The role of the provincial army in the plans of taking over the authority by Sejanus

There are no convincing evidences, that Sejanus tended to the upheaval. By availing the confidence of Tiberius he extended the belief of his indispensability as the associate of Caesar because of the real influence on his reign. For a long time Emperor didn’t see anything wrong in it. Tiberius saw the threat rather from the side of Agrippina the Elder and her older sons and from the descendants of the old aristocratic families. Sejanus as the one of equites enjoyed of the confidence of the Emperor, who saw in him the efficient tool in wielding the power. Gradually ripened the idea that after the death of Tiberius, Sejanus could become the guardian of the emperor’s grandson – Tiberius Gemellus – the consecutive princeps. In the realization of this plan could be used – among the others – the taking over by the prefect of praetorians the informal influence on appointing the governorships of the provinces. Probably with awareness of Emperor, but without his explicit acceptation, the effigies of Sejanus were placed in legion chapels. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem to be true that the prefect of praetorians enjoyed of authentic respect among the commanders of the provincial army. Sejanus didn’t have on his account any significant successes, he didn’t also carried on any independent political undertakings. He always played the role of the tool of Caesar. But progressively Sejanus visibly started to present his own ambitions. His energy contrasted with the vision of the old Caesar residing on inaccessible Capri – so the senators didn’t have the reliable information about his state of health. The consecutive extraordinaire privileges granted for Sejanus by the Senate caused bigger and bigger irritation of Tiberius, who started to be afraid of hisown security. Basically these two reasons and the number of others predominated and in the year 31 Tiberius decided to settle accounts with his prefect of praetorians.