I,Claudius Project: Episode 1 evD

TIBERIUS TAKES HIS LEAVE FOR GERMANY

Where to begin on all the problems with this scene? First of all it's completely fabricated for the BBC episode- nothing like it in Graves who for the most part sticks to chronology. Ok let's start there. In 23 BC, according to the ancient sources, Tiberius is at Rome performing his duties as quaestor. He is in charge of the grain supply for Rome and Ostia- a very important position since grain had been scarce. So he's not in Germany, nor is he out of favor with Augustus. In fact, Tiberius seems to have been advanced almost as fast as Marcellus. In 20BC, when Augustus tours the Eastern Provinces, he takes Tiberius with him. Tiberius isn't wailing on the Germans until 15BC and then it's with his brother Drusus.
So, you may ask, why does Jack Pulman commit crimes against chronology? Maybe it's for thematic purposes- to show Livia and Tiberius as bad apples, scheming from the outset. Oh, does the actor playing Tiberius look 19? Is that his real hair or a pathetic attempt to make him look younger?

Well is there anything that can be trusted in this scene? Yes, the prophetic chicken story. Of course, even here Pulman feels the need to improve on Suetonius.


	TIBERIUS TAKES HIS LEAVE FOR GERMANY
Where to begin on all the problems with this scene? First of all it's completely fabricated for the BBC episode- nothing like it in Graves who for the most part sticks to chronology. Ok let's start there. In 23 BC, according to the ancient sources, Tiberius is at Rome performing his duties as quaestor. He is in charge of the grain supply for Rome and Ostia- a very important position since grain had been scarce. So he's not in Germany, nor is he out of favor with Augustus. In fact, Tiberius seems to have been advanced almost as fast as Marcellus. In 20BC, when Augustus tours the Eastern Provinces, he takes Tiberius with him. Tiberius isn't wailing on the Germans until 15BC and then it's with his brother Drusus. So, you may ask, why does Jack Pulman commit crimes against chronology? Maybe it's for thematic purposes- to show Livia and Tiberius as bad apples, scheming from the outset. Oh, does the actor playing Tiberius look 19? Is that his real hair or a pathetic attempt to make him look younger? Well is there anything that can be trusted in this scene? Yes, the prophetic chicken story. Of course, even here Pulman feels the need to improve on Suetonius.