Lucius Aelius Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Sejanus commanded the Praetorian Guard and came within a day of taking the empire. Born around 20 BC into an equestrian family from Etruria, his father was prefect of the guard, and Sejanus was appointed joint prefect with him in AD 14 and sole prefect shortly afterwards. His first structural change made everything else possible. The nine Praetorian cohorts had been dispersed in towns around Italy; Sejanus concentrated them in a single fortified camp on the edge of Rome, which gave the prefect a standing armed force in the capital for the first time and made the guard a decisive factor in every subsequent succession. He became indispensable to Tiberius, who called him the partner of his labours and allowed statues of him in public places. He is credibly accused of poisoning Drusus, Tiberius's son, in AD 23, in collaboration with Drusus's wife Livilla, whom he had seduced. He then set about destroying the family of Germanicus, prosecuting their supporters and eventually securing the exile of Agrippina the Elder and two of her sons, who died in confinement. Tiberius withdrew to Capri in AD 26, which left Sejanus controlling access to the emperor and the correspondence of the empire. He was made consul with Tiberius in AD 31 and expected to be adopted. Tiberius, warned by Antonia, sent a long letter to be read to the Senate in October 31. Sejanus attended expecting the grant of tribunician power. The letter meandered and then denounced him; the Senate condemned him the same day, and he was strangled and torn apart by a mob.
- Lived: 20 BCE – 31 CE
- Nationality: Roman
- Roles: politician, military_leader
