Roman Portraits - Tiberius

Tiberius was the second emperor after the beloved Augustus.  His rise to power was largely due to many timely deaths of Augustus' various successors, most poisoned by Livia, Tiberius' mother.  Hard and secretive by nature and embittered by the neglect with which his step-father Augustus allowed him to be treated, he did not arouse personal enthusiasm, and until recently was described by historians as a bloody tyrant. It is only during the last sixty years that he has been more fairly judged, and at present the opinion begins to prevail that he was a genuine Roman, a ruler faithful to his duties, just, wise, and self-contained. The strong opposition which grew up against him was due to his taciturn and domineering disposition, and to the influence of the prefect of the guard, Ælius Sejanus, who alone possessed his confidence.  During his last years, he retired to the island of Capri.  Historians' account of his various vices with young boys, including Caligula, tainted his otherwise competant reign.

Lugdunum mint. TI CAESAR DIVI AVG AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / PONTIF MAXIM, Livia, as Pax, seated right, holding olive branch & long scepter RSC 16a.