Agrippa Postumus
The forgotten grandson of Augustus, whose exile and murder cleared the path for Tiberius to become the second Roman emperor.
Born -12 (age 2038)·Grandson of Augustus (12 BC – AD 14)·Birthday: June 26
Biography
Agrippa Postumus was the final son of Marcus Agrippa and Julia, born into Rome's first imperial family. His grandfather Augustus formally adopted him, signaling potential as a successor. Ancient sources described him as brutish and perhaps intellectually simple; he failed to fit the mold of a Roman princeps. In AD 6, Augustus banished him to the tiny island of Planasia, erasing him from the line of succession. He lived in obscurity for nearly a decade while Tiberius consolidated power. The moment Augustus died in AD 14, a centurion killed Postumus, a shadowy political murder that removed the last dynastic obstacle and secured the bloody transition of power defining the Julio-Claudian era.
#1 When Agrippa Was Born
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Agrippa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
-12Born
-7Started school
1Became a teenager
4Could drive
6Could vote
9Turned 21
18Turned 30
28Turned 40
38Turned 50
48Turned 60
58Turned 70
68Turned 80
2026Age 2038 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Formally adopted by Emperor Augustus as a potential heir to the Roman Empire.
- His banishment in AD 6 was a pivotal event that directly enabled Tiberius's succession.
- His execution in AD 14 marked one of the first political murders of the nascent imperial regime.
Did You Know?
His original name was Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus, with 'Postumus' indicating he was born after his father's death.
He was exiled to the small, remote island of Planasia (modern Pianosa) off the coast of Tuscany.
The ancient historian Tacitus heavily implied that Tiberius ordered his murder, though the order may have come from Augustus's wife, Livia.
“My blood was my only crime and my only claim.”
