The Life and Times of Tiberius

In Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' a boat ride sees the lives of noblemen change forever. A tempest hits the King of Naples' ship and the mariners attempt to take control, but the noblemen hinder their efforts as they reinforce they are royalty and the mariners should try a little harder. The boatswain puts across the point that their station in life does not matter in the circumstances and they should return to their cabins. When the mariners abandon ship, they join the King of Naples because there is nothing they can do.

The tempest is a ploy because it brings the noblemen to the island where their estranged brother is residing. Prospero sends Ariel, a spirit, to create the tempest--Prospero frees Ariel from Sycorax, another master, and assumes the role as his master. The reasons being Prospero is robbed of his title (Duke of Milan) by Antonio, his brother, and is sentenced to death but escapes to the island.

Betrayal, revenge and magic may have brought the noblemen to the island, but once there, they would face trials and tribulations of their own--they would see life from a new perspective by living the island life that Prospero faces.

'The Tempest' is filled with magic but the profound message of fate and making decisions is akin to the life and times of Tiberius.

Tiberus' life would mirror his father's to some extent. That is Augustus would rule supreme as well as meddling in the private lives of Romans. In terms of Tiberius' father, Augustus became besotted with his wife and married her once their divorce came through.

During his childhood, Tiberius was studious and became well educated. He later married but would lose both his brother and wife. His brother died and Augustus stepped in and asked Tiberius to divorce his wife so he could marry another, but this marriage was unsuccessful--his wife committed adultery.

Once Augustus died, the Romans could have come to expect great things from the next emperor. In terms of an empire, the expectations could have been even higher and as this would be an unstable time, the emperor's expectations of the Romans would also be questioned. Also whether Tiberius could live up to and follow in the steps of Augustus.

Tiberius met the challenge, and through his great management skills, accomplished some great feats.

Although with age, he became less occupied with the people and left another as a stand-in ruler. He died in 37 A. D. and Caligula succeeded to power.

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