Little has been done to either secure…

Little has been done to either secure or indicate how Tiberius’s succession is to take place; the Julians and their supporters had fallen to the wrath of Sejanus, and his own sons and immediate family are dead.

Two of the candidates are either Caligula, the sole surviving son of Germanicus, or his own grandson, Tiberius Gemellus.

According to historians, Caligula was an excellent natural actor and, recognizing danger, hid all his resentment towards Tiberius.

An observer said of Caligula, "Never was there a better servant or a worse master!"

Suetonius, The Lives of Twelve Caesars, Life of Caligula 10).

After he became Emperor, Caligula claimed to have planned to kill Tiberius with a dagger in order to avenge his mother and brother: however, having brought the weapon into Tiberius's bedroom he did not kill the Emperor but instead threw the dagger down on the floor.

Supposedly Tiberius knew of this but never dared to do anything about it.

Suetonius claims that Caligula was already cruel and vicious: he writes that, when Tiberius brought Caligula to Capri, his purpose was to allow Caligula to live in order that he "...prove the ruin of himself and of all men, and that he was rearing a viper for the Roman People and a Phaëton for the world."

(The Lives of Twelve Caesars, Life of Caligula 11) However, only a halfhearted attempt at the end of his Tiberius' life is made to make Caligula a quaestor, in 33, and thus give him some credibility as a possible successor, while Gemellus himself is still only a teenager and thus completely unsuitable for some years to come.

Caligula wild hold this honorary quaestorship until his rise to Emperor.

Caligula was briefly married to Junia Claudilla in 33, though she dies in childbirth in 34.

Caligula spends time befriending the Praetorian Prefect, Naevius Sutorius Macro, an important ally.

Macro speaks well of Caligula to Tiberius, attempting to quell any ill will or suspicion the emperor felt towards Caligula.

As prefect, Macro wields considerable influence.

According to Suetonius, Macro gained further favor by turning a blind eye to his wife Eunia's affair with Caligula around this time.