| Sejanus |
Articles about Sejanus |
Information AboutSejanus |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT SEJANUS | |
| 20 bc births | |
| 31 deaths | |
| imperial roman consuls | |
| members and leaders of the praetorian guard | |
| ancient roman generals | |
| julio-claudian dynasty | |
| aelii | |
| ancient roman executions | |
Lucius Aelius Seianus (or '''Sejanus''') ( 20 BC – October 18 , 31 AD ) was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius . An Equestrian by birth, Sejanus rose to power as Prefect of the Roman imperial Bodyguard known as the Praetorian Guard , of which he was commander from 14 AD until his death in 31. While formally established under emperor Augustus , Sejanus introduced a number of reforms to the Praetorians which saw the unit evolve beyond a mere bodyguard into a powerful and influential branch of the government involved in public security, civil administration, and ultimately political intercession; changes which would have a lasting impact on the course of the Principate . During the 20s , Sejanus gradually accumulated power by consolidating his influence over Tiberius and eliminating potential political opponents, including the emperor's son, Julius Caesar Drusus . When Tiberius withdrew to Capri in 26 , Sejanus was left in control of the entire state mechanism as De Facto ruler of the empire. For a time the most influential and feared citizen of Rome, Sejanus suddenly fell from power the same year his career culminated with the Consulship in 31 . Amidst suspicions of conspiracy against the emperor, Sejanus was arrested and executed, along with his followers. FAMILY Sejanus was born in 1 The Seii were Romans of the Equestrian Class (or knights), one of the two upper Social Class es of the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire . Officially the equestrians were only the second tier of the elite, behind the Patrician or senatorial class. Sejanus' grandfather however maintained relations with senatorial families through his marriage with Terentia, a sister of the wife of Gaius Maecenas , who was one of emperor Augustus ' most powerful political allies.Adams, 76 Strabo himself married into equally illustrious families. His first wife was Aelia, the daughter of Quintus Aelius Tubero , a marriage by which he allied himself with the more prestigious Aelian Gens . By Aelia, he had one son, Lucius Seius Tubero , who became Suffect Consul in 18 . After her death, he married Cosconia Lentuli Maligunensis Gallita, sister of Servius Cornelius Lentulus Maluginensis (suffect consul in 10 ) and Publius Cornelius Lentulus Scipio (suffect consul in 2 ), and half sister of Quintus Junius Blaesus (suffect consul in 10 ). With Cosconia Strabo had one son, Lucius Seius, who was later adopted into the Aelian gens and by Roman Custom became known as Lucius Aelius Seianus, or simply Sejanus. The adoptive family of Sejanus counted two consuls among their family: the aformentioned Quintus Aelius Tubero (consul in According to the ancient historian two sons and one daughter: Strabo, Capito Aelianus and Junilla. RISE TO POWER Praetorian prefect from the Julio-Claudian period. Sejanus rose to power as Prefect of the Praetorian Guard .]] It is likely that Sejanus' father Strabo came to the attention of Augustus through his father's connection with Maecenas. Sometime after 2 BC ,While the Guard had been formally established by Augustus in 27 BC, the first prefects were not appointed until 2 BC. See Bingham, p39 he was appointed Prefect of the Praetorian Guard , one of the two most powerful positions a Roman knight could attain in the Empire. This office he carried on dutifully and without incident until the death of the emperor in 14 . Little is known about the life Sejanus led prior to this date, but according to Tacitus, he accompanied Gaius Caesar , adopted grandson of Augustus, during his campaigns in Armenia in 1 BC . It was upon the accession of Tiberius in 14, that Sejanus was appointed prefect of the Praetorian Guard as the colleague of his father Strabo, and began his rise to prominence. The Praetorian Guard was an elite unit of the Roman Army formed by Augustus in 27 BC , with the specific function to serve as a Bodyguard to the emperor and members of the imperial family.Bingham, p30 Much more than a guard however, the Praetorians also managed the day-to-day care of the city, such as general security and civil administration.Bingham, p238 Furthermore, their presence served as a constant reminder to the people and the Senate of the substantial armed force which served as the basis for the imperial power.Bingham, p232 Augustus was careful however to uphold the Republican veneer of this regime, and only allowed nine Cohorts to be formed (one less than in a normal Roman Legion ), which were inconspicuously scattered across various lodging houses in the city, and commanded by two prefects.Bingham, p231, 40
Feud with Drusus , son of Tiberius. In a conspiracy that involved his own wife Livilla , Drusus was poisoned in 23 by agents of Sejanus.]] In his capacity of Praetorian prefect Sejanus quickly became a trusted advisor to Tiberius. By 23 he already exerted a considerable influence over the decisions of the emperor, who referred to Sejanus as "my partner in my toils". By this time he had been raised to the rank of his followers were advanced with public offices and governorships. However this privileged position caused resentment among the senatorial class and the imperial family, in particular earning him the enmity of Julius Caesar Drusus , Tiberius' son. The history of Sejanus and Drusus dated back to at least Despite this success, the following years witnessed a growing animosity between Drusus and Sejanus.
When this failed it seems Sejanus turned his attention toward eliminating Drusus. By Consolidation of power ( Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek , Copenhagen ). During the Twenties Tiberius became increasingly disillusioned with Roman politics, and eventually withdrew to the island of Capri , leaving the administration largely in the hands of Sejanus.]] The loss of his son was a major blow to Tiberius, both personally and politically. Over the years he had grown increasingly disillusioned with the position of princeps, and by sharing the With these hopes now dashed, Tiberius left his administration more than ever in the care of Sejanus, and looked toward the sons of Germanicus as possible future heirs. Germanicus himself had died in To Sejanus personally, Agrippina's sons Nero , Drusus and Gaius Caligula were considered a direct threat to his power. Meanwhile, Sejanus again attempted to marry into the Despite the withdrawal of Tiberius from Rome's political scene, the presence of Livia seems to have checked Sejanus' overt power for a time. According to Tacitus, her death in DOWNFALL Denunciation In 31, despite his equestrian rank, Sejanus shared the was publicly observed and statues were being erected in his honour. With most of the political opposition crushed, Sejanus felt his position was unassailable. As the ancient historian Cassius Dio describes:
Through years of crafty intrigues and indispensable service to the emperor, Sejanus had worked himself up to become the most powerful man in the empire. By the end of 31, he would be arrested, summarily
Execution and aftermath '' on him; his statues were destroyed and his name obliterated from all Public Records . The above coin from Augusta Bilbilis has the words ''L. Aelio Seiano'' erased.]] The same evening, the Senate convened at the Enraged upon learning the truth, Tiberius soon ordered more executions. Livilla herself committed suicide or, as legend would have it, was forcibly starved to death by her own mother Antonia. The remaining children of Sejanus, Capito Aelianus and Junilla were executed in December of that year.Tacitus, ''Annals'' Although Rome at first rejoiced at the demise of Sejanus, the city quickly plunged into more extensive trials, as Tiberius relentlessly persecuted all those who could in any way be tied to the schemes of Sejanus or had courted his friendship.Tacitus, ''Annals'' The political turmoil would continue until the death of Tiberius in 37 , after which he was succeeded by Gaius Caligula . LEGACY Praetorian Guard Augustus's death on August 19 14 marked the end of Praetorian calm, the only time the Praetorian Guard did not use its military strength to play a part in the politics of Rome to force its own agenda. Augustus would be the sole emperor to command their complete loyalty. The reforms of Sejanus, most significantly the founding of the Castra Praetoria, essentially established the Praetorian Guard as the powerful political force for which it is primarily known today. Henceforth the entire Guard was at the disposal of the emperors, but the rulers were now equally at the mercy of the Praetorians.Bingham, p234-235 The reality of this was seen in 31 when Tiberius was forced to rely upon the vigiles against the soldiers of his own guard. Although the Praetorian Guard proved faithful to the aging Tiberius, their potential political power had been made clear.Bingham, p65-66
Historiography With the exception of Among the writers of the time which fell victim to the regime of Sejanus and its aftermath were the historians , in his letter to Cordus' daughter Marcia '' To Marcia, On Consolation ''. Seneca however tells us that her father most likely incurred Sejanus' displeasure for critizising him, because he had commissioned a statue of himself. We also know from this source that Cordus starved himself to death. Marcia was instrumental in saving her father's work, so that it could be published again under Caligula.
Sejanus in later literature The rise and fall of Sejanus have been the subject, or partial subject, of several noted works in literature, including two 17th Century plays and 20th Century novels:
NOTES REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS Primary sources
Biographical sketches |
|
|