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The trial of Calpurnius Piso was a trial held by the Senate in 20 CE to determine the involvement of Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso in the death of Germanicus, the would-be heir of Tiberius. Both the deceased and the defendant were close to Tiberius, who presided over the trial. Germanicus was his adoptive son and Piso was a friend. The prosecution was a team of senators led by Lucius Fulcinius Trio and both sides were allotted time to plead their case. In an effort to appear unbiased, Tiberius allowed Piso more time to defend himself. It made no difference, with Piso committing suicide before the conclusion of the trial after which the Senate posthumously condemned him.

Trial

As the death of Germanicus occurred during their feud most people suspected him of having poisoned Germanicus, although this was never proven. The armed attempt by Piso to regain control of Syria immediately after the death of Germanicus only aroused more indignation. This, the rumors of him poisoning Germanicus, and his conduct going back as far as his governorship of Spain were all taken up by the delatores in their accusations against him. It wasn't long before the matter was taken to the Emperor.

Tiberius was forced to order an investigation, and after briefly hearing both sides, decided to defer the case to the senate. Tiberius made no effort to conceal his sentiments: the Pisones were longtime supporters of the Claudians, with their support going back to the early days of Octavian. A public trial was held, and Tiberius made allowances for Piso to summon witnesses of all social orders, including slaves, and he was given more time to plea than the prosecution, but it made no difference: before the sentencing, Piso had died. He committed suicide, though Tacitus supposes that Tiberius may have had him murdered, fearing his own implication in Germanicus' death.

The accusations brought against Piso are numerous, including:

• Insubordination
• Corruption
• Abandoning and reentering a province
• Summary justice
• Destroying military discipline
• Misusing the fiscus principis (emperor's money)
• Fomenting civil war
• Violating the divinity of Divus Augustus (sacrilege).

Although the murder of Germanicus was one of the accusations brought against him, he was only actually found guilty of abandoning and reentering Syria without authorisation to wage war, and for violating Germanicus' imperium, for, although they were both of proconsular rank, his authority was less than that of Germanicus, to whom the senate had given greater authority (imperium maius) in the eastern provinces before his departure in AD 17.

Aftermath

In accordance with the lex Iulia maiestatis, the senate had his property proscribed, forbade mourning on his account, removed images of his likeness, such as statues and portraits, and his name was erased from the base of one statue in particular as part of his damnatio memoriae. Additionally, the senate instructed the curatores locorum publicorum iudicandorum to remove and destroy structures built above Porta Fontinalis to connect his properties. Yet, in a show of clemency not unlike that of the emperor, the senate had Piso's property returned and divided equally between his two sons, on condition that his daughter Calpurnia be given 1,000,000 sesterces as dowry and a further 4,000,000 as personal property. His wife Plancina was absolved. Allegedly Munatia Plancina was convicted of very serious crimes. But her powerful friend Livia fought for her and exerted pressure on Tiberius. Therefore, her acquittal was foreseeable and she dissociated herself from her husband Piso who committed suicide. A recently discovered senate resolution also confirms that Munatia Plancina owed her impunity to the recommendation of Tiberius, who had been pressed by Livia to act in this way. But after the death of Livia in 29 AD, Plancina no longer had such a powerful protectress. So in 33 AD Tiberius renewed the charge. Plancina committed suicide before the judgement.

His accomplices, a Visellius Karus and a Sempronius Bassus, were to be declared outlaws for committing treason. Their property was to be sold with profits consigned to the aerarium. It is unclear whether or not their case was handled by a judicial authority, such as a quaestio, or by the senate as well.

Bibliography

Primary sources

• Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Caligula, Latin text with English translation
• Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Tiberius, Latin text with English translation
• Tacitus, Annals, I–III, English translation
• Senatus Consultum de Pisone ("The Senate's decree against Gnaeus Piso senior")
• Seneca the Younger, de Ira I, XVIII, 3 - 4

Secondary sources

• Ando, Clifford; Tuori, Kaius; Plessis, Paul J. du, eds. (2016), Oxford Handbook of Law and Society, Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780198728689
• Rowe, Greg (2002), Princes and Political Cultures: The New Tiberian Senatorial Decrees, University of Michigan Press, ISBN 0472112309