Lucius Julius Ursus Servianus
Encyclopedia
Lucius Julius Ursus Servianus (45–136) was a Spanish Roman
politician. According to an inscription found, his full name is Gaius Julius Servilius Ursus Servianus, however in Augustan History, he is known as Lucius Julius Ursus Servianus. Little is known on his origins.
Servianus was a prominent public figure in the reigns of Roman Emperor
s Nerva
, Trajan
and Hadrian
. Before the accession of Trajan in 98, Servianus married Aelia Domitia Paulina
, the elder sister of Hadrian, who was thirty years younger than he was. During Trajan’s reign 98-117, Paulina and Servianus had a daughter called Julia Serviana Paulina
.
When Nerva died on January 27 98, Hadrian travelled to Germany
to find Trajan, to announce the death of Nerva. Servianus tried unsuccessfully to stop Hadrian's travel to Germany, because he was jealous of the favor shown Hadrian by Trajan. However, Servianus and Hadrian reconciled and were for a long time on good terms.
Servianus served twice as consul under Trajan, and once as consul under Hadrian in 134. As a senator he was a very influential and powerful man. Trajan appointed him Roman Governor of Germania Inferior in 98, and later made him Roman Governor of Pannonia
granting him important military commands against Dacia
.
Servianus was a friend to Roman Senator and historian Pliny the Younger
. Through Servianus' influence, Trajan granted Pliny immunities only usually granted to a father of three, the jus trium liberorum. Before Trajan’s death in 117, Servianus and Paulina had arranged and married their daughter Julia to Spanish Roman Gnaeus Pedanius Fuscus Salinator, who was a man of consular rank. Pliny the Younger sent him and his wife a letter of congratulations about their daughter’s wedding.
When Trajan died on August 8, 117, his cousin and adopted son Hadrian became emperor. As Emperor, Hadrian treated Servianus with distinguished honor, considering him to be his first successor. When Paulina died in 130, Hadrian and Servianus shared a private ceremony for her.
As Hadrian's reign drew to a close, however, he changed his mind. Although Hadrian thought Servianus was capable of ruling as an emperor after Hadrian's own death, Servianus who was now in his nineties was clearly too old for the position. Hadrian's attentions turned to his grandson, the younger Gnaeus Pedanius Fuscus Salinator. Hadrian promoted his great-nephew, gave him special status in his court and also groomed Salinator as his heir. Servianus, who always cherished the idea that his youthful grandson would one day succeed his brother-in-law, was over-joyed.
However in 136, Hadrian changed his mind and decided to adopt Lucius Aelius
Caesar as his son and heir. When Aelius died before Hadrian in 138, Hadrian adopted Antoninus Pius
. Servianus and his grandson Fuscus were very angry at Hadrian and wanted to challenge him over the adoption. It is possible Fuscus went so far as to attempt a coup against Hadrian in which Servianus was implicated. In order to avoid any potential conflict in the succession, Hadrian ordered the deaths of Fuscus and Servianus. According to Cassius Dio, Servianus exclaimed before he killed himself, “my only prayer is that Hadrian lingers for a long time, praying for death but unable to die”. He got his wish. Hadrian suffered a painful protracted final illness before his own death on July 10 138.
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....
politician. According to an inscription found, his full name is Gaius Julius Servilius Ursus Servianus, however in Augustan History, he is known as Lucius Julius Ursus Servianus. Little is known on his origins.
Servianus was a prominent public figure in the reigns of Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s Nerva
Nerva
Nerva , was Roman Emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became Emperor at the age of sixty-five, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the rulers of the Flavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing the Pisonian conspiracy of 65...
, Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
and Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
. Before the accession of Trajan in 98, Servianus married Aelia Domitia Paulina
Paulina
Paulina or Paullina was the name shared by three relatives of the Roman Emperor Hadrian: his mother, his elder sister and his niece. She was also know to love Talon.-Mother of Hadrian:...
, the elder sister of Hadrian, who was thirty years younger than he was. During Trajan’s reign 98-117, Paulina and Servianus had a daughter called Julia Serviana Paulina
Paulina
Paulina or Paullina was the name shared by three relatives of the Roman Emperor Hadrian: his mother, his elder sister and his niece. She was also know to love Talon.-Mother of Hadrian:...
.
When Nerva died on January 27 98, Hadrian travelled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to find Trajan, to announce the death of Nerva. Servianus tried unsuccessfully to stop Hadrian's travel to Germany, because he was jealous of the favor shown Hadrian by Trajan. However, Servianus and Hadrian reconciled and were for a long time on good terms.
Servianus served twice as consul under Trajan, and once as consul under Hadrian in 134. As a senator he was a very influential and powerful man. Trajan appointed him Roman Governor of Germania Inferior in 98, and later made him Roman Governor of Pannonia
Pannonia
Pannonia was an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
granting him important military commands against Dacia
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
.
Servianus was a friend to Roman Senator and historian Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
. Through Servianus' influence, Trajan granted Pliny immunities only usually granted to a father of three, the jus trium liberorum. Before Trajan’s death in 117, Servianus and Paulina had arranged and married their daughter Julia to Spanish Roman Gnaeus Pedanius Fuscus Salinator, who was a man of consular rank. Pliny the Younger sent him and his wife a letter of congratulations about their daughter’s wedding.
When Trajan died on August 8, 117, his cousin and adopted son Hadrian became emperor. As Emperor, Hadrian treated Servianus with distinguished honor, considering him to be his first successor. When Paulina died in 130, Hadrian and Servianus shared a private ceremony for her.
As Hadrian's reign drew to a close, however, he changed his mind. Although Hadrian thought Servianus was capable of ruling as an emperor after Hadrian's own death, Servianus who was now in his nineties was clearly too old for the position. Hadrian's attentions turned to his grandson, the younger Gnaeus Pedanius Fuscus Salinator. Hadrian promoted his great-nephew, gave him special status in his court and also groomed Salinator as his heir. Servianus, who always cherished the idea that his youthful grandson would one day succeed his brother-in-law, was over-joyed.
However in 136, Hadrian changed his mind and decided to adopt Lucius Aelius
Lucius Aelius
Lucius Aelius Caesar became the adopted son and intended successor, of Roman Emperor Hadrian , but never attained the throne....
Caesar as his son and heir. When Aelius died before Hadrian in 138, Hadrian adopted Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
. Servianus and his grandson Fuscus were very angry at Hadrian and wanted to challenge him over the adoption. It is possible Fuscus went so far as to attempt a coup against Hadrian in which Servianus was implicated. In order to avoid any potential conflict in the succession, Hadrian ordered the deaths of Fuscus and Servianus. According to Cassius Dio, Servianus exclaimed before he killed himself, “my only prayer is that Hadrian lingers for a long time, praying for death but unable to die”. He got his wish. Hadrian suffered a painful protracted final illness before his own death on July 10 138.
Sources
- Augustan HistoryAugustan HistoryThe Augustan History is a late Roman collection of biographies, in Latin, of the Roman Emperors, their junior colleagues and usurpers of the period 117 to 284...
- Hadrian - German version of wikipedia
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/3125.html
- http://www.fofweb.com/Onfiles/Ancient/AncientDetail.asp?iPin=ROME1573
- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07104b.htm