Nero Claudius Drusus, known as Drusus the Elder, received accelerated public responsibilities as Augustus's stepson. After holding the quaestorship, he campaigned with his brother Tiberius in the Alps in 15 BC, bringing the Raetian region under Roman control. He then directed affairs in Gaul and on the Rhine, participating in a census and the organization of frontier forces. In 12 BC he dedicated the altar of Rome and Augustus at Lyon.

Drusus's campaigns beyond the Rhine in 12–9 BC combined land operations, river transport and naval movement toward the North Sea. He cultivated alliances with groups including the Batavians and operated against the Sugambri, Chatti and other communities. Forts and supply routes supported repeated advances into the interior. A canal associated with his command linked the Rhine system with waterways toward the coast, helping move men and material. These operations extended Roman influence without creating a permanently secure province.

As consul in 9 BC, Drusus led another campaign and reached the Elbe before turning back. He died on the return journey after an injury traditionally attributed to a fall from his horse. Tiberius traveled to him and subsequently continued the command. Drusus received honors, burial in Augustus's mausoleum and the name Germanicus for his family. Later stories about his republican sympathies remain difficult to verify. His reputation strengthened the standing of his sons Germanicus and the future emperor Claudius.