Drusus

Drusus is a Latin given name that was borne by several members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty in ancient Rome. The best known bearers are Nero Claudius Drusus and Drusus Julius Caesar, known as Drusus the Elder and Drusus the Younger, respectively.

Nero Claudius Drusus, commonly called Drusus the Elder (38 BC–9 BC), was a prominent Roman general and statesman. A son of Augustus and Livia, and brother of Tiberius, he married Antonia Minor and was the father of Germanicus and Claudius. He led successful campaigns in Germania, helping to expand and secure the Roman frontier along the Rhine. His death occurred after a fall from a horse in 9 BC and was mourned throughout the empire; his campaigns laid the groundwork for later imperial expansion in the region.

Drusus Julius Caesar, known as Drusus the Younger, was the son of Tiberius and Vipsania Agrippa. A capable commander and at times considered heir to Tiberius, he married Livilla. He died in 23 CE under circumstances that have long attracted speculation, with some sources suggesting poisoning. His death altered the line of succession and contributed to the political turmoil surrounding Sejanus and the imperial administration.

The name Drusus also appears in other members of the same dynastic circle, and through Nero Claudius Drusus’s line the Julio-Claudian emperors Caligula and Claudius descended, making the Drusus name a significant link in the early Roman imperial family.