Chapter 6 Summary

This chapter focuses on events occurring around 6 BC, and is primarily concerned with Tiberius, Claudius' paternal uncle and the man who would follow Augustus as Caesar. As part of Tiberius' political grooming, Augustus causes him to divorce his beloved and young wife Vipsania and marry the older Julia; Tiberius thus legally becomes a member of the imperial family. However, Tiberius misses his first wife and quickly comes to detest Julia even though she finds him pleasing. Julia, by Agrippina, had given birth to Gaius, Lucius, and Postumus, as well as two daughters including Julilla (Postumus, it will be remembered, becomes Claudius' particular friend). Gaius and Lucius are adopted by Augustus, but Tiberius soon refuses to have normal relations with Julia and she embarks on an impressive array of scandalous and perverse sexual affairs. To remove himself from the scandal and complications, Tiberius enters...