DRU'SUS. The name of a distinguished fam ily of the gees Livia, which contributed a large proportion of eminent. men to the Roman •om monwealth. The most conspicuous of the Drnsi were: ( I) Ltvius tribune of the people in n.c. 122, who upheld the cause of the ;senate and the noble- against his democratic colleague. Gains thracehus. (2) His son, who bore the same name as himself. and kept Rome in perpetual turmoil and disorder from it.c. 100 till his death in n.c. 01. Though identified by birth and sympathy with the patricians, I)rusus. to will t lle people, revived sonic of the most liberal measures of the Gra•chi, and carried agrarian and frunientarian laws. During the latter years of hi, life he contrived to gather into his own hands the threads of the various political movements which resulted in the Social War•; but his almost incredible pride and arro gan•e had made him so many enemies that his death, in the flower of his age, was regretted as little by his friends as by his foe.. (3) The most illustrious of the Drusi was Nero Claudius Drusus, vonimonly called Drusus Senior, the stepson of the Emperor Augustus, and younger brother of the Emperor Tiberius. 140 horn in n.c. 3S, and as he grew up, developed splendid personal qualities as well as the highest capacity for civil and military affair-. Ile began hi.
public career in r..c. and signalized Wile/1 only old by his defeat of the Eluctians and other Alpine tribes which were disturbing the north of Italy. In me. 13 he was scut into (:ani, then in and, after rmd- ing rebels there. pushed l he Rhine in pursuit of their German allies. In this earn paign he subdued Ilie Sigambri and Frisii, am: forced his way to the tlerillan being tin first Roman general to do so. from this lint he strove to establish the IZoman supremacy it Germany, partly by conquest. and partly by the execution of great military works. Among these latter may be mentioned the canal joining the Rhine with the Vs-el, the two bridges over the Rhine itself. and the embankments of the Vahalis ( \Vaal). In n.•. II he conquered the rsipet4..s. the Cherusci, and the Suevi : in the following year, the Chatti and Nervii ; and was prosecuting the work of subjugation in lie. 1), Mien a fall from his horse eat short his brilliant career in his thirtieth year. I.'o• his exploits in Germany. Drums was rewarded with the title of Germ:miens, a surname which passed over tc his celebrated son. Sec GERMANIcrs.