The Treason Trials

• In the late republic there was a law against committing actions which 'diminished the majesty of the Roman senate and people'.
• Augustus revised this law to produce the Lex Julia de maiestate (Julian law of treason)
• Augustus extended the law to include treasonable words, written or spoken, as well as actions.
• Under Augustus, the law increasingly became restricted to actions or words which were alleged to have damaged the princeps or family.
• Augustus extended the remit of the senate, giving it a Judicial function to hear cases against its own members.
• Vague definition - any action or words which 'diminished the majesty of the Roman state or people'. Evidence was often unreliable or based on rumours/hearsay.
• Delatores - there were no public prosecutors in Rome. Therefore, individual prosecutors/informers known as Delatores would gain 1/4 of the property of anyone convicted.
• Tiberius and the senate - the attitude of the senate was to appease Tiberius, and he often sat in on cases. This caused the senate to give a verdict on what they thought he wanted.
• The trials were also used in the sources to emphasise Tiberius ' cruel and bloody nature'.
• Clutorius Priscus:

  • accused of: composing a poem about Drusus in hopes of getting money
  • summary and outcome: accused by an informer, Marcus Leipidus defends him - no point in killing him, exiled outlawed, looses all property
  • Tiberius played no part
• Lucius Ennius:

  • accused of: converted a statue of emperor to use as a plate
  • summary: emperor refused trial, Capito persisted against veto, Lucius Ennius unpunished
  • part played by Tiberius: refused veto
• Gaius Sillius:

  • accused of: boasted his troops had stood loyal, Tiberius couldn't have retained throne
  • summary: undermined, Tiberius grew to hate his wife due to friendship with Agrippina, Sillius anticipated impending condemnation and committed suicide
  • Tiberius attacked him
• Vibius Serenus:

  • accused of: alleged plot against emperor, men sent to Gaul for rebellion
  • summary: Cornutus committed suicide, accused appeal to Gods for vengence, exiled
• Gaius Cominius:

  • accused of: writing libellous verses at the intersecion of his brother
  • Tiberius spares him