Tiberius and the Lex Papia Poppaea

Abstract

A clause of the lex Papia Poppaea extended from the six months laid down by the lex Iulia de maritandis ordinibus to eighteen the time within which divorcees were to remarry.  The paper investigates the possible reasons for this change in the law. It attributes the change in large measure to the influence of Tiberius, who was, at the time, at the height of his power and influence as the designated successor of Augustus. Tiberius was moved by the experience of his forced divorce from Vipsania, who, the paper suggests, was forced to remarry soon after the divorce while pregnant with Tiberius’ son (who would die in infancy). The passage of the lex Papia Poppaea, which now eliminated the possibility that pregnant divorcees might be forced to remarry, seems to have taken into account Tiberius’ susceptibilities and could have been taken by him as a tacit gesture by Augustus in acknowledge­ment of the justice of his views. The dedication of an altar to the Princeps on his and Livia’s wedding anniversary marked Tiberius’ final reconciliation and the redressing of whatever wrong might have been done in his view.