Editing Gaius Caesar (section)

== Early life and family ==
[[File:Gaius Caesar (20 v. Chr. – 4 n. Chr..jpg|thumb|upright|Gaius Caesar]]
Gaius was born in [[Rome]] in 20{{nbsp}}BC to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder. He was a part of the [[Julio-Claudian dynasty]], and was related to all the Julio-Claudian emperors. On his mother's side, he was the oldest grandson of emperor [[Augustus]]. He was the stepson of [[Tiberius]] by his mother Julia's marriage to him, and brother in law of [[Claudius]] by his sister [[Agrippina the Elder]]'s marriage to [[Germanicus]]. He also was the uncle of [[Caligula]], who was the son of his sister Agrippina. The last emperor of the dynasty was [[Nero]], who was Gaius' great-nephew and the grandson of Germanicus.<ref>{{harvnb|Wood|1999|p=321}}</ref> An annual sacrifice on his birthday was granted in a decree.<ref>Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#8 LIV.8.5]</ref>

In 17{{nbsp}}BC, his brother Lucius was born. Augustus immediately adopted both Gaius and Lucius from their father by a symbolic sale, and named both Gaius and Lucius his (personal) heirs.<ref>Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#18 LIV.18.1]</ref> It is unknown what their father thought of the adoption.<ref>{{harvnb|Davies|Swain|2010|p=284}}</ref> Their adoptive father initiated them into administrative life when they were still young, and sent them to the provinces as consuls-elect. Augustus taught Gaius and Lucius how to read, swim, and the other elements of education, taking special pains to train them to imitate his own handwriting, mostly by himself.<ref>Suetonius, ''The Lives of the Twelve Caesars'', Life of Augustus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/suetonius/12caesars/Augustus*.html#64 64]</ref> Shortly after their adoption in the summer, Augustus held the fifth-ever ''[[Ludi Saeculares]]'' ("Secular Games"). The adoption of the boys coupled with the games served to introduce a new era of peace – the ''[[Pax Augusta]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Powell|2015|pp=159–160}}</ref>

[[File:Augustus Lugdunum principes iuventutis 671253.jpg|thumb|left|Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing with shields and spears between them; ''[[simpulum]]'' and ''[[lituus]]'' above.]]
That year his family left for the province of [[Roman Syria|Syria]], because Agrippa was given command of the eastern provinces with proconsular ''[[imperium maius]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Powell|2015|p=161}}</ref> Four years later, in 13{{nbsp}}BC, Gaius took part in the [[Lusus Troiae|Trojan games]] with the other patrician youths at the dedication of the [[Theatre of Marcellus]].<ref name=Smith555>{{harvnb|Smith|1873|p=555}}</ref> Also in 13{{nbsp}}BC, Agrippa and Augustus returned to Rome. Augustus sent Agrippa to [[Pannonia]] at the end of 13 to suppress a rebellion. Agrippa arrived there that winter (in 12{{nbsp}}BC), but the Pannonians gave up their plans. Agrippa returned to [[Campania]] in Italy, where he fell ill and died soon after.<ref>Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#28 LIV.28.1–2]</ref> The death of Gaius' father made succession a pressing issue. The ''[[aurei]]'' and ''[[denarius|denarii]]'' issued in 13–12{{nbsp}}BC made clear the Emperor's dynastic plans for Gaius and Lucius.<ref name="Wood 1999 65">{{harvnb|Wood|1999|p=65}}</ref>

The luxurious rural villa-estate at [[Roman villa of Ossaia|Ossaia]] near [[Cortona]] was owned by Gaius and Lucius Caesar.<ref>The Imperial “Villa” at Ossaia (Arezzo, Italy): Preliminary Data on the Territory of Roman Cortona, Helena Fracchia et al. Echos du monde classique: Classical views, University of Toronto Press, Volume XL, n.s. 15, Number 1, 1996, pp. 157-200</ref>

Their father was no longer available to assume the reins of power if the Emperor were to die, and Augustus had to make it clear who his intended heirs were in case anything should happen.<ref name="Wood 1999 65"/> To learn about military affairs, he accompanied Tiberius in his campaign against the [[Sicambri]] in 8{{nbsp}}BC.<ref name=Smith555/> The year before, Tiberius' brother [[Nero Claudius Drusus|Drusus the Elder]] died on his way back from a campaign across the [[Rhine]]. Tiberius was given command of Germania, and waged two campaigns across the Rhine in 8{{nbsp}}BC and 7{{nbsp}}BC. He marched his army between the [[Elbe]] and the Rhine, and met little resistance, except from the Sicambri. Tiberius came close to exterminating the Sicambri, and had those who survived transported to the Roman side of the Rhine, where they could be watched more closely.<ref>{{harvnb|Wells|2003|p=157}}</ref>