Tiberius Claudius Nero (father of Tiberius Caesar)

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Infobox person Tiberius Claudius Nero (Template:Circa 82 – 33 BC) was a Roman politician, senator, and praetor who lived in the 1st century BC.

He was notable for being the first husband of Livia Drusilla, before she divorced him to marry the future emperor Augustus, and the biological father of the second Roman emperor Tiberius.

Ancestry

Fantasy portrait in the Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum

Nero was a member of the republican Claudia gens of Rome.<ref name="Suet12CTib13">Template:Cite book</ref> He was a descendant of the censor Appius Claudius Caecus. Nero was the son of Tiberius Claudius Nero<ref name="Suet12CTib7">Template:Cite book</ref> and his mother was a descendant of the Claudian gens. Nero had a sister named Claudia, who married the prefect Quintus Volusius.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Life

Nero had served as a quaestor to Julius Caesar in 48 BC, commanding his fleet in the Alexandrian War. As a reward for his contribution, Nero was made pontiff, replacing Publius Scipio. Julius Caesar also sent Nero to Gaul to create and monitor Roman colonies (Suetonius notes Narbo and Arelate).<ref name="Suet12CTib4">Template:Cite book</ref>

Despite his service with Julius Caesar, Nero was an Optimate at heart. After the murder of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 BCE, Nero suggested that Caesar's assassins be rewarded for their services to the state, which went against the part of the Senate that wanted to persecute Caesar's assassins. Despite this suggestion, Nero was elected praetor in 43 BCE for 42 BCE.<ref name="Suet12CTib4" />

Around the time Nero was elected praetor, he married his relative Livia Drusilla,Template:Efn whose father Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus was from the same gens. His son of the same name was born November 16, 42 BCE, in Fondi, Italy.<ref name="Suet12CTib46">Template:Cite book</ref> Elaine Fantham believes it is likely that Nero had been married before he wed Livia, as he was looking for a wife in 50 BC when he approached Cicero to marry his daughter Tullia.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Second Triumvirate

Towards the end of Nero's praetorship, the Second Triumvirate began to break down, causing a dangerous situation in Rome as the triumvirs went to battle with each other. Because of this turmoil, Nero's praetorship was extended, and he was forced to choose sides. Due to his distrust of Octavian, he cast his lot with Mark Antony.<ref name="Suet12CTib46" /> In 41 BCE, he fled Campania, where he was in charge of the garrison, with Livia and Tiberius in tow, joining Antony's brother Lucius Antonius in Perusia.<ref>Dio, Roman History 48.15.3, https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/48*.html</ref> Perusia was besieged by Octavian's men by the time Nero arrived, and when the town fell in 40 BC, he was forced to flee first to Praeneste, and then Naples. In 40 BCE, Octavian and Mark Antony reconciled.<ref name="Suet12CTib46" />

In Naples, Nero tried in vain to raise a slave battalion against Octavian and then asked for refuge with Sextus Pompey, who was then acting as a pirate leader in Sicily, but was denied. Nero, with his family, joined Mark Antony soon after in Achaea.<ref name=Suet12CTib46 />

After three years of fleeing from Octavian, Nero returned to Rome with Livia and three-year-old Tiberius. Octavian immediately after catching sight of Livia, fell in love with her, despite the fact that she was still married. Octavian was married to Scribonia, with whom he had a daughter named Julia, now known as Julia the Elder. Octavian and Scribonia divorced. At the time of Augustus's divorce, Livia was 6 months pregnant with Nero's second son. Nero was persuaded or forced by Octavian to divorce Livia. Octavian and Livia married on January 17, 38 BCE waiving the traditional waiting period. Nero was present at their wedding, giving Livia away "just as a father would". Nero and Livia's second son was born in early 38 BCE and he was named Decimus Claudius Drusus, which was later changed to Nero Claudius Drusus. After his birth, Augustus sent Drusus to Nero to raise him.<ref>Dio, Roman History 48.44.1-5, https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/48*.html</ref> Using a cognomen such as Nero as a first name was unusual, as was the prominence given to his maternal lineage in adopting Drusus as his cognomen.<ref name="Suet12CClau1">Template:Cite book</ref>

Death

Nero died in 33 BCE, leaving Augustus as his sons' guardian. Tiberius, aged 9, delivered his father's funeral eulogy on the Rostra in Rome. When the future Roman emperor Tiberius celebrated his coming of age, he staged two gladiatorial contests; one was held at the Forum in memory of his father and the other at the amphitheatre in memory of his grandfather Drusus.<ref name=Suet12CTib7 />

References

Template:ReflistFurther Reading

1. Barret, Anthony A. 2002. “Family Background.” In Livia: First Lady of Imperial Rome, 3-18. New Haven: Yale University Press.
2. Barret, Anthony A. 2002. “Marriage.” In Livia: First Lady of Imperial Rome, 19-28. New Haven: Yale University Press.
3. Dennison, Matthew. 2010. “Fugitive.” In Livia, Empress of Rome, 58-64. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
4. Dennison, Matthew. 2010. “'A man and his family should live together as partners.’” In Livia, Empress of Rome, 121-129. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
5. Huntsman, Eric. 2009. “Livia Before Octavian.” Ancient Society 39: 121-169. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44079922.
6. Levick, B. 1975. “’Julians and Claudians.’” Greece and Rome 22 (1): 29-38. http://www.jstor.org/stable/642828.
7. Strauss, Barry. 2019. “Tiberius: The Tyrant.” Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine, 47-78. New York: Simon and Schuster.