Séjan

Séjan (Latin: LUCIUS•AELIUS•SEJANUS), born in 20 front J. - C. and died in 31 a. J. - C. was the prefect of the Praetorian Garde of the Roman Empire and the most influential citizen of Rome under the Tibère emperor.

Family

Séjan was born with Volsinii in Étrurie. He is the son of Lucius Seius Strabo old Préfet of the court then governor of Egypt. Nephew of the proconsul Caïus Junius Blesus who was regarded as the winner of Tacfarinas (although it overcame only his brother).

Séjan married Apicata and repudiated it to like its mistress Livilla, woman of Drusus II (Latin: JULIUS•CAESAR•DRUSUS), wire of the emperor Tibère.

It had three children of this marriage, of which a girl with the tragic destiny. Condemned to death, this child, being still virgin, could not be carried out by the torturer. This last violated it for not ombrager the gods then killed it (Suétone) .

Rise towards the capacity

Prefect of the court

It became Préfet of the court at the time of the accession of Tibère to the imperial throne, thanks to the friendship that the new emperor carried to his father Lucius Seius Strabo. After the nomination of this last as a governor of Egypt, he became single commander of the Praetorian Garde, and started to increase his capacities.

Contrary to Clutched which was the faithful right-hand man of Auguste, Séjan did not have of cease to isolate the emperor Tibère for better controlling its influence on the Princeps one.

By gathering into 20 the Praetorian Guard in only one camp (the Castrated Praetoria) established beyond the door of Viminal, Séjan made a heavy decision of consequence for the future. Only military force integrated into Urbs, the Praetorian Garde became against being able that the emperors had to buy to reach and preserve the capacity. Conscious of the risk, Auguste had avoided gathering them and made so that they are not in uniform in Urbs, but vêtus of the toga.

Dispute with Drusus

Drusus II, wire of Tibère and Vipsania bored very early the disproportionate ambition of Séjan. It followed from there an argument during which the prefect of the court, threatening, approached Drusus which slapped it. This gesture radicalized Séjan which did not have of cease to be avenged.

In 23, Séjan decided to remove Drusus in an indirect way. It allured Livilla, the wife of Drusus by promising the empire to him. It is interesting to note the silly thing of this woman, knowing that Drusus was the first applicant with the empire. Once Livilla allured and corrupted, Séjan encouraged it to poison her husband. This plan was carried out using Eudème, the doctor of Drusus and Lygdus, a young person and beautiful slave.

During a meal putting in presence the Princeps one and its Drusus son, Séjan distilled through mockeries the doubt of an attack in its opposition. Suspicieux, Tibère exchanged its glass with unhappy Drusus which died some time afterwards. The emperor remained persuaded that his/her discovered feeling son, had accepted glass to commit suicide.

Consolidation of the capacity

In 23, Séjan repudiated his wife Apicata to satisfy Livilla and in 25, he asks for Tibère the hand of Livilla. In a very skilful way, the emperor refused because while accepting, it put in danger its legitimate succession.

In 29, the death of Livie, the mother of Tibère, encouraged the emperor to be insulated even more. Taken refuge on its island of Capri, this last entrusted more and more of being able to its faithful prefect of the court.

It will try to sow the discord in the imperial family, inter alia between Tibère and Agrippine Elder the, or between Néron César and Drusus César (two wire of Germanicus).

The fall

In 31, after having gained the consulate, Séjan was believed unattackable, and thought that the way was open for him towards the imperial throne.

It seems that Tibère had wind of the intrigues of Séjan as of the October 31. Indeed, it named this day Memmius Regulus consul suffect.

Its projects were denounced with the emperor Tibère by the sister-in-law of this last, Antonia Minor, and Macron was charged to put a term at it.

October 17th 31, Antonia Minor, the sister-in-law of Tibère learns from two people, a slave and Satrius Secundus, a customer and friend of Séjan, that this last organized a plot aiming at reversing the emperor. Convinced, Tibère then makes sure of the support of Macron (Latin: QUINTUS•NAEVIUS•CORDIUS•SERTORIUS•MACRO), an ambitious officer, and of Lacon (Latin: GRAECINUS•LACO), the prefect of the vigils.

Tibère convenes Macron on its island of Capri, appoints it prefect of the court and a letter gives to him to reading at an extraordinary sitting with the senate.

The October 18th 31, the senate is joined together with the temple of Apollo on the Palatine one at an extraordinary sitting. Macron meets Séjan in front of the temple. The latter, anxious not to have received a letter of the emperor, requires of Macron what it occurs. The officer takes it separately and announces to him that the emperor decided to give him the power tribunician, making then him to it second character of the State. Reassured, Séjan penetrates then in the temple. Macron then makes in kind return the Praetorian Garde being around the temple. This one is replaced immediately by the vigils of Lacon.

In the temple, the consul suffect Memmius Regulus who chairs the meeting, awaits from Macron the letter of the emperor. The officer immediately gives it to him and goes to Castra Praetoria, in order to announce with the Praetorian Garde which he becomes their new chief. To support that, Macron offers an exceptional bonus of 1000 denarius (that is to say 4000 sesterces) to each soldier.

During this time, the meeting starts and Memmius reads the letter of Tibère. This one is extremely long and makes, initially, only state of small objections against the prefect of the court. As the reading advances, the remarks are made more precise to claim the punishment of two senators who counted among the friends of Séjan, and to require of the one of the two consuls present (of which Memmius) to protect its person at the time of her voyage to Rome. To finish, the Princeps one required the immediate arrest of Séjan for high treason.

When the first of the senators called by Memmius had voted against Séjan, the consul did not make continue the vote and charged at once Lacon, which had entered the room, carrying out the arrest and with taking along the traitor to the prison of state of the Tullianum. This same day, the senate held one second assembly in the temple of the Harmony located near the prison. The senate then pronounced the death sentence against this guilty man of high treason. The people insulted his corpse during three days in Gémonies (staircases), then it was thrown in the Tiber.

The October 20th 31, after having seen the corpses of his/her children, Apicata the repudiated wife of Séjan was withdrawn at it to consign in writing all the horrors of its ex-husband before giving death. Thus Tibère took note of the many crimes of Séjan.

References

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