Nero Claudius Drusus - Question of Paternity

Question of Paternity

There has been some speculation about the paternity of Drusus, some suggesting that he was Augustus' biological son. However this idea is widely discredited by modern historians as Augustus never acknowledged Drusus as his son, nor did he make any attempt to adopt him. Augustus' only biological child was Julia the Elder, his daughter by Scribonia. She gave birth to the five grandchildren (Gaius Caesar, Lucius Caesar, Agrippa Postumus, Agrippina the Elder, and Julia the Younger); he adopted the boys. Even after the deaths of Gaius and Lucius, and the banishment of Postumus Agrippa, Augustus did not adopt Drusus' sons, Germanicus and Claudius. He apparently considered adopting Germanicus, but chose to adopt the much older Tiberius, who was definitely not related by blood, and invested him with the powers of the principate. Augustus seems to have had Tiberius adopt Germanicus as heir because of the latter's marriage to his granddaughter Agrippina (the last of Augustus' living grandchildren not in disgrace) ensured that his own descendents (through a female line) would inherit one day - but not because of any secret blood relationship.

Augustus and Livia were married for 51 years and never had surviving children together, although they had children with other people (Augustus had Julia with Scribonia and Livia had Tiberius and Drusus with their father.) It is very likely that Augustus did know Livia at the time that Drusus was conceived. Claudius Nero became a partisan of the Second Triumvirate after he abandoned Sextus Pompey.