Germanicus

Germanicus (24 May 15 BCE-10 Oct 19 CE) was a popular Roman General and a prominent member of the Julio-Claudian Family.
He was married to Agrippina the Elder and his son was the future Emperor Caligula.

Germanicus was the grandson-in-law of Augustus, brother of Claudius, father of Caligula, grandfather of Nero, nephew of Tiberius.
Augustus compelled Tiberius to name Germanicus as his Heir.
Germanicus was married to Agrippina the Elder and they had six children, including the future emperor Caligula.

Between 14-17 CE, Germanicus was made Proconsul of Germania.
He quelled a rebellion of the Legions and recognising the cause to be a result of inactivity, embarked on a series of punitive raids against the German Tribes.
The first raid resulted in a massacre of the Marsi Tribe and the recovery of a lost Eagle of the Legion from the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (9 CE).

In 14 CE he then took the 8 Legions and campaigned against Arminius, the victor of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, to avenge this Roman defeat. He massacred the Bructeri Tibe and recaptured the Eagle of the Legion of the Legio XIX. He succeeded in taking Arminius’ wife Thusnelda, prisoner. He visited the Site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, burying the remains of the Roman soldiers.
He then attacked Arminius’ Tribe the Cherusci, forcing them to disperse into the Forest and returned the Legions safely back across the Rhine to their winter quarters.
In 16 CE Germanicus again invaded Germania without consulting Tiberius and confronted Arminius’ army at the Battle of the Weser River at Idistaviso, forcing the Germans to flee after taking severe losses. After another similarly successful battle, the Legions were brought back across the Rhine to winter quarters. Unfortunately part the Fleet that was supplying them was lost due to storms in the North Sea.
After several more campaigns, Germanicus was recalled to Rome. However, his victories in Germania were inconclusive, since they did not result in the overall defeat of the Germanic Tribes. This was possibly because the Legions were simply being kept busy, to prevent them from another mutiny, rather than following a well thought-out strategy.
Germanicus was successful in the recovery of two of the Standards of the three Legions lost in 9 CE. He also dispersed the German Tribes and broke down their alliances.

17 CE Germanicus returned to Rome where he was given a Roman Triumph and made Consul and shared power with Tiberius.
18 CE Taking his wife and family with him, Germanicus was posted to Syria as an Envoy and conducted peaceful negotiations on Tiberius‘ behalf with the Frontier Kingdoms.
This included the King of Armenia, the King of the Nabataean Kingdom, the King of Parthia, the still independent city of Palmyra, the Roman Client Kingdom of Emesa, and the conversion of Commagene from a client kingdom into a Roman Province after the death of its King.

In 19 CE After a visit to Egypt Germanicus fell ill. Just before he died, he accused Piso, the Governor of Syria of poisoning him. His wife, Agrippina the Elder, returned to Rome and publicly accused Piso of her husband’s murder. Piso was summoned by the Senate to explain himself, and afterwards committed suicide.
Germanicus was buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus.

In 29 CE, Agrippina the Elder and two of her sons, Nero and Drusus, were arrested on a false accusation by Tiberius of planning to take sanctuary, and put on Trial before the Roman Senate.
Agrippina was banished as an Exile to the island of Ventotene (Pandateria), the same island to which her mother had been banished.
In 33 CE she died there of starvation.

Two of their sons, Nero and Drusus, died in Rome, either of starvation or they committed suicide.
Caligula, the third son, escaped this fate, as he was invited to stay with Tiberius in his villa at Capri in 31 CE.

Caligula became Emperor in 37 CE after Tiberius died.
As soon as he was crowned Emperor, Caligula, went to Ventotene, and returned both with his Mother’s ashes and those of his brother Nero.
The urn containing her ashes was placed on the bows of a Bireme that was ceremoniously rowed up the Tiber into Rome. The ashes were then placed in the Mausoleum of Augustus with those of Germanicus.