Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus

Gaius Sallustius Passienus Crispus was a prominent figure in the Roman Empire during the first century. He held the consulship twice, and was stepfather of the future emperor Nero. Background Suetonius reports that Passienus was born at Visellium, an obscure town whose location has been lost. He was the grandson of Lucius Passienus Rufus, consul in 4 BC. His father, who died in AD 21, was a grandnephew of the historian Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust), who had no children of his own, and therefore adopted his sister's grandson as his heir. The elder Passienus assumed his uncle's names, in accordance with Roman custom, and in turn these names were passed to his son. Early career Passienus was a regular pleader in the court of the Centumviri, which met in the Basilica Julia. Suetonius mentions a statue of Passienus, which had been set up in the Basilica. He made his first speech in the senate during the reign of Tiberius, whom he addressed politely, and whose favour he won, although Suetonius maintains that the emperor's praise was insincere. Passienus was consul for the first time in AD 27, being named suffectus from the Kalends of July, as the colleague of Publius Cornelius Lentulus, and serving out the remainder of the year. Despite his rank and wealth, Passienus affected a humble manner in order to remain in favour with the emperors. During the reign of Caligula, he accompanied the emperor on his travels, following on foot as a token of subservience. Caligula is said to have asked him once, in private, if Passienus had ever had intercourse with his own sister, as he himself had done. Realizing that answering either in the affirmative or the negative might be dangerous, Passienus replied, "not yet", thereby avoiding the emperor's displeasure.