A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

a posthumous son of M. Vipsanius Agrippa, by Julia, the daughter of Augustus, was born in B. C. 12. He was adopted by Augustus together with Tiberius in A. D. 4, and he asstumed the toga virilis in the following year, A. D. 5. (Suet. (Octav. 64, 65; D. C. 54.29, 55.22.) Notwithstanding his adoption he was afterwards banished by Augustus to the island of Planasia, on the coast of Corsica, a disgrace which he incurred on account of his savage and intractable character; but he was not guilty of any crime. There he was under the surveillance of soldiers, and Augustus obtained a senatusconsultum by which the banishment was legally confirmed for the time of his life. The property of Agrippa was assigned by Augustus to the treasury of the army. It is said that during his captivity he received the visit of Augustus, who secretly went to Planasia, accompanied by Fabius Maximus. Augustus and Agrippa, both deeply affected, shed tears when they met, and it was believed that Agrippa would be restored to liberty. But the news of this visit reached Livia, the mother of Tiberius, and Agrippa remained a captive. After the accession of Tiberius, in A. D. 14, Agrippa was murdered by a centurion, who entered his prison and killed him after a long struggle, for Agrippa was a man of great bodily strength. When the centurion afterwards went to Tiberius to give him an account of the execution, the emperor denied having given any order for it, and it is very probable that Livia was the secret author of the crime. There was a rumour that Augustus had left an order for the execution of Agrippa, but this is positively contradicted by Tacitus. (Tac. Ann. 1.3_6; D. C. 55.32, 57.3; Suet. l. c , Tib. 22; Vell. 2.104, 112.)

After the death of Agrippa, a slave of the name of Clemens, who was not informed of the murder, landed on Planasia with the intention of restoring Agrippa to liberty and carrying him off to the army in Germany. When he heard of what had taken place, he tried to profit by his great resemblance to the murdered captive, and he gave himself out as Agrippa. He landed at Ostia, and found many who believed him, or affected to believe him, but he was seized and put to death order of Tiberius. (Tac. Ann. 2.39, 40.)

The name of Agrippa Caesar is found on a medal of Corinth.

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