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Tiberius Gemellus

January 01, 1970

For his grandfather, also named Tiberius Julius Caesar, see Tiberius.

Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero,[1][2][3] known as Tiberius Gemellus (10 October AD 19 – 37/38), was the son of Drusus and Livilla, the grandson of the Emperor Tiberius, and the cousin of the Emperor Caligula. Gemellus is a nickname meaning "the twin". His twin brother, Germanicus Gemellus, died as a young child in AD 23. His father and older cousins died, and are suspected by contemporary sources as having been systematically eliminated by the powerful praetorian prefect Sejanus. Their removal allowed Gemellus and Caligula to be named joint-heirs by Tiberius in 35, a decision that ultimately resulted in Caligula assuming power and having Gemellus killed (or forced to kill himself) in late 37 or early 38.

Tiberius Gemellus
Born10 October AD 19
DiedAD 37/38 (aged 18–19)
DynastyJulio-Claudian
FatherDrusus Julius Caesar
Caligula (adopted)
MotherLivilla

Background edit

Gemellus was born the son of Drusus Julius Caesar and Livilla on 10 October AD 19, the same day his uncle Germanicus died in Syria. His paternal grandparents were emperor Tiberius and his wife, Vipsania Agrippina, with his maternal grandparents being general Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia Minor.[4][5] He was the twin brother of Germanicus Gemellus and the younger brother of his sister Julia.[6] The birth of Gemellus and his twin were celebrated by Tiberius, who claimed that never before in the history of Rome had twins been born to a man as high in rank as Drusus, and the event was commemorated on the reverse of coins.[7] His twin died while still a child in 23.[6]

As a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Gemellus was a close relative of all five Julio-Claudian emperors. On his father's side, he was the grandson of emperor Tiberius, and his adoptive great-grandfather was the founder of the Roman Empire, Augustus. On his mother's side, he was also Augustus' great-grandnephew, the nephew of Claudius, the cousin of Caligula, and the first cousin once removed of Nero.[5]

Life edit

Downfall of his relatives edit

 
Bust of a Roman youth, probably Gemellus, from AD 30.[8]

In the spring of 22, his father Drusus received tribunicia potestas (tribunician power) from the Senate, a clear sign that Drusus was Tiberius' heir.[9] However, the following year marked a turning point for his father when his dispute with the powerful praetorian prefect Lucius Aelius Sejanus reached a critical point. In the account of Tacitus, Sejanus began plotting against Drusus to secure his position.[10] On 14 September 23, his father died from what passed as natural causes. According to Cassius Dio and Tacitus, his father was poisoned by his wife Livilla at the behest of Sejanus. The exact cause of the feud is unknown.[11][12][13]

His father's death not only devastated Tiberius but also challenged the future of the principate. Tiberius still trusted Sejanus and had no suspicion. Since Gemellus was too young, Tiberius adopted his great-nephews by Germanicus, Nero and Drusus, and recommended them to the Senate.[14] Nero was given the office of quaestor five years in advance and was married to Gemellus' sister Livia to combine the families of both possible successors.[15] However, neither would live to succeed Tiberius.[16][17]

By 26, the emperor had withdrawn from politics altogether and moved to Capri, leaving the management of the empire to Sejanus who then began eliminating other members of the imperial family. In 28/29, Nero was charged by the Senate with homosexuality for which he was exiled to the island of Ponza. Germanicus' son Drusus was imprisoned within the dungeon under the Imperial palace on the Palatine Hill, where he starved to death not long after. Nero died in exile in 33. Suetonius says Tiberius promoted the rise of Sejanus to secure the succession of Gemellus, his natural grandson, at the expense of Germanicus' sons Nero and Drusus.[14][18][19]

Sejanus remained powerful until his sudden downfall and summary execution in October 31, the exact reasons for which remain unclear.[20] On 26 October 31, just eight days after his death, his wife Apicata committed suicide. According to Cassius Dio, she left a message for the emperor: his son had been murdered by his wife Livilla and her lover, Sejanus. The story should be read with caution. Barbara Levick says that Sejanus must have murdered Drusus in self-defense because only Tiberius stood between the Praetorian Prefect and the end of his career at the hands of Drusus. Furthermore, she says it is even less likely that Livilla would have been complicit in the destruction of her family, the key to her children's future. Levick dismisses the accusation of Apicata as the revenge of a woman whose husband left her for another.[21]

Succession edit

The deaths of his cousins elevated Gemellus and his older cousin Gaius Caesar (Caligula). As there was no formal mechanism for succession of the imperial office, the only legal way in which Tiberius could promote an heir who was too young to assume the political powers of emperor was to bequeath to him his own estate upon which much of the Roman state had come to depend. According to Suetonius, Tiberius had suspicions of Gaius but he detested Gemellus as he believed him to be the result of an adulterous affair by his mother. Gemellus' young age was another factor in the advancement of Caligula, who was made quaestor in 33. The two were summoned by Tiberius to Capri in 35 where they were made joint-heirs to his estates.[22][23][24][25] Tacitus records that while they were in Capri, Tiberius looked at Caligula in tears, with Gemellus in his arms, and told him:[19]

You will kill him, and another will kill you.

— Tacitus, Annals VI.46

Tiberius died on 16 March 37, and Caligula became Emperor. He accomplished this with the aid of Praetorian prefect Macro and the consuls of 37 who agreed to nullify Tiberius' will, thereby allowing him to inherit all of the estates which otherwise would have been divided with Gemellus.[26] Gemellus was formally granted his toga virilis (toga of manhood), was adopted by Caligula, co-opted into the Arval Brethren, and given the title of princeps iuventutis (leader of the youth).[27] His tirocinium, the public ceremony where young men donned the toga and became eligible for military service, was held in July 37, and a congiarium of 75 denarii was distributed to each citizen by Caligula.[28] Comments by Tacitus and Suetonius that Gemellus was still a child this year, despite the fact that he was 18, may refer to his mental development. This would explain why he had not yet received the toga of manhood.[29]

It is possible that his adoption meant an official recognition and acceptance as Caligula's heir. Philo saw this as a ploy to put Gemellus under Caligula's patria potestas (power of a father), and perhaps to convince the Senate to go along with nullifying Tiberius' will.[27] Adopting Gemellus gave Caligula time to deal with the succession issue.[30]

Death edit

Following an illness suffered by Caligula, Gemellus was put to death in late 37 or early 38. Cassius Dio places his death, and that of Caligula's father-in-law, Marcus Junius Silanus, in late 37. Their replacements in the Arval Brethren were not found until 24 May 38. He goes on to explain that Gemellus waited for a chance to benefit from Caligula's illness.[31] According to Philo, Caligula's pretended reason was a conspiracy.[32] Suetonius says that Gemellus took medicine for a chronic cough and that the smell was detected, leading to accusations of taking an antidote for poison. He was ordered by Caligula to commit suicide, for which soldiers gave him a sword and had to help him, because he is said not to have known how to kill himself with it.[33][34]

Dio notes that Gemellus was charged with praying for and anticipating Caligula's death.[31] The historian Anthony Barrett observes that Gemellus would have represented Caligula during his illness at nonpolitical events with his uncle Claudius representing the emperor at games. He suggests that Caligula viewed anything that Gemellus did in his name with paranoia although Gemellus's only named supporter (to the extent that he should co-rule with Caligula) was Aulus Avilius Flaccus, the prefect of Egypt.[29][34]

No mention of his death was made by Caligula to the Senate, and Gemellus's tomb[where?] makes no mention of his adoptive relation to the emperor, simply reading:[34]

In popular culture edit

Gemellus is played by Douglas Melbourne in the episode "Zeus, by Jove!" of the 1976 BBC TV series I, Claudius.[35]

Gemellus is played by Leon Wadham in Season 3 of the Netflix TV series Roman Empire.

Gemellus is played by Bruno Brive in the 1979 film Caligula.

Ancestry edit

References edit

  1. ^ PIR2 I 226
  2. ^ Victor Gardthausen: Iulius 156.(in German) In: Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (RE). Vol. X,1, Stuttgart 1918, col. 536 f.
  3. ^ Often called simply "Tiberius Caesar". CIL V, 7598
  4. ^ Tacitus, Annals, II.84
  5. ^ a b Shotter 2014, p. 205
  6. ^ a b Burns 2007, p. 29
  7. ^ Levick 1999, pp. 123–4
  8. ^ Tête d'adolescent (Tiberius Gemellus ?) (in French). 2019. ISBN 9782909454412. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  9. ^ Rowe 2002, pp. 41, 46
  10. ^ Tacitus, Annals IV.3
  11. ^ Tacitus, Annals IV.8
  12. ^ Cassius Dio, Roman History, LVIII.11
  13. ^ Levick 1999, pp. 126–127
  14. ^ a b Suetonius, The Lives of Twelve Caesars, Life of Tiberius 54.1-2
  15. ^ Adams 2007, p. 105
  16. ^ Shotter 2014, p. 49
  17. ^ Scullard 1982, p. 276
  18. ^ Adams 2007, pp. 108
  19. ^ a b Barrett 2002, p. 38
  20. ^ Bingham 1999, p. 66
  21. ^ Levick 1966, p. 127
  22. ^ Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Tiberius 76
  23. ^ Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Tiberius 62
  24. ^ Cassius Dio, Roman History LVIII.23
  25. ^ Barrett 2002, pp. 38–39
  26. ^ Barrett 2002, p. 51
  27. ^ a b Barrett 2002, p. 67
  28. ^ Rowe 2002, p. 87
  29. ^ a b Barrett 2002, p. 39
  30. ^ Barrett 2002, p. 68
  31. ^ a b Cassius Dio, Roman History LIX.8
  32. ^ Philo, Against Flaccus 3.11
  33. ^ Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Caligula 23
  34. ^ a b c Barrett 2002, p. 75
  35. ^ Gianakos 1981, p. 108

Bibliography edit

Primary sources edit

  • Cassius Dio, Roman History Books 58–59, English translation
  • Philo, Against Flaccus, English translation
  • Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Caligula, Latin text with English translation
  • Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Tiberius, Latin text with English translation
  • Tacitus, Annals, II–VI, English translation

Secondary sources edit

  • Adams, Geoff W. (2007), The Roman Emperor Gaius "Caligula" and His Hellenistic Aspirations, BrownWalker Press, ISBN 9781599424231
  • Barrett, Anthony A. (2002), Caligula: The Corruption of Power, Routledge, ISBN 9781134609888
  • Bingham, Sandra J. (1999) [1997], , Ottawa: National Library of Canada, ISBN 0612271064, archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-01, retrieved 2007-05-23
  • Gianakos, Larry James (1981), Television drama series programming: a comprehensive chronicle, 1975-1980, Volume 3, Scarecrow Press
  • Burns, Jasper (2007), Great Women of Imperial Rome: Mothers and Wives of the Caesars, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415408974
  • Levick, Barbara (1966), Drusus Caesar and the Adoptions of A.D. 4, Latomus, Société d'Études Latines de Bruxelles, pp. 227–244
  • Levick, Barbara (1999), Tiberius the Politician, Routledge, ISBN 0-415-21753-9
  • Rowe, Greg (2002), Princes and Political Cultures: The New Tiberian Senatorial Decress, University of Michigan Press, ISBN 0472112309
  • Scullard, H.H. (1982), From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome 133 BC to AD 68 (fifth ed.), Routledge, ISBN 0-415-02527-3
  • Shotter, David (2014), Rome and Her Empire, Routledge, ISBN 9781317881421

January 01, 1970
tiberius, gemellus, grandfather, also, named, tiberius, julius, caesar, tiberius, tiberius, julius, caesar, nero, known, october, drusus, livilla, grandson, emperor, tiberius, cousin, emperor, caligula, gemellus, nickname, meaning, twin, twin, brother, germani. For his grandfather also named Tiberius Julius Caesar see Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero 1 2 3 known as Tiberius Gemellus 10 October AD 19 37 38 was the son of Drusus and Livilla the grandson of the Emperor Tiberius and the cousin of the Emperor Caligula Gemellus is a nickname meaning the twin His twin brother Germanicus Gemellus died as a young child in AD 23 His father and older cousins died and are suspected by contemporary sources as having been systematically eliminated by the powerful praetorian prefect Sejanus Their removal allowed Gemellus and Caligula to be named joint heirs by Tiberius in 35 a decision that ultimately resulted in Caligula assuming power and having Gemellus killed or forced to kill himself in late 37 or early 38 Tiberius GemellusBust Musee Saint Raymond ToulouseBorn10 October AD 19DiedAD 37 38 aged 18 19 DynastyJulio ClaudianFatherDrusus Julius CaesarCaligula adopted MotherLivilla Contents 1 Background 2 Life 2 1 Downfall of his relatives 2 2 Succession 2 3 Death 3 In popular culture 4 Ancestry 5 References 6 Bibliography 6 1 Primary sources 6 2 Secondary sourcesBackground editGemellus was born the son of Drusus Julius Caesar and Livilla on 10 October AD 19 the same day his uncle Germanicus died in Syria His paternal grandparents were emperor Tiberius and his wife Vipsania Agrippina with his maternal grandparents being general Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia Minor 4 5 He was the twin brother of Germanicus Gemellus and the younger brother of his sister Julia 6 The birth of Gemellus and his twin were celebrated by Tiberius who claimed that never before in the history of Rome had twins been born to a man as high in rank as Drusus and the event was commemorated on the reverse of coins 7 His twin died while still a child in 23 6 As a member of the Julio Claudian dynasty Gemellus was a close relative of all five Julio Claudian emperors On his father s side he was the grandson of emperor Tiberius and his adoptive great grandfather was the founder of the Roman Empire Augustus On his mother s side he was also Augustus great grandnephew the nephew of Claudius the cousin of Caligula and the first cousin once removed of Nero 5 Life editDownfall of his relatives edit nbsp Bust of a Roman youth probably Gemellus from AD 30 8 In the spring of 22 his father Drusus received tribunicia potestas tribunician power from the Senate a clear sign that Drusus was Tiberius heir 9 However the following year marked a turning point for his father when his dispute with the powerful praetorian prefect Lucius Aelius Sejanus reached a critical point In the account of Tacitus Sejanus began plotting against Drusus to secure his position 10 On 14 September 23 his father died from what passed as natural causes According to Cassius Dio and Tacitus his father was poisoned by his wife Livilla at the behest of Sejanus The exact cause of the feud is unknown 11 12 13 His father s death not only devastated Tiberius but also challenged the future of the principate Tiberius still trusted Sejanus and had no suspicion Since Gemellus was too young Tiberius adopted his great nephews by Germanicus Nero and Drusus and recommended them to the Senate 14 Nero was given the office of quaestor five years in advance and was married to Gemellus sister Livia to combine the families of both possible successors 15 However neither would live to succeed Tiberius 16 17 By 26 the emperor had withdrawn from politics altogether and moved to Capri leaving the management of the empire to Sejanus who then began eliminating other members of the imperial family In 28 29 Nero was charged by the Senate with homosexuality for which he was exiled to the island of Ponza Germanicus son Drusus was imprisoned within the dungeon under the Imperial palace on the Palatine Hill where he starved to death not long after Nero died in exile in 33 Suetonius says Tiberius promoted the rise of Sejanus to secure the succession of Gemellus his natural grandson at the expense of Germanicus sons Nero and Drusus 14 18 19 Sejanus remained powerful until his sudden downfall and summary execution in October 31 the exact reasons for which remain unclear 20 On 26 October 31 just eight days after his death his wife Apicata committed suicide According to Cassius Dio she left a message for the emperor his son had been murdered by his wife Livilla and her lover Sejanus The story should be read with caution Barbara Levick says that Sejanus must have murdered Drusus in self defense because only Tiberius stood between the Praetorian Prefect and the end of his career at the hands of Drusus Furthermore she says it is even less likely that Livilla would have been complicit in the destruction of her family the key to her children s future Levick dismisses the accusation of Apicata as the revenge of a woman whose husband left her for another 21 Succession editThe deaths of his cousins elevated Gemellus and his older cousin Gaius Caesar Caligula As there was no formal mechanism for succession of the imperial office the only legal way in which Tiberius could promote an heir who was too young to assume the political powers of emperor was to bequeath to him his own estate upon which much of the Roman state had come to depend According to Suetonius Tiberius had suspicions of Gaius but he detested Gemellus as he believed him to be the result of an adulterous affair by his mother Gemellus young age was another factor in the advancement of Caligula who was made quaestor in 33 The two were summoned by Tiberius to Capri in 35 where they were made joint heirs to his estates 22 23 24 25 Tacitus records that while they were in Capri Tiberius looked at Caligula in tears with Gemellus in his arms and told him 19 You will kill him and another will kill you Tacitus Annals VI 46 Tiberius died on 16 March 37 and Caligula became Emperor He accomplished this with the aid of Praetorian prefect Macro and the consuls of 37 who agreed to nullify Tiberius will thereby allowing him to inherit all of the estates which otherwise would have been divided with Gemellus 26 Gemellus was formally granted his toga virilis toga of manhood was adopted by Caligula co opted into the Arval Brethren and given the title of princeps iuventutis leader of the youth 27 His tirocinium the public ceremony where young men donned the toga and became eligible for military service was held in July 37 and a congiarium of 75 denarii was distributed to each citizen by Caligula 28 Comments by Tacitus and Suetonius that Gemellus was still a child this year despite the fact that he was 18 may refer to his mental development This would explain why he had not yet received the toga of manhood 29 It is possible that his adoption meant an official recognition and acceptance as Caligula s heir Philo saw this as a ploy to put Gemellus under Caligula s patria potestas power of a father and perhaps to convince the Senate to go along with nullifying Tiberius will 27 Adopting Gemellus gave Caligula time to deal with the succession issue 30 Death edit Following an illness suffered by Caligula Gemellus was put to death in late 37 or early 38 Cassius Dio places his death and that of Caligula s father in law Marcus Junius Silanus in late 37 Their replacements in the Arval Brethren were not found until 24 May 38 He goes on to explain that Gemellus waited for a chance to benefit from Caligula s illness 31 According to Philo Caligula s pretended reason was a conspiracy 32 Suetonius says that Gemellus took medicine for a chronic cough and that the smell was detected leading to accusations of taking an antidote for poison He was ordered by Caligula to commit suicide for which soldiers gave him a sword and had to help him because he is said not to have known how to kill himself with it 33 34 Dio notes that Gemellus was charged with praying for and anticipating Caligula s death 31 The historian Anthony Barrett observes that Gemellus would have represented Caligula during his illness at nonpolitical events with his uncle Claudius representing the emperor at games He suggests that Caligula viewed anything that Gemellus did in his name with paranoia although Gemellus s only named supporter to the extent that he should co rule with Caligula was Aulus Avilius Flaccus the prefect of Egypt 29 34 No mention of his death was made by Caligula to the Senate and Gemellus s tomb where makes no mention of his adoptive relation to the emperor simply reading 34 Ti berius Caesar Drusi Caesaris f ilius hic situs est Here lies Tiberius Caesar son of Drusus Caesar CIL VI 00892 Barrett 2002 p 75In popular culture editGemellus is played by Douglas Melbourne in the episode Zeus by Jove of the 1976 BBC TV series I Claudius 35 Gemellus is played by Leon Wadham in Season 3 of the Netflix TV series Roman Empire Gemellus is played by Bruno Brive in the 1979 film Caligula Ancestry editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Ancestors of Tiberius Gemellus16 Tiberius Claudius Nero8 12 Tiberius Claudius Nero17 Unknown4 Tiberius18 Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus9 13 Livia Drusilla19 Alfidia2 Drusus Julius Caesar20 Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa10 Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa5 Vipsania Agrippina22 Titus Pomponius Atticus11 Caecilia Attica23 Pilia1 Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus12 8 Tiberius Claudius Nero6 Nero Claudius Drusus13 9 Livia Drusilla3 Livilla28 Marcus Antonius Creticus14 Mark Antony29 Julia7 Antonia Minor30 Gaius Octavius15 Octavia Minor31 AtiaReferences edit PIR2 I 226 Victor Gardthausen Iulius 156 in German In Realencyclopadie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft RE Vol X 1 Stuttgart 1918 col 536 f Often called simply Tiberius Caesar CIL V 7598 Tacitus Annals II 84 a b Shotter 2014 p 205 a b Burns 2007 p 29 Levick 1999 pp 123 4 Tete d adolescent Tiberius Gemellus in French 2019 ISBN 9782909454412 Retrieved 8 May 2021 Rowe 2002 pp 41 46 Tacitus Annals IV 3 Tacitus Annals IV 8 Cassius Dio Roman History LVIII 11 Levick 1999 pp 126 127 a b Suetonius The Lives of Twelve Caesars Life of Tiberius 54 1 2 Adams 2007 p 105 Shotter 2014 p 49 Scullard 1982 p 276 Adams 2007 pp 108 a b Barrett 2002 p 38 Bingham 1999 p 66 Levick 1966 p 127 Suetonius The Lives of the Twelve Caesars Life of Tiberius 76 Suetonius The Lives of the Twelve Caesars Life of Tiberius 62 Cassius Dio Roman History LVIII 23 Barrett 2002 pp 38 39 Barrett 2002 p 51 a b Barrett 2002 p 67 Rowe 2002 p 87 a b Barrett 2002 p 39 Barrett 2002 p 68 a b Cassius Dio Roman History LIX 8 Philo Against Flaccus 3 11 Suetonius The Lives of the Twelve Caesars Life of Caligula 23 a b c Barrett 2002 p 75 Gianakos 1981 p 108Bibliography editPrimary sources edit Cassius Dio Roman History Books 58 59 English translation Philo Against Flaccus English translation Suetonius Lives of the Twelve Caesars Life of Caligula Latin text with English translation Suetonius Lives of the Twelve Caesars Life of Tiberius Latin text with English translation Tacitus Annals II VI English translation Secondary sources edit Adams Geoff W 2007 The Roman Emperor Gaius Caligula and His Hellenistic Aspirations BrownWalker Press ISBN 9781599424231 Barrett Anthony A 2002 Caligula The Corruption of Power Routledge ISBN 9781134609888 Bingham Sandra J 1999 1997 The praetorian guard in the political and social life of Julio Claudian Rome Ottawa National Library of Canada ISBN 0612271064 archived from the original PDF on 2017 03 01 retrieved 2007 05 23 Gianakos Larry James 1981 Television drama series programming a comprehensive chronicle 1975 1980 Volume 3 Scarecrow Press Burns Jasper 2007 Great Women of Imperial Rome Mothers and Wives of the Caesars Routledge ISBN 978 0415408974 Levick Barbara 1966 Drusus Caesar and the Adoptions of A D 4 Latomus Societe d Etudes Latines de Bruxelles pp 227 244 Levick Barbara 1999 Tiberius the Politician Routledge ISBN 0 415 21753 9 Rowe Greg 2002 Princes and Political Cultures The New Tiberian Senatorial Decress University of Michigan Press ISBN 0472112309 Scullard H H 1982 From the Gracchi to Nero A History of Rome 133 BC to AD 68 fifth ed Routledge ISBN 0 415 02527 3 Shotter David 2014 Rome and Her Empire Routledge ISBN 9781317881421 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tiberius Gemellus amp oldid 1209561404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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