[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 21, Ed. 1, Tree #1186, Date of Import: Apr 26, 1999]
Born Tiberius Claudius Nero Ceasar in Rome on November 16, 42 B.C. Four
years later his mother divorced his father and married the triumvir
Octavian, later Emperor Augustus, who had Tiberius carefully educated. In
20 B.C. Tiberius commanded an expedition to Armenia, and he subsequently
helped subdue the Rhaetians and fought against the Pannonians (12-9 BC).
In 11 BC Tiberius, at his stepfather's command, dissolved his happy
marriage to Vipsania Agrippina (died AD 20), daughter of the Roman
general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, and married Augustus' daughter Julia,
who was Agrippa's widow. In 6 BC he retired to the island of Rhodes,
where he devoted himself to study for seven year. MILITARY SERVICE: When
Tiberius returned to Rome in AD 2, Julia had been banished for adultery,
and within two years the deaths of both the young grandsons of Augustus,
Lucius (died 2 AD) and Gaius (dide 4 AD), paved the way for the adoption
of Tiberius as heir to the imperial dignity. He was formally adopted by
Augustus in 4 AD. He then went into active service in northern Germany
against the Marcomanni. Tiberius also succeeded in quelling formidable
insurrections in Pannonia and Dalmatia, and finally in securing the
frontier and taking vengeance upon the Germans, who had annihilated the
army of the Roman general Varus (dided 9 AD) in the Teutoburger Wald in 9
AD. Accompanied by Germanicus Caesar, who was his nephew and adopted
son, Tiberius made two more marches into the heart of Germany, returning
to Rome several years later to be accorded a triumph, the highest
official tribute that was given to honor a victorious warrior. HIS
REIGN: When Augustus died at Nola, near Naples, in 14 AD, Tiberius,
unopposed, succeeded to the throne. In recognizing Tiberius, the Roman
Senate confirmed the principle of dynastic succession and established the
fact that an empire, not a republic, now existed. The dynastic line
established by Augustus, called the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigned until
AD 68. His reign was marked by revolts and rebellions in Pannonia,
Germany, Gaul, and other parts of the empire. Domestically, the reign of
Tiberius was at first beneficent. He improved civil service, kept the
army in strict discipline, and managed the finances with great ability
and generosity; the provinces were better governed during his rule than
ever before. Gradually, however, a change took place, and the latter
part of his reign was marked by a series of conspiracies and consequent
executions. In 26 AD Tiberius left Rome and withdrew to Campania, and
the following year went to the island of Capreae (modern Capri), leaving
Rome under the power of Lucius Aelius Sejanus (died 31AD), the prefect of
the Praetorian Guard. Finally realizing that Sejanus was trying to seize
imperial power, Tiberius had him and his supporters put to death in 31
AD. The emperor continued to live at Capreae until his death Mar 16, 37
AD, at Misenum, near Naples; some ancient historians believed he was
smothered by the prefect of the Praetorian Guard. Tiberius' coldness and
reserve and his desire for economy in government rendered him unpopular
with the people and together with his supposed depravity, gave him a bad
name in legend and history. Most modern scholars, however, reject the
tales of his cruelty, hypocrisy, and debauchery that are related by the
historians Tacitus and Suetonius. Tiberius seems to have been an able
soldier and administrator who retained the republican form of government
as much as possible.