Gaius Silius
Encyclopedia
Gaius Silius was the name of two consul
s of the Roman Empire
, during the 1st century. The elder was a consul and commander in the Roman Army
during the reign of Emperors Augustus
and Tiberius
and the younger a consul in the reign of Emperor Claudius
.
, Silius was an army commander in Germania Inferior
participating in the Roman retaliation campaign Battle of the Teutoburg Forest#Germanicus' campaign against the Germans (from 14-16 AD) against a Germanic alliance in the aftermath of the disaster at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
. He won an honorary triumph in 15. Tiberius appointed him as a taxation auditor in Gaul
in 16, and later became governor of Germania Inferior
in 21.
Silius married Sosia Galla. The couple had become friends with Tiberius’ daughter-in-law Agrippina the Elder
. Due to their friendship with Agrippina they became innocent victims of Sejanus
' treason trials. Under pressure, Silius committed suicide in 24, and afterwards Galla was exiled. Galla's property was confiscated by the Senate
but later given to her children.
Through the infatuation of the Empress Valeria Messalina, they had become lovers. Silius knew the danger he put himself in. Messalina forced him to divorce his wife to marry her. They had committed bigamy and married before witnesses. Silius was childless and wanted to adopt Britannicus
. Narcissus
exposed their mock marriage and the plot to kill Claudius. The Emperor ordered their executions in 48.
His former wife, whom he divorced in 47, Junia Silana, was a friend of Agrippina the Younger
and the two later became rivals bitter rivals. Likely due to the machinations of Agrippina, she was exiled and later died at Tarentum
in 59.
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
s of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, during the 1st century. The elder was a consul and commander in the Roman Army
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
during the reign of Emperors Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
and Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
and the younger a consul in the reign of Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
.
Gaius Silius consul under Augustus
The elder Gaius Silius was consul in 13. During his consulship, Augustus had written his will. Under the overall command of GermanicusGermanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar , commonly known as Germanicus, was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and a prominent general of the early Roman Empire. He was born in Rome, Italia, and was named either Nero Claudius Drusus after his father or Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle...
, Silius was an army commander in Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior was a Roman province located on the left bank of the Rhine, in today's Luxembourg, southern Netherlands, parts of Belgium, and North Rhine-Westphalia left of the Rhine....
participating in the Roman retaliation campaign Battle of the Teutoburg Forest#Germanicus' campaign against the Germans (from 14-16 AD) against a Germanic alliance in the aftermath of the disaster at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius of the Cherusci ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions, along with their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus.Despite numerous successful campaigns and raids by the...
. He won an honorary triumph in 15. Tiberius appointed him as a taxation auditor in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
in 16, and later became governor of Germania Inferior
Roman governors of Germania Inferior
This is a list of Roman governors of Germania Inferior . Capital and largest city of Germania Inferior was Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium , modern-day Cologne....
in 21.
Silius married Sosia Galla. The couple had become friends with Tiberius’ daughter-in-law Agrippina the Elder
Agrippina the elder
Vipsania Agrippina or most commonly known as Agrippina Major or Agrippina the Elder was a distinguished and prominent granddaughter of the Emperor Augustus. Agrippina was the wife of the general, statesman Germanicus and a relative to the first Roman Emperors...
. Due to their friendship with Agrippina they became innocent victims of Sejanus
Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Seianus , commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius...
' treason trials. Under pressure, Silius committed suicide in 24, and afterwards Galla was exiled. Galla's property was confiscated by the Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
but later given to her children.
Gaius Silius consul under Claudius
The younger Gaius Silius, son of the previous, was senator in 47 and a consul in 48. He had married the aristocratic woman Junia Lepida Silana. The ancient sources describe him as an intelligent, noble and attractive man.Through the infatuation of the Empress Valeria Messalina, they had become lovers. Silius knew the danger he put himself in. Messalina forced him to divorce his wife to marry her. They had committed bigamy and married before witnesses. Silius was childless and wanted to adopt Britannicus
Britannicus
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus was the son of the Roman emperor Claudius and his third wife Valeria Messalina. He became the heir-designate of the empire at his birth, less than a month into his father's reign. He was still a young boy at the time of his mother's downfall and Claudius'...
. Narcissus
Tiberius Claudius Narcissus
Tiberius Claudius Narcissus was one of the freedmen who formed the core of the imperial court under the Roman emperor Claudius. He is described as praepositus ab epistulis ....
exposed their mock marriage and the plot to kill Claudius. The Emperor ordered their executions in 48.
His former wife, whom he divorced in 47, Junia Silana, was a friend of Agrippina the Younger
Agrippina the Younger
Julia Agrippina, most commonly referred to as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger, and after 50 known as Julia Augusta Agrippina was a Roman Empress and one of the more prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
and the two later became rivals bitter rivals. Likely due to the machinations of Agrippina, she was exiled and later died at Tarentum
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
in 59.