Gaius Septicius Clarus ('' fl.'' 2nd century CE), was a

prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...

of the Roman imperial bodyguard (better known as the

Praetorian Guard The Praetorian Guard (Latin: ''cohortēs praetōriae'') was a unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorian Guard were an escort fo ...

) and influential as a friend and supporter of famous Silver Age authors Pliny the Younger and Suetonius.

Praetorian prefect

Little is known of Septicius Clarus' early career but soon after Hadrian became emperor he was considered capable and experienced enough to be appointed to the position of Praetorian Prefect, replacing

Servius Sulpicius Similis Servius Sulpicius Similis (died c. 125) was an eques of ancient Rome who held several imperial positions, both civil and military, under Trajan and Hadrian, culminating with ''praefectus'' or governor of Egypt from 107 to 112. His place of origin ...

in c. 119 CE. This was one of the most powerful positions in the Roman administration. However, a few years later (c. 122 CE) Septicius was dismissed from his post as prefect after Hadrian alleged he had been treating the empress

Vibia Sabina Vibia Sabina (13 August 83–136/137) was a Roman Empress, wife and second cousin once removed to the Roman Emperor Hadrian. She was the daughter of Matidia (niece of Roman Emperor Trajan) and suffect consul Lucius Vibius Sabinus. Early li ...

“in a more informal fashion than the etiquette of the court demanded.” His friend the imperial secretary Suetonius was dismissed for the same reason.

Literary connections

In the first letter of his famous collection of correspondence, the '' Epistulae'', Pliny the Younger credits Septicius’ constant urgings for motivating him to publish his letters. The intimate friendship between the two is evident in another letter where Pliny playfully chides Septicius for not appearing at a lavish dinner party. In another letter, to Apollinaris, Pliny writes of Septicius Clarus: "I never met anyone more sterling, simple, frank, and trustworthy." Septicius Clarus was also a friend of the historian Suetonius who dedicated his famous collection of biographies of the early emperors, ''

The Twelve Caesars ''De vita Caesarum'' (Latin; "About the Life of the Caesars"), commonly known as ''The Twelve Caesars'', is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. The gr ...

'', to him.

Family

Septicius’ family was prominent in 2nd Century CE Rome. His brother Marcus Erucius Clarus was suffect consul in 117 CE and conquered and burned the city of Seleucia during Trajan's eastern campaign. His nephew Sextus Erucius Clarus was twice

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...

and also City Prefect."Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology" - Smith

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Septicius Clarus, Gaius 2nd-century Romans Clarus, Gaius Septicius Praetorian prefects