Gaius Julius Callistus
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (July 2012) |
Gaius Julius Callistus (flourished 1st century) was a Greek imperial
This distrust by Caligula may have caused Callistus to turn on him. He is named by the ancient sources as a prime mover in Caligula's murder (24 January 41) rallying the other freedmen to the cause. When Claudius succeeded Caligula, he pardoned most of the conspirators.
In order to impress the new emperor Claudius, Callistus stated that Caligula had ordered him to murder Claudius several times, but he had always refused. Whether or not this was true, Claudius allowed Callistus to stay in the imperial service. Claudius divided the daily maintenance of the empire among various freedmen and Callistus became Secretary of Justice and Law. His job was to oversee the running of the courts and the conduct of trials. He used the position to amass personal wealth, and carried on much the way he had under Caligula, advising the emperor on policy and the like. Callistus persuaded Claudius to hire his friend Scribonius Largus as a personal physician. After the disgrace and death of Roman Empress Valeria Messalina, Callistus is said to have promoted Caligula's former wife Lollia Paulina as a replacement. He would have been acquainted with her from his days in Caligula's court.
Most of the details of Callistus' personal life and ultimate fate are unknown, although he was dead by the end of Claudius' reign. Claudius died by poison on 13 October 54. Callistus supposedly pushed his daughter Nymphidia to become one of Caligula's mistresses. Callistus' grandchild
References
- James Grout: G. Julius Callistus, part of the Encyclopædia Romana