2 The Treatment of an Enemy

This chapter, along with the previous chapter, proposes that Drusus Libo was treated as an enemy of the State. The evidence is as follows: Drusus Libo was abandoned by family and friends; he was placed under a guard of praetorians; efforts were made to remove him from public memory (damnatio memoriae); the day of his suicide was made a holiday; and public thanks were given to the goddess Concordia, who was usually invoked when a great social disturbance had occurred. Republican precedents are explored to place Drusus Libo’s treatment in context. It is argued that Drusus Libo’s treatment is best explained by placing him among those involved in the conspiracy of Clemens, which occurred at the same time.