The Roman City-State under the Emperors Thestreetsofthecitywerecrammed,torchesblazingacrosstheCam-
pusMartius.Therewerethesoldiersinarms,themagistrateswithout
theirinsignia,thepeoplearrangedbytribes—theyshoutedthattheres
publicahadfallen,thattherewasnohopeleft,sovigorouslyandopenly
thatyouwouldthinktheyhadforgottentheirrulers.Nothing,how-
ever, pained Tiberius more than the feelings of the people inflamed
in support of Agrippina.They called her the glory of thepatria,the
soledescendantofAugustus,theonlyrepresentativeofancientvalues.
Turning to the heavens and the gods, they prayed that her children
wouldbesafe,andsurvivetheirenemies.Perhaps I can leave this all too loaded narrative there, except just to note
Tacitus’accountofpopularcomparisonsofthefuneralofGermanicuswith
themuchmoreelaborateandtraditionalonewhichhadbeenaccordedtohis
fatherDrusus—andtomentiontheexcellentbookbyHarrietFlower,pub-
lishedin,onancestormasksandtheirroleinRomansociety.^37 Tacitus’
account concludes withTiberius’ edict urging the people to restrain their
grief,asnotbeinginaccordancewithRomantradition,andtoresumenor-
mallife.^38
Later,Tacitus comes to Piso’s leisurely return to Rome, and his trial in
theSenate,onachargeofthemurderofGermanicus,andofawholeseries
oftreasonableacts,committedwhileGermanicuswasonaspecialmission
tosettleaffairsintheEasternprovinces,andPisowastheregulargovernor
(legatus)ofSyria.^39 Heretoo,apopularreactionisrecordedduringthepro-
ceedings.AcrowdsurroundedtheCuria,andshoutedthattheywouldnot
keeptheirhandsoffPisoiftheSenatedidnotcondemnhim.Inatypicaluse
ofsymbolism,theytookstatuesof PisototheGemonianStepsandwould
havesmashedthembutfortheinterventionoftheemperor.^40
Before the trial reached a conclusion, Piso committed suicide. Tacitus’
narrativethendevotesseveralparagraphstosubsequentsenatorialdebates,
directed to dissociating his widow, Plancina, and his two sons from their
father’sallegedcrimes,andtopreservingtheirstatus.^41
ThesetwoseparatestagesintheeventswhichtookplaceinRomeinthe
aftermathofthedeathofGermanicusarethetwomomentswhicharenow
illuminated,inaquiteremarkableway,bynewdocuments.Thetwostages
.Ann.,;H.Flower,Ancestor Masks and Aristocratic Power in Roman Culture().
.Ann.,.
.Ann.,–.
.Ann.,,–.
.Ann.,–.