Gaius Nymphidius Sabinus (c. 35–68) was a

Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...

of the

Praetorian Guard The Praetorian Guard (Latin: ''cohortēs praetōriae'') was a unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorian Guard were an escort fo ...

during the rule of

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...

from 65 until his death in 68. He shared this office together with

Ofonius Tigellinus Ofonius Tigellinus (c. 10 – 69) was a prefect of the Roman imperial bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard, from 62 until 68, during the reign of emperor Nero. Tigellinus gained imperial favour through his acquaintance wit ...

, replacing his previous colleague

Faenius Rufus Lucius Faenius Rufus, an ''eques Romanus'', was praefectus annonae from AD 55 to 62. Tacitus reports that (unlike most holders of that office) he did ''not'' profit from it. With Tigellinus, he succeeded Sextus Afranius Burrus as praetorian pref ...

. During the second half of the 60s, Nero grew increasingly unpopular with the people and the army, leading to a number of

rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

s which ultimately caused his downfall and

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

in 68. Nymphidius took part in the final conspiracy against Nero and persuaded the Praetorian Guard to desert him, but when he attempted to have himself declared emperor, he was killed by his own soldiers.

Life

Nymphidius Sabinus was the son of an imperial freedwoman, Nymphidia (daughter of

Gaius Julius Callistus Gaius Julius Callistus (flourished 1st century) was a Greek imperial freedman during the reigns of Roman Emperors Caligula and Claudius. Callistus was originally a freedman of Caligula, and was given great authority during his reign, which he u ...

). Galba records speculation that his father was a

gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...

named Martianus, whom he resembled, but it was rumored (probably falsely) that he was the illegitimate son of a previous Roman Emperor,

Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...

. After the

Pisonian conspiracy The conspiracy of Gaius Calpurnius Piso in AD 65 was a in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero (reign 54–68). The plot reflected the growing discontent among the ruling class of the Roman state with Nero's increasingly despotic leadership, a ...

against his alleged first cousin

in 65 A.D., executions created the opportunity for many to rise in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

into positions of power. Among those to advance was Nymphidius, who became a colleague of

Praetorian prefect The praetorian prefect ( la, praefectus praetorio, el, ) was a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders be ...

Tigellinus Ofonius Tigellinus (c. 10 – 69) was a prefect of the Roman imperial bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard, from 62 until 68, during the reign of emperor Nero. Tigellinus gained imperial favour through his acquaintance wit ...

in the

after the latter's previous partner

was put to death. Nymphidius gradually consolidated some authority over the Praetorians, and his promise of material reward increased their willingness to declare for

Galba Galba (; born Servius Sulpicius Galba; 24 December 3 BC – 15 January AD 69) was the sixth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 68 to 69. After his adoption by his stepmother, and before becoming emperor, he was known as Livius Ocella Sulpicius Ga ...

during the provincial revolts of 68 A.D. which led to the senatorial rejection of Nero and to his suicide that same year. Between the death of Nero and the arrival of Galba at Rome, Nymphidius wasted no time: he orchestrated the "resignation" of Tigellinus and stood as sole commander of the praetorian guard. Galba, however, appointed a replacement for Tigellinus,

Cornelius Laco Cornelius Laco (died 69) was a prefect of the Roman imperial bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard, under Emperor Galba from 68 until his death on 15 January of AD 69. Laco acceded to this office upon the suicide of the previous emperor Nero ...

, and took several further steps to eliminate potential rivals (e.g., the murder of Lucius Clodius Macer in

Africa Province Africa Proconsularis was a Roman province on the northern African coast that was established in 146 BC following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisia, the northeast of Algeria, ...

), all of which must have made Nymphidius uneasy. No longer content to help others to the throne, Nymphidius declared that he himself was a legitimate successor to Nero — a claim which he supported with the dubious assertion that he was the illegitimate son of the former emperor Caligula.Plutarch, ''Parallel Lives'', ''Life of Galba'', 9.1 He also took Nero's wife,

Sporus Sporus was a young slave boy whom the Roman Emperor Nero favored, had castrated, and married.Champlin, 2005, p.145Smith, 1849, p.897 Life Little is known about Sporus' background except that he was a youth to whom Nero took a liking. He may h ...

, as his own wife. Sporus, who was a young male

freedman A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom a ...

, had been married to Nero (after he had had him castrated), and was said to resemble the emperor's second wife:

Poppaea Poppaea Sabina (AD 30 – 65), also known as Ollia, was a Roman empress as the second wife of the Emperor Nero. She had also been wife to the future emperor Otho. The historians of antiquity describe her as a beautiful woman who used intrigues ...

.Plutarch, ''Parallel Lives'', ''Life of Galba'', 9.3 The Praetorians recognized that Galba's approach counted for more than Nymphidius' presence, and killed the would-be usurper before their new Emperor arrived at Rome. Nymphidius is significant not only because he played an instrumental part in the downfall of Nero, but also because he illustrates the heights to which even men of low birth could rise on their own initiative, as well as the tremendous importance of Praetorian loyalty for imperial succession in the turbulent

Year of the Four Emperors The Year of the Four Emperors, AD 69, was the first civil war of the Roman Empire, during which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. It is considered an important interval, marking the transition from the ...

which followed the death of Nero.

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nymphidius Sabinus, Gaius 35 births 68 deaths 1st-century Romans Ancient Roman murder victims Praetorian prefects 1st-century Roman usurpers Children of Caligula Illegitimate children of Roman emperors Sons of Roman emperors

Life

See also

References

Bibliography