ABSTRACT
All the major literary sources for the reign of Tiberius, with the exception of Velleius Paterculus, are hostile. Most attention has been given to Tacitus’ depiction of the reign and Tacitus’ portrayal has dominated modern perceptions. In part, this is due to the literary quality of Tacitus’ work, which is generally regarded as being far greater than that of other writers, and is a tribute to his compelling portrait of the political events of the period.
