Gaius Caecina Tuscus (Greek ''Gaius Kokina'') was a 1st-century Roman politician and governor of Egypt during the reign of Nero, and is mentioned by Tacitus. Tuscus was a member of the Caecinae, an Etruscan family of Volaterrae, one of the ancient cities of Etruria.

Named Prefect of the Praetorian Guard

According to

Fabius Rusticus Fabius Rusticus was a Roman historian who was quoted on several occasions by Tacitus. Tacitus couples his name with that of Livy and describes him as "the most graphic among ancient and modern historians." Tacitus also said that he embellished matt ...

, he was named Prefect of the Praetorium in 56, in place of

Burrus ''Burrus'' is a genus of shield bugs The Pentatomoidea are a superfamily of insects in the Heteroptera suborder of the Hemiptera order. As Hemiptera, they share a common arrangement of sucking mouthparts. The roughly 7000 species under Pentat ...

. But Caecina did not manage to take office, as Burrus retained control of the Praetorians through Seneca's influence.

Prefect of Egypt

In 63, he was appointed governor of Egypt. There are papyrus records of Tuscus addressing concerned veteran soldiers. On the immunity of Roman legionaries, see P. Yale Inventory 1528. On July 17, 64 AD, he is mentioned in a declaration of property in

Oxyrhynchus Oxyrhynchus (; grc-gre, Ὀξύρρυγχος, Oxýrrhynchos, sharp-nosed; ancient Egyptian ''Pr-Medjed''; cop, or , ''Pemdje''; ar, البهنسا, ''Al-Bahnasa'') is a city in Middle Egypt located about 160 km south-southwest of Cairo ...

. In Alexandria, long-standing tensions between the Jews and Greek inhabitants led to riots in AD 66. Tuscus failed to control the situation. In 66, he was dismissed by the emperor when it became known that he had made use of the bathrooms that had been built for Nero's trip to Egypt and that Nero had to open. In May 66, Nero appointed Tiberius Alexander as Prefect of Egypt, one of the two most prestigious posts available to an equestrian along with

Prefect of the Praetorian Guard The praetorian prefect ( la, praefectus praetorio, el, ) was a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders be ...

Exile

In 67, Caecina was exiled by Nero. However, he is known to have returned to Rome in 69.SMITH, William (ed.). Dictionary of greek and roman biography and mythology. Vol. I. London: Walton and Maberly, 1841, p. 530.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caecina Tuscus, Gaius 1st-century Roman governors of Egypt 1st-century Romans Tuscus, Gaius Praetorian prefects Roman governors of Egypt