The Wives of Tiberius

[Julius22]

Hopefully, someone can help out with this query. I have been reading lots of "histories" of the Emperors on the internest, whilst reading Robert Groves' "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God". It appears that Tiberius had just the two wives: Vipsiana, this whom he had his son Drusus and then Livia.

Then when I read up about Pontius Pilate, I read that his wife Claudia Procula was the "grand-daughter of Emperor Augustus and the illigitimate daughter of the third wife of Emperor Tiberius" Please can someone explain thit to me as he didn't have a third wife - or did he?

Or was this all fiction?

Thanks very much.

Confused Julius22

[Nephele]

Then when I read up about Pontius Pilate, I read that his wife Claudia Procula was the "grand-daughter of Emperor Augustus and the illigitimate daughter of the third wife of Emperor Tiberius"

 

I think that when the Church canonized their Saint Procula (who is supposed to be the unnamed individual mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew who was married to Pontius Pilate and who tried to dissuade him from crucifying Jesus), the Church "filled in" the details regarding Procula's origin. There don't seem to be any historical sources to back up the claims that Claudia Procula was (as one version of the story goes) the illegitimate daughter of Augustus' own daughter Julia, and later adopted by Tiberius upon his marriage to Julia.

 

Perpetuating the myth of Claudia Procula is the 2006 novel titled Pilate's Wife, written by Antoinette May (famous -- or infamous, if you prefer -- for being the biographer of Sylvia Browne).

 

I believe Tiberius had only the two wives -- Vipsania and Julia.

 

-- Nephele

[Primus Pilus]

Then when I read up about Pontius Pilate, I read that his wife Claudia Procula was the "grand-daughter of Emperor Augustus and the illigitimate daughter of the third wife of Emperor Tiberius"

 

I think that when the Church canonized their Saint Procula (who is supposed to be the unnamed individual mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew who was married to Pontius Pilate and who tried to dissuade him from crucifying Jesus), the Church "filled in" the details regarding Procula's origin. There don't seem to be any historical sources to back up the claims that Claudia Procula was (as one version of the story goes) the illegitimate daughter of Augustus' own daughter Julia, and later adopted by Tiberius upon his marriage to Julia.

 

Perpetuating the myth of Claudia Procula is the 2006 novel titled Pilate's Wife, written by Antoinette May (famous -- or infamous, if you prefer -- for being the biographer of Sylvia Browne).

 

I believe Tiberius had only the two wives -- Vipsania and Julia.

 

-- Nephele

 

Just an agreement with Nephele here.

Yes, only Matthew's biblical account mentions her at all, but he did not mention her by name. There is no confirmation as to who she was or where she came from. Even the supposed letters of Procula are of debatable origin. While it would seem reasonable that she might be related to Tiberius in some fashion according to the name Claudia there is absolutely no source material indicating that was her name. As Nephele suggests, its more likely that her origin was invented for canonization purposes.

[Julius22]

Perpetuating the myth of Claudia Procula is the 2006 novel titled Pilate's Wife, written by Antoinette May (famous -- or infamous, if you prefer -- for being the biographer of Sylvia Browne).

 

I believe Tiberius had only the two wives -- Vipsania and Julia.

 

-- Nephele

 

Thanks very much to you both - that sort of explains it. I'm bound to have more questions - glad I found this forum!

Julius22

[Octavia]

Yes. I agree with both of them, as I don't recall a name given to Pilate's wife in the gospel of Mathew. I love this forum and glad I'm hear as well. A lot of my questions have been answered.