Gaius Calvisius Sabinus was a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

, who was

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 thro ...

in AD 26 as the colleague of Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus. During the reign of

Caligula Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), also called Gaius and Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Ag ...

, he was accused of conspiring against the emperor, and took his own life rather than submit to a trial.

Family

Calvisius was probably the son of Gaius Calvisius Sabinus, consul in 4 BC, and grandson of Gaius Calvisius Sabinus, consul in 39 BC. His wife, Cornelia, may have been the sister of Cornelius Lentulus, Calvisius' colleague in the consulship.''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', vol. III, p. 689 ("Calvisius Sabinus", No. 3).

Career

Calvisius is first heard of when he and Cornelius were named ''consules ordinarii'' for AD 26. This was the year in which Tiberius left Rome for

Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...

, never to return. On the Kalends of July, the consuls were replaced by Quintus Junius Blaesus and Lucius Antistius Vetus. Tiberius' removal from Rome may have been influenced by his advisor

Sejanus Lucius Aelius Sejanus ( – 18 October AD 31), commonly known as Sejanus (), was a Roman soldier and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Of the Equites class by birth, Sejanus rose to power as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, the imperia ...

, who assumed power in the emperor's absence. Sejanus fell from power and was executed the year of his own consulship, AD 31. The following year, Calvisius and three other men of consular rank were accused of ''

maiestas ''Maiestas'' is a genus of insects in the family Cicadellidae, the vast majority of which were formerly placed in the genus ''Recilia''.Webb, M.D.; Viraktamath, C.A. 2009: Annotated check-list, generic key and new species of Old World Deltocepha ...

''. One of the informers, a tribune of a city cohort by the name of Celsus, gave testimony that exculpated Calvisius and

Appius Junius Silanus __NOTOC__ Appius Junius Silanus (died AD 43), whom Cassius Dio calls Gaius Appius Silanus, was consul in AD 28, with Publius Silius Nerva as his colleague. He was accused of '' majestas'', or treason, in AD 32 along with a number of senators, but ...

, consul in AD 28. Tiberius deferred action against the other two, Gaius Annius Pollio and

Mamercus Aemilius Scaurus Mamercus Aemilius Scaurus (died AD 34) was a Roman rhetorician, poet and senator. Tacitus writes that Scaurus was "a man of distinguished rank and ability as an advocate, but of infamous life." He was suffect consul from July to the end of the y ...

. During the reign of

, Calvisius was appointed

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...

, and given the command of two legions. The emperor recalled the governor in AD 39, suspecting Calvisius and his wife of plotting against him, and brought charges against both. Cornelia was accused of entering the camp at night dressed as a soldier, interfering with the guard, and committing adultery in the general's headquarters. As their condemnation was certain, they put an end to their own lives before the trial could begin.Barrett, ''Agrippina''
online. p. 60

References

Bibliography

Publius Cornelius Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historiography, Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical ...

, ''

Annales Annals are a concise form of historical writing which record events chronologically, year by year. The equivalent word in Latin and French is ''annales'', which is used untranslated in English in various contexts. List of works with titles contai ...

'', '' Historiae''. * Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus (

Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history of ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

), ''Roman History''. * ''

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' is a biographical dictionary of classical antiquity, edited by William Smith (lexicographer), William Smith and originally published in London by John Taylor (English publisher), Tayl ...

'',

William Smith William, Willie, Will, Bill, or Billy Smith may refer to: Academics * William Smith (Master of Clare College, Cambridge) (1556–1615), English academic * William Smith (antiquary) (c. 1653–1735), English antiquary and historian of University C ...

, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849). * Robin Seager, ''Tiberius'', Blackwell (1972, 2005). *

Ronald Syme Sir Ronald Syme, (11 March 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a New Zealand-born historian and classicist. He was regarded as the greatest historian of ancient Rome since Theodor Mommsen and the most brilliant exponent of the history of the Roma ...

, ''The Augustan Aristocracy'', Clarendon Press, Oxford (1989). * Anthony A. Barrett, ''Agrippina: Sex, Power, and Politics in the Early Empire'', Yale University Press, (1996). * Steven H. Rutledge, ''Imperial Inquisitions: Prosecutors and Informants from Tiberius to Domitian'', Routledge, (2001). {{DEFAULTSORT:Calvisius Sabinus, Gaius 1st-century deaths Suicides in Ancient Rome

Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (biblical figure) (1st century AD) *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist * Gaius Acilius * Gaius Antonius * Gaius Antonius Hybrida * Gaius Asinius Gal ...

1st-century Roman consuls Roman governors of Pannonia Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown

Family

Career

See also

References

Bibliography