2020-06-03 Wed

Lucius Aelius Sejanus commonly known as Sejanus was an ambitious soldier and chief administrator of the Roman Empire for the emperor Tiberius.

He was born on 3rd June 20 BC, at Volsinii, Etruria, into the family of Lucius Seius Strabo. Sejanus was related through his mother to the distinguished senatorial family Cornelii Lentil. In 14 CE, upon the accession of Tiberius, he joined his father, Seius Strabo, as prefect of the emperor’s household troops, the Praetorian Guard, and became sole prefect a year or two later. As prefect he gained the complete confidence of the emperor.

In AD 31, Sejanus was arrested and condemned to death. The Senate issued damnatio memoriae on him. His statues were destroyed and his name obliterated from all public records. The above coin from Augusta Bilbilis has the words Lucius Aelio Seiano erased.

Image Source: Wikipedia.org