He never held the throne. For nearly a decade, he didn't need to.
This Sejanus canvas wall art features a dramatic portrait of Rome's most dangerous powerbroker, part of the Bad Boys of Rome collection. A distinguished piece for the home, office, or classroom - and a compelling gift for history enthusiasts, classics lovers, and students of Roman intrigue.
ABOUT SEJANUS (20 BC – 31 AD)
Lucius Aelius Sejanus was born into a family of equestrian rank in Volsinii, Etruria - respectable, but far from the senatorial aristocracy that traditionally governed Rome. What he lacked in birth he compensated for with exceptional political intelligence and an instinct for identifying what powerful men needed most. When Tiberius became emperor in 14 AD, Sejanus was appointed prefect of the Praetorian Guard alongside his father. Within a year he was sole prefect. Within a decade he was, in practical terms, the second most powerful man in the Roman world.
His ascent was methodical. He consolidated the scattered Praetorian cohorts into a single fortified camp outside Rome's walls, giving the Guard - and himself - an entirely new kind of institutional weight. He cultivated Tiberius's trust with tireless efficiency, presenting himself as indispensable while quietly removing rivals through the empire's increasingly weaponized treason laws. When Tiberius's son Drusus died in 23 AD - ancient sources suggest Sejanus had a hand in it, having seduced Drusus's wife Livilla - the last significant check on his influence was gone. Senators courted his favor. His statues appeared across the empire. His birthday was publicly observed. When Tiberius withdrew to Capri in 26 AD, Sejanus effectively governed Rome in his absence, controlling who could reach the emperor and which information ever made it to the island.
The fall came with shocking speed. In October 31 AD, Tiberius - apparently alerted to the full scope of Sejanus's ambitions through a letter delivered by an unlikely intermediary - had him arrested and executed the same day. His children were killed. His name was struck from public monuments. The damnatio memoriae was nearly total.
Sejanus matters not because he succeeded, but because he came so close. His career exposes the structural vulnerability at the heart of imperial rule - the degree to which one-man government depended on trust, and what happened when that trust was systematically manufactured and then betrayed.
PRODUCT FEATURES
- Available in 3 sizes in vertical orientation (300 dpi)
- Museum-quality printing with Greenguard Gold certified inks
- Non-toxic latex inks, safe and eco-friendly
- Made from FSC certified sustainable materials
- Anti-slip rubber dot backing to secure canvas when hung
- Wipe clean gently with a damp cloth if needed
- Arrives ready to hang