Germanicus, stopping in Antioch in 19 on the return trip from Egypt, finds that the governor of Syria, Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, has canceled the provincial arrangements that he had made.

Germanicus in turn orders Piso's recall to Rome, although this action is probably beyond his authority.

In the midst of this feud, Germanicus is stricken with a mysterious illness and dies shortly thereafter in Antioch.

His death arouses much speculation, with several sources blaming Piso, acting under orders from Emperor Tiberius.

This will never be proven, and Piso will later die while facing trial (ostensibly by suicide, but Tacitus supposes Tiberius may have had him murdered before he could implicate the emperor in Germanicus' death).