Emperor Tiberius

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Tiberius emerged as one of Rome's most formidable generals; his conquests of Pannonia, Dalmatia, and Raetia paved the way for a solid northern frontier, while his temporary control over parts of Germania hinted at an ambitious vision. Nevertheless, he would be remembered as a brooding, reclusive ruler who never truly desired the imperial throne; Pliny the Elder dubbed him tristissimus hominum, or "the gloomiest of men." The Gospels recall that during Tiberius' reign, Jesus of Nazareth preached and was executed under Pontius Pilate's authority as Roman governor of Judaea province. According to Tertullian, a prominent Roman lawyer with access to imperial archives, Tiberius had asked the Senate to officially acknowledge Christianity just a few years after Jesus' crucifixion.