Tiberius Claudius Balbillus Modestus (AD 3-79), more commonly known as Tiberius Claudius Balbilus, was a distinguished Ancient Roman scholar, politician and a court astrologer to the Roman emperors Claudius, Nero, and Vespasian. Forms of his name Other forms of Balbilus's name include the Latin forms Tiberius Claudius Balbillus, Barbillus, Babilus, Balbillus and Balbillus the Wise, Greek forms include , modern Greek transliteration . Descent, family background and early life It is assumed that the birthplace of Balbilus was Alexandria in Roman Egypt. Balbilus was a Roman Egyptian nobleman mostly of Greek but partly of Armenian and Median descent. Balbilus was the son and the younger child born to Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus and princess Aka of the Kingdom of Commagene. Thrasyllus was a grammarian, literary commentator, and court astrologer who became the personal friend of the Roman emperor Tiberius. Balbilus had one known sibling, an elder unnamed sister, who married the Eques Lucius Ennius. Through her, Balbilus was the maternal uncle of Ennia Thrasylla who married the Praetorian prefect of the Praetorian Guard Naevius Sutorius Macro and perhaps, Lucius Ennius who was the father of Lucius Ennius Ferox, a Roman soldier who served during the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian from 69 until 79. Although Balbilus was born and raised in Egypt, he was of the Roman equestrian order. Balbilus was a friend of Tiberius’ nephew, Claudius, whom Balbilus knew from when they were children and had met at his father's house. A surviving papyrus found in Theogonis in Egypt, dated 26 August 34, mentions Balbilus as one of the owners of a bathhouse located in the city and the Papyrus mentions the Lease of the Bathhouse and taxation paid from its revenue. A second papyrus dated to his tenure in Egypt is a draft of a petition from tax collectors to excuse them from collecting the poll taxes for several villages where the inhabitants have either fled out of poverty or died without leaving heirs. At some date in the reign of Caligula, Balbilus left Rome and returned to Alexandria. Political career Balbilus military and political career began when Claudius came to the imperial throne. Following the assassination of Caligula (January 41), Balbilus returned to Rome to support Claudius. Balbilus accompanied Claudius on his expedition to Britain in 43, serving as a military tribune in Legio XX Valeria Victrix and as the Commander of the Military Engineers. When Claudius