Dmitri Medvedev, Harry Truman and Louis XV have something in common with the Roman emperor Tiberius:to increase their legitimacy they ruled in the spirit of their predecessor. Tiberius, "the saddest of all men," was 55 when he succeeded his stepfather Augustus. In an effort to win the appreciation of the senate and people of Rome, he tried to imitate his deified predecessor as much as possible.
On August 19 of the year 14 AD. the first emperor of Rome, Augustus, died. He had ended years of civil war during his life and had been in power for nearly half a century. During that period he had succeeded in establishing the principate a system in which Augustus was the undisputed leader, but in which he managed to mask his power behind a republican facade by 'stacking' a series of important positions that had already existed in the republic.
For his victories he was popular among soldiers, for the peace he had brought he was loved by the people of Rome, and for the prudence with which he presented his absolute power he did not arouse resentment among senators, the group of wealthy ex-magistrates who had held the most power in the Roman Empire until the civil wars that Augustus ended. Augustus had even managed to secure an obvious successor (while officially there was no emperorship to succeed). In the last years of his rule, Augustus' stepson Tiberius had been given so many important functions (as well as access to his stepfather's immense fortune from 14) that there was no doubt that he was the new princeps would become.
However, the succession was not as easy as had been hoped. Probably following Augustus, who had always accepted titles and honors only after (played) doubt, the new ruler was reluctant to accept his emperorship. In the first Senate debate, on Sept. Only the mind of the divine Augustus could withstand so great a task" (Tacitus, Annales, 1.11.1). But he lacked Augustus' charm and flair and the debate was a fiasco. Some senators seemed to take him seriously and asked what part of his position of power he wanted to relinquish. That was not the intention, and a somewhat painful backlash ensued. It should be noted that this story was handed down by the historian Tacitus (c. 56-ca 120), who portrays Tiberius as hypocritical and devious. But other sources also describe him as a somewhat gruff and suspicious man. For example, Pliny the Elder (23-79) calls him "the saddest of all men" (Naturalis historia, 28.5.23).
Imitatio Augusti
The new emperor seems to have had actual doubts about his role. Perhaps he didn't feel like taking on all state duties at 55. Tiberius even seems to have made an attempt to return more power to the senators, but they mainly tried to anticipate what the princeps himself most wanted. Besides the natural charm of his predecessor, Tiberius lacked the prestige that Augustus had gained by ending the civil wars of the Late Republic.
Tiberius could not say that he had brought universal peace. In addition, his reign began with unrest among the legions in Pannonia and Germania. This was mainly a discussion about working conditions (length of service and pay). Legionnaires had sworn an oath of allegiance to Augustus and could only discuss their circumstances again after his death. Clumsy maneuvering resulted in a near-revolt. Intervention by Tiberius' son Drusus and adoptive son Germanicus was necessary to restore order. The new reign did not start well.
To emphasize continuity, Tiberius copied the behavior of his predecessor, the so-called imitatio Augusti. For example, Augustus broke with tradition by not mentioning his own name but that of the original builder when he had buildings restored. He thought this modesty was important enough to mention her regularly. Tiberius did the same, emphasizing buildings begun by the first princeps and completed under Augustus' name.
The choice of buildings that the new emperor had restored and built makes it even clearer how important it was to Tiberius to pay tribute to his predecessor, who had been posthumously proclaimed a god. He had two temples dedicated to Augustus built in Capua and Nola. He also had a temple built for Augustus in Rome, which was very exceptionally paid for from the state coffers. Like his predecessor, he did not accept inheritances from strangers and he paid back (New Year's) gifts in equal value. The story goes that Augustus returned the amount of gifts quadrupled (leading to expensive gifts for the emperor). Tiberius did not continue this custom. The new emperor also compensated for damage after disasters such as fires or earthquakes, in Rome and the provinces. It gained popularity outside of Rome, as evidenced by Greek-language inscriptions with acknowledgments and a colossal statue of Tiberius erected in Rome in 30 AD and paid for by fourteen towns from the province.
Dissatisfaction
He had also looked closely at Augustus in the way in which Tiberius dealt with the (almost) divine status of the emperorship. He remained reluctant, but not completely dismissive. When the people of Pergamon (in Asia Minor) wanted to build a temple for emperor and senate, Tiberius accepted this because Augustus had also agreed to a temple for himself there. But more idols would be too much. According to Tacitus (Annales, 4.37.3). Tiberius put it this way:
"Since the deified Augustus had not prevented a temple being built for him and the city of Rome at Pergamon, I, who regard all his deeds and words as law, have imitated this already approved example all the more easily because the cult of mine the veneration of the senate was connected. But even if I'm forgiven for accepting this once, it would be presumptuous and arrogant to be worshiped with idols in all provinces. Moreover, the honor for Augustus will fade if it is trivialized by flattery that falls to all.”
In any case, Tiberius regarded Augustus' words and deeds as a law of foreign policy. Immediately after the death of Augustus, Tiberius had read to the senate a survey of the first princeps, which contained public resources, the number of men in the armies, and the number of 'fleets, vassal states, provinces, war tributes or taxes, and the forced and voluntary donations. ' (Tacitus, Annals 1.11.4). No further expansion took place under Tiberius.
The emperor's position was not challenged by the soldiers, who had sworn an oath of allegiance after the initial turmoil. In the provinces Tiberius was even quite popular because of his financial support, and because he did not wage expensive and disruptive wars. By contrast, the emperor's relationship with senators remained problematic despite attempts to appear Augustan—and the people of Rome were far from satisfied either. This last group was dissatisfied that the emperor hardly organized any more games.
Why Tiberius distanced himself from Augustus here is unclear, although many ancient texts mention his stinginess. The difference with Augustus was striking. In his public will, he mentions the games he had paid for and states that "about 10,000 people fought for their lives" and about 3,500 animals were killed in the hunts he organized in the circus and amphitheater. Augustus even staged a reenacted naval battle (naumachia_) in an artificial lake with 3000 men and thirty larger and even more smaller ships (_Res Gestae Divi Augusti 22-23). Tiberius contrasted sharply. His biographer Suetonius (c. 70-c. 135) writes that he did not give public performances and that he advised people not to spend money on a theater but on a new road (Tiberius, 31, 47). Of course there were still games, but less than before.
'Tiberius in the Tiber'
Despite various attempts to imitate Augustus, Tiberius did not gain the support of all of Rome's major groups. Perhaps as a result, Tiberius increasingly left the capital. From the year 26, at an age when Romans often withdrew from public life, until his death in 37, the emperor even resided permanently on Capri. Ironically, the very absence of Tiberius made clear how inescapable his power was. When making important decisions, senators wanted to know that they were not going against the wishes of the princeps. The result was an important role for Sejanus, the prefect of the Praetorians (the only soldiers stationed on the Italic peninsula) and one of the few with whom the emperor had contact.
Another consequence of the uncertainty about the emperor's wishes was that senators tried to gain favor with Tiberius, including accusing each other of not supporting the emperor. A lack of support for the emperor even became a crime against dignity (maiestas ) of the Roman people. The punishment was originally banishment, but increasingly became a death sentence, with property belonging to the emperor. Senators increasingly decided to charge opponents, also for fear of being charged themselves. Professional snatchers made a career. This did not improve the atmosphere in Rome. These maiestas trials did not do Tiberius' reputation any good (it is an important reason for Tacitus's negative attitude), although he was mainly responsible indirectly - through his absence.
The presence and approachability of the emperor proved to be a prerequisite for the proper functioning of the principate. Tiberius's absence caused all sorts of gossip, especially about the perversions he would perform in Capri. When he finally died on March 6, 37, the release was enormous. "Tiberius in the Tiber" was a common cry. Unlike his predecessor, Tiberius would not be deified. His remains were quietly interred in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Earlier, the emperor had expressed the wish that the Romans "when I shall be gone, accompany my deeds and the reputation of my name with praise and good remembrance" (Tacitus, Annales, 4.38.3). It wasn't supposed to be. The only reason that Tiberius' posthumous image is not as bad as might have been expected in 37 is that his successor Caligula, who was then enthusiastically acclaimed, proved to be an even bigger problem for many sections of the population.