Tiberius Caesar

Tiberius Caesar (full name Tiberius Claudius Nero) was the second Roman Emperor, reigning from AD 14 until his death in AD 37. He is the Caesar explicitly named in Luke 3:1 as the emperor during whose reign John the Baptist began his ministry. His fifteenth regnal year (approximately AD 28-29) provides one of the key chronological anchors for the Gospel chronology.

Tiberius is also the unnamed "Caesar" to whom tribute was debated in the famous question posed to Jesus about paying taxes (Matt. 22:17-21; Mark 12:14-17). He governed the empire primarily through trusted subordinates during his later years of semi-retirement on Capri, a period that coincided with the ministry of Jesus and the early church. Pontius Pilate served as prefect of Judea under Tiberius's authority during the crucifixion.