Downfall of Sejanus

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

Ave

The downfall of the prefect Sejanus seems to be something of a mystery. I couldn't find any reason for why someone in such high esteem should have fallen so abruptly. Does anyone know what the Emperor's beef was?

[Ingsoc]

Most ancient sources refer to a conspiracy lead by Sejanus which aim to overthrow Tiberius, however from the fact that Tiberius move against him went so smoothly (even the Praetorians who was under Sejanus commands for years didn't came to him aid) it's safe to assume that Sejanus didn't have his own faction and his friends ally themselves with him because he was close to the emperor and when his relationship with Tiberius gone bad they abandon him.

 

Then why Tiberius had moved against him? I think it's most likely was due to Sejanus desire to marry Liviila (the widow of his son Drusus) and receive the Tribunica Potestas (which would mark his as Tiberius' heir), now from other incidents unrelated to this one who know that Tiberius was a thought formalist who guard with great care the social differences between the order and it's must have seen to his as an insolence that a man of equestrian rank would want to be his heir.

[caldrail]

Sejanus used his relationship with Tiberius to assume personal power via his own network of informers, and since he was the praetorian prefect, he had a ready made gang of heavies at his beck and call, not to mention using praetorians on duty as informers too.

 

The popular assumption is that Sejanus was after removing Tiberius from power and assuming the role of Caesar himself. Suetonius suggests something along those lines for instance. However powerful Sejanus was, he wasn't all-powerful. There were still people loyal to Tiberius and so when it became apparent Sejanus was simply using Tiberius for his own ends (and up until that point Tiberius was more than happy to let him run administration for him), Tiberius moved to stop him.

 

It was therefore a power politics in true roman fashion. Sejanus too a risk, gambled his future, and lost.

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

All this is very likely but I just wonder why our sources are so reticent about giving the precise reason for Sejanus' downfall. I think it is truly amazing that a suspicious man like Tiberius would have allowed the prefect to even get as close as he did.

[caldrail]

Tiberius was something of a misanthrope - he just didn't like people, and being somewhat disgruntled by undertaking public duty when he really wasn't that keen to do so, he was only too glad of the opportunity to retire in comfort and let someone he trusted take the strain of daily administration. Thats the key. Tiberius had come to trust Sejanus, and for that matter, Sejanus had gone to some trouble to earn it.

 

What this means is that Sejanus wanted personal power and prestige. Whether or not he actually intended taking the throne is one thing, but while Tiberius was lolling on a couch in Capri, Sejanus could pretty well do as he liked and with a crowd of loyal heavies behind him, who could argue? Any dissent was silenced, and since Sejanus had the ear of Tiberius, he could tell the old man anything. Sejanus was therefore licking his rear for all he was worth.

[Caesar CXXXVII]

The whole issue is a real enigma, first Seianus enemies were removed - Agrippina and Nero were exiled (the last one killed himself in 31) . Than Seianus became a Senator by a Consulship given to him by Tiberius, he had the very rare honour of sharing his consulship with Tiberius himself, a clear mark of favour . Dio tells us that in 30 Tiberius called Seianus "socius laborum" (ally in my work) . Than the senate voted that Seianus and Tiberius would hold joint consulships every 5 years and have the same ceremonies when entering Rome . Sacrifices were made to Seianus images (he became a part of the imperial cult !) . Than he betrothed to a daugther of the imperial house . The next stpes were the t.p. and adoption as Tiberius son - it did not happened , why ?

 

Richard Alston - "Sejanus status in 31 was such that Tiberius had remaining few choises. The next logical step was to rais Sejanus still further, but that would have been to make him virtually co-emperor...Caligula...Tiberius may have found this young man congenial company. It was becoming clear that to promote Sejanus would mean the death of Gaius...the issue of the security of Tiberius' young grandson, could he be protected ? If Tiberius was to promote Gaius, than he had to deal with sejanus. He was too mighty to be just a subject."

 

Pure 1st' century politics...

[Primus Pilus]

It's not that there wasn't a specific reason. Tacitus (and Cassius Dio) attributed it to the letter of Tiberius' sister-in-law Antonia. In the letter she accused Sejanus of a plot to over throw Tiberius and considering her general lack of participation in politics, Tiberius believed her.

 

While the detail is quite likely to be an invention after the fact or a matter of convenience at the time, the charge of a "plot" or treason is a valid and specific charge.

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

Ave

Why is it so unlikely that someone like Sejanus would have been plotting against the Emperor? I am rather inclined to believe Antonia.

[Primus Pilus]

Ave

Why is it so unlikely that someone like Sejanus would have been plotting against the Emperor? I am rather inclined to believe Antonia.

 

Sorry for the lack of clarity. I didn't mean to imply that the charge was invalid, but there have been arguments made that the letter of Antonia was a later invention to help explain Tiberius' actions (regardless of the evidence [or lack thereof] of the charge).

 

This slow loading .pdf file provides some insight... https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bits....pdf?sequence=3

[ASCLEPIADES]

This slow loading .pdf file provides some insight... https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bits....pdf?sequence=3

Gratiam habeo for such nice link, PP.

Edited December 1, 2008 by ASCLEPIADES

[Ingsoc]

etsi commentario, quem de uita sua summatim breuiterque composuit, ausus est scribere Seianum se punisse, quod comperisset furere aduersus liberos Germanici filii sui;

 

There is also this inscription which the common assumption is that the speaker in it is Tiberius.

 

However we must remember that this an apologetic texts which intent to justify the elimination of Sejanus, and what better way to do this by saying he want to eliminate the family of the beloved Germanicus?

 

Cassius Dio, which is the most detailed source, never mention an accusation of rebellion made toward Sejanus:

 

"In the meantime the letter was read. It was a long one, and contained no wholesale denunciation of Sejanus, but first some other matter, then a slight censure of his conduct, then something else, and after that some further objection to him; and at the close it said that two senators who were among his intimate associates must be punished and that he himself must be kept under guard." (58.10)

[Caesar CXXXVII]

Another speculation - "...Tiberius and Sejanus were both, in a sense, victims: for there are signs that the fall of Sejanus was ultimately due to a group of powerful politicians, who refuesd to tolerate his eminence and compelled Tiberius to overthrow him." (Sejanus. Whose Conspiracy? Ann Boddington ,The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 84, No. 1 (Jan., 1963), pp. 1-16)

 

Boddington later recognise two men behined the whole conspiracy - Lentulus Gaetulicus and Lucius Apronius, the Rhine army commaders - "They were also willing to accept Sejanus as one of the governing oligarchy. but they were not prepared to tolerate him in a position of authority over them..."

 

A great article, ACH...imperial politics...

Edited November 20, 2008 by Caesar CXXXVII

[caldrail]

Sejanus had risen to prominence beneath the senators socially and had considerable influence by beeing the confidant of Tiberius. The thing is though, Sejanus was using this influence to clear his path politically by removing those he regarded as obstacles. It stands to reason that some senators were outraged or frightened and thus began plotting, basically, to save their own skins by removing Sejanus. Tiberius was already unpopular anyway but then again he was Augustus's chosen successor. To say Tiberius was a victim doesn't really work for me. Even though he remained in Capri for two thirds of his reign he still remained Romes head man. Sejanus really had no-one to blame but himself. He lived by the execution warrant and died by it.

[Scipio.]

[bump] This is tenuously related ... What does everyone think of Germanicus' ambitions around the time he died in Syria? It's been hypothesized that Piso was killed to cover up Tiberius' involvement. Piso moved quickly to retake Syria, and, everything looking all suspicious, Tiberius had no choice but to press charges. Then Piso committed suicide or was murdered, perhaps to erase Tiberius as a suspect for the assassination of Germanicus. But why would Tiberius want Germanicus gone?

[caldrail]

Popularity. Although Tiberius was Augustus's successor he wasn't popular with the masses. Germanicus was, and whether you rate his ability as a general or not, he was without doubt more popular than Tiberius. Thst important. With popularity, you have more freedom of action, more support. To all intents and purposes Tiberius was looking over his shoulder at the peoples favourite war leader, a celebrity in Roman terms.