Tiberius in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Tiberias Claudius Nero, Augustus' step-son and successor as emperor. Reigned A.D. 14 to 37. Son of Tiberias Claudius Nero and Livia. Born at Rome, Nov. 16, 45 B.C. Fifty-five years old at his accession, having already shown ability as a commander, an orator, and an administrator. Horace celebrates his and his brother Drasus' exploits (Odes, 4:4,14). Henceforth slothful, self-indulgent, cruel, and despotic. Died at 78 after a 23 years' reign. Tacitus (Annals 1 to 6) describes vividly his dissimulation and vindictiveness. In speaking of Nero he says: "in order to remove the rumour of his having set fire to Rome, Nero shifted the charge on others, and inflicted the most refined punishments on those whom the populace called Christians, and who were hated for their scandalous doings. The author of the name, Christ, in the reign of Tiberias was visited with capital punishment by the governor Pontius Pilate." In Luke 3:1 John the Baptist's (six months senior to our Lord) ministry is set down in the 15th year of Tiberias' "principate" (hegemonia). Augustus admitted Tiberias to share the empire two or three years before his own death, so that "the 15th year" is to be dated from the co-partnership at the end of A.U.C. 764. The 15th year will thus be the end of 779, and our Lord's birth 749 or 750, which agrees with Herod's death some time after Christ's birth. The Christian era fixed by Dionysius Exiguus in the sixth century places Christ's birth in the year 754.