Shotter provides an up-to-date study of the character and the life of Tiberius Caesar, heir of Augustus and Emperor of Rome from AD 14 to AD 37.

The character and reign of Tiberius has long been an enigma; he was a man of evident capability, yet his life ended in frustration and disillusionment for both himself and his subjects.

This book examines the influences on his early life, the problems he experienced as the successor of Augustus, the difficulties he found in his relationships with his contemporaries, and his struggle to fill the demands of his role.