never returned to Rome.
At first he sought solitude in Campania, and in 27 he moved to Capri - the island attracted him primarily because he could land on it in only one small place, and on the other sides it was surrounded by the highest cliffs and the depths of the sea. True, the people, with persistent requests, immediately achieved his return, since a misfortune occurred in Fidenae: the amphitheater collapsed at the gladiatorial games, and more than twenty thousand people died. Tiberius moved to the mainland and allowed everyone to come to him. Having satisfied all the petitioners, he returned to the island and finally left all government affairs. He no longer replenished the decuria of horsemen, appointed neither prefects nor military tribunes, nor replaced governors in the provinces; Spain and Syria were left without consular legates for several years, Armenia was captured by the Parthians, Moesia by the Dacians and Sarmatians. Gaul was devastated by the Germans - but he did not pay attention to this, to great shame and no less damage to the state (Suetonius: “Tiberius”; 39-41). Tiberius had at his disposal twelve villas with palaces, each of which had its own name; and as much as he had previously been absorbed in concerns about the state, he now indulged in secret lust and base idleness (Tacitus: “Annals”; 4; 67). He created special bed rooms, nests of hidden debauchery. Girls and boys gathered in crowds from everywhere vying with each other copulated in front of him in groups of three, arousing his fading lust with this spectacle. He decorated the bedrooms located here and there with paintings and statues of the most obscene nature and laid out the books of Elephantis in them, so that everyone in his work would have the prescribed model at hand. Even in forests and groves, he set up Venus’s places everywhere, where in grottoes and between rocks young people of both sexes portrayed fauns and nymphs in front of everyone. He also had boys of a very tender age, whom he called his fish and with whom he played in bed. He was prone to lust of this kind both by nature and by old age. Therefore, he not only accepted the painting of Parrhasius, which depicted the copulation of Meleager and Atlas, which was refused to him in his will, but also placed it in his bedroom. They say that even during a sacrifice he was once so inflamed by the charm of a boy carrying a censer that he could not resist, and after the ceremony he almost immediately took him aside and corrupted him, and at the same time his brother, the flutist; but when after that they began to reproach each other with dishonor, he ordered their knees to be broken. He also mocked women, even the most noble ones.
The year 29 turned out to be fatal for many of Tiberius’s loved ones. First of all, Livia, his mother, with whom he had been quarreling for many years, died. Tiberius began to move away from her immediately after taking power, and openly broke up after she, in a fit of annoyance at his ingratitude, read out some ancient letters of Augustus, where he complained about the cruelty and stubbornness of Tiberius. He was immensely offended that these letters had been kept for so long and had been used so maliciously against him. In all three years from his departure until her death, he saw her only once. He did not visit her when she fell ill, and made her wait in vain when she died, so that her body was buried only many days later, already decomposing and rotting. He forbade her deification, and declared the will invalid, but dealt with all his friends and relatives very quickly (Suetonius: “Tiberius”; 43-45, 51).
Following this, the time came for boundless and merciless autocracy. During Livia’s life, there was still some kind of refuge for the persecuted, since Tiberius had long been accustomed to showing obedience to his mother, and Sejanus, his evil genius and earpiece, did not dare to rise above the authority of his mother; now both of them rushed, as if freed from the bridle, and attacked the widow of Germanicus Agrippina and her son Nero (Tacitus: “Annals”; 5; 3). Tiberius never loved her, but involuntarily hid his feelings, since the people transferred to her and her children the love that they always had for Germanicus. Sejanus vigorously fanned this hostility. He sent imaginary well-wishers to her so that, under the guise of friendship, they would warn her that poison had been prepared for her and that she should avoid the dishes offered to her by her father-in-law. And so, when Agrippina had to recline at the table near the princeps, she was gloomy and silent and did not touch a single dish. Tiberius noticed this; by chance, or perhaps wanting to test her, he praised the fruits placed in front of him and handed them to his daughter-in-law with his own hands. This further strengthened Agrippina’s suspicions, and she, without tasting the fruits, handed them over to the slaves (Tacitus: “Annals”; 4; 54). After this, Tiberius did not even invite her to the table, offended by the fact that he was accused of poisoning. For several years Agrippina lived in disgrace, abandoned by all her friends. Finally, having slandered her that she wanted to seek salvation either from the statue of Augustus or from the army, Tiberius exiled her to the island of Pandateria, and when she began to grumble, her eyes were beaten out. Agrippina decided to die of hunger, but they forcibly opened her mouth and put food in her. And even when she, stubbornly, died, Tiberius continued to viciously pursue her: from now on he ordered her very birthday to be considered unlucky. Agrippina's two sons, Nero and Drusus, were declared enemies of the fatherland and starved to death.
However, Sejanus was not able to reap the benefits of his treachery. In 31, already suspecting him of intrigues against himself, Tiberius, under the pretext of a consulate, removed Sejanus from Capri (Suetonius: “Tiberius”; 53-54, 65). Then Antonia, the widow of his brother Drusus, reported to Tiberius that Sejanus was preparing a conspiracy, intending to deprive him of power with the help of the Praetorians (Flavius: “Jewish Antiquities”; 18; 6; 6). Tiberius ordered the prefect to be captured and executed. During the investigation, many of Sejan's atrocities were revealed, including the fact that Drusus, the son of Tiberius, was poisoned on his orders. After this, Tiberius became especially fierce and showed his true colors. Not a day passed without an execution, be it a holiday or a sacred day. Children and their children's children were condemned along with many. Relatives of those executed were forbidden to mourn them. Any reward was awarded to the accusers, and often to the witnesses as well. No denunciation was denied credibility. Any crime was considered criminal, even a few innocent words. The corpses of those executed were thrown into the Tiber. An ancient custom forbade killing virgins with a noose, so minor girls were molested by the executioner before execution. Many were tortured and executed on Capri, and then their corpses were thrown from a high cliff into the sea. Tiberius even came up with a new method of torture: people were given pure wine while they were drunk, and then their members were suddenly bandaged, and they suffered from the cutting bandage and retention of urine.
Shortly before his death, he went to Rome, but, seeing its walls from afar, he ordered to turn back without ever entering the city. He hurried back to Capri, but fell ill in Astura. Having recovered a little, he reached Misenum and then fell ill completely (Suetonius: “Tiberius”; 61-62, 72-73). When those around decided that Tiberius’s breathing had stopped and began to congratulate Gaius Caesar, the last surviving son of Germanicus and his heir, they suddenly reported that Tiberius had opened his eyes, his voice had returned and he asked to bring him food. This news shocked everyone, but the Praetorian prefect Macron, who had not lost his composure, ordered the old man to be strangled by throwing a heap of clothes over him. This was the end of Tiberius in the seventy-eighth Year of his life (Tacitus: “Annals”; 50).
According to the will of Augustus, Tiberius became the heir to his fortune. Even during the life of Augustus, he possessed part of his powers. However, Tiberius acted very carefully in the first days after the death of Augustus. He himself, according to Suetonius, said: “I hold the wolf by the ears.” At a Senate meeting where his future powers were discussed, Tiberius tried to show that he did not want power. This only earned him ridicule from the senators. One of them shouted: “Either let him rule, or let him go!” Tiberius, in the end, pretended to yield to the will of the Senate. The Senate declared Tiberius princeps and gave him all the powers that Augustus had. Subsequently, power from the emperor to his heir was always transferred in this way: the emperor appointed an heir to the state, and the Senate approved his powers.
At the very beginning of the reign of Tiberius, the legionary soldiers rebelled in the Roman army stationed on the Rhine and Danube. The legionnaires demanded an increase in pay and a reduction in service life. The soldiers of the Rhine-German army demanded the transfer of imperial power to their commander, Germanicus. However, Germanicus categorically refused to seize power and managed to suppress the rebellion. The rebellion was also suppressed in the Danube legions.
During the first years of his reign, Tiberius felt insecure at the head of the Roman state and tried to establish cooperation with the Senate. Suetonius writes about the beginning of his reign: “He even established a semblance of freedom, preserving for the Senate and officials their former greatness and power.” He even allowed consuls to file complaints against him. But among the senators, those close to the princeps and members of the imperial family, there was dissatisfaction with the rule of Tiberius, conspiracies were woven, and there was a struggle for power. In the Senate, some considered Tiberius unworthy of the power that Augustus possessed. Fearing for his power, Tiberius began to gradually launch the mechanism of terror. The weapon of terror under Tiberius was the ancient law of lese majeste. Initially, it was applied to those officials who, by their actions, caused damage to the Roman state and thereby insulted the greatness of the Roman people. Under Tiberius, even those who did not speak disrespectfully enough about the personality of the princeps began to be held accountable under this law. The first cases of application of this law resulted in no casualties, the accused were acquitted, but a dangerous precedent was created.
Germanicus remained a dangerous figure for Tiberius. Although Germanicus himself demonstrated loyalty to Tiberius, the emperor’s political opponents pinned their hopes on him. For five years Germanicus commanded the Rhine legions. He made several expeditions into the interior of Germany, but Tiberius forbade him to advance the Roman frontier north. Tiberius summoned Germanicus to Rome and entrusted him with a new mission: Germanicus went to the East as the emperor's plenipotentiary representative to settle the affairs of the eastern provinces and negotiate with the Parthian king. In Syria, Germanicus unexpectedly fell seriously ill and died (19). In Rome, they persistently blamed his death on the legate of Syria, Piso, who allegedly poisoned Germanicus on the orders of Tiberius. The ashes of Germanicus were solemnly buried in Rome in the mausoleum of Augustus, and Piso, in order to avoid condemnation, committed suicide. Tiberius forever remained stained with suspicion of guilt in the death of Germanicus. This further undermined Tiberius's authority and complicated his position as head of state. The widow of Germanicus Agrippina becomes Tiberius's worst enemy. She was the granddaughter of Augustus and, unlike Tiberius, sacred blood flowed in her veins and the veins of her children. After the death of Germanicus, the ambitious Agrippina began to declare her sons, Nero, Drusus and Gaius Caesar, to be the true heirs of Augustus. For his part, Tiberius tried to strengthen the position as heirs of his own son from his first marriage, Drusus the Younger, and his grandson, Tiberius Gemellus.
At this moment, the commander of the Praetorian Guard begins to act as a defender of the interests of the emperor ( Prefect of Praetorium) Lucius Aelius Sejanus. He strengthens the Praetorian Guard; the Praetorian units were pulled into one camp on the outskirts of Rome. On the initiative of Sejanus, a series of trials were organized against Tiberius' ill-wishers. Those convicted were executed or committed suicide. As a result, Tiberius's principate acquired the features of a military dictatorship.
An unexpected blow for Tiberius is the sudden death of his son Drusus (23). Tacitus blames the death of Drusus the Younger on Sejanus, who allegedly became his wife's lover and poisoned the emperor's heir, hoping to take his place. Be that as it may, the death of Drusus further strained relations within the imperial family. Tiberius became even more gloomy and suspicious of the Senate and his circle. The chances of Agrippina's sons to inherit power increased sharply. Tiberius and Sejanus responded to this with reprisals against Germanicus' former friends and supporters of his family.
In 26, Tiberius, unable to withstand the tense situation that reigned in Rome, left the city and moved his permanent residence to the island of Capri off the coast of Italy. Here he lived continuously for the last 11 years of his life. Sejanus became the master of Rome and the second person in the state. Tiberius trusted Sejanus boundlessly, especially after he covered him with his body during a collapse in one of the pleasure grottoes on Capri. Sejanus freely dealt with everyone who stood in his way to power, justifying himself by saying that he was protecting the interests of the emperor. Rome plunged into the abyss of terror.
In 29, a blow was struck against Agrippina and her two eldest sons - Nero and Drusus. They were accused of treason, conspiracy and attempted coup. Agrippina and Nero were sent into exile. Nero soon committed suicide, and Agrippina died a few years later, unable to bear the humiliation and bullying of the guards. Drusus was thrown into prison and died of starvation.
In 31 there was an unexpected fall of the powerful Sejanus. Unfortunately, sources about this event are fragmentary and the reasons for the overthrow of Sejanus are unknown. Sejanus was accused of treason in a letter by Tiberius, captured right in the Senate and immediately executed. Then followed a brutal reprisal against Sejan's supporters and his family. Even the little daughter of Sejanus was executed. After the death of Sejanus, the terror intensified even more; denunciations, lèse-majesté trials and executions became commonplace.
The only heir of Tiberius at this time was the youngest son of Germanicus and Agrippina, Gaius Caesar, nicknamed Caligula (“Boot”), who escaped execution. Gaius Caesar received this nickname in childhood from the soldiers of Germanicus for wearing small soldier’s armor, including tiny military boots ( caligae). Tiberius brought him closer to him, perhaps at the insistence of family members and the Roman nobility. At the same time, Sutorius Macron, a man of dark origin who took an active part in the massacre of Sejanus, was appointed to the post of praetorian prefect. Macron became a loyal ally of Guy Caligula, hoping to take second place in the state during his reign. By order of Macron, his wife Ennia became the mistress of the young heir and he even promised to marry her.
Tiberius was already over 70 years old and his health began to deteriorate sharply. In March 37, Tiberius became seriously ill and his doctor informed Macron and Caligula that he would not live even two days. Macron began sending messages to troops and provincial governors about the imminent arrival of a new emperor. On March 16, Tiberius lost consciousness and Caligula was immediately introduced as the new princeps. Suddenly Tiberius came to his senses and then Macron secretly strangled him.
“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was in charge of Judea, Herod was tetrarch in Galilee, Philip his brother was tetrarch in Ituraea and the Trachonite region, and Lysanias was tetrarch in Abilene, under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God was to John, son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. And he went through all the surrounding country of Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:1-3).
TIBERIUS I, Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC - March 16, 37) - Roman emperor from the Julio-Claudian family, who ruled in 14–37. With perseverance and dedication, he achieved military successes in Armenia, Galia, Pannonia, Illyria, Germany, and returned to Rome in triumph several times. But having become emperor, he became indifferent to the interests of the empire. He completely abandoned government affairs. He grew in cruelty and unbridled character. Torture, executions, violence, sadism. At the seventy-eighth year of his life he was strangled.
Tiberius' father, Nero the Elder, belonged to a branch of the ancient patrician Claudian family. Fought against Octavian during the Philippian War. In 40 BC. Tiberius's family was forced to flee from persecution by Emperor Octavian Augustus, but after an amnesty they returned to Rome. In 39 BC. Tiberius's mother, Livia, was introduced to Octavian, who fell in love with her, divorced her on the very day his daughter Julia the Elder was born, and forced Nero the Elder to divorce Livia while she was expecting a child. In 38 BC. Livia had a son, Drusus, and 3 days later Octavian married her. When Nero the Elder died, the brothers Tiberius and Drusus moved to their mother, to the house of their stepfather, Emperor Octavian Augustus.
In 20 BC. Tiberius married Vipsania Agrippina, daughter of the prominent Roman military leader Marcus Agrippa. In 12 BC. The husband of Julia the Elder, Octavian's son-in-law, Agrippa, whom Octavian Augustus considered as his heir, died. Octavian chose Tiberius as his successor, forced him to divorce his beloved wife Vipsania and marry his daughter Julia the Elder. It is possible that due to poor relations with his second wife, Tiberius went into voluntary exile to Greek Rhodes, where he lived as a simple citizen and attended philosophical schools. In 2 A.D. Octavian Augustus condemned his daughter for debauchery and, on behalf of Tiberius, gave her a divorce. In 4, the emperor declared Tiberius his successor. In 14, Emperor Octavian Augustus died, and his will indicated his only heir, Tiberius.
He lived the first 12 years of his reign in Rome. At first he acted with an eye on the law and public opinion, but then, filled with contempt for people, he gave full power to his secret vices. As much as he had previously been absorbed in concerns about the state, he now indulged in secret lust and base idleness (Tacitus: “Annals”; 4; 67). In 27 he moved to the island. Capri, where he indulged in debauchery, and during the last 10 years of his reign he never appeared in Rome. He no longer replenished the decuria of horsemen, appointed neither prefects nor military tribunes, nor replaced governors in the provinces; Spain and Syria were left without consular legates for several years, Armenia was captured by the Parthians, Moesia by the Dacians and Sarmatians. Gaul was devastated by the Germans - but he did not pay attention to this, to great shame and no less damage to the state (Suetonius. “Tiberius”. 39–41).
He became especially angry in the last 6 years of his old age. He killed his relatives with hatred. He invented torture. Not a day passed without an execution, be it a holiday or a sacred day. Children and their children's children were condemned along with many. Relatives of those executed were forbidden to mourn them. Any reward was awarded to the accusers, and often to the witnesses as well. No denunciation was denied credibility. Any crime was considered criminal, even a few innocent words. The corpses of those executed were thrown into the Tiber. Many were tortured and executed on Capri, and then their corpses were thrown from a high cliff into the sea.
Shortly before his death, Tiberius went to Rome. On the way he became ill and took to his bed. But those close to him did not wait for his death and strangled the old man.
Even before becoming emperor, Tiberius was friendly with Herod Antipas, who was raised and studied in Rome with his brother Aristobulus. Friendly relations continued when Herod Antipas became tetrarch 1 and Tiberius became emperor. In 17 A.D. Herod Antipas built a city on the southwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, named after Tiberius - Tiberias, or Tiberias, which is why the lake acquired another name - Tiberias. Tiberius removed the high priest Annas and installed Caiaphas as the high priest Joseph. During the reign of Tiberius, Pontius Pilate was appointed prefect of Judea (from 26 to 37 AD), under whom Jesus Christ was crucified. 
"Tiberius and Agrippina". Peter Paul Rubens, 1614
1. In dr. Greece: ruler of four regions or one-fourth of a region (tetrarchy).
On this day of distant 14 years Tiberius Claudius Nero became Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus - and the second Roman emperor. Since the names of the rulers of Rome are not only long, but, in essence, consist of the same words, we will allow ourselves in the future to call our hero simply Tiberius... By the way, in his time the title “emperor” remained an honorary military rank, and was assigned by soldier’s vote - so it would be absolutely correct: “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the Divine Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, was vested with the power of tribune of the people 38 times, emperor 8 times, consul 5 times”... like this!..
(...Coincidentally, the great Peter O'Toole (with a difference of a quarter of a century) played himself Divine Augustus - and his successor, Tiberius; Perhaps someone remembers the old man from the notorious “Caligula” - with a face disfigured by some skin disease... However, we digress).
...Tiberius's relationship with Octavian Augustus will not work out even before birth - his father stubbornly fought with the latter (in particular, on the side Mark Antony)- and, ultimately, the family, with a baby in their arms, will flee to Greece... But a year later, under an amnesty, Tiberia’s mother will return, Libya, will soon be awarded august attention... It is difficult for us to judge to what extent it was “love at first sight” - but Octavian immediately divorces (in truth, he did not like his wife) - and marries Livia!.. (Who, in turn, is hastily divorced by Tiberius’s father, Nero the Elder- and is present at the wedding in a modest capacity father of the bride's children - by the way, she just gave birth... One way or another, this marriage will last six decades - and Tiberius will become the stepson of Augustus).
...At nineteen he was married to Vipsania- daughter of stepfather's colleague, Agrippa- under the command of his son-in-law (and then independently), Tiberius will go to carry out military affairs on the outskirts of the empire... (Coincidentally, during these seven years the main candidates for the throne). Our hero was not initially considered such... but now Augustus will pay attention to his stepson - and will not come up with anything better than to force him to get a divorce - and marry his daughter, Julia... so to speak - for bonding...
...The idea will be unsuccessful... (Let us note in passing that Julia was a widow Agrippa- and stepmother Vipsania). Tiberius was going through the divorce so badly that the observant Augustus would send his ex-wife out of Rome... but this would not fix the situation - the only daughter of the emperor was demonstratively cheating on her husband with everyone!.. Tiberius goes to war again (and is very successful, turning future Hungarians, Austrians and Serbs into inhabitants province of Pannonia)- but, returning after five victorious years, he discovers that everything has only gotten worse...
...Julia not only has not come to her senses, but also expects her sons from her first marriage to be heirs!.. The aging father cannot object to his daughter - and Tiberius, having lost his temper (or, on the contrary, humbly?) leaves for voluntary exile... to Rhodes(The Romans didn’t know about Siberia!..)
...He will sit there for six years - and during this time, one after another, the next heirs of Augustus will pass away. (Some clearly blame Tiberius’s mother, Livia, for this - but, in fact, there is no direct evidence... And even more so - evidence that it was she who would ultimately poison Augustus himself...)
...A decade before this, the emperor finally represses his daughter (she will be accused of attempted parricide) - and first returns Tiberius to Rome; then he will adopt him; after which, finally, in fact, he will share power with his successor. Well... and then he dies, leaving only one name in the will... Indeed, there is something to think about...
...Moreover, Libya immediately firmly took reins of power into his own hands - so that of his 23-year imperial term, Tiberius will spend about half away from Rome - either in his villa, or even in Capri. (After his mother’s death, not only will he not go to the funeral, but he will also forbid the Senate from honoring her!..)
...However, even with this remote management, the emperor will be noted for considerable success. (It is characteristic that at first he tried to revive the role of the Senate, which had been crushed by his predecessors: “I have said more than once and repeat, senatorial fathers, that a good and beneficent ruler, who owes you such extensive and complete power, must always be a servant of the Senate, sometimes of the entire people, and sometimes of individual citizens.”..." - but this ode to democracy will not find an echo in the hearts of the highly experienced people's representatives!.. Hence the more famous statement of Tiberius: “Power is the wolf I hold by the ears.”
...Despite myself film image, he is known for extreme modesty in everyday life - and the same stinginess in public affairs. (For example, it will prohibit carrying out games at state expense - but will introduce laws against luxury and usury. In fact, it becomes clear why Tiberius is not in honor among contemporary authors - but even they are forced to mention: after the fires and earthquakes, the emperor, without counting, spent money on restoration work and assistance to the victims. And when one day they complain to him about the increase in taxes, he will meaningfully write back to the fiscal authorities: “I want a shepherd to shear my sheep - not skin them!”)
...Tiberius’s foreign policy is also noteworthy - in fact, he will stop the unbridled expansion of the empire; will not even let you finish off the Germans, who had previously slaughtered three legions of Varus in Teutoburg Forest.(About this famous battle - on occasion; it took place just in September, but the date is unknown). So... the emperor will order strike - and then withdraw the troops: "Since Rome's vengeance has been accomplished, let the Germanic tribes now deal with their own discords themselves."
PS: ...Actually, we will have to return to Tiberius sometime - after all, Jesus was executed during his reign... and soon it was him Mary Magdalene will present an egg that will miraculously will blush - marking the beginning of a tradition known to everyone... As for the death of the emperor, perhaps he really was slightly strangled - or his successor, Caligula, not the Praetorian commander Macron... on the other hand, Tiberius was nearly eighty!..
PPS: ..We have started since coming to power - by coincidence (or not?), on the same day, eighteen and a half centuries later, someone Joshua Abraham Norton will announce himself Emperor of the USA!.. However, this is a completely different story.
Lastly. Keith Charles Flint born September 17, 1969 - first a dancer; then - vocalist; and, finally, practically the “face” of the British group “The Prodigy”.
Tiberius Claudius Nero
Rule 14 AD e. until his death under the name Tiberius Caesar Augustus.
After death he was not numbered among the host of gods
He was 55 years old when he became emperor. He was a tall man of strong build, with regular, sharp, typically Roman features; This face, however, was sometimes spoiled by acne. Thick long hair fell to her shoulders, covering her neck. Tiberius was distinguished by great physical strength and excellent health; During his reign, he never once turned to doctors, perhaps also because he despised them. Reserved, arrogant and withdrawn, he was reluctant to communicate even with close people. At the same time, his speeches in the Senate were brilliant, because he received a good education and was keenly interested in literature. The secrecy of character and distrust of people, inherent in nature, worsened even more during Tiberius' stay in the imperial circle - life presented cruel lessons one after another.
Tiberius gained extensive experience as a politician and military leader thanks to Augustus and his advisers, and he always took his responsibilities seriously.
Such was the man recognized by Augustus as his son and declared heir and successor to power. Even during the life of Augustus, Tiberius was given leadership of the army and given the title of tribune of the people. In addition, it was to Tiberius that Caesar left most of his personal fortune.
However, the formal side of the matter did not seem so obvious. The Roman state seemed to remain a republic. There did not exist, and could not exist, any legal justification for the nomination of the head of state; traditions of transfer of power had not yet appeared. And is it necessary to transfer it? Why not return to the previous form of government, when the Senate and two consuls elected by it every year ruled, and local power was exercised by collective bodies of free citizens?
Augustus died on August 19, but Tiberius hesitated until September 17 to formally accept the title of emperor. In response to requests from senators and friends, he got off with evasive exclamations: “Can you imagine what kind of beast this government is?” And when, finally, he considered it necessary to give in to persuasion and entreaties, he declared: “You are placing an evil and heavy yoke on me. I reserve the hope that I can throw it off when you deem it necessary to give peace to old age.”
Historians of antiquity, with their unfriendly attitude towards Tiberius, call such statements pure hypocrisy. However, in saying this, they already know about the tragedy at the end of Tiberius's dark reign. And at that moment, Tiberius’ words could well have been sincere, coming from the heart. An intelligent and observant man, Tiberius could not help but understand what dangers unlimited power was fraught with, how easy it was to succumb to its sweet poison.
In fairness, it should be admitted that the beginning of Tiberius’s reign was calm and even somewhat exemplary. True, immediately after the death of Augustus, Agrippa Postumus, the only surviving grandson of the late emperor, who had been imprisoned on a small remote island for many years, was killed. On whose orders was the young man deprived of his life? They didn’t know exactly, but they agreed: this was done in the interests of the state... A few months later, Julia, Agrippa’s mother, died. They said - from hunger. She was kept in captivity in the town of Regius. There were rumors that Tiberius had deprived her of all means of livelihood - her, the only daughter of Augustus, his ex-wife! He hated this woman, perhaps for good reason. However, all this is a family matter.
For the state, the rebellion of the legions on the Rhine and Pannonia could have had much more important consequences. The soldiers demanded their salaries, but the main goal of the rebels was to make their beloved leader Germanicus, a talented military leader who had every right to claim imperial power, as emperor, since Tiberius officially recognized him as his adopted son. Fortunately, the prudence of Germanicus himself and the skillful actions of Drusus, Tiberius’s own son, helped to extinguish this rebellion quite quickly. Germanicus remained at the head of the army and for three years in a row led his legions beyond the Rhine to strike fear into the Germanic tribes. In 17, by order of Tiberius, Germanicus left the northern borders of the empire. He was given a triumph in Rome, and then he was sent to the East. A talented leader, Germanicus acted successfully here too: he strengthened the position of Rome in Armenia and annexed two regions of Asia Minor to the empire - Cappadocia and Commagene on the banks of the Euphrates.
This, in fact, was the extent of the conquest of new lands during the reign of Tiberius. He firmly adhered to the advice of Augustus not to expand the empire any further and limited himself to strengthening the borders along the Rhine and Euphrates, suppressing uprisings in Gaul and Africa, and expanding Roman influence in Thrace (modern Bulgaria).
Tiberius himself at first did not move a single step away from Rome, and in general, after becoming emperor, he did not travel outside of Italy. In many ways, he was a faithful successor to the work of Augustus and even, perhaps, surpassed him in modesty, or more precisely, in observing its appearance. He never called himself "emperor" and did not accept the title pater patriae, which means “Father of the Fatherland”, did not agree to renaming the month of September to Tiberius. He did not favor sycophants, was condescending towards jokes directed at himself, never tired of repeating that in a free country both languages and thoughts should be free.
Tiberius showed amazing loyalty to the Senate, allowing him to express opinions at meetings that contradicted the imperial ones, and even vote against his own proposals. Having declared that a good sovereign is the servant of all citizens, Tiberius indeed treated ordinary citizens of the empire, and even residents of the provinces, just as tolerantly as he treated the patricians. Caesar did not agree to increase taxes in the provinces. “A good shepherd shears sheep, but he will never skin them,” Tiberius reasoned. Under him, a number of reforms were carried out aimed at strengthening the country's economy. He even decided to reduce spending on games and folk entertainment, which, of course, greatly undermined his popularity among the city residents. The people did not appreciate the fact that at the same time Tiberius established fixed maximum prices for food.
Tiberius defiantly opposed luxury, proclaiming himself a supporter of a simple, modest life, and set a personal example, abandoning the custom of giving and receiving gifts for the New Year - and they were not a small source of income for the “administration”.
Following traditions, Tiberius continued the persecution of religious cults alien to Rome. Four thousand Jewish youths, drafted into the army in Rome, were sent to Sardinia, ostensibly to fight bandits. Most of the young men died, unable to bear the harsh living conditions on the wild island.
Caesar was tolerant of astrologers, although at first he tried to expel them from Rome. Caring for the safety of citizens, the emperor imposed strict order in the capital, Italy and the provinces. The gigantic barracks still serve as a monument to this. Castra Praetoria, a huge stone quadrangle in which Caesar had stationed until then the detachments of Praetorians, the imperial guard created by Augustus, scattered throughout the city. The main initiator of the construction of the mentioned barracks was Sejanus, the permanent prefect of the Praetorian Guard, appointed to this position by Tiberius upon coming to power. In general, under Tiberius, construction work was not particularly extensive - mainly for reasons of economy, although many structures were restored.
In 19, Germanicus died in the Syrian city of Antioch, still extremely popular among the people, but having fallen out of favor with the emperor due to an unauthorized visit to Egypt. Since the governor of Syria, Piso, did not like Germanicus very much, a suspicion arose that it was he (perhaps at the secret command of Tiberius) who poisoned the young successful military leader. The widow of Germanicus, Agrippina the Elder, was left alone with six children (three sons and three daughters), among whom were Gaius, the future Emperor Caligula, and the daughter Agrippina the Younger, the future wife of Emperor Claudius and the mother of Emperor Nero.
Drusus, Tiberius's own son, also a talented leader, very popular among the people of the capital (despite his tendency to debauchery and some manifestations of cruelty), died suddenly in the year 23. They said that he was poisoned by his wife Livilla (sister of Germanicus) at the instigation of her lover Sejanus.
These two deaths and the wave of dark suspicion they raised hit Tiberius hard, although he tried not to show it. The Senate formally charged Piso, and he was forced to commit suicide, but Sejanus continued to enjoy the full confidence of Caesar.
Tiberius's relationship with his mother Livia was getting worse and worse. From the very first days of his accession to the throne, he made her feel his hostility, denying her the title “Mother of the Fatherland” and removing her from participation in public celebrations. She did not remain in debt and gave everyone the letters of her late husband, Caesar Augustus, containing criticism of the bad character of Tiberius, to read. Perhaps this finally prompted the emperor, already filled with gloomy suspicion, to leave the disgusted world. In 26, he left Rome forever and settled on the island of Caprea (present-day Capri) in the Bay of Naples. There he lived almost continuously until his death, for over ten years. The most exquisite works of art, mainly of an erotic nature, were brought to his palace on a high rocky cliff from all over the world. By order of Caesar, the most beautiful young men and women were brought here for the entertainment of the emperor. Special agents searched for them throughout Italy and abducted them. If you believe the ancients, in Capri, in this paradise, hellish sadism and cruelty flourished, the most unbridled orgies that the world has ever seen were organized, to please the sick imagination of a dissolute old man who knew no limits to his whims.
The emperor lived in the belief that on a high cliff, where his palace towered over a deserted island, he was cut off from the whole world and that the world would not know anything. Tiberius was wrong, like many before and after him. There is no such solitude, no such guards, no such walls that would keep the personal amusements of high-ranking officials secret.
Perhaps rumors of Tiberius's debauchery were embellished and exaggerated by his enemies. Now this is difficult to establish. The indisputable fact, however, is that the emperor had little interest in state affairs. He completely transferred them to the jurisdiction of Sejanus. The prefect's power was practically unlimited, and his ambitions grew enormously. The intimidated Senate kowtowed to him, the powerless opposition clung to Agrippina the Elder, the widow of Germanicus.
Sejanus shamelessly eliminated senators he disliked, depriving them of their fortunes and lives with the help of far-fetched accusations, arranging for this purpose show trials to give the appearance of legitimacy to the repressions. This is exactly how in 29 he dealt with his main enemy, Agrippina. She and her eldest son Nero were deprived of their rights and property and exiled to two different remote islands. First, in the year 30, Nero died, and three years later Agrippina. They showed particular cruelty towards her: they flogged her with rods and deprived her of food. In the same year 33, Agrippina’s second son, Drusus, also died in Rome in prison on the Palatine. And also death by starvation.
However, Sejanus himself was not destined to wait for the death of his victims. He was killed in 31 by order of Tiberius. News of Sejanus's abuses finally reached the hermit's ears, apparently mainly thanks to the efforts of the extremely respected Antonia, the widow of Tiberius's brother, who had died forty years earlier. Caesar understood the danger of the prefect's actions, which were ultimately directed against himself. And although even at this critical moment he did not leave his island, he skillfully organized the overthrow of a dangerous all-powerful dignitary. This was not such a simple matter, because Sejan had at his disposal detachments of the Praetorian Guard, with the help of which he could take possession of the city and proclaim himself emperor. Therefore, it was necessary to act carefully, using the moment of surprise. Everything happened like in a play staged by a good director.
On the eighteenth of October, the powerful prefect went to a meeting of the Senate in high spirits. He had no doubt that Macron, the special envoy of the emperor, who arrived that night, would present to the venerable senators a decree recognizing him, Sejanus, as a tribune of the people, that is, in fact, a co-ruler. Macron managed to hint about this, but there is no reason not to believe him, because Tiberius has already expressed consent to the betrothal of Sejanus to his granddaughter Julia.
And now in the temple of Apollo on the Palatine, where the ceremony was to take place, a crowd of flattering senators surrounds the prefect, standing with a triumphant mien. In a solemn atmosphere, Macron began reading the message. It began with the obligatory general phrases. They were followed by some meaningful threats, addressed to someone unknown. And finally, sharp, clearly formulated accusations fell, directly directed at the prefect. It was probably interesting to observe how the behavior of those present changed as Caesar’s plan became clearer: obliging, ready-to-do-anything obedience - disbelief in their own ears - horror and complete confusion - and a frenzied explosion of hatred towards the man whose feet they were ready to lick just a minute ago. Of course, the most vehement accusations, filled with noble indignation, were Sejan’s closest friends, who tirelessly supported all the repressions of the temporary worker.
Sejanus stood speechless and dumbfounded. Without allowing him to come to his senses, he was immediately taken into custody, tried on the same day, sentenced and executed. The Praetorians took this calmly - the new prefect Macron promised to increase their salaries. For three days the Roman mob dragged the corpse of Sejanus through the streets and, having outraged him, threw him into the Tiber. Death also befell the children of Sejanus. The executioner raped his daughter, already betrothed to Claudius, before her execution, because it was inappropriate to put a girl to death.
The people hoped that with the fall of Sejanus a better life would come. That did not happen. Arbitrariness still prevailed, only the direction of persecution changed. At first, everyone connected in one way or another with the former prefect became victims. It was proven that Sejanus was plotting a coup - sufficient grounds to justify terror and repression. Tiberius surrendered to the power of his naturally ferocious temperament. “Not a day passed without an execution,” writes Suetonius, “whether it was a holiday or a sacred day.” Death seemed too easy a punishment to Tiberius; it was usually preceded by the most cruel tortures. Tiberius did not consider it necessary to release Agrippina and Drusus, despite the fact that Sejanus had imprisoned them.
In fairness, it should be noted that at least equal responsibility for countless political processes with Tiberius was borne by senators, who, with the help of the most vile intrigues, denunciations and slander, took the opportunity to deal with their opponents, mostly also senators.
The legal basis for numerous trials was the crime law crimen laesae maiestatis, lese majeste. The law, adopted during the Republic, was designed to protect the dignity and interests of the Roman people. Now Caesar became the embodiment of this majesty, because he served as the people's tribune. The very concepts of majesty and its insults, never clearly formulated, were so broad and vague that any gesture, any ill-considered word or joke could serve as a reason for accusation. That's what happened. During the time of Tiberius, about a hundred such cases were considered in the Senate, and almost all of them ended in confiscation of property and death sentences or forced suicide of the accused.
Terror was rampant, many trials were carried out. Terror gripped the capital. The gloomy picture of that time that has come down to us, masterfully depicted by Tacitus, is stunning. This is true, but it should also be remembered that the dramatic events affected only a handful of the wealthiest residents of Rome. Only a few hundred patrician families were in real danger. Millions of citizens of the empire lived and worked calmly, in conditions of, as we would now say, law and order. The administration acted properly, Tiberius' decrees - and even his enemies admitted this - were reasonable and useful. True, they reproached the emperor for keeping governors in the provinces for too long, but Tiberius had his own reason. He said: “Every official is like a horsefly. The one who is drunk with blood sucks fewer victims, but the new one is more dangerous. We must have pity on our subjects!” In this case, we are not surprised that the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, who was particularly cruel and planted a forest of crosses on which criminals were crucified, remained in his position for ten years (26–36).
At the beginning of 37, the emperor unexpectedly left his beautiful island and headed to Rome. True, he did not enter the capital, he only looked at it from afar. For some reason unknown to us (it is possible that he was frightened by some prophetic sign), he turned back, reached the shores of the Bay of Naples and stopped in the small town of Misena, in an old palace that once belonged to Lucullus. Here Tiberius died on March 16, 37. He was 78 years old. He was in power for 23 years.
The circumstances of Tiberius' death are unclear. Apparently, it was like this: the sick Tiberius became ill and lost consciousness. Everyone began to congratulate the emperor's heir, Caligula, when suddenly one of the servants appeared with the news: “Caesar woke up and wanted to eat.” Everyone froze in horror, only Macron was not at a loss. Rushing into the imperial bedroom, he declared that Caesar was freezing and strangled him, throwing him with a heap of clothes. Perhaps Caligula also helped him.
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