The other problem Tibbo had in 16 was a belated consequence of the removal of Agrippa Postumus.

As soon as he heard of Augustus’ death, Clemens, one of Agrippa’s slaves, had decided to sail to Planasia and engineer Agrippa’s escape to the German armies, where he obviously expected to gain the support of Germanicus and Agrippina.

But he was forced to travel on a slow-moving merchant ship and arrived too late to put this plan into operation.

For the moment he had to be content with stealing his murdered master’s ashes.

CASSIUS DIO: The same year a certain Clemens, who had been a slave of Agrippa and resembled him to a certain extent, pretended to be Agrippa himself. He went to Gaul and won many to his cause there and many later in Italy, and finally he marched upon Rome with the avowed intention of recovering the dominion of his grandfather. 4 The population of the city became excited at this, and not a few joined his cause; but Tiberius got him into his hands by a ruse with the aid of some persons who pretended to sympathize with this upstart. He thereupon tortured him, in order to learn something about his fellow-conspirators. Then, when the other would not utter a word, he asked him: “How did you come to be Agrippa?” And he replied: “In the same way as you came to be Caesar.”

Tiberius thought it best to hush up the whole affair.

Clemens was quietly executed, and although many distinguished persons were said to be implicated, no enquiry was held.

BTW: Hi Cameron, I don’t know if you remember me but I was the bloke who couldn’t make it to your Sydney smoko last year. Anyway, I just finished watching Granada’s “The Caesars” ep. 1 and in the credits (yep, Saturday nights go off here in Woollamia) the character “Clemens” is played by an actor called…Barry Stanton. I just thought you and Ray might have a giggle about this. Keep up the reading and podding until the basterds ban one or the other or both. Regards, Craig Henderson

Meanwhile in Germany…

Tiberius’ prophecy had come true.

Now that the Romans had left, the Germans were fighting each other again.

two Suebian tribes, the Semnones and the Langobardi, had defected from Maroboduus’ empire to Arminius

Bodacious is back!

We talked about him back in Augustus 92.

April of this year. Six months ago.

Such simpler times.

Remember he has a man bun, but back in 6 CE, he’d been DP’d by Tibbo and Ringo aka Saturninus.

Then they did a quick peace deal with him because Tibbo needed to go deal with the rebellion in the east.

The peace must have held, because here we are ten years later and he’s obviously an ally of Rome

Because after Arminius steal two of his allied, Inguiomerus, Inglorious Bastard, Herman’s uncle, went over to Maroboduus.

And it’s ON bitches!

They fight a battle, its undecided, and Bodacious calls for help from Rome.

But Tibbo refused to help.

He said “where were you when we needed help against Herman?”

Not only did Tibbo not send help – he actually sent Drusus to hasten Bodacious’ downfall.

There was a guy called Catualda

He’s once been a member of the Marcomanni nobility but had run away.

Now he sees Bodacious is weakened and with some help from Drusus, he goes back with a large force and storms Bodacious’s royal stronghold.

Bodacious escapes and begs Tibbo for refuge.

Which is granted.

He lives in Ravenna for the next 22 years until his death.

Tibbo is pretty pleased about getting rid of Bodacious and he gives a big speech where he says Bodacious was as dangerous to Rome as Pyrrhus.

Once the threat of the Romans and Maroboduus was removed, Arminius’ desire for supreme power turned his people against him.

A leader of the Chatti, Adgandestrius, wrote to the senate offering to poison Arminius if poison could be sent from Rome, an offer scornfully rejected as unworthy of the Roman people

TACITUS: the reply was that it was not by secret treachery but openly and by arms that the people of Rome avenged themselves on their enemies

But after a civil war Arminius eventually was killed about 21 in a plot hatched by his own kinsmen.

TACITUS: Assuredly he was the deliverer of Germany, one too who had defied Rome, not in her early rise, as other kings and generals, but in the height of her empire’s glory, had fought, indeed, indecisive battles, yet in war remained unconquered. He completed thirty-seven years of life, twelve years of power, and he is still a theme of song among barbarous nations, though to Greek historians, who admire only their own achievements, he is unknown, and to Romans not as famous as he should be, while we extol the past and are indifferent to our own times.

Drusus’ diplomatic achievements were rewarded with the voting of an ovation by the senate, probably in spring 19, and a triumphal arch was built, with images of Germanicus and Drusus, beside the temple of Mars Ultor.