| Seppius | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| First appearance | S2E01: Fugitivus | |
| Last appearance | S2E06: Chosen Path | |
| Profession | Roman Noble | |
| Race | Roman | |
| Relationships | Seppia (Sister/Lover, deceased) Sextus (Cousin, deceased) Unnamed Uncle Gaius Claudius Glaber (Rival, deceased) Publius Varinius (Ally, deceased) Octavius Tarsus (Mercenary, deceased) Mercato (Friend, deceased) Gallienus (Friend) | |
| Status | Deceased (Killed by Glaber) | |
| Actor/Actress | Tom Hobbs | |
Seppius is a young Roman noble and brother of Seppia. In Vengeance, he leads a local militia intent on capturing Spartacus.
Appearance[]
Seppius is a young nobleman on Capua who wears a set of robes that are equivalent to his status. He has short, well-kept black hair and a thin build with light stubble.
Personality[]
Not much is known about Seppius save that he has a sister, Seppia, and is cousin to the murdered Sextus. He is also stubborn, arrogant and clearly used to getting his way, something Glaber has no intention of giving him, especially seeing as both men are using their forces to hunt for Spartacus.
Seppius is also suspected to be sexually attracted to his own sister Seppia, and is jealous of any other man she sets eyes upon.
Vengeance[]
Seppius is introduced with his sister as a family of importance in Capua. He personally hopes to capture Spartacus to avenge the death of his fallen cousin, Sextus, but this angers Glaber, who also wishes Spartacus to be his prize alone.
He arrives in the Pulvinus at one of Mercato's games to distract the public and is chastised by Magistrate Gallienus who asks if it is true that more of his mercenaries have been killed by Spartacus. Seppius looks to his sister, Seppia, who obviously told them of this and assures them that he will catch Spartacus soon.
As Seppius controls the majority of mercenaries in and around Capua, Glaber, under advice of his Tribune, Marcus, attempts to join forces with Seppius. Seppius declines, believing Glaber a fool and that he does not need the Praetor who only gained the office because of his marriage to Illthyia. The two do not join forces and Seppius leaves.
Seppius giving Seppia a warm embrace.
Seppius' romantic feelings towards his sister are ultimately revealed as true at one of Ilithyia's parties - Seppius is jealous of her straying attention to Varinius. He is there to "comfort" Seppia after she fails to stab the gladiator that Ilithyia kills to show off for Varinius. He kisses her on the lips, as he invites her to have "warm embrace" and says they should leave, to which she agrees.
During the attack on the arena, Seppius is distraught when Mercato is killed after he is struck in the head, leading him to frantically call out. After escaping, Seppius escorts his sister away from the burning monument.
He next attends a meeting at Glaber's house, along with the Magistrate. Seppius' stubbornness proves to be his downfall, however, as he mocks and taunts Glaber for his idea to hold a sacrifice and prayer in the market after Spartacus and his band of rebels managed to burn down the arena, killing hundreds. Glaber replies that it will calm the people’s fears. Seppius replies that capturing Spartacus would be a better solution. Realizing they might not get far arguing, Glaber again offers to become allies with Seppius - joining their armies would overwhelm Spartacus. Unlike their last meeting, Seppius immediately considers the offer instead of rebuking him because of the grave threat due to how cunning Spartacus has proven himself to be. He stated he must first consult with Varinius, to which Glaber fires off that Varinius fled back to Rome. Nevertheless, he tells Glaber he just needs the night to think it over. Before Seppius leaves, Ilithyia (at the suggestion of Lucretia) offers to invite Seppia over, so that they might help her with her grief (in reality, to use her to convince her brother to join his own cause). Seppius agrees and she arrives later.
Seppius' death by Glaber.
Meanwhile, Ashur and his group of murderous thugs are massacring the inhabitants of a wealthy villa, killing everyone, including the slaves. Glaber steps in, ordering Ashur to dispose of the bodies, and moves toward a wounded man covered in blood on the floor. The owner turns out to be Seppius, who Glaber taunts with his situation by stating he could not for the morning. Weakly, Seppius only asks about his sister, to which Glaber responds that she will be safe in his home while in his arms. Glaber proceeds to choke Seppius to death with his boot, as he taunts him about how his men are now his and their addition to his own army will ensure Spartacus' defeat. He ends his rant by crushing the man's throat, Glaber then leaves Seppius' corpse satisfied at his insolence ending.
As he lies dead on the ground, Ashur appears over his body and then notices the bracelet that Seppius wore, taking it as a means to add to his own collection of riches.
Trivia[]
- It is hinted that Seppius harbored romantic feelings for his sister, Seppia, and that the two may have been engaged in an incestuous relationship. Though not openly addressed in the series, this subplot was confirmed in a post-season interview by the show's creator, Steven DeKnight.[1] He explained that he intended for their relationship to play a much larger role in the plot, however, as a similar incestuous relationship was already a primary subplot of the HBO series Game of Thrones, DeKnight refrained from delving deeper into the subject to avoid being accused of copying another show. It is implied they had "warm embrace", meaning sex.
- He was set to appear at the end of Gods of the Arena alongside his cousin at the funeral of Titus Lentulus Batiatus but due to scheduling conflicts he could not be cast in time.
- Seppius was the fifth main character to be killed.
- As a Nobile (noblemen) of Capua, Seppius appears to possess the wealth and political connections to possess his own cohort of mercenaries for the purpose of policing the Campanian countryside, and was entrusted with hunting down Spartacus' band. After the Marian Reforms, there was something of a trend among certain members of the Roman nobility to field private armies. Pompeius Strabo, the father of Gnaeus Pompey Magnus, would raise three legions with his own considerable fortune, command of which was later inherited by his son, despite Pompey having no experience in the Senate. These private forces were personally oath-sworn to their employer, a precedent which may have been started by Lucius Cornelius Sulla when he became Dictator in Rome in 82 BCE.
- As a member of the local Capuan elite, Seppius would have held the status of the Curiales or Decuriones, the lower level town councillors of the Roman Republic.
- Seppius may be descended from a certain Seppius Lesius, who, according to the Roman historian Livy, was the last ruling Meddix (chief magistracy of Samnite origin) of what was then the independent city-state of Capua after it had turned against the Republic of Rome during the course of the Second Punic War. As such, he would be a scion of the historical Gens Seppia in Campania during the Late Republican era of Roman history.