Sejanus

play by Jonson

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July 13, 2026

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Sejanus is a play by Ben Jonson, first performed in 1603. The play is a tragedy that dramatizes the rise and fall of Lucius Aelius Sejanus, the ambitious prefect of the Praetorian Guard under the Roman emperor Tiberius.12

Sejanus gained significant power and influence, allegedly orchestrating the death of Tiberius's son and plotting to seize the throne. However, Tiberius, alerted to Sejanus's treachery, had him arrested and executed in 31 CE. Jonson's play explores themes of power, corruption, and political intrigue within the Roman Empire. It is considered one of Jonson's major tragedies, alongside Catiline.13

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tragedy
Shakespearean tragedy
…to have acted in Jonson’s Sejanus in 1603, a very Classical play, published in 1605 with a learned essay on Aristotle as preface. It can be assumed that Shakespeare knew the tradition. Certainly the Elizabethan theatre could not have existed without the Greek and Roman prototype. For all of its…
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…to have acted in Jonson’s Sejanus in 1603, a very Classical play, published in 1605 with a learned essay on Aristotle as preface. It can be assumed that Shakespeare knew the tradition. Certainly the Elizabethan theatre could not have existed without the Greek and Roman prototype. For all of its…
Read More