Tiberius Caesar

by Steve Hale

After the death of Augustus, Tiberius became the emperor. He reigned from A.D. 14-37, and is therefore very significant in the history of the New Testament. During his reign were the following significant events:
1. the ministry of John the Baptist.
2. the ministry of Jesus.
3. the work of the apostles.
4. the Lord's death, burial, and resurrection.
5. the dynamic, early Jerusalem church.
6. the persecutions of Saul.
7. the conversion of Saul.
We could make this list longer! However, this will suffice to -show the importance of Tiberius.
Tiberius was named 'Mud-and-Blood' and 'The Old Goat.' Few men were as tyrannous. He executed thousands for little or no reason. For the church to have prospered during his reign shows how powerful the gospel is.
Tiberius was the first emperor of the Claudian dynasty, which ended with Nero. His parents were Augustus and Livia, who had been the wife of Nero (not the emperor, Nero). Tiberius met and married a beautiful woman named Vipsania, who was from an aristocratic family.
Tiberius and Vipsania were very much in love. Their mutual love of the sea has been documented.
However, their marriage was ended by the interference of Augustus.
Augustus had one daughter by Scribonia, and her name was Julia. Julia was only 14 when Augustus insisted that Marcellus divorce his wife and marry her. Marcellus died two years later, and so Augustus insisted that 42 year old Agrippa divorce his wife and marry her.
Agrippa died, and so now Augustus decreed that Tiberius divorce Vipsania and marry Julia. Tiberius was heartbroken, and never got over this. To compound matters, his beloved Vipsania was pregnant with their first child.
Julia further intensified Tiberius's heartache by having affairs with other men. He ordered her banished! But, the anger was deeply instilled, and revenge was vented upon countless thousands!
At the death of Augustus, Tiberius, then 55, became emperor. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with handsome, deep-set eyes. He wore his hair low over the nape of his neck. Suetonius says he was so powerful that he could: 'poke a finger through a sound, newly- plucked apple." However, he was quite self-conscious due to his acne.
Tiberius never remarried, and his mother moved into the palace. He was the veritable "Mama's boy.' He was very superstitious, and his mother used 'omens" to control him. More about Tiberius next week, Lord willing

The above article appeared in the Mt. Juliet Messenger, January 31, 1993

Part 2

by Steve Hale

Tiberius was very superstitious, and his mother used this to control him. He was ashamed of this weakness, particularly his belief in astrology. He lashed out by ordering no more predictions by astrologers, and banishied all foreign religions (including Judaism) from Rome.
Tiberius did a few good things, however. He increased the police force and reduced crime. He was very frugal in regard to the public treasury. When he became emperor, there were about 100 million sesterces in the Treasury. At his death, there was nearly 3 billion sesterces in the accounts!
But, while Rome seemed to be improving, Tiberius's personal life got worse: much worse! At age 67, he moved to Capri and began a life of absolute depravity! Luke tells us that John started preaching "in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar."
So, while John preached and died, and the Lord Jesus preached and died, old Tiberius was immersing himself in vice of the most ungodly sort. Capri, a lovely island, became known as a place of utter wickedness.
His palace was filled'with pornography of the worst sort. Statues and pictures, grotesque and crude, were brought to him. His obsession especially included the abuse of children. Some of these acts were so vulgar, we cannot even write about them.
As morally corrupt as he became, Tiberius became even more bloodthirsty. Any frivolous excuse was used to execute others. One man was executed merely because his hometowns council voted him honors the same day Augustus had been voted honors!
One man of Tiberius's day described him like this-
"He is not thirsty for neat wine
As he was thirsty then,
But warms him up a tastier cup-- The blood of murdered men."
Mercifully for the Roman Empire and humanity, Tiberius died at the age of 79. Things don't get any better, for the next emperor war) Caligula!

• Hadrian's Renaming of Jerusalem - Jun 27, 1993
• The Correspondence of Pliny and Caesar Trajan - Jun 13, 1993
• Caesar Domitian - Jun 03, 1993
• Caesar Vespasian and His Son, Caesar Titus - May 23, 1993
• Galba, Otho, and Vitellius - May 16, 1993