Germanicus, also known as Germanicus Julius Caesar, was a famous general of the Roman Empire. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was an efficient military commander and administrator. He was the adopted son of Roman emperor Tiberius. A prodigy in warfare and politics, he became a quaestor (a public official in ancient Rome) as a 21-year-old in 7 CE, five years before the legal age. Because of his successful campaigns against the Germanics, he became very popular and rose through the ranks of the military at a swift pace. He was appointed proconsul in 13 CE and led eight legions of the Roman army, which accounted for one-third of Rome’s defense forces. Before his untimely and mysterious death, he was given extraordinary command of eastern parts of the empire.