Tiberius ruled the Roman Empire too long. His emperorship lasted 22 years and 6 months. Had he died prior to his semi-retirement, his historical legacy would have been unassailable. However, after a dozen years, Tiberius moved to Capri allowing his enemies to define him. As a result, the last decade of his reign are often viewed through his opponents’ propaganda as opposed to the genuine historical record. In reality, Tiberius proved an able administrator and emperor, but enemy propaganda turned him into a perverted, depraved, and paranoid old man.
Augustus assumed the emperorship after defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the final republican civil war. He restored order after a tumultuous century and established the Roman Empire. The first emperor created a dynastic family, but lacked proper heirs. As he approached death, Augustus named Tiberius his heir. Rome's savior died in 14 A.D. leaving Tiberius in power.
Tiberius copied the Augustan model. Rather than openly accept power, he played the reluctant ruler. He claimed to be too old to administer the empire and confused the public. In the end, he acquiesced to the emperorship “for the good of Rome.” His assumption of the throne proved a template for Tiberius’ early rule.
At first, he seemed to want to exercise power without actually exercising power. Eventually, Tiberius settled into the imperial role and proved an able administrator. Before getting his footing as emperor, he faced a mutiny. Several legions in Germania had not received bonuses promised to them by Augustus. The emperor sent Germanicus to end the uprising. Germanicus succeeded by redirecting the mutineers across the Rhine in conquest. He returned to Rome a hero for punishing the Germans responsible for the massacre at Teutoburg years earlier.
Germanicus’ popularity vastly surpassed the emperor’s. The war hero had quelled a mutiny, punished the Germans, and recovered lost standards from Teutoburg. In 18 A.D., Tiberius granted him control over a portion of the eastern empire. Germanicus died in 19 A.D. Before his death, Rome’s favorite son implicated the Syrian governor, Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, of poisoning him. Piso went on trial, but committed suicide when it appeared his cause lost.
Germanicus’ murder seemed to change Tiberius. He grew tired of politics and paranoid for his life. In 23 A.D., his son died mysteriously further alienating the emperor from his work. However, Tiberius continued on in his role, the government ran efficiently, and the treasury and people prospered. After a dozen years of good governance, Tiberius retired to Capri.
While Tiberius monitored affairs in semi-retirement, he left Lucius Aelius Sejanus in Rome to administer the empire. Sejanus had served Augustus and Tiberius for over 30 years and accumulated vast power as others died and he filled the void. Tiberius even commissioned statues of Sejanus to be placed throughout the city. Despite the vast power and distant emperor, Sejanus was held in check by Augustus’ widow, and veteran political schemer, Livia.
When Livia died in 29 A.D., Sejanus purged Rome of his enemies. He executed and murdered those powerful enough to challenge his authority including the many senators, wealthy landowners, and Germanicus’ sons. Two years later, the usurper began a vast power grab. Despite having near absolute power, Sejanus began to plot to overthrow the emperor himself. Tiberius uncovered the plot through his supporters and executed Sejanus.
After Sejanus’ fall, rumors spread about the emperor’s lifestyle. Stories of sexual perversion spread. The emperor’s absence allowed these falsehoods to flourish. Meanwhile, the real Tiberius seemed obsessed with his own mortality as opposed to succession. Sejanus butchered potential emperors in the Julian line while Tiberius outlived his own progeny. He willed the throne to Germanicus’ son Caligula and his own grandson Gemellus.
Tiberius passed away in 37 A.D. The cause of death is unclear. Some sources claim he was poisoned while others state Caligula smothered him. It is also possible he died of natural causes at 77. Whatever the cause, Romans celebrated his death. Crowds viewed him as a perverted despot. Sejanus’ treason combined with the lurid tabloid stories about his personal life transformed the competent administrator into a monster.
Augustus’ successor, Tiberius grew to dislike politics and may have feared for his life. Although a competent bureaucrat, Tiberius decided to withdraw from Rome and move to Capri. He spent the last decade of his rule in semi-retirement. His time at Capri ruined his legacy as a usurper butchered enemies and rumors spread about his depravity. Had he retired or died in 26 A.D. rather than attempting to rule from afar, Tiberius would have been remembered as an able, capable emperor.
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