Editing Gaius Caesar (section)

==== Departure ====

[[File:Tempio di Marte Ultore (Roma) - Laterale.jpg|thumb|Remains of the [[Forum of Augustus]] with the [[Temple of Mars Ultor]]]]

Due to his advanced age, Augustus was unable to travel to the east himself. There were few to whom the Emperor could entrust matters in the east, but he was confident in Gaius. Gaius made a good choice because his presence represented that of the imperial family – all orders, promises, or threats coming from him were as valid as if they came from the Emperor himself. Nonetheless, he was only eighteen, and therefore too young for the conduct of important business.<ref name=Ferrero259-261>{{harvnb|Ferrero|1909|pp=259–261}}</ref>

Before leaving for the east, he and his brother Lucius were given the authority to consecrate buildings, and they did, with their management of the games held to celebrate the dedication of the [[Temple of Mars Ultor]] (1 August 2{{nbsp}}BC). His youngest brother, Postumus, participated in the Trojan game with the rest of the equestrian youth. 260 lions were slaughtered in the [[Circus Maximus]], there was gladiatorial combat, a naval battle between the "Persians" and the "Athenians", and 36 crocodiles were slaughtered in the [[Circus Flaminius]].<ref group=note>Cassius Dio reports that, after the games, Gaius was given command of the legions on the Ister ([[Danube]]), and that he did not take part in actions as he was there to learn (Dio, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#10 LV.10]).</ref><ref name=Dio10>Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#10 LV.10]</ref>

Friends of Augustus had hoped that he would abandon his plan of sending Gaius to the east but, faced with increasing troubles there, he persisted with the plan and dispatched Gaius to Syria at the beginning of 1{{nbsp}}BC. The Emperor entrusted Gaius with proconsular authority and had him marry his second cousin Livilla, the daughter of Drusus the Elder and [[Antonia Minor]].<ref name=Dio10/><ref>{{harvnb|Hazel|2002|p=48}}</ref>

Due to Gaius' youth and inexperience, the Emperor had advisors go with him. Among his entourage to the east were: [[Marcus Lollius]] as ''adiutor'' ("helper"),<ref name=Suetonius12>Suetonius, ''The Lives of the Twelve Caesars'', "Tiberius", [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Tiberius*.html#12 12]</ref> [[Publius Sulpicius Quirinus]] as ''rector'' ("guide"),<ref>Tacitus, ''The Annals'', [[s:The Annals (Tacitus)/Book 3#48|III.48]]</ref> the future historian [[Velleius Paterculus]],<ref name=Paterculus101>Velleius Paterculus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Velleius_Paterculus/2D*.html#101 II.101]</ref> [[Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 16 BC)|Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus]] (grandfather of Nero),<ref>Suetonius, ''The Lives of the Twelve Caesars'', "Nero", [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Nero*.html#5 5]</ref> [[Juba II]] of Numidia,<ref name=Bowersock56>{{harvnb|Bowersock|1983|p=56}}</ref> and future [[praetorian prefect]] [[Sejanus]].<ref>Tacitus, ''The Annals'', [[s:The Annals (Tacitus)/Book 4#1|IV.1]]</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Ferrero|1909|p=272}}</ref>

On his way to Syria, Gaius met with Tiberius, who had abandoned politics and retired to [[Rhodes]].<ref name=Paterculus101/> According to [[Suetonius]], Gaius gave Tiberius a cold reception on the isle of [[Samos]]. Tiberius was alienated at the meeting, by the behaviour of both Lollius and Gaius' centurions. Suetonius further wrote that Tiberius wrote to the Emperor that Lollius should be replaced.<ref name=Suetonius12/> Lollius' rivalry with Tiberius continued even after Gaius and his entourage reached Syria. Lollius strove to turn Gaius against Tiberius; Gaius, in any case, had no affection for the man who had contributed, directly or indirectly, to the ruin of his mother.<ref group=note>In 2 BC, Julia the Elder was forced into exile after she had received a letter in Tiberius' name. She was deemed guilty of committing adultery on multiple accounts by her father Augustus (Dio, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#10 LV.10]; Suetonius,  ''The Lives of the Twelve Caesars''. "Augustus", [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#65 65]).</ref> On one occasion, Lollius offered to decapitate Tiberius if Gaius gave the word.<ref>Suetonius, ''The Lives of the Twelve Caesars'', "Tiberius", [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Tiberius*.html#13 13]</ref> Suetonius wrote that it was Lollius' growing influence that compelled Tiberius to plead with Augustus for his return to Rome.<ref>{{harvnb|Ferrero|1909|p=275}}</ref>