Tiberius
| Published: | 1992 |
| Tags: | Historical Novel Historical Novelttt |
Habitually vilified as a monstrous tyrant, Emperor Tiberius has been one of history's enigmas. Now he speaks for himself - a proud, secretive, troubled man, a great general yet reluctant ruler, disgusted by the degeneracy which surrounds him. In this sequel to Augustus, the author combines a compelling study in public power and private tragedy with a vibrant portrait of the Roman world
The Memoirs of the Emperor
ALLAN MASSIE
Hodder & Stoughton
LONDON SYDNEY AUCKLAND TORONTO
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Massie, Allan, 1938-Tiberius. I. Title
813-914
M
ISBN O
-340-48788-7
Copyright © Allan Massie 1990
First published in Great Britain 1990
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without either prior permission in writing from the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the United Kingdom such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 33—34 Alfred Place, London wc
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The right of Allan Massie to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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Printed in Great Britain by St Edmundsbury Press Ltd, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
FOR ALISON gain; of course; for
CHRONOLOGY
bc
63 Birth of Augustus.
49 Civil war, Caesar becomes dictator.
46 Caesar dictator and consul (second and third time respectively) .
44 Caesar assassinated.
43 First triumvirate of Augustus, Antony and Lepidus established.
42 Birth of Tiberius. Brutus and Cassius commit suicide after
defeat at Philippi.
41 Perusine war. Antony in Asia Minor, meets Cleopatra.
40 Agreement at Brundisium partitions Roman world.
Antony marries Augustus' sister, Octavia.
39 Tiberius' family returns to Rome after expulsion for
having supported Antony. Augustus makes peace at
Misenum with Antony and Sextus Pompeius.
38 Augustus marries Livia.
37 Antony marries Cleopatra.
36 Tribunician power granted to Augustus. Sextus defeated.
Lepidus ceases to be triumvir.
3
2 Antony divorces Octavia.
31 Augustus defeats Antony at Actium.
30 Suicide of Antony and Cleopatra.
29 Augustus' triple Triumph - consolidates power.
27 Augustus receives
imperium
for ten years. Tiberius taken
to Gaul where he first learns of military matters. Augustus
in Gaul and Spain until 25.
25 Tiberius marries Agrippa's daughter Vipsania; Marcellus
marries Augustus' daughter, Julia.
23 Augustus ill. Conspiracy of Caepio and Murena, Tiberius
prosecutes. Constitutional
resettlement. Augustus resigns
consulship and receives full tribunician powers. Death of M
arcellus. Agrippa sent to East,
21
Agrippa marries Julia.
20
Tiberius, first military command - great acclaim in Parthian campaign where he returns standards. Enters Armenia and crowns Tigranes.
18 Augustus'
imperium
renewed for five years. Agrippa co-regent with
maius imperium
and
tribunicia potestas.
17 Augustus adopts Gaius and Lucius, his grandsons.
15 Tiberius and Drusus defeat Raeti and Vindelici and reach Danube.
13 Augustus'
imperium
renewed for five years. Tiberius becomes consul.
12
Augustus becomes Pontifex Maximus. Agrippa dies. Tiberius in Pannonia. Drusus campaigns in Britain and Germany.
11 Tiberius compelled to divorce Vipsania and to marry Julia.
9 Death of Drusus near the Elbe. Tiberius takes fighting commands away from Rome.
8
Tiberius in Germany.
6 Tiberius given
tribunicia potestas
for five years. He retires to Rhodes.
5 Augustus' twelfth consulship. Gaius introduced to public life.
2
Augustus' thirteenth consulship. Julia disgraced and exiled.
ad
2
Tiberius returns to Rome from Rhodes. Death of Lucius.
- Death of Gaius in Lycia. Augustus adopts Tiberius who receives
tribunicia potestas
for ten years. Tiberius adopts Germanicus and goes to German front. - Tiberius advances to Elbe.
- Pannonian revolt begins, later suppressed by Tiberius.
9
Revolt in Dalmatia. Varus loses three legions in Germany,
12
Tiberius has total success in Germany.
13 Augustus'
imperium
renewed for ten years. Tiberius receives
tribunicia potestas
for ten years and proconsular
imperium
co-ordinate with that of Augustus.
- Death of Augustus. Accession of Tiberius. Sejanus made Praetorian Prefect. Tiberius' son Drusus sent to crush mutiny in Pannonia. Germanicus crosses Rhine.
- Germanicus makes further inroads into Germany.
- Germanicus recalled after further invasion of Germany.
- Triumph of Germanicus. Piso made legate of Syria.
- Tiberius made consul for the third time, now with Germanicus, who goes to Egypt.
- Death of Germanicus.
- Trial and suicide of Piso.
- Tiberius consul for fourth time, this time with his son Drusus. Tiberius retires to Campania. Revolts in Gaul; trouble in Thrace.
- Drusus granted tribunician power.
- Death of Drusus.
24-6
Trouble quelled in Africa and Thrace.
27 Tiberius withdraws to Capri. Sejanus' power increases.
29
Death of Livia. Banishment of Agrippina the Elder. Tiberius' health deteriorates. Rumours of monstrous acts engineered by him begin to circulate.
31 Tiberius becomes consul for the fifth time, now with Sejanus. Gaius (Caligula) receives
toga virilis.
Macro appointed Praetorian Prefect. Death of Sejanus under Tiberius' orders, with the aid of Macro. Senate complies.
33
Death of Agrippina on Pandateria. Caligula becomes a quaestor. Financial difficulties in Rome.
- Tiberius' reputation worsens: he is accused of numerous murders.
- Tiberius takes ill and Caligula is named his successor, supported by the Praetorian Guard. Tiberius recovers, panic ensues but he is smothered by Macro, the Praetorian.LIST OF PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
tiberius
born Tiberius Julius Caesar Germanicus
His family and their relation to him
augustus
stepfather and adoptive father
livia
mother and wife of Augustus
drusus
brother
vipsania
first wife and daughter of Agrippa
julia
second wife and daughter of Augustus
germanicus
nephew and adopted son, husband of Agrippina the Elder and father of Caligula
agrippina the elder
stepdaughter, daughter of Agrippa and Julia, wife of Germanicus, mother of Caligula
caligula
great-nephew and successor to Tiberius
antonia
sister-in-law, wife of Drusus and daughter of Mark Antony and Augustus' sister Octavia
agrippa
father-in-law, Augustus' greatest general and father of Gaius and Lucius, Augustus' grandchildren and also adopted sons, stepsons to Tiberius
drusus
son by Vipsania
(julia)
daughter-in-law, wife of Drusus and daughter of
livilla
Antonia and the elder Drusus , brother of Tiberius, and thus also his niece
drusus
and
nero
great-nephews, sons of Germanicus and Agrippina, brothers to Caligula and Agrippina the Younger
tiberius
gemellus
and
livia julia
grandchildren, children of Drusus and Julia Livilla. Livia Julia was married to Nero, son of Germanicus
OTHER CHARACTERS
(gaius) julius caesar
Roman patrician, general and statesman. Sole dictator after his defeat of Pompey. Uncle and adoptive father to Augustus
octavia
Augustus' sister, married to Mark Antony. Mother of Marcellus
marcus antonius (mark antony)
Supporter of Caesar and consul with him in 44
bc
. Joined Lepidus and Octavian (Augustus) to form a triumvirate and controlled the forces of the eastern empire. He was defeated at the battle of Actium and committed suicide in Egypt.
marcellus
Augustus' nephew, later son-in-law after marriage to Julia. Octavia's son by her marriage to Gaius Marcellus, favourite of Augustus.
agrippa postumus
Augustus' grandson and brother of Gaius and Lucius. Julia's son by Agrippa
antonius musa
a doctor.
terentius varro
murena
a consul, prosecuted by Tiberius for his conspiracy against Augustus,
fannius caepio
co-conspirator with Murena.
gnaeus calpurnius
piso
a consul, later governor of Syria, and one of Tiberius' closest friends until Germanicus' death when Piso was accused of poisoning him.
iullus antonius sempronius
gracchus marcus friso
young noblemen and lovers of Julia.
timotheus
a catamite and secret agent.
titus livius (livy)
Roman writer and historian
publius vergilius
maro (vergil)
Roman poet and mentor to Augustus.
p. ovidius naso (ovid)
Roman poet, exiled for immorality
segestes
German prince "captured" by Tiberius and later cared for by him and brought to Rome.