The Dream of Tiberius [CF:495-00143L]

The Roman Emperor Tiberius was born in 42 BCE to Tiberius Claudius Nero and LiviaDrusilla, both descendants of prestigious political families, at a time when Rome wasundergoing significant political upheaval. Julius Caesar had begun a brutal civil war in 49BCE to end Rome's rule as a Republic and consolidate his power as supreme ruler. FollowingCaeser's assassination in 44 BCE, Tiberius' father backed the forces wishing to return Rome toa Republic, but they were defeated by Caesarian loyalists led by Caeser's heir Octavian. As aresult, Tiberius' early life was spent on the run and in political exile with his parents. In 27BCE, Octavian would become the first Emporer of Rome and assume the name Augustus.Augustus forced Tiberius' parents to divorce and took Tiberius' mother as his new bride,separating the family and forcing Tiberius to live with his father. Upon his father's death,Tiberius went to live with his mother and Emporer Augustus, a situation Tiberius foundextremely uncomfortable but one over which he had no control. Having been adopted by theEmperor, Tiberius assumed the military and political life thrust upon him. He proved to be anoutstanding military and political leader, and with his marriage to Vipsania Agrippina his lifetook on a heretofore unknown stability. However, Augustus would intervene in Tiberius' lifeonce more, forcing him to abandon his happy marriage and take Augustus' daughter Julia(Tiberius' step sister) as his new wife. This arrangement, while securing Tiberius' place asAugustus' heir and ensuring he would one day be Emperor of Rome, was disastrous. Julia'sdrunken licentiousness was a constant source of scandal and embarrassment for Tiberius (andher father, the Emperor) and she was eventually exiled by her father Augustus.Tiberius was named Emperor of Rome upon the death of Augustus in AD 14, assuming hisposition as the most powerful man on Earth. However, no matter how powerful he had become,Tiberius never felt as if he had ever had any control over his life, having been manipulatedfrom childhood through adulthood by the whims of Augustus. As Emperor, he soon becamedisgusted with the political intrigue of the Roman Senate and by AD 26 left Rome and took upresidence on the island of Capri, where he lived out the rest of his life. History does not regardTiberius fondly and by all accounts towards the end of his reclusive life on Capri, he hadbecome a miserable, sick and mentally unstable old man reveling in debauchery and cruelty. Itis also informative to note that he was Emperor of Rome when Jesus of Nazareth was crucified,and while there is no indication that Tiberius was even aware of the existence of Jesus, asEmperor he was responsible for the appointment of Pontius Pilate as Governor of Judea. Evenconsidering this, it is difficult to look on the life of the Emperor Tiberius and not feel somesympathy and pity. It's in this spirit that I composed "The Dream of Tiberius." I imagine theman sitting in thoughtful seclusion on the beautiful island of Capri imagining what his lifemight have happily been had not power been thrust upon him: husband, father and humbleservant of the people.