# Casperius Aelianus

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Casperius_Aelianus
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Casperius_Aelianus.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casperius_Aelianus
> Source revision: 1355652272
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Ancient Roman official (fl. AD 69 – 98)

Casperius Aelianus Years active AD 69 – 98 Praetorian prefect In office After AD 81 – 94 Monarch Domitian In office AD 96 – 98 Monarchs Nerva, Trajan Military career Allegiance Roman Empire Commands Praetorian Guard Campaigns Roman–Parthian War of 58–63 (possibly) Year of the Four Emperors

**Casperius Aelianus** (fl. AD 69 – 98) was an ancient Roman official who served as [praetorian prefect](/source/Praetorian_prefect) under the emperors [Domitian](/source/Domitian) and [Nerva](/source/Nerva), and briefly under Nerva's successor [Trajan](/source/Trajan). He is believed to have served as a [tribune](/source/Military_tribune) (a junior military officer) under the general [Vespasian](/source/Vespasian), and to have fought on Vespasian's side during the civil war of AD 69, later known as the [Year of the Four Emperors](/source/Year_of_the_Four_Emperors). Vespasian's victory in that war led to his elevation as emperor, and his younger son, Domitian, appointed Casperius as [praetorian prefect](/source/Praetorian_prefect) in the later part of his own reign (AD 81 – 96). Following Domitian's assassination in September of AD 96, Casperius – whom Domitian had removed from his post at some point earlier – was reappointed by the new emperor, [Nerva](/source/Nerva).

In the autumn of AD 97, Casperius led a revolt of the [Praetorian Guard](/source/Praetorian_Guard), with the aim of forcing Nerva to hand over for punishment those responsible for Domitian's assassination. Historians suggest that he may have been acting on his own initiative, or on the inducement of another, perhaps the governor [Cornelius Nigerinus](/source/Marcus_Cornelius_Nigrinus_Curiatius_Maternus) or Trajan, then a prominent general. Shortly after the revolt, Nerva appointed Trajan, who was popular with the soldiers, as his successor. After Nerva's death early in AD 98, Trajan summoned Casperius to his camp: the Roman historian [Cassius Dio](/source/Cassius_Dio) states that he "put [Casperius] out of the way", along with others who had been involved in the revolt of 97, though the precise meaning of this statement is unclear.

## Biography

The three emperors under whom Casperius served as praetorian prefect: [Domitian](/source/Domitian) (r. AD 81 – 96), [Nerva](/source/Nerva) (r. 96–98), and [Trajan](/source/Trajan) (r. 98–117)

Nothing is known for sure of Casperius's origin or family.[1] Parts of his career are attested in two ancient sources: the *[Life of Apollonius](/source/Life_of_Apollonius_of_Tyana)*,[a] written by [Philostratus](/source/Philostratus) in the third century AD, and [Cassius Dio](/source/Cassius_Dio)'s history of Rome, written in the early part of that century.[3] The historian [Ronald Syme](/source/Ronald_Syme) conjectures, on the basis of inscriptional evidence, that he may have originated at [Amisus](/source/Amisus) in the Roman province of [Pontus](/source/Pontus_(region)) in Asia Minor.[4] According to the *Life of Apollonius*, he served as a [tribune](/source/Military_tribune) (a junior military officer) under the general [Vespasian](/source/Vespasian) in [Judaea](/source/Judaea_(Roman_province)),[5] and served with Vespasian during the civil war of AD 69, later known as the [Year of the Four Emperors](/source/Year_of_the_Four_Emperors), which ended with Vespasian's elevation as emperor.[6] The Roman historian [Tacitus](/source/Tacitus) prominently mentions a [centurion](/source/Centurion) (a senior soldier, below officer rank) by the name of Casperius, who served in the eastern provinces with [Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo](/source/Gnaeus_Domitius_Corbulo) during the [Roman–Parthian War of 58–63](/source/Roman%E2%80%93Parthian_War_of_58%E2%80%9363): the modern historian Jonathan Eaton suggests that this might have been Casperius Aelianus.[7]

Casperius was appointed as [praetorian prefect](/source/Praetorian_prefect) in the later part of the reign of Vespasian's younger son, [Domitian](/source/Domitian) (r. AD 81 – 96),[8] as the colleague of [Lucius Laberius Maximus](/source/Lucius_Laberius_Maximus).[9] Under earlier emperors of the [Flavian dynasty](/source/Flavian_dynasty), praetorian prefects had generally come from the imperial family itself; Casperius, along with the other prefects appointed by Domitian, did not. The historian Brian Jones suggests that the loyalty he demonstrated to Vespasian in AD 69 was the reason for his promotion under Domitian.[6] According to the *Life of Apollonius*, he was a friend of [Apollonius of Tyana](/source/Apollonius_of_Tyana) and other philosophers, and tasked with presiding over a special court convened to try the former early in AD 93.[2][b]

Domitian was assassinated by a conspiracy of palace officials on 18 September, AD 96.[11] By this point,[c] Casperius was no longer in post as praetorian prefect: the two positions were held by Norbanus and [Titus Petronius Secundus](/source/Titus_Petronius_Secundus). These may have been involved in the plot to assassinate Domitian, and indeed modern historians often assume that their support would have contributed significantly to its success.[13][d] Domitian was succeeded by [Nerva](/source/Nerva), who was declared emperor by the [Senate](/source/Roman_Senate) on the day of the assassination.[14] In the months that followed, Nerva re-appointed Casperius as praetorian prefect,[15] replacing Norbanus.[16] He may have intended this gesture to placate the [Praetorian Guard](/source/Praetorian_Guard), the imperial bodyguard corps who were powerful in Roman politics and often involved in deposing and appointing emperors.[15] By early 97, Casperius was the only praetorian prefect in service.[17]

In the autumn of AD 97, the Praetorian Guard rebelled, insisting that Nerva hand over those responsible for Domitian's assassination.[18] The relevant passage of the *[Epitome de Caesaribus](/source/Epitome_de_Caesaribus)*, a fifth-century summary of a longer work by the fourth-century historian [Aurelius Victor](/source/Aurelius_Victor), is uncertain: it may have stated that Casperius was bribed to carry out the insurrection, or alternatively that he had himself bribed the praetorians.[19][e] Nerva initially refused to hand them over; on Casperius's orders, the praetorians killed Petronius Secundus and Parthenius, who had been Domitian's chamberlain.[21] Casperius subsequently forced Nerva to retroactively declare that the insurrection had been legal; within two or three months, Nerva adopted [Trajan](/source/Trajan), a general popular with the soldiers, as his successor.[22] This is interpreted as a gesture intended to reinforce Nerva's popularity with the soldiers and to give his rule legitimacy with them;[23] it may also have been explicitly demanded by the revolters.[24] The historians Andrew Berriman and Malcolm Todd suggest that Casperius may have acted at the instigation of Trajan himself.[25]

Shortly thereafter, in January AD 98, Nerva died of natural causes. Trajan accepted the empire, and stayed north of the Alps for several months.[26] The new emperor's accession made Casperius the first praetorian prefect to hold the office under three emperors.[27] Trajan summoned Casperius to his camp, on the river Rhine in [Germania](/source/Germania).[28] Cassius Dio writes that Trajan "sent for Aelianus and the praetorians who had mutinied against Nerva, pretending that he was going to employ them for some purpose, and then put them out of the way (ἐκποδὼν ἐποιήσατο)".[29] It is not known what "put them out of the way" means. Though Dio does not explicitly mention execution, Trajan's guards would have been involved if this were the case.[30] Garzetti assumes that Casperius was indeed executed,[31] as does Syme.[32] The historian Sandra Bingham speculates that Casperius may have been dismissed and sent away from Rome, but allowed to retire, in order to remove an unwanted reminder of the means by which Trajan was made heir.[33]

## Footnotes

### Explanatory notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** The historian Brian W. Jones writes that "while it is probably unwise to dismiss Philostratus's account entirely, it must still be treated with extreme scepticism."[2]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** The *Life of Apollonius* states, in the historian Maria Dzielska's summary, that Apollonius was accused of "[having] odd habits, such as his strange way of dressing, of [claiming] to be a god, of ... conjuring tricks performed in [Ephesus](/source/Ephesus), and of ... support given to the anti-State activities of Nerva and his companions by means of magic."[10]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** The historian Albino Garzetti suggests that the demotion may have occurred in 94.[12] Jones suggests that it may have followed the executions of several philosophers late in 93, speculating that Casperius may have taken an interest in those philosophers, and therefore been misidentified as one of their supporters, as a result of Domitian's cultivation of them in his early reign.[2]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Brian Jones argues that the ancient sources available do not allow us to definitely determine that they were involved.[6]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** If the former, the historian [Karl-Heinz Schwarte](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Karl-Heinz_Schwarte&action=edit&redlink=1) has suggested [Cornelius Nigrinus](/source/Marcus_Cornelius_Nigrinus_Curiatius_Maternus) as the plot's ultimate origin.[20]

### References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESyme195810_1-0)** [Syme 1958](#CITEREFSyme1958), p. 10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973278_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973278_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973278_2-2) [Jones 1973](#CITEREFJones1973), p. 278.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973277–278_4-0)** [Jones 1973](#CITEREFJones1973), pp. 277–278.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESyme195835_5-0)** [Syme 1958](#CITEREFSyme1958), p. 35.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Syme 1958](#CITEREFSyme1958), p. 35, n. 4, citing Philostratus, *Life of Apollonius* 7.18.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones200260–61_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones200260–61_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones200260–61_7-2) [Jones 2002](#CITEREFJones2002), pp. 60–61.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Syme 1958](#CITEREFSyme1958), p. 35, n. 4; [Eaton 2014](#CITEREFEaton2014), p. 236; Tacitus, *Annals* [15.5.2](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Annals/15A*.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones200260_9-0)** [Jones 2002](#CITEREFJones2002), p. 60.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEde_la_Bédoyère2017183–184_10-0)** [de la Bédoyère 2017](#CITEREFde_la_Bédoyère2017), pp. 183–184.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDzielska198623_11-0)** [Dzielska 1986](#CITEREFDzielska1986), p. 23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones2002193_13-0)** [Jones 2002](#CITEREFJones2002), p. 193.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarzetti1974304_14-0)** [Garzetti 1974](#CITEREFGarzetti1974), p. 304.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarzetti1974294Jones200260–61_16-0)** [Garzetti 1974](#CITEREFGarzetti1974), p. 294; [Jones 2002](#CITEREFJones2002), pp. 60–61.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMurison2003153_18-0)** [Murison 2003](#CITEREFMurison2003), p. 153.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBerrimanTodd2001326_19-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBerrimanTodd2001326_19-1) [Berriman & Todd 2001](#CITEREFBerrimanTodd2001), p. 326.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECollins200987_20-0)** [Collins 2009](#CITEREFCollins2009), p. 87.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973279_21-0)** [Jones 1973](#CITEREFJones1973), p. 279.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBerrimanTodd2001324_22-0)** [Berriman & Todd 2001](#CITEREFBerrimanTodd2001), p. 324.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECollins200988_23-0)** [Collins 2009](#CITEREFCollins2009), p. 88.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** [Collins 2009](#CITEREFCollins2009), p. 88, citing [Schwarte 1979](#CITEREFSchwarte1979).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** [Schwarte 1979](#CITEREFSchwarte1979), p. 144. On Parthenius, see [Gunderson 2021](#CITEREFGunderson2021), p. 169.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchwarte1979144_27-0)** [Schwarte 1979](#CITEREFSchwarte1979), p. 144.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMorgan2006179_28-0)** [Morgan 2006](#CITEREFMorgan2006), p. 179.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEde_la_Bédoyère2017189_29-0)** [de la Bédoyère 2017](#CITEREFde_la_Bédoyère2017), p. 189.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBerrimanTodd2001327–328_30-0)** [Berriman & Todd 2001](#CITEREFBerrimanTodd2001), pp. 327–328.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETuck2015213_31-0)** [Tuck 2015](#CITEREFTuck2015), p. 213.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973277_32-0)** [Jones 1973](#CITEREFJones1973), p. 277.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones1973279Syme198064_33-0)** [Jones 1973](#CITEREFJones1973), p. 279; [Syme 1980](#CITEREFSyme1980), p. 64.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-34)** [Cassius Dio](/source/Cassius_Dio), *Roman History* [68.5.4](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/68*.html), as translated and rendered in [Foster & Cary 1925](#CITEREFFosterCary1925), pp. 368–369.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson2022266_35-0)** [Jackson 2022](#CITEREFJackson2022), p. 266.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarzetti1974308_36-0)** [Garzetti 1974](#CITEREFGarzetti1974), p. 308.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESyme198064_37-0)** [Syme 1980](#CITEREFSyme1980), p. 64.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBingham2013chapter_2Eaton2014236_38-0)** [Bingham 2013](#CITEREFBingham2013), chapter 2; [Eaton 2014](#CITEREFEaton2014), p. 236.

## Bibliography

- Berriman, Andrew; Todd, Malcolm (2001). "A Very Roman Coup: The Hidden War of Imperial Succession, AD 96–8". *Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte*. **50** (3): 312–331. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [4436620](https://www.jstor.org/stable/4436620).

- Bingham, Sandra (2013). *The Praetorian Guard: A History of Rome's Elite Speical Forces*. London and New York: I. B. Tauris. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-85773-286-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85773-286-6).

- Cassius Dio (1925). Foster, Herbert Baldwin (ed.). [*Roman History, Volume VIII*](https://archive.org/details/dios-roman-history.-vol.-8-loeb-176). Loeb Classical Library. Vol. 176. Translated by Cary, Earnest. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [899735676](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/899735676).

- Collins, Andrew W. (2009). "The Palace Revolution: The Assassination of Domitian and the Accession of Nerva". *Phoenix*. **63** (1/2): 73–106. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [25651766](https://www.jstor.org/stable/25651766).

- de la Bédoyère, Guy (2017). [*Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard*](https://archive.org/details/praetorianrisefa0000dela/). New Haven and London: Yale University Press. [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2016958591](https://lccn.loc.gov/2016958591) – via Internet Archive.

- Dzielska, Maria (1986). *Apollonius of Tyana in Legend and History*. Problemi e ricerche di storia antica. Vol. 10. Translated by Pieńkowski. Rome: "L'Erma" di Bretschneider. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [88-7062-599-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/88-7062-599-0).

- Eaton, Jonathan (2014). "Review: *The Praetorian Guard*". *The Classical Review*. New Series. **64** (1): 234–236. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [43301867](https://www.jstor.org/stable/43301867).

- Garzetti, Albino (1974) [1960]. *From Tiberius to the Antonines*. Translated by Foster, J. R. London: Methuen. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-416-70480-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-416-70480-8).

- Gunderson, Erik (2021). *The Art of Complicity in Martial and Statius: The*Epigrams*,*Siluae*, and Domitianic Rome*. Oxford University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-289811-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-289811-1).

- Jackson, Nicholas (2022). [*Trajan: Rome's Last Conqueror*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5p5hEAAAQBAJ). Greenhill Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-78438-710-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78438-710-5).

- Jones, Brian W. (1973). "Casperius Aelianus: An Enigma?". *The Classical Journal*. **68** (3): 277–279. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [3296387](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3296387).

- Jones, Brian W. (2002). [*The Emperor Domitian*](https://books.google.com/books?id=LxeIAgAAQBAJ). Abingdon: Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-134-85313-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-134-85313-7).

- Morgan, Llewelyn (2006). "Domitian the Second?". *Greece & Rome*. **53** (2): 175–184. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [4122469](https://www.jstor.org/stable/4122469).

- Murison, Charles Leslie (2003). "M. Cocceius Nerva and the Flavians". *Transactions of the American Philological Association*. **133** (1): 147–157. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1353/apa.2003.0008](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fapa.2003.0008). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [162211747](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:162211747).

- Schwarte, Karl-Heinz (1979). ["Trajans Regierungsbeginn und der 'Agricola' des Tacitus"](https://doi.org/10.11588%2Fbjb.1979.1.87006) [The Beginning of Trajan's Reign and the *Agricola* of Tacitus]. *Bonner Jahrbücher* (in German). **179**: 139–175. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11588/bjb.1979.1.87006](https://doi.org/10.11588%2Fbjb.1979.1.87006).

- [Syme, Ronald](/source/Ronald_Syme) (1958). *Tacitus*. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [310709](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/310709).

- [Syme, Ronald](/source/Ronald_Syme) (1980). "Guard Prefects of Trajan and Hadrian". *The Journal of Roman Studies*. **70**: 64–80. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [299556](https://www.jstor.org/stable/299556).

- Tuck, Steven L. (2015). *A History of Roman Art*. Chichester: Wiley–Blackwell. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4443-3025-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4443-3025-0).

## External links

- [Livius.org: Casperius Aelianus](https://www.livius.org/articles/person/casperius-aelianus/)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Casperius Aelianus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casperius_Aelianus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casperius_Aelianus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.