Editing Tiberius (section)

=== Retirement to Rhodes ===

In 6&nbsp;BC, while on the verge of accepting command in the East and becoming the second-most powerful man in Rome, Tiberius announced his withdrawal from politics and retired to [[Rhodes]].<ref>[[#Seager2005|Seager 2005]], pp. 23–24.</ref> The motives for Tiberius's withdrawal are unclear.{{sfn|Suetonius, ''Tiberius''|loc=10}} Some historians have speculated that Tiberius and Drusus were only ever intended as caretakers, and would have been swept aside once Julia's two sons by Agrippa, [[Gaius Caesar|Gaius]] and [[Lucius Caesar|Lucius]], were adopted as Augustus's heirs and came of age.{{sfn|Levick|1999|p=29}} The promiscuous, and very public behaviour of his unhappily married wife, Julia,{{sfn|Velleius|loc=2.100}} may have also played a part.{{sfn|Cassius Dio|loc=[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html#9 LV.9]}} Tacitus understood this to be Tiberius's innermost reason for moving to Rhodes, a reflection of his hatred of Julia and his longing for Vipsania.{{sfn|Tacitus, ''Annales''|loc=[[s:The Annals (Tacitus)/Book 1#53|I.53]]}} Tiberius, forbidden to see the woman he loved, found himself married to a woman he loathed, and publicly humiliated by her nighttime escapades in the [[Roman Forum]].<ref name=sag26 />

Whatever Tiberius's motives, his withdrawal was almost disastrous for Augustus's succession plans. Gaius and Lucius were still in their early teens, and Augustus, now 57 years old, had no immediate successor. There was no longer a guarantee of a [[peaceful transition of power|peaceful transfer of power]] after Augustus's death, nor a guarantee that his family, and therefore his family's allies, would continue to hold power should the position of ''[[Princeps]]'' survive.<ref name="sag26">[[#Seager2005|Seager 2005]], p. 26.</ref> Somewhat melodramatic stories tell of Augustus pleading with Tiberius to stay, even going so far as to stage a serious illness.<ref name="sag26" /> Tiberius's response was to anchor off the shore of [[Ostia Antica|Ostia]] until word came that Augustus had survived, then sailing straightway for Rhodes.{{sfn|Suetonius, ''Tiberius''|loc=11}} Tiberius reportedly regretted his departure and requested to return to Rome several times, but each time Augustus refused his requests.<ref>[[#Seager2005|Seager 2005]], p. 28.</ref>