Tiberius Claudius Nero ( praetor 42 BC ) Tiberius Claudius Nero , often known as Tiberius Nero and Nero ( 85 – 33 BC ) was a politician who lived in the last century of the Roman Republic . Nero was a member of the republican Claudian family of Rome . He was a descendant of the first named Tiberius Claudius Nero , a consul and son of Appius Claudius Caecus , the censor . Nero was the son of Drusus and his mother was a descendant of the Claudian family . His father Drusus served under Pompey in 67 BC , battling the pirate menace . Drusus was famous for recommending that the members of the Second Catilinarian Conspiracy be confined . Nero had a sister called Claudia , who married the prefect Quintus Volusius . Nero had served as a quaestor to Julius Caesar in 48 BC , commanding his fleet in the Alexandrian War . Having achieved victory over the Egyptian navy , he was rewarded with a priesthood . Julius Caesar had sent Nero to create Roman colonies in Gaul and in other provinces . Despite his service with Julius Caesar , Nero was an Optimas at heart . After the murder of Julius Caesar in 44 BC , when it seemed that the assassins were triumphant , he suggested that they be rewarded for their services to the state . However , due to his previous alliance with the Roman dictator , Nero was allowed to be elected praetor in 42 BC . Around this time Nero married his relative Livia Drusilla , whose father Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus was from the same gens . His son of the same name was born November 16 , 42 BC , at Fondi Italy . Shortly afterwards , the Second Triumvirate began to break down , causing a dangerous situation in Rome as the triumvirs went to battle with each other . Nero was forced to choose sides and in his distrust of Octavian , he cast his lot with Mark Antony . In 41 BC , he fled Rome with Livia and Tiberius in tow , joining Antony ' s brother Lucius in Perusia . Perusia was besieged by Octavian ' s men by the time Nero arrived , and when the town fell in 40 BC , he was forced to flee first to Praeneste , and then Naples . In 40 BC , Octavian and Mark Antony finally reconciled . In Naples , Nero tried in vain to raise a slave battalion against Octavian and then took refuge with Sextus Pompey , who was then acting as a pirate leader in Sicily . Nero with his family joined Mark Antony soon after in Achaea . After three years of fleeing from Octavian , Nero returned to Rome with Livia and the younger Tiberius , aged 3 . Octavian immediately after catching sight of Livia , fell in love with her , despite the fact that while she was married , Octavian was married to Scribonia . Octavian and Scribonia divorced , with whom he had a daughter called Julia , now known as Julia the Elder . Around this time Livia was also pregnant and despite this , Nero was persuaded or forced by Octavian to divorce Livia . Nero and Livia ’ s second son was born in early 38 BC and he was named Decimus Claudius Drusus , which was later changed to Nero Claudius Drusus . Octavian and Livia married on January 17 , waiving the traditional waiting period . Nero was present at their wedding , giving Livia away " just as a father would " . As agreed , Nero took his sons to his home , where they were raised and educated . Death . Nero died in 33 BC . After his death , his sons went to live with their mother and stepfather . The younger Tiberius aged 9 , delivered his funeral eulogy on the Rostra in Rome . When the future Roman emperor Tiberius celebrated his coming of age , Tiberius staged two gladiator ial contests . One was held at the Forum in memory of his father and the other held at the amphitheatre in memory of his grandfather Drusus .