Britannicus

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Britannicus (detail of a statue of Messalina in the Louvre; Image: Gautier Poupeau)

Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus or Britannicus (* February 12, 41 AD; † February 55 ) was the son of the Roman emperor Claudius and his third wife Valeria Messalina .

Life

When Britannicus was born, his father had only been emperor for a month. The Senate gave him his nickname after Claudius had rejected the title for himself on the occasion of the conquest of Britain in 43. Claudius entrusted the scholar Sosibius with the upbringing of his son . The future Emperor Titus was brought up together with him .

When Messalina married the consul-designate Gaius Silius in 48, the latter planned to adopt Britannicus and put him on the throne in place of his biological father. As a result of this betrayal, Claudius had Messalina executed. Through Claudius 'marriage to his niece Agrippina in 49, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus , three years his senior , became the son of Agrippina and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus , Britannicus' stepbrother. Claudius soon adopted his stepson, who took the name Nero, betrothed him to his daughter Octavia and declared him heir to the throne together with Britannicus. Agrippina made sure that her son looked better, so Britannicus and Nero performed together in the circus, Britannicus in the toga puerilis and Nero in the garb of a triumphant. Tacitus also reported that Agrippina's opponents, including Messalina's former supporters, rallied around Britannicus. When Britannicus still addressed his stepbrother by his maiden name years later, Agrippina took the opportunity to point out a threatening split between his sons to Claudius, whereupon Claudius had Britannicus' tutor Sosibius executed.

As Britannicus approached the age of majority, Claudius seemed to consider divorcing Agrippina and appointing his biological son as the only heir. Agrippina got ahead of this by removing Claudius in 54 with a poisoned mushroom dish. After Claudius' death she had Britannicus and his sisters locked up in the palace and introduced Nero to the Senate as successor.

After disputes about Nero's way of life, Agrippina soon threatened Nero with Britannicus' coming of age. According to Tacitus, Nero had his stepbrother poisoned at a feast shortly before his 14th birthday by bribing his taster . The poison is said to have been prepared by Lucusta , who is also said to have been involved in the murder of Claudius. According to Suetonius, Nero lied to the horrified guests that Britannicus had fallen victim to a "common attack of epilepsy ". Britannicus may actually have suffered from this disease like Gaius Julius Caesar and may have died from it.

Britannicus is also the main character in the tragedy of the same name by Jean Racine .

swell

Web links

Commons : Britannicus  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Cassius Dio , Roman History 60,32,5 ; Tacitus , Annals 11,1,2 .
  2. ↑ Tacitus: Annals 11:26
  3. ↑ Tacitus: Annals 12.41
  4. ^ Suetonius : Claudius 43.
  5. ↑ Tacitus: Annals 13: 14f; Suetonius: Nero 33.
  6. ↑ Michael Newton: The great encyclopedia of serial killers. VF Collector, Graz 2005, ISBN 3-85365-189-5 , p. 236 f.
personal data
SURNAME Britannicus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Son of the Roman emperor Claudius and Messalina
DATE OF BIRTH February 12, 41
DATE OF DEATH February 55