Gaius Silius was the name of two consuls of the Roman Empire, during the 1st century. The elder was a consul and commander in the Roman Army during the reign of Emperors Augustus and Tiberius and the younger a consul in the reign of Emperor Claudius.
The elder Gaius Silius was consul in 13. During his consulship, Augustus had written his will. Under the overall command of Germanicus, Silius was an army commander in Germania Inferior participating in the Roman retaliation campaign Battle of the Teutoburg Forest#Germanicus' campaign against the Germans (from 14-16 AD) against a Germanic alliance in the aftermath of the disaster at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. He won an honorary triumph in 15. Tiberius appointed him as a taxation auditor in Gaul in 16, and later became governor of Germania Inferior in 21.
Silius married Sosia Galla. The couple had become friends with Tiberius’ daughter-in-law Agrippina the Elder. Due to their friendship with Agrippina they became innocent victims of Sejanus' treason trials. Under pressure, Silius committed suicide in 24, and afterwards Galla was exiled. Galla's property was confiscated by the Senate but later given to her children.
The younger Gaius Silius, son of the previous, was senator in 47 and a consul in 48. He had married the aristocratic woman Junia Lepida Silana. The ancient sources describe him as an intelligent, noble and attractive man.
Through the infatuation of the Empress Valeria Messalina, they had become lovers. Silius knew the danger he put himself in. Messalina forced him to divorce his wife to marry her. They had committed bigamy and married before witnesses. Silius was childless and wanted to adopt Britannicus. Narcissus exposed their mock marriage and the plot to kill Claudius. The Emperor ordered their executions in 48.
His former wife, whom he divorced in 47, Junia Silana, was a friend of Agrippina the Younger and the two later became bitter rivals. Likely due to the machinations of Agrippina, she was exiled and later died at Tarentum in 59.