A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

whose full name, as we learn from an inscription, was C. JULIUS SERVILIUS URSUS SERVIANUS, was the brother-in-law of Hadrian, having married his sister Domitia Paulina. This marriage took place before the accession of Trajan to the empire; and Servianus was so jealous of the favour of his brother-in-law with Trajan, that he attempted to stop him when he was hastening to Trajan in Germany to announce the death of Nerva in A. D. 96. Servianus afterwards became reconciled to Hadrian, and appears to have lived on good terms with him during the reign of Trajan. By this emperor lie was twice raised to the consulship, as we see from inscriptions, once in A. D. 107, and again in 111. It was also during the reign of Trajan that he married his daughter to Fuscus Salinator, on which occasion Pliny wrote him a letter of congratulation. (Plin. Ep. 6.26.) Hadrian, on his accession in A. D. 117, appeared to have quite forgotten and forgiven the former enmity of Servianus, for lie treated him with distinguished honour, raised him to the consulship for the third time in A. D. 134, and gave him hopes of succeeding to the empire. But when he resolved to appoint L. Commodus Verus his successor, and made him Caesar in A. D. 136, he put Servianus and his grandson Fuscus to death, fearing that they might aspire to the throne. Servianus was then in his ninetieth year. (Spart. Hadr. 1, 2, 8, 15, 23, 25 ; Plin. Ep. 3.17, 6.26 D. C. 59.2, 17, comp. 76.7.)