18 Facts About Tiberius Gemellus

Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus, known as Tiberius Gemellus was the son of Drusus and Livilla, the grandson of the Emperor Tiberius, and the cousin of the Emperor Caligula.

Tiberius Gemellus was the twin brother of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus II Gemellus and the younger brother of his sister Julia.

The birth of Gemellus and his twin were celebrated by Tiberius, who claimed that never before in the history of Rome had twins been born to a man as high in rank as Drusus, and the event was commemorated on the reverse of coins.

Tiberius Gemellus's twin died while still a child in 23.

Since Gemellus was too young, Tiberius adopted his great-nephews by Germanicus, Nero and Drusus, and recommended them to the Senate.

Suetonius says Tiberius promoted the rise of Sejanus to secure the succession of Gemellus, his natural grandson, at the expense of Germanicus' sons Nero and Drusus.

Barbara Levick says that Sejanus must have murdered Drusus in self-defense because only Tiberius Gemellus stood between the Praetorian Prefect and the end of his career at the hands of Drusus.

Tacitus records that while they were in Capri, Tiberius looked at Caligula in tears, with Gemellus in his arms, and told him:.

Tiberius Gemellus accomplished this with the aid of Praetorian prefect Macro and the consuls of 37 who agreed to nullify Tiberius' will, thereby allowing him to inherit all of the estates which otherwise would have been divided with Gemellus.

Tiberius Gemellus was formally granted his toga virilis, was adopted by Caligula, co-opted into the Arval Brethren, and given the title of princeps iuventutis.

Tiberius Gemellus goes on to explain that Gemellus waited for a chance to benefit from Caligula's illness.

Suetonius says that Tiberius Gemellus took medicine for a chronic cough and that the smell was detected, leading to accusations of taking an antidote for poison.

Tiberius Gemellus was ordered by Caligula to commit suicide, for which soldiers gave him a sword and had to help him, because he is said not to have known how to kill himself with it.

Dio notes that Tiberius Gemellus was charged with praying for and anticipating Caligula's death.

The historian Anthony Barrett observes that Tiberius Gemellus would have represented Caligula during his illness at nonpolitical events with his uncle Claudius representing the emperor at games.

Tiberius Gemellus suggests that Caligula viewed anything that Gemellus did in his name with paranoia although Gemellus's only named supporter was Aulus Avilius Flaccus, the prefect of Egypt.

Tiberius Gemellus is played by Leon Wadham in Season 3 of the Netflix TV series Roman Empire.

Tiberius Gemellus is played by Bruno Brive in the 1979 film Caligula.