Tiberius Flashcards
(55 cards)
What made Tiberius’ succession challenging?
There was no precedent for Tiberius to follow
How did Augustus prepare Tiberius to succeed him?
He named him as an heir in his will, gave him maius imperium and showed him off in public
What did Augustus have that Tiberius lacked?
His distinction and personality
How did Tiberius try to secure the principate for himself?
He immediately started issuing orders to the Praetorian Guard, but told the Senate he was unwilling like Augustus had
What crisis happened during Tiberius accession in 14 CE?
The legions in Germany and Pannonia rebelled
Why did the German and Pannonian legions rebel in 14 CE?
Many of them had been underpaid or not released at the end of their service
How did Tiberius respond to the mutinies in 14 CE?
He sent Drusus the Younger to Pannonia and Germanicus to Germany to deal with it
Why was Tiberius’ forced adoption of Germanicus problematic?
Tiberius already had a son (Drusus) and some of the legions wanted to make Germanicus emperor
Where did Tiberius send Germanicus in 17 CE?
To settle trouble in Syria and Judaea
Why did Tiberius send Germanicus to Syria in 17 CE
To separate him from his military support under the guise of utilising his expertise
What else did Tiberius do in 17 CE that caused trouble for Germanicus?
He replaced the governor of Syria with Calpurnius Piso
What did Piso do in 18 CE?
He travelled behind Germanicus, undermining Germanicus’ authority everywhere he had stopped, before overtaking him and winning the support of the Syrian legions
What did Germanicus do when he arrived in Syria in 18 CE?
He confronted Piso and they parted in open hatred
What did Germanicus do in 19 CE that Tiberius saw as a challenge to his authority?
He entered Egypt without Tiberius’ permission
What happened to Germanicus when he returned to Syria in 19 CE?
He fell seriously ill and died
What did Germanicus believe about his illness?
That Piso had poisoned him on Tiberius’ orders
What happened to Piso after Germanicus death?
He was brought to Rome for trial
What was Piso tried for and what was the outcome?
Stirring up civil war in Syria, he committed suicide upon realising that Tiberius wouldn’t help him
How did the people of Rome react when news of Germanicus’ death reached them?
They grieved immensely and speculated about Tiberius’ involvement
How did Tiberius react to Germanicus’ death?
He refused to meet Agrippina with the ashes, limited the public honour and encouraged people to stop grieving
What did his position as head of the Praetorian Guard allow Sejanus to explot?
His access to Tiberius
Why did Tiberius trust Sejanus?
He had no alternatives
What had the Senate refused to give Tiberius at the outset of his reign?
Colleagues
What unpleasant things did Sejanus allegedly in his rise to power?
Murdered Tiberius’ son Drusus in 23 CE and then seduced Drusus’ wife Livilla