Junius Blaesus

Quintus Junius Blaesus (? – 31 AD) was a Roman proconsul who governed the Africa Province from 21 to 23. He was the uncle of Lucius Aelius Sejanus, Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and the chief advisor of Emperor Tiberius. It was through his influence that Blaesus was appointed governor of Africa. [Tacitus, "Annals" ]

Career

Blaesus was a commander of the armies stationed in Pannonia when a mutiny broke out in 14 AD. According to Tacitus, after harsh military service in the Great Illyrian Revolt, soldiers were unhappy with their payment of swampy and mountainous Pannonian lands and demanded restitution. To ease tensions, Blaesus offered to commit suicide, but his request was ignored. [Tacitus, "Annals" ] According to the Roman historian Cassius Dio, the soldiers arrested and tortured his slaves, and then attempted to kill Blaesus. However he managed to temporarily restore order by convincing them to send envoys to the Roman Senate instead. [Cassius Dio, "Roman History" [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/57*.html#4 LVII.4] ] In response Tiberius sent his son Drusus to put down the rebellion, accompanied by Sejanus and two Praetorian cohorts.

During his time as governor in Africa, Blaesus was successful in defeating a revolt by the Numidian warlord Tacfarinas, a victory for which he earned triumphal honors. [Tacitus, "Annals" , ]

When the attempt by Sejanus to depose Tiberius in 31 failed, Blaesus was put on trial as one of his associates. Rather than awaiting a certain execution, he chose to commit suicide instead. [Tacitus, "Annals" ]

Notes

External links

* , English translation
* [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/57*.html#19 Cassius Dio, "Roman History", Book 57, Chapter 4] , English translation