Speaking of dissimulatio: Tiberius’ words in Suetonius’ De vita Caesarum

Suetonius’ De vita Caesarum is an excellent source for reconstructing the voice of the emperors, including that of Tiberius. However, the words that Suetonius reports to ventriloquize his Tiberius may conceal a political judgement, and an analysis of the dicta in Tiberius’ Life provides valuable insight into Tiberius’ technique of dissimulatio (Tib. 72.3) in the context of Suetonius’ rhetorical agenda and political framework. The words that Suetonius puts into the mouth of his Tiberius may reveal his dissimulation and his attempt to convey the image of an exemplary emperor by using a sermo percivilis (Tib. 28) and introducing species libertatis (Tib. 30). This paper explores some dicta attributed to Tiberius by Suetonius in the frame of Tiberius’ fondness for dissimulatio, which allows the princeps to maintain a polite fiction between the unlimited nature of his power and the empty role of Senate.