Annals I.5

While these and like topics were discussed, the infirmities of Augustus increased, and some suspected guilt on his wife's part. For a rumor had gone abroad that a few months before he had sailed to Planasia on a visit to Agrippa, with the knowledge of some chosen friends, and with one companion, Fabius Maximus; that many tears were shed on both sides, with expressions of affection, and that thus there was a hope of the young man being restored to the home of his grandfather. This, it was said, Maximus had divulged to his wife Marcia, she again to Livia. All was known to Caesar, and when Maximus soon afterwards died, by a death some thought to be self-inflicted, there were heard at his funeral wailings from Marcia, in which she reproached herself for having been the cause of her husband's destruction. Whatever the fact was, Tiberius as he was just entering Illyria was summoned home by an urgent letter from his mother, and it has not been thoroughly ascertained whether at the city of Nola he found Augustus still breathing or quite lifeless. For Livia had surrounded the house and its approaches with a strict watch, and favorable bulletins were published from time to time, till, provision having been made for the demands of the crisis, one and the same report told men that Augustus was dead and that Tiberius Nero was master of the State.

Tacitus claims that Augustus, in his old age, was thinking about changing his mind and giving the Empire to Postumus instead of Tiberius. Augustus travels to visit Postumus, then his traveling companion Fabius tells his wife about the visit and the wife passes the info on to Livia. Fabius feels bad and kills himself. Tiberius then gets recalled to Rome because Augustus is dying, perhaps by poison.

Tacitus implies Livia poisoned Augustus (that’s unsubstantiated murder claim #3). The story is absolutely identical to the Claudius-Agrippina story. In both stories, an old and senile Emperor is first manipulated by his bitchy wife to adopt her son instead of his own blood. Then, when the Emperor has a change of heart, he gets poisoned. Lazy work, Tacitus, lazy work.

Much about this tale doesn’t make sense. Augustus, an old man in his seventies, decides to travel to visit Postumus, secretly. Postumus was a man, at best, who was uncouth and unfit to be Emperor and, at worst, conspired to overthrow Augustus. Whatever the reason that Augustus chose Tiberius over Postumus, the circumstances weren’t likely to change by 14 AD. Somehow Postumus became competent? Somehow Augustus started not trusting his wife? Suddenly the people supporting Tiberius didn’t need to be appeased? Maybe Augustus actually did visit Postumus, but it is doubtful he did it to actually change his mind about the Empire. In fact, Suetonius claims that Augustus traveled with Tiberius around the Empire close to Augustus’ death showing support for his new man (Suetonius, Augustus 97).

The secretive aspect of the trip is ridiculous. Augustus would need days, if not weeks, to visit Postumus. Plans would involve dozens of people and certainly Livia would notice her husband being gone. Keeping a visit like this secret is just not likely. Fabius killed himself for blowing the secret, implying that, other than him, it was a totally successful secret. Right.

It is pretty clear that, being a woman-hater, Tacitus needed to give Livia a motive for murder. Augustus’ sudden and unlikely 180 on Postumus was it.