Julius, Augustus, and Tiberius

Related to each other by blood, marriage, and legal adoption, these three men ruled the Roman Republic or Empire for nearly 90 years.  They were the first three rulers belonging to the Julio-Claudian dynasty that ruled Rome and the known world for more than 100 years.  Both families, the Julio and Claudian, were powerful contributors to the government of ancient Rome dating back to the republic's beginnings in 509 BC. In their times, however, these three men, Julius, Augustus, and Tiberius, gained and maintained their power by ruthless means.

Julius Cesar was the last ruler of Rome as a republic.  His rise to power came from both his political connections and military success.  After declining to obey the constitutional government's request to step down from his military command and return to Rome, Julius instead turned his army on Rome.  The result was in civil war.   When Cesar prevailed, he set himself up as dictator destroying the constitutional democracy that had governed Roman territories for centuries.  This alarmed others with power who orchestrated his murder on the senate floor on the Ides of March 44 BC.  During Julius Cesar's short reign from 49 to 44 BC, he implemented what is now called the Julian Calendar.  It is a calendar based on 365 days divided into12 months with an extra day added every four years.  The Julian calendar is the basis for the 1500's Gregorian Calendar that is the calendar used nearly worldwide today.

During the 17 years after the death of Julius Cesar, Rome was torn by civil war.  The fighting factions were lead by the three Triumvirate leaders, Marc Anthony, Octavian adopted son of Julius Cesar, and Lepidus a trusted general.   Lepidus was defeated first.  Marc Anthony sought for and gained money and military support from Cleopatra that reigned in Egypt.  Still, it was Octavian the grand nephew of Julius Cesar (grandson of the Julius Cesar's sister) that finally prevailed.  He was renamed Augustus Cesar.  When Augustus reunited the vast Roman territories, the country was not longer a republic.  The constitutional democratic principles were without power to control Augustus.  He proclaimed himself emperor.  He ruled from 27 BC through 14 AD.   He was the Emperor of Rome at the time of Christ's birth.

Tiberius Caesar was the adopted step son of Augustus Cesar.  Although he ruled the Roman Empire a long time, 14AD to 37AD, he really did not rule all the time.  He retreated to isolated places and had others care with the daily duties of ruling the empire.  He did, however, return on occasion to replace leaders and stop revolts. Tiberius was the Roman emperor and known world leader at the time of the crucifixion of Christ.   It is most likely that Tiberius had no knowledge of Christ nor of his crucifixion as it was handled by his governor Pontius Pilate.  Tiberius, however, is mentioned in The Bible.  The beginning date of John the Baptist's ministry is marked as the "fifthteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar".  (Luke 3:1)  The penny coins mentioned in Matthew 22:19 and Mark 12:15 are most likely silver denarus coins with Tiberius Cesar's image.