Villa Jovis on Capri: traces of Tiberius amidst untamed nature and terraces overlooking the sea

Sometime a certain individual’s character leaves an indelible mark not only through his life and works, but also in a more concrete and tangible manner. Take, for example, Emperor Tiberius. Ancient biographers describe the second emperor of the Julius-Claudius dynasty as an introvert, not inclined to lively social interactions, and even cruel: a rather sad and suspicious person. This is a decidedly negative perspective that does not consider his bravery in battle during his youth, carried out in the shadow of Caesar and Octavius, in which he proved to have a rare military talent. Augustus governed the empire from 14 to 37 A.D. and lived a rather reserved life, whose rule was resolute and peaceful. He decided, by nature of his upbringing and character, to stay away from courtly intrigues and gossip, and lived the last ten years of his reign on the island of Capri, governing the empire far from Rome, with all the risks this involved. We mentioned above that there are places where the heart and...