Annals I.8

On the first day of the Senate he allowed nothing to be discussed but the funeral of Augustus, whose will, which was brought in by the Vestal Virgins, named as his heirs Tiberius and Livia. The latter was to be admitted into the Julian family with the name of Augusta; next in expectation were the grand and great-grandchildren. In the third place, he had named the chief men of the State, most of whom he hated, simply out of ostentation and to win credit with posterity. His legacies were not beyond the scale of a private citizen, except a bequest of forty-three million five hundred thousand sesterces "to the people and populace of Rome," of one thousand to every praetorian soldier, and of three hundred to every man in the legionary cohorts composed of Roman citizens. Next followed a deliberation about funeral honors. Of these the most imposing were thought fitting. The procession was to be conducted through "the gate of triumph," on the motion of Gallus Asinius; the titles of the laws passed, the names of the nations conquered by Augustus were to be borne in front, on that of Lucius Arruntius. Messala Valerius further proposed that the oath of allegiance to Tiberius should be yearly renewed, and when Tiberius asked him whether it was at his bidding that he had brought forward this motion, he replied that he had proposed it spontaneously, and that in whatever concerned the State he would use only his own discretion, even at the risk of offending. This was the only style of adulation which yet remained. The Senators unanimously exclaimed that the body ought to be borne on their shoulders to the funeral pile. The emperor left the point to them with disdainful moderation, he then admonished the people by a proclamation not to indulge in that tumultuous enthusiasm which had distracted the funeral of the Divine Julius, or express a wish that Augustus should be burnt in the Forum instead of in his appointed resting-place in the Campus Martius. On the day of the funeral soldiers stood round as a guard, amid much ridicule from those who had either themselves witnessed or who had heard from their parents of the famous day when slavery was still something fresh, and freedom had been resought in vain, when the slaying of Caesar, the Dictator, seemed to some the vilest, to others, the most glorious of deeds. "Now," they said, "an aged sovereign, whose power had lasted long, who had provided his heirs with abundant means to coerce the State, requires forsooth the defense of soldiers that his burial may be undisturbed."

Tiberius has a funeral for Augustus and is sworn in among much sucking up. Oddly Tacitus points out the very weakness of his argument that I’ve been complaining about since the beginning. If Augustus’ rule was so unopposed and Tiberius’ rise was met with no descent, then why the soldiers? Clearly, there was opposition, both public and private against the princeps. Anyway, Tacitus’ going on and on about the Republic is starting to get tiresome.

On a different note, let’s take a look at Augustus’ will. Tiberius and Livia are his primary heirs. Tiberius received 2/3 of the estate and Livia received 1/3 (Suetonius, Augustus 101). He then mentions the second and third degree individuals. The second degree people are the ones who get the money should the first degree people die. In this case, it’s the grand and great grand children. Specifically, Suetonius lists them as Drusus (already dead), Germanicus and Germanicus’ three sons, Drusus Caesar, Nero Caesar and Caligula. The third degree are if the second degree people die, and in this case his friends and enemies.

The second and third degrees are not really for use. They are primarily used as shout outs, thus the mention of dead Drusus. Nonetheless, again we see the progression of heirs. Tiberius is first, Germanicus is second and, after that, Germanicus’ family. Germanicus, Germanicus, Germanicus. People love this guy.

Agrippa’s side of the family is missing. Nothing to Julia to the Elder, nothing to Julia the Younger, nothing to Postumus. In fact, the will instructs people not to put the two Julias in his mausoleum. That’s what you get for trying to overthrow Augustus, I guess. Postumus gets no mention at all, which has caused modern historians more grief. In ancient times, a will is voided if all the heirs are not mentioned. Since, Postumus’ adoption was reversed, the will is supposedly in tact, but some think this is again proof that Augustus ordered Postumus’ execution, which I don’t buy.