Nero Claudius Drusus, son of the future emperor Tiberius and his first wife Vipsania, was born in 15 or 14 BC. After the adoption of his father by Emperor Augustus in 4 AD, he was called Drusus Iulius Caesar, although he is often referred to as Drusus the Younger(Drusus minor) to distinguish him from his uncle of the same name.
Although he was also adopted by his father from the Claudian family into the Iulian family, he was initially excluded from the succession to the throne of Augustus. Instead, his cousin Germanicus was to succeed Tiberius.
Nevertheless, he received his political offices at the same age as the latter and quickly climbed the political ladder. He became princeps iuventutis (first of the youth) as early as 2 AD and quaestor in 11 AD, took on senatorial duties around 14, held the consulship in 15 and 21 without having previously been praetor and received the tribunicia potestas in 22. His political relevance - despite his young age - is also evident from the fact that after the death of Augustus in 14, he is said to have read out his will before the Senate and delivered the funeral oration.
However, Drusus did not have much time to mourn, as his military career would begin shortly after the emperor's death: He was sent to Illyricum by Tiberius, the confirmed successor of Augustus, together with the praetorian prefect Seian. His task here was to bring the mutinous legions back under control. The legions in Illyricum and on the Rhine began to mutiny as they had not received the funds promised after the emperor's death. At the same time as Drusus, Germanicus settled the situation in Germania. Drusus was able to regain control of the soldiers and had the leaders of the uprising executed.
After his return to Rome, he exercised the consulship in 15 AD. In the same year, Drusus fell out with Seian. According to the ancient writer Tacitus, the two quarreled frequently and Drusus is said to have publicly punched Seian in the face during one of these quarrels. This assault is said to have been the reason for Seian's plan to eliminate Drusus first. He intended to get rid of all potential successors to the emperor in order to gain power himself. To this end, he was also supposed to have induced Livilla, the wife of Drusus and sister of Germanicus, to commit adultery.
Drusus, on the other hand, was initially given proconsular command by Tiberius and sent back to Illyricum. For a potential successor to the emperor, it was important to gain popularity among the soldiers and earn his military spurs. Although an ovatio was decided for him and Germanicus in 18, he only returned to Rome for burial after the latter's death at the end of 19 / beginning of 20.
Drusus celebrated his ovatio in May 20 and traveled to Illyricum again in the second half of the year before returning to Rome for his second consulship.
After his successful consulship together with his father Tiberius, he was granted tribunician power in 22 and was now considered Tiberius' designated successor. A potential thorn in the side of the influential and powerful praetorian prefect Seian, who had not yet forgotten his plan. Tacitus reports that Seian had an affair with Drusus' wife and persuaded her to poison her husband.
Whether Seian really had a grand plan and was responsible for Drusus' death, we cannot say for sure today. However, Drusus died suddenly at around the age of 30 in September 23. Drusus received various posthumous honors from the Senate and, as in his lifetime, statues and altars were to be erected in his honor after his death.
In order to become a member of the imperial family, Seian is said to have subsequently requested permission to marry the widow Livilla. Although Tiberius refused this request, Seian continued to rise in the emperor's favor in the following years. It was not until 31 that Germanicus' mother Antonia is said to have uncovered a possible conspiracy by Seian, which may have consisted of him secretly marrying Livilla after all. After Seian was executed, his ex-wife Apicata revealed Seian's and Livilla's involvement in the death of the younger Drusus.
Friedrich W. Brüggemann
Photo: Upper section of the "Cameo of Tiberius", also known as the "Grand Camée de France", created between 23 and 29/25 or 27 AD, but most likely around 23 AD. Today preserved in Paris (Ilya Shurygin, 2014).
