Accession Flashcards
Potential rivalry removed
Agrippa Postumus put to death, unsure of whether by Augustus (to avoid civil war) or Livia(in Augustus’ name). Unknown whether Tiberius knew.
Tiberius convened the senate
- Used his Tribunician power to convene the Senate and break the news of Augustus’ death
- preamble to the will: since fate has carried off my two sons, Tiberius is to inherit 2/3’s of my estate
- Suggested he only chose Tiberius due to lack of a better choice
Tiberius exercised power immediatly
Called on the praetorians to provide him with a bodyguard (for image)
his assumption of princeps
a long time passed before he assumed it
His friends urged him to accept it, he went through the farce of scolding them for the suggestion saying that they did not realise what a monstrous best power was
The senate threw themselves at his feet imploring him to change his mind.
A great confusion “…you are slow to promise what you have already done”
what did Tiberius say when he did finally become princeps
-with a great show of reluctance, and complaints that they were forcing him to become a miserable and overworked slave he accepted the principate. He hinted he might later resign it.
Issues when Tiberius was first in Power
Clemens (a slave of Agrippa Postumus)
-recruited a large force
-the nobleman Libo planned in secret a revolt (important for Tacitus’ account later on)
Camp mutinies broke out in Illyricum and Germany
the mutineers in Illyricum and Germany
demanded large concessions, to be paid the same rate as praetorians
Army in Germany refused to acknowledge a princeps they had not chosen themselves. tried all they could to get their commander Germanicus to seize power, his flat refusal.
Tiberius’ response about the mutinies
to the senate: “no single man can bare the full burden of empire- I need a colleague, or perhaps several colleagues”
Gave out that he was ill: so that Germanicus would be more patient (he may have been afraid that the mutineers would be successful in making him their leader)
Tiberius solved all these issues
both mutineers suppressed
The following year he convicted Libo before the senate (hadn’t felt powerful enough to take any measures before)
Tricked Clemens into surrender.
How had he previously treated Libo
Libo took part in a pontifical sacrifice,Tiberius swapped the steel knife with a lead one. Refused his plea for a private audience unless Drusus were present. Grabbed on to Libo’s his arm and clung tightly to it, pretending to need support
(none of this fear is present in Tacitus’ account)
