Hubbry Logo
Agrippa PostumusAgrippa PostumusMain
Open search
Agrippa Postumus
Community hub
Agrippa Postumus
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Agrippa Postumus
Agrippa Postumus
Agrippa Postumus
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Marcus Agrippa Postumus (12 BC – August 14 AD),[note 1] later named Agrippa Julius Caesar,[1] was a grandson of Roman Emperor Augustus. He was the youngest child of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder. Augustus initially considered Postumus as a potential successor and formally adopted him as his heir, before banishing Postumus from Rome in AD 6 on account of his ferocia ("beastly nature").[2] In effect, though not in law, the action cancelled his adoption and virtually assured Tiberius' emplacement as Augustus' sole heir. Postumus was ultimately executed by his own guards shortly after Augustus' death in AD 14.

Key Information

Postumus was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the first imperial family of the Roman Empire. His maternal grandparents were Augustus and his second wife, Scribonia. Postumus was also a maternal uncle of Emperor Caligula, who was the son of Postumus' sister Agrippina the Elder, as well as a great-uncle of Nero, the last Julio-Claudian emperor, whose mother, Agrippina the Younger, was Caligula's sister.

Name

[edit]

Postumus was initially named "Marcus Agrippa"[3] in honour of his father, who died shortly before his birth and so the surname Postumus was added. After the death of his older brothers, Lucius and Gaius Caesar, Postumus was adopted by his maternal grandfather, Augustus. A lex curiata ratified his adoption from which Postumus assumed the filiation Augusti f., meaning "son of Augustus". Postumus was then legally the son of Augustus, as well as his biological grandson. As a consequence, Postumus was adopted into the Julia gens and took the name "Julius Caesar". His name was changed to Agrippa Julius Caesar.[4][5]

Early life and family

[edit]
A bust of Postumus' father Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa

Agrippa Postumus was born in Rome in 12 BC,[6] approximately three months after his father, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, died in the summer.[note 2][7] He was born into the equestrian gens Vipsania. His father was one of Augustus' leading generals, and his mother, Julia the Elder, was the daughter of Augustus and his second wife, Scribonia.[8] Postumus was the third son and last child of Agrippa and Julia; his older siblings were Gaius Caesar, Julia the Younger, Lucius Caesar and Agrippina the Elder. Both of his brothers, Gaius and Lucius, were adopted by Augustus after the birth of Lucius in 17 BC.[9]

Before Gaius left Rome for Asia, Gaius and Lucius had been given the authority to consecrate the Temple of Mars Ultor (1 August 2 BC), and they managed the games that were held to celebrate the Temple's dedication. Postumus, still a student, participated in the Lusus Troiae ("Trojan Games") with the rest of the equestrian youth.[7] At these games, according to Cassius Dio, 260 lions were slaughtered in the Circus Maximus, there was gladiatorial combat and a naval battle between the "Persians" and the "Athenians" and 36 crocodiles were slaughtered in the Circus Flaminius.[10]

Adoption

[edit]

At first, Augustus opted not to adopt Postumus so that Agrippa would have at least one son to carry on his family name. However, the untimely deaths of principes Lucius (d. AD 2) and Gaius (d. AD 4) forced Augustus to adopt Postumus, his only remaining biological grandson, and Tiberius, Augustus' eldest stepson from his third wife, Livia, on 26 June AD 4 to secure the succession. He agreed to adopt Tiberius if Tiberius first adopted Germanicus. Upon his adoption into the Julii Caesares, Postumus assumed the name "Marcus Julius Caesar Agrippa Postumus". After the adoptions of AD 4, in the event of Augustus' death, the title of princeps would pass first to Tiberius and then to Germanicus.[11][12]

It was not intended that Postumus receive the emperorship; instead, he was meant to be the heir to Augustus' bloodline. He would receive Augustus' name, property, and bloodline but not the title of princeps. Indeed, Postumus was not given any special schooling or treatment after his adoption. In AD 5, at the age of 17, he received the toga virilis, and his name was added to the list of aristocratic youth eligible for training as military officers.[13] That differed greatly from the honours received by his brothers, both of whom were inducted into the Roman Forum by Augustus himself to commemorate their adoptions, given the title Princeps Iuventutis ("Leader of the Youth") and promised the consulship five years in advance, to be held when they reached 19.[14]

Exile

[edit]
Augustus Bevilacqua, a bust of Emperor Augustus wearing the civic crown

In AD 6, an uprising began in the Roman province of Illyricum. Augustus sent Tiberius to crush the revolt with his army, and after a year of delayed results, he sent Germanicus in his capacity as quaestor to assist in bringing the war to a swift end.[15] The reason, Dio says, that Germanicus was chosen over Postumus is because Postumus was of an "illiberal nature".[16]

Postumus was known for being brutish, insolent, stubborn and potentially violent. He possessed great physical strength and reportedly showed little interest in anything other than fishing. He resisted all efforts to improve his behavior, which forced Augustus to "abdicate" him from the Julii in AD 6 and banish him to a villa at Surrentum, near Pompeii.[4][13] As an abdicated adoptee (adoptatus abdicatus), he lost the Julian name and returned to the gens Vipsania. The ancient historian Velleius Paterculus had this to say of the banishment:[17]

Hoc fere tempore Agrippa... mira pravitate animi atque ingenii in praecipitia conversus patris atque eiusdem avi sui animum alienavit sibi, moxque crescentibus in dies vitiis dignum furore suo habuit exitum.

—Velleius Paterculus 2.112.7
Translation:

About this time Agrippa... alienated from himself the affection of his father who was also his grandfather, falling into reckless ways by an amazing depravity of attitude and intellect; and soon, as his vices increased daily, he met the end which his madness deserved.

—Pettinger 2012, p. 103

The following year, in 7 AD, Augustus had the Senate make Postumus' banishment permanent and had him moved to Planasia (now Pianosa, Italy), a small island between Italy and Corsica. Augustus bolstered the natural inaccessibility of the rocky island by having an armed guard installed there. The Senate was ordered never to allow his release.[4][18]

No consensus has emerged as to why Augustus banished Postumus. Tacitus suggests that Augustus' wife, Livia, had always disliked and shunned Postumus, as he stood in the way of her son Tiberius succeeding to power after Augustus since Postumus was a direct biological descendant of Augustus, unlike Tiberius. Some modern historians theorise that Postumus may have become involved in a conspiracy against Augustus.[19] Postumus was held under intense security.[20]

Postumus' sister Julia was banished around the same time (AD 8), and her husband, Lucius Aemilius Paullus, was executed for allegedly plotting a conspiracy against Augustus. There was later a conspiracy to rescue Julia and Postumus by Lucius Audasius and Asinius Epicadus. Audasius was an accused forger of advanced age, and Asinius was half-Illyrian. According to Suetonius, Audasius and Epicadus had planned to take Julia and Postumus by force to the armies. It is unclear what their exact plan was or even to which armies Suetonius was referring because the conspiracy was discovered early in its planning, possibly before they had even left Rome.[21][22]

Events of AD 14

[edit]
A bust of Tiberius conserved in Paris at the Louvre

Augustus made no effort to contact Postumus until AD 14. In the summer of that year, Augustus left Rome, never to see the capital again. The main ancient sources of information about the period, Tacitus and Cassius Dio, suggest that Augustus left Rome in the company of only one trusted friend, the senator Paullus Fabius Maximus. They left for Planasia to pay Augustus' banished grandson a highly-controversial visit.[23]

Fabius and then Augustus died on their return without revealing what they had been doing.[23] Tacitus reports their visit to Planasia as a rumour although Dio reports it as fact. According to the historian Robin Lane Fox, the alleged visit has sometimes been dismissed by modern scholars. However, it has been shown that Augustus and Fabius were absent from Rome in mid-May of AD 14. Augustus' adopted grandson, Drusus the Younger, was then being admitted into the Arval Brethren, and an inscription (ILS, 5026) shows that both Augustus and Fabius voted in absentia to admit him into the priesthood.[24]

There was much gossip over the outcome of their expedition. Tacitus recounts the rumour that Augustus had decided to reverse his decision and make Postumus his successor. In his account, Fabius indiscreetly told his wife what had occurred during the trip, and that cost him his life. Augustus' wife, Livia, too was said to have poisoned her husband to prevent Postumus from becoming the successor and thus supplanting her son Tiberius. While modern historians, including Fox, agree that such stories are highly unlikely, there is evidence that Augustus' journey was historical. "It is the last act in Augustus' long marathon of finding and keeping an heir to the new Empire".[25]

Deaths of Augustus and Postumus

[edit]

Augustus died on 19 August AD 14. Despite being banished, Postumus had not legally been disinherited and so could claim a share in Augustus' inheritance. According to Augustus' will, sealed on 3 April AD 13, Tiberius would inherit two thirds of his estate and Livia one third. There is no mention of Postumus in the document.[26] Tiberius gave the eulogy at Augustus' funeral and made a show of reluctantly accepting the title of princeps.[17]

At almost the same time as Augustus' death, Postumus was killed by the centurion Gaius Sallustius Crispus, the great-nephew and adopted son of the historian Sallust. When Crispus reported to Tiberius that "his orders have been carried out", Tiberius threatened to bring the matter before the Senate and professed that he had given no such orders. Tiberius denied any involvement, argued that he had been en route to Illyricum when he was recalled to Rome, and later issued a statement that it was Augustus who had given the order that Agrippa Postumus not survive him. It is not clear if the killing was carried out before or after Tiberius became emperor.[17][25][27]

Legacy

[edit]

Two years later, there was an attempt by Postumus' former slave Clemens to impersonate him. Clemens was able to impersonate Postumus because people did not remember what Postumus looked like, but Dio also says there was a resemblance between them.[28] The impersonation was carried out by the same slave who had set out in AD 14 to ship Postumus away, and the act was met with considerable success among the plebs.[25]

According to the historian Erich S. Gruen, various contemporary sources state that Postumus was a "vulgar young man, brutal and brutish, and of depraved character".[29] The Roman historian Tacitus defended him, but his praise was slight: "[He was] the young, physically tough, indeed brutish, Agrippa Postumus. Though devoid of every good quality, he had been involved in no scandal."[30] It was common for ancient historians to portray Postumus as dim-witted and brutish. Velleius portrays Postumus as having had a deformed or perverse character, Dio records a propensity to violence ("He had an impetuous temper...")[31] and a devotion to "servile pursuits", and both Tacitus and Suetonius describe him as fierce ("ferox"). Contemporaries were reported to have described Postumus as wild ("trux"), and Suetonius is in agreement with Dio's "servile pursuits" depiction. The historian Andrew Pettinger argues that the descriptions of Postumus reveal a moral inadequacy, not a mental disorder.[32]

In fiction

[edit]

Postumus is depicted in many works of art due to his relationship with the leading family of the early Roman Empire. They include:

  • I, Claudius (1934), a novel by Robert Graves, presents Postumus in a positive light, as a boyhood friend of the narrator, Claudius. It creates a fictional incident in which Postumus is framed by Livia and her granddaughter Livilla for the attempted rape of Livilla, as a means of all but guaranteeing Tiberius' succession to the emperorship. Postumus is banished to Planasia but escapes execution when Augustus arranges for his impersonation by his freed slave Clemens, who is later executed by Crispus, unwittingly in Postumus' stead. The real Postumus spends time on the run, but is eventually captured and executed by Tiberius.[33]
  • In The Caesars (1968), a television series by Philip Mackie, Postumus was played by Derek Newark. Here Postumus is sentenced to death by Augustus, who decides to permanently remove his only remaining grandson as an obstacle to the succession of Tiberius.[34]
  • In I, Claudius (1976), a television series by Jack Pulman based on Graves' novels, Postumus was played by John Castle. This retains the story from the novel of Postumus being framed for the assault on Livilla, and the later visit to Planasia by Augustus, but removes his fictional survival and shifts the events concerning his banishment to after the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. He is killed by Sejanus on Planasia after Augustus' death.[35]

Ancestry

[edit]
Ancestry of Agrippa Postumus[36]
4. Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa
2. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
1. Agrippa Postumus
12. Gaius Octavius
6. Augustus
13. Atia
3. Julia the Elder
14. Lucius Scribonius Libo
7. Scribonia
15. Sentia

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]

Primary sources

[edit]

Secondary sources

[edit]
  • Alston, Richard (1998), Aspects of Roman History AD 14–117, Routledge, ISBN 0-203-20095-0
  • Dumont, Hervé (2009), L'Antiquité au cinéma: Vérités, légendes et manipulations (in French), Nouveau monde éditions, ISBN 978-2847364767
  • Gibson, A. G. G. (2015), Robert Graves and the Classical Tradition, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0191057977
  • Koortbojian, Michael (2013), The Divinization of Caesar and Augustus, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521192156
  • Levick, Barbara (1976), Tiberius the Politician, Routledge, ISBN 0-203-16513-6
  • Levick, Barbara (2012), Claudius, Routledge, ISBN 978-1135107710
  • Fox, Robin Lane (2006), The Classical World: An Epic History From Homer to Hadrian, Basic Books, ISBN 978-0465024964
  • Mudd, Mary (2012), I, Livia: The Counterfeit Criminal. the Story of a Much Maligned Woman, Trafford Publishing, ISBN 978-1-4120-4606-0
  • Norwood, Frances (1963), "The Riddle of Ovid's Relegatio", Classical Philology, vol. 58
  • Pettinger, Andrew (2012), The Republic in Danger: Drusus Libo and the Succession of Tiberius, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0199601745
  • Powell, Lindsay (2015), Marcus Agrippa: Right-hand Man of Caesar Augustus, Pen & Sword Military, ISBN 978-1848846173
  • Swan, Michael Peter (2004), The Augustan Succession: An Historical Commentary on Cassius Dio's Roman History, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-516774-0
  • Syme, Ronald (1958). "Imperator Caesar: A Study in Nomenclature". Historia. 7 (2): 172–188. JSTOR 4434568.
  • Terrace, Vincent (1981), Television: 1970–1980, A.S. Barnes, ISBN 978-0498025396
  • Vagi, David L. (1999), Coinage and History of the Roman Empire, c. 82 B.C. – A.D. 480: History, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishing, ISBN 1-57958-316-4
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1873). "Agrippa Postumus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 78.
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Agrippa Postumus

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus (12 BC – AD 14) was a Roman prince, the youngest son of general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder, daughter of emperor Augustus, born posthumously after his father's death. As the last surviving grandson of Augustus, he was adopted by the emperor in AD 4 alongside Tiberius, positioning him as a potential successor to the principate amid the deaths of his elder brothers Gaius and Lucius Caesar. His early promise gave way to reports of unruly and violent conduct, including depraved acts that alienated his family and led to his banishment first to Surrentum in AD 6 and then to the island of Planasia in AD 7, where he remained under guard with senatorial decree of perpetual exile in AD 8. Agrippa Postumus's execution by his guards shortly after 's death on 19 August AD 14—likely on implicit orders from —sparked controversy among ancient historians, with and attributing responsibility to the new emperor to eliminate a dynastic rival, though some accounts suggest may have foreseen or condoned it to secure 's succession. portrayed him as mentally unstable, a characterization echoed in later impostor claims like that of Clemens in AD 16, who posed as the survived to incite . His demise marked the end of the direct Vipsanian male line, consolidating Julio-Claudian power under while highlighting tensions in 's succession planning.

Origins and Early Years

Ancestry and Nomenclature

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus was the youngest son of , a Roman general and statesman who served as Augustus's key military commander and co-consul on multiple occasions, and Julia, the emperor's sole biological daughter from his marriage to Scribonia. Born in 12 BCE shortly after his father's death in the same year from illness while in , he completed a sibship of five children that included , , , and . Paternally, Agrippa's lineage derived from the plebeian gens Vipsania, with his father Lucius Vipsanius noted in ancient records as a modest figure from rural , though Agrippa's own achievements elevated the family's status without patrician ties. Maternally, Julia's descent linked Postumus directly to Augustus (born Gaius Octavius Thurinus), whose adoptive Julio-Claudian heritage blended the Julian gens with elements, positioning Postumus as a prime imperial bloodline candidate despite the plebeian paternal side. At birth, he received the name Postumus, honoring his deceased father through the Marcus, nomen Vipsanius, and Agrippa, with "Postumus" as an epithet denoting —a Roman convention for children born after a parent's death, selected by himself to commemorate the timing. Following the deaths of his elder brothers and in 2 BCE and 4 CE respectively, adopted Postumus on 26 June 4 CE alongside , granting him the tria nomina Marcus Agrippa Postumus to integrate him into the Julian imperial nomenclature while retaining paternal markers. This adoption underscored his dynastic role, though the "Postumus" suffix persisted, reflecting both birth circumstance and later exile associations in historical accounts by and Dio Cassius.

Birth and Initial Upbringing

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was born in 12 BC as the third son of and Julia, the only natural daughter of . His father died in March of that year while in , making the birth posthumous—a circumstance denoted by the cognomen , a term applied to children born after their father's death. Postumus spent his initial years in Rome within the imperial household, under the primary care of his mother Julia, who enjoyed high status as Augustus's daughter until her later scandals. Unlike his elder brothers Gaius (born 20 BC) and Lucius (born 17 BC), who were adopted by Augustus soon after their births and groomed early for public roles, Postumus was not immediately adopted, permitting a less formalized early environment focused on family oversight rather than dynastic imperatives. Historical accounts provide few specifics on his infancy or toddler years, reflecting the general scarcity of personal details for Julio-Claudian children prior to political prominence. By the time of his formal adoption by in AD 4—at age approximately 16—Postumus had matured within the privileges of imperial kinship, including access to elite tutors and physical training customary for sons of Rome's , though no ancient sources record distinctive events or traits from this formative period. This phase preceded the tensions that later marked his trajectory, with early indications of Augustus's reservations emerging only in adolescence.

Integration into Imperial Lineage

Adoption and Dynastic Role

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus, born in 12 BC as the third son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder, was adopted by Emperor Augustus on 26 June AD 4. This adoption followed the deaths of his elder brothers, Lucius Caesar in AD 2 and Gaius Caesar on 21 February AD 4, leaving Postumus as Augustus' only surviving male descendant through Julia. The adoption occurred concurrently with that of Tiberius Claudius Nero, ' stepson, as part of a dual-heir strategy to ensure dynastic continuity amid prior succession failures. Postumus, renamed Agrippa Julius Caesar, was positioned to embody the Julian-Agrippan bloodline, serving as a complementary heir to , who was compelled to adopt his nephew Julius Caesar. This arrangement underscored ' prioritization of biological descent in imperial succession, with groomed for public office despite his youth, including designation for future consulships and military commands akin to his brothers. Primary sources such as and , preserved in modern analyses, indicate the via lex curiata formalized his integration into the domus Augusta.

Education and Public Preparation

Following his adoption by on 26 June AD 4, Agrippa Postumus, then aged approximately 16, entered formal preparation for a role in imperial succession and public administration, mirroring aspects of the training provided to his deceased brothers and . Augustus personally oversaw elements of his grandsons' early instruction, teaching Postumus reading, swimming, and the imitation of his own handwriting to foster basic literacies and discipline expected of elite Roman youth. In AD 5, Postumus received the toga virilis, marking his transition to adulthood and enrollment among aristocratic youths eligible for military training and equestrian exercises, such as the ceremonial Lusus Troiae parades that showcased noble boys' horsemanship and public poise. He demonstrated notable physical prowess, reportedly killing 36 crocodiles in a feat highlighting strength rather than strategic acumen. envisioned dispatching him to provinces and armies as a designated to gain practical command experience, initiating him into administrative duties while still young. However, contemporary accounts emphasize Postumus's resistance to intellectual or refined pursuits, portraying him as simple-minded and illiberal, with interests confined to manual activities like fishing—self-identifying hyperbolically as —and a propensity for uncontrolled . Unlike his brothers, who received extensive honors and eastern missions, Postumus remained largely in , his idleness and boorish temperament—described by as low tastes (humilibus studiis) and by Dio as lacking moderation—undermining systematic grooming for leadership before his banishment in AD 7. This contrast underscores 's succession challenges, as Postumus's traits precluded the rhetorical, philosophical, and diplomatic formation typical of Julio-Claudian heirs under tutors like Athenodorus or .

Banishment and Isolation

Precipitating Incidents and Exile Decree

Agrippa Postumus exhibited behaviors that alienated him from the imperial family following the deaths of his elder brothers and , including displays of violent temper and illiberal conduct. Ancient accounts describe him engaging in undignified activities, such as spending time fishing while proclaiming himself , which underscored his perceived lack of discipline. He publicly reproached for withholding his inheritance and spoke disparagingly of as a , actions that exacerbated tensions within the household. These incidents culminated in Augustus' decision to abdicate Postumus from the family in approximately AD 6, initially banishing him to Surrentum due to his savage nature, sudden fits of violence, and perceived foolishness. By AD 7, during the consulship of Aemilius Lepidus and Lucius Arruntius, Augustus transferred him to the island of Planasia under military guard, citing his uncontrollable and perverse disposition as rendering him unfit for public life. The formalized the exile through a decree that same year, declaring ' confinement perpetual and confiscating his property to the military treasury, thereby severing his dynastic prospects definitively. This measure reflected ' assessment, influenced by ongoing consultations, that ' character posed risks to the stability of the succession, prioritizing as heir.

Life on Planasia and Surveillance

Following his initial relegation to Surrentum in AD 7, Agrippa Postumus was transferred to the small, remote island of Planasia in the , where he lived in confinement for the remainder of his life until AD 14. notes that this relocation occurred because Postumus had grown "daily less tractable" and "increasingly unhinged," prompting to isolate him further from potential sympathizers on the mainland. Surveillance was maintained by a dedicated contingent of soldiers, specially selected for their loyalty and vigilance, who enforced strict isolation to neutralize as a perceived threat to the succession. implies the intensity of this oversight through the account of Postumus's slave Clemens, who, upon learning of Augustus's death, attempted to sail to Planasia for a rescue but was thwarted, indicating robust barriers against external contact or escape. Primary accounts offer scant specifics on daily routines, but the setup—combining geographic remoteness with armed custody—ensured a existence of enforced idleness and separation, devoid of political agency or familial ties. The arrangement reflected Augustus's prioritization of regime stability over reconciliation, as attributes the banishment itself to Livia's sway over the aging emperor, underscoring how surveillance served not merely containment but active suppression of dynastic alternatives. No evidence from contemporaries suggests amelioration of conditions or visits beyond rumored imperial inspections, affirming the punitive and precautionary nature of his internment.

Final Days and Execution

Events of AD 14

died on 19 August AD 14 at , leaving as his designated successor. Immediately following this event, Agrippa Postumus, exiled on the island of Planasia, was put to death by a and soldiers under his guard, reportedly on the following day, 20 August. recounts that the execution was the inaugural act of ' principate, executed despite Postumus being unarmed and unaware, with the centurion struggling due to his physical resistance before completing the task. The order originated from Tiberius, conveyed secretly through his confidant, the equestrian Sallustius Crispus—grand-nephew of the historian —who instructed the to act without awaiting further confirmation, aiming to preempt any potential unrest from Postumus' recall, which had contemplated shortly before his death. attributes the killing directly to Tiberius' prior instructions to the island's garrison commander, noting that news of ' death was suppressed until the deed was done to avoid complications in Tiberius' assumption of power. similarly places the murder immediately after ' passing, portraying it as a preemptive elimination of a dynastic rival by Tiberius or his agents. When the senate later learned of the execution and debated honors for Postumus, Tiberius denied issuing the order, claiming the centurion acted independently, and vetoed proposals for a public funeral or statue, citing Postumus' prior treason conviction. Ancient historians, writing decades or centuries later under regimes hostile to Tiberius, emphasize his culpability to underscore the regime's violent inception, though the precise chain of command remains obscured by secrecy and conflicting testimonies. No contemporary evidence contradicts the rapid sequence of events tying the killing to Augustus' demise and Tiberius' consolidation of authority.

Mechanisms and Perpetrators of Death

Agrippa Postumus was executed on the island of Planasia on August 20, AD 14, the day after Augustus's death. The mechanism of death involved a sudden by a military officer: Postumus, caught unarmed and unprepared, was slain by sword blows from a dispatched for the purpose. describes the act as the "first crime of the new reign," emphasizing the victim's defenseless state and the perpetrator's resolve. The direct perpetrator was a under Tiberius's authority, with identifying the custodian as the Gaius Sallustius , who carried out the killing before news of Augustus's reached the . Tiberius suppressed Augustus's demise until the execution was complete, then publicly attributed the order to a secret instruction from the late emperor, claiming Postumus's elimination had been long premeditated to avert dynastic threats. Ancient accounts diverge on culpability: while pro-Tiberian sources like endorse the fulfillment of Augustus's wishes, and imply Tiberius's initiative to secure power, noting the implausibility of Augustus ordering a grandson's without prior disclosure. similarly frames the event amid Tiberius's consolidation, portraying it as a calculated removal of a potential claimant. No evidence supports alternative mechanisms like or ; all primary narratives converge on violent execution by imperial agents. The act's orchestration reflects praetorian oversight, as Postumus remained under strict guard, underscoring the regime's capacity for remote enforcement of lethal directives.

Causal Analysis of Downfall

Character Assessments from Contemporaries

Velleius Paterculus, a contemporary historian and supporter of , depicted Agrippa Postumus as revealing his true character around AD 7 by alienating through "reckless ways by a strange depravity of mind and disposition," with vices that escalated daily, culminating in "the end which his madness deserved." This assessment, written shortly after the events, reflects a pro-Tiberian , portraying Postumus's moral failings as justifying his exclusion from power. Cassius Dio, drawing on earlier records, characterized Postumus as possessing an "illiberal nature," prone to "violent anger," and engaging in base pursuits like excessive fishing while styling himself Neptune; he further noted Postumus's habit of speaking ill of Livia and reproaching Augustus, rendering him unmanageable and savage by temperament (ferus ingenio). These traits, cited as precipitating his AD 9 exile to Planasia, underscore a view of inherent brutality unfit for leadership. Suetonius echoed this in recounting Augustus's frustrations, describing Postumus as having "low tastes and a violent temper," which progressively worsened despite admonitions, leading to his banishment first to Surrentum and then isolation under guard. Augustus reportedly lamented him alongside other family scandals as a "" or "," indicating a consensus among sources on his disruptive disposition, though 's account relies on imperial correspondence and senatorial decrees rather than direct observation. Tacitus offered a somewhat more restrained evaluation, noting Postumus as relying on "fierce physical strength" (feroci robore) rather than virtues or accomplishments, with no proven scandals (nullius flagitii conpertum) yet universally detested by and for perceived threats. This portrayal questions the severity of prior condemnations, suggesting political expediency amplified reports of his coarseness and lack of or aptitude. Overall, ancient assessments converge on Postumus's volatility and moral inadequacy, though colored by authors' alignments with imperial factions.

Political Motivations and Succession Dynamics

Augustus' succession planning emphasized reliable governance amid repeated failures of preferred Julian heirs. After the deaths of in AD 4 and earlier, Augustus adopted on June 26, AD 4, designating him as principal successor rei publicae causa, while simultaneously adopting Agrippa Postumus to harness his Julian lineage as a potential dynastic anchor. This dual adoption addressed immediate political risks, as supporters of the late appeared to court the 15-year-old Agrippa, potentially fostering factional opposition to ; by bringing Agrippa into the imperial family under direct oversight, Augustus aimed to neutralize such threats while monitoring his conduct. Agrippa Postumus' retention in the succession reflected ' lingering preference for blood descendants over the Claudian , whom he compelled to adopt to integrate Julian elements into the Claudian line. Yet, ancient accounts uniformly portray Agrippa's temperament as disqualifying: notes his engagement in "servile pursuits" and "impulsive use of anger," while and describe reckless and depraved behavior that alienated him from and precluded public roles. These assessments, corroborated across sources despite their varying biases against the Julio-Claudians, indicate Agrippa's unsuitability stemmed from personal failings rather than mere intrigue. The banishment decree of AD 7 to Planasia marked a decisive pivot in succession dynamics, prioritizing institutional stability over dynastic sentiment. Augustus' action preempted Agrippa as a rival focal point, securing ' unhindered accession despite the latter's known intolerance for competitors, as evidenced by prior rivalries with and . Scholarly analyses affirm this as pragmatic realignment, with Augustus' will later ratifying the exile and excluding Agrippa from inheritance, underscoring that political motivations centered on averting instability from an incompetent yet symbolically potent figure. ' portrayal of Livia's influence, while suggestive of familial pressures, lacks corroboration and appears colored by his antipathy toward , yielding to the consensus on Agrippa's inherent flaws as the causal driver.

Enduring Interpretations

Accounts in Primary Sources

, in his , portrays Agrippa Postumus as a figure of physical prowess but moral deficiency, describing him as "guiltless of a , and confident brute-like in his ," with no proven scandal yet banished by to the island of Planasia under 's influence. He records rumors of Augustus' final visit to Postumus on Planasia, suggesting contemplation of recall thwarted by death, while framing the subsequent murder—executed by a resolute despite Postumus being unarmed—as the inaugural atrocity of ' regime, implicating Tiberius and Livia in preempting any threat. Suetonius, in The Life of Augustus, details Postumus' adoption alongside Tiberius in AD 4 via curiate assembly legislation, followed by banishment to an island—initially Surrentum, then Planasia—due to his "low tastes" and escalating violent temper, with a senatorial decree mandating perpetual military custody and property confiscation to the aerarium militare. Augustus reportedly expressed profound regret over his family line, sighing and lamenting, "Would that I ne’er had wedded and would I had died without offspring," indicating personal remorse amid the exile's finality, though no visit is affirmed. Cassius , writing later in Roman History Book 55, attributes the AD 6 exile to ' "illiberal nature" and "violent anger," exacerbated by public criticisms of and , resulting in relocation to Planasia near under guard, where he engaged in menial pursuits like fishing—facetiously styling himself —and reproaching for denying him his father's inheritance. further notes in Book 57 that intended ' recall but perished before enacting it, prompting to order execution immediately upon accession, executed by the in charge to eliminate a potential rival. Velleius Paterculus, a contemporary with ties to ' circle, offers scant detail, merely noting in Book 2 that Postumus met "the end that his life merited" shortly after ' death, implying deserved demise due to prior depravity or instability without elaborating banishment circumstances or character beyond condemnation. This brevity contrasts with fuller hostile narratives, reflecting Velleius' alignment with the Julio-Claudian regime over unflattering Julian heirs.

Scholarly Debates and Theories

Scholars debate the precise motivations for Agrippa's exile in AD 7, with ancient sources emphasizing personal failings such as a "brutish nature" and moral inadequacy, while modern analyses suggest underlying political calculations. and portray Agrippa as possessing a perverse or impetuous character prone to violence, potentially justifying ' decision to repudiate his adoption. However, historians like those in Barbara Levick's works argue that such depictions may reflect post-exile rationalizations, proposing instead that and viewed Agrippa as a liability due to overtures from supporters of the deceased , who sought to cultivate him as an alternative heir. This theory posits that Agrippa's adoption in AD 4 served short-term dynastic needs after the deaths of and , but his perceived associations prompted preemptive isolation to avert factional intrigue. Theories on Agrippa's execution in AD 14 center on culpability and timing, with primary accounts diverging on whether Tiberius, Livia, or subordinates acted independently. Tacitus reports that Agrippa was slain by a centurion on orders conveyed via a letter sealed with Tiberius' authority, though Tiberius later denied foreknowledge and demanded a senatorial inquiry, implying possible delegation to agents like Sallustius Crispus to maintain plausible deniability. Dio Cassius attributes the command directly to Tiberius upon Augustus' death at Nola, dismissing alternative claims of Livia's involvement or a pre-mortem directive from Augustus as fabrications. Modern scholarship, including analyses by J. C. Barrett, highlights unresolved uncertainties, noting that Tacitus' anti-Tiberian bias may exaggerate imperial ruthlessness, while evidence of a potential rescue conspiracy—discovered around Augustus' demise—could have escalated perceptions of Agrippa as a focal point for unrest, prompting swift elimination irrespective of the principal actor. Interpretations of Agrippa's threat level to ' succession vary, with some historians viewing him as a negligible figure due to his isolation on Planasia, while others emphasize his symbolic value as ' last male blood descendant. Ronald Syme's framework in broader Augustan studies underscores dynastic rivalries, suggesting Agrippa's survival posed a rallying point for malcontents, as evidenced by later senatorial reluctance to acclaim without resolving the "obstacle" of his existence. Conversely, revisionist views, such as those questioning ancient character assassinations, argue that Agrippa's reputed ferocity was amplified to legitimize his marginalization, potentially masking ' own regrets over the exile, as hinted in ' account of a final reconciliatory visit. These debates persist due to the paucity of neutral contemporary records, with scholars cautioning against overreliance on and Dio, whose narratives align with senatorial critiques of Julio-Claudian .

Representations in Later Culture

In Robert Graves' historical novel I, Claudius (1934), Agrippa Postumus is portrayed sympathetically as a boyhood companion of , falsely implicated in scandals such as the alleged rape of , and executed amid intrigues attributed to and , with Graves proposing he survived his reported death in AD 14 to impersonate a later. This depiction diverges from ancient accounts by emphasizing Postumus's republican leanings and victimhood in dynastic plots, framing him as a to the Julio-Claudian court's corruption. The 1976 BBC television adaptation of Graves' work, , retains this characterization, casting as in episodes depicting his exile, surveillance on Planasia, and murder shortly after 's death in AD 14. The series underscores his physical prowess and political naivety, aligning with Graves' narrative of him as a thwarted alternative heir favoring senatorial restoration over imperial consolidation. appears sparingly in other modern media, with no major films, operas, or paintings dedicated to him, reflecting his marginal role in popular Roman historical narratives compared to figures like or .

References

  1. https://www.livius.org/articles/person/agrippa-postumus/
  2. https://imperiumromanum.pl/en/curiosities/agrippa-postumus/
  3. https://ancientromanhistory31-14.com/augustus/exile-of-agrippa-postumus/
  4. https://ancientromanhistory31-14.com/home/tiberius/accession-and-the-accession-debate/murder-of-agrippa-postumus/
  5. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-roman-archaeology/article/two-portraits-of-agrippa-postumus-in-the-british-museum/37FB36628BECF8D819E00832154F684D
  6. https://www.finestresullarte.info/en/exhibitions/agrippa-postumus-rome-showcases-never-seen-portrait-of-augustus-forgotten-heir
  7. https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/ai-musei-capitolini-nuovo-ritratto-di-agrippa-postumo-figlio-adottivo-di-augusto/
  8. https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3391
  9. https://fpuscholarworks.fresno.edu/bitstreams/9238cb83-03be-4b45-8f2b-1b72f2a80540/download
  10. https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/aggiei.htm
  11. https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/auggie.htm
  12. https://www.geni.com/people/Marcus-Julius-Caesar-Agrippa-Postumus/6000000007150951000
  13. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/362454
  14. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4435443
  15. https://garstangmuseum.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/the-forgotten-heirs-gaius-and-lucius-caesar/
  16. https://academic.oup.com/book/26712/chapter/195529038
  17. https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/tiberius.htm
  18. https://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/succession.html
  19. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#64.3
  20. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#22.4
  21. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#64.1
  22. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#32.1
  23. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#65.1
  24. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#32.2
  25. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html
  26. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html
  27. https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/Suetonius2.php
  28. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Annals/1A*.html
  29. https://sourcebooks.web.fordham.edu/ancient/tacitus-annals.asp
  30. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/56*.html
  31. https://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/suetnius/tiber.htm
  32. https://www.jstor.org/stable/283489
  33. https://social.vcoins.com/twih/death-agrippa-postumus-august-20-14-ad/
  34. http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.1.i.html
  35. https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/Suetonius3.php
  36. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Velleius_Paterculus/2D*.html#112
  37. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#65
  38. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Annals/1A*.html#3
  39. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Annals/1A*.html#6
  40. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Annals/1A*.html#5
  41. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#32
  42. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3295699
  43. https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1525/9780520347304-017/html
  44. https://classicsvic.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/jones.pdf
  45. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074006/fullcredits/
  46. https://aelarsen.wordpress.com/tag/i-claudius/
  47. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074006/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.