Editing Agrippina the Elder (section)

===Political rivalry===
[[File:Agrippina major sesterce memoriae.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Bronze [[sestertius]] of [[Caligula]] with Agrippina on the obverse, minted circa AD 37.<ref>{{harvnb|Ferrero|1911|p=219}}</ref>]]
On [[New Year's Day]], AD 24, Sejanus had the [[pontiff|priests]] and magistrates add prayers for the health of Nero and Drusus in addition to those normally offered to the emperor on that day. Tiberius was not happy with this and he voiced his displeasure in the Senate. In addition, he questioned the priests of the [[Palatine]]. Some of the priests who offered the prayers were relatives of Agrippina and Germanicus. This made Tiberius suspicious of her and marked a change in his attitude toward her and her older sons, but not Caligula.<ref>{{harvnb|Dando-Collins|2008|pp=94–5}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Adams|2007|p=107}}</ref>

In AD 25, Sejanus requested Livilla's hand in marriage. Livilla was a niece of the emperor, which would have made him a member of the imperial family. While this did make his ambitions clear, his request was denied. The loss may have been huge for Sejanus had the dissensions in the imperial household not been deteriorating. Relations were so bad that Agrippina refused to eat at Tiberius' dinner parties for fear of being poisoned. She also asked Tiberius if she could be allowed to remarry, which he also refused.<ref name=Alston31/>

If either of them were allowed to remarry it would have threatened the line of succession that Tiberius was comfortable with. By refusing Sejanus' request, Tiberius made it clear he was content with the children of Germanicus and his own grandchildren being his successors. Had Sejanus married Livilla, their children would have provided another line of possible successors. The implication of Agrippina's request was that she needed a man from outside the imperial family to serve as protector and step-father of possible imperial heirs, a powerful position. It was also an implied reprimand: Tiberius was meant to be the guardian of the imperial family.<ref name=Alston31/>

Tiberius was in a tough position. He was faced with a conflict between his family and his friend. His solution was surprising. In AD 26, he left Rome altogether and retired to the island of [[Capri]] in the [[Bay of Naples]]. He cut himself off from the factions altogether and abandoned politics. He left Rome in the care of Sejanus. This allowed Sejanus to freely attack his rivals.<ref name=Adams108>{{harvnb|Adams|2007|p=108}}</ref><ref name=Alston32>{{harvnb|Alston|1998|p=32}}</ref>