From this family Tiberius Caesar is descended; indeed both by the father and
mother's side; by the former from Tiberius Nero, and by the latter from Appius
Pulcher, who were both sons of Appius Caecus. He likewise belonged to the family
of the Livii, by the adoption of his mother's grandfather into it; which family
although plebeian, made a distinguished figure, having had the honour of eight
consulships, two censorships, three triumphs, one dictatorship, and the office
of master of the horse; and was famous for eminent men, particularly, Salinator
and the Drusi. Salinator, in his censorship,A.U.C.
550 branded all the tribes, for their inconstancy in having made him
consul a second time, as well as censor, although they had condemned him to a
heavy fine after his first consulship. Drusus procured for himself and his
posterity a new surname, by killing in single combat Drausus, the enemy's chief.
He is likewise said to have recovered, when pro-praetor in the province of
Gaul, the gold which was formerly
given to the Senones, at the siege of
the capitol, and had not, as is reported, been forced from them by Camillus. His
great-great-grandson, who, for his extraordinary services against the Gracchi,
was styled the "Patron of the Senate," left a son, who, while plotting in a
sedition of the same description, was treacherously murdered by the opposite
party.A.U.C. 663
But the father of Tiberius Caesar, being quaestor to Caius Caesar, and commander
of his fleet in the war of Alexandria, contributed greatly to its success. He was
therefore made one of the high-priests in the room of Publius Scipio;A.U.C. 707 and was sent to settle some colonies in
Gaul, and amongst the rest, those
of Narbonne and Arles. These, and other
towns in the south of France, became, and long continued, the chief seats of
Roman civilization among the Gauls; which is marked by the magnificent
remains of ancient art still to be seen. Aries, in particular, is a place of great interest.
After the assassination of Caesar, however, when the rest of the senators, for
fear of public disturbances, were for having the affair buried in oblivion, he
proposed a resolution for rewarding those who had killed the tyrant. Having
filled the office of praetor,A.U.C. 710 and at the
end of the year a disturbance breaking out amongst the triumviri, he kept the
badges of his office beyond the legal time; and following Lucius Antonius the
consul, brother of the triumvir, to Perusia,A.U.C. 713 though the rest
submitted, yet he himself continued firm to the party, and escaped first to
Praeneste, and then to
Naples; whence, having in vain
invited the slaves to liberty, he fled over to Sicily. But resenting his not being immediately admitted into
the presence of Sextus Pompey, and being also prohibited the use of the fasces,
he went over into Achaia to Mark Antony; with whom, upon a reconciliation soon
after brought about amongst the several contending parties, he returned to
Rome; and, at the request of
Augustus, gave up to him his wife Livia Drusilla, although she was then big with
child, and had before borne him a son. He died not long after; leaving behind
him two sons, Tiberius and Drusus Nero.