Delatores

• ‘Delator’ in Latin means ‘Informer’. The Historian Tacitus refers to them as ‘a class invented to destroy the commonwealth’.
• They were professional informers who testified against opponents of the Roman Emperor at Treason Trials.

Description

• They were presumably created by Sejanus, Prefect of the Praetorian Guard 15-31 CE.
• They are mentioned for the first time during Tiberius‘ Rule, and existed through to the fourth century CE.
• These were professional Informers who reported on Opponents of the State and testified against them at their Treason Trials, the ‘Maiestas’.
• They were despised, and if the Trial failed, could succumb to false accusations themselves, from their victims or members of the victim’s families.

Fees

• The Delator was either paid a set Fee or collected a percentage of the Fine imposed.
• Sometimes the Delator was paid a Fee by the Emperor to attack his enemies, particularly Nero (54-68 CE) and Domitian (81-96 CE).
• The Delator could become wealthy.