HIST 1061 Lecture 27: Julio-Claudians: Early Principates
Document Summary
As you will see, this dynasty fails because of augustus. He did not establish a good heir/establish dynasty which will create major problems. A conspiracy theory was augustus had a grandson that he could have named heir. He was a bad child and augustus banished him to a protected island in hopes that he would mature and be ready to become principate. Augustus visited his grandson at the island years later and realized he would never be capable of ruling rome. Now, tiberius was the only possible heir to the throne. Because of augustus, romans ruled as principates not emperors. After augustus died peacefully of old age in ad 14, he is deified even though it was against his wishes. Some say he asked his wife to poison his favorite date tree because he was suffering but that is unlikely true.
