Sejanus in Roman Biography

Se-ja'nus, [Fr. Sejan, sa'zho\',| (Lucius /Elius,) a celebrated Roman courtier and favourite of the emperor Tiberius, was born at Vulsinii, in Etruria. He rose through various promotions to be commander-inchief of the praetorian cohorts, and, aiming at the imperial power, soon after effected the death of Drusus, son of the emperor, by poison, in 23 A.D., having previously seduced Livia, the wife of Drusus, and made her an accomplice in his crime. With a view of obtaining the sole direction of public affairs, he induced Tiberius to retire to the island of Caprex, and subsequently caused Agrippina, the widow of Germanicus, and her sons, to be put to death. The emperor, aroused at length to suspicion, deprived Sejanus of his office, and ordered him to be arrested and executed, 31 a.d. See Tacitus, "Annales;" J. Arrhenius, " Dissertatio de Sejano," 1696; Merivale, "The Romans under the Empire."