Agrippa Postumus was born by Julia, the daughter of Augustus in 12 BC, after the death of his father M. Vipsanius Agrippa. Augustus adopted him together with Tiberius in 4 AD.

On account of his savage and intractable character, he was afterwards banished by Augustus to Pianosa, a remote island in the Tuscany archipelago; but he was not guilty of any crime. A senatus consultum confirmed legally his banishment for the time of his life.

The most serious fault of Agrippa was that he, as only direct male heir of Augustus, was a serious impediment for the succession of Tiberius. Livia, wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius, was probably behind the decisions taken by the emperor against Agrippa.

After the succession of Tiberius, in 14 AD, a centurion murdered Agrippa. Tiberius denied having given any order for it, and it is very probable that Livia was the secret instigator of the crime.

This fine portrait of he last Augustus’ grandson is carved on the basis of an iconographic model created in 4 AD after its adoption by Augustus.