Sejanus - Family

Family

Sejanus was born in 20 BC at Volsinii, Etruria, to the family of Lucius Seius Strabo. The Seii were Romans of the equestrian class (or knights), the lower of the two upper social classes of the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire. Sejanus' grandfather however maintained relations with senatorial families through his marriage with Terentia, a sister of the wife of Gaius Maecenas, who was one of Emperor Augustus' most powerful political allies.

Strabo himself married into equally illustrious families. He may have married a daughter of Quintus Aelius Tubero, allying himself with the more prestigious Aelian gens. Lucius Seius Tubero, who became suffect consul in 18, was probably his son. Strabo's last wife was Cosconia Gallita, sister of Servius Cornelius Lentulus Maluginensis (suffect consul in 10) and Publius Cornelius Lentulus Scipio (suffect consul in 2), and perhaps half-sister of Quintus Junius Blaesus (suffect consul in 10). Sejanus could have been a child of this marriage. He was later adopted into the Aelian gens by Aelius Gallus, and by Roman custom became known as Lucius Aelius Seianus, or simply Sejanus.

The adoptive family of Sejanus counted two consuls among their family: the aforementioned Quintus Aelius Tubero (consul in 11 BC), and Sextus Aelius Catus (consul in 4), who was the father of Aelia Paetina, the second wife of the Emperor Claudius. Sejanus' uncle Junius Blaesus distinguished himself as a military commander who became proconsul of Africa in 21, and earned triumphal honors by crushing the rebellion of Tacfarinas.

According to the ancient historian Tacitus, Sejanus was also a former favourite of the wealthy Marcus Gavius Apicius, whose daughter may have been Sejanus' first wife Apicata. With Apicata, he had three children, two sons and one daughter: Strabo, Capito Aelianus and Junilla.