Tiberius Analysis

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Despite his personal anxieties and the preliminary damages to his credibility as Princep, Tiberius strove to uphold the integrity and secure the co-operation of the senate and the magistrates. He tried to ensure through a sound administration, that senators could better themselves on the basis of their merrits. Not through undermining one another in the Senate. Whether it was his wish not to be made the subject of inquiry during the treason trial of Libo Drusus, his charity towards the impoverished Hortensian house, his genuine declaration for unbiased judgement during the trial of Piso, or his sensitivity towards the status of national morality caused by excessive luxuriness, Tiberius truly wanted to excel all by the excellence of his prestige…show more content…
In what seemed to be an apporpoate, well -balanced discussion between senators regarding the proposed solutions for handling the actor’s rowdiness, Tiberius interjected and announce the outcome of which he required. This conclusion was based on Augustu’s views on the subject, that actots were immune to beatings, which Tiberius said he could not disregard. Thus Tiberius’s intervention undermined the apparent freedom of the debate and countered the senates process of coming to an apprporiate…show more content…
It was in the procedure of this law that Tiberius’s behavior during many cases proved to be the most damaging to his credibility in the early part of his reign. According to Tacitus, Augustus was the first of the emperors to handle and hear serious cases brought against its own members. These accusations could be deemed substantial given testimony of treasonable words, written or oral. When the praetor Pompeius Macer consulted Tiberius whether process should still be granted on this statute, Tiberius replied that the law should be enforced. This authorization was his first mistake. whether his intent was to preserve the law in the event of true treason against the princep or out of respect for the decree of Augustus, the decision reflected poorly on Tiberius early in his reign. He ultimately had the opportunity to nullify its ability to be enforced, but chose to maintain its legal relevence. (39) Although Tiberius vehemently strove to remain uninvolved and emotionally detached from treason trials for the sake of upholding justice, his actions proved otherwise. As seen in the African campaign where the Princep might have vested interest, senators were trying to accommodate the wishes of Tiberius, specifically in trials concerning personal allegations against him. Tiberius

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