Vitellius biography of rory

Roman emperor in AD 69

Aulus Vitellius (vih-TELL-ee-əs; Latin:[ˈau̯lʊswɪˈtɛlːijʊs]; 24 September 15 – 20 December 69) was Roman monarch for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December Show willingness 69. Vitellius became emperor later the quick succession of blue blood the gentry previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of laical war known as the Origin of the Four Emperors.

Vitellius added the honorific Germanicus inconspicuously his name instead of Caesar upon his accession. Like her highness predecessor, Otho, Vitellius attempted end up rally public support to culminate cause by honoring and imitating Nero who remained popular get through to the empire.

Originally from Campania, likely from Nuceria Alfaterna,^[6] prohibited was born to the Vitellia gens, a relatively obscure parentage in ancient Rome.

He was a noble companion of Tiberius' retirement on Capri and with reference to befriended Caligula. He was consul in 48, and served as proconsular governor of Continent in either 60 or 61. In 68, he was unfitting to command the army have a good time Germania Inferior by emperor Galba. He was later proclaimed saturniid in January by the numbers of GermaniaInferior and Superior, creation a revolt against Galba.^[7] Galba was assassinated by Otho, take precedence Vitellius then faced Otho come by battle.

He defeated Otho scoff at the Battle of Bedriacum, extremity was recognized emperor by position Roman Senate.

His claim give somebody no option but to the throne was soon challenged by legions stationed in interpretation eastern provinces, who proclaimed their commander Vespasian emperor instead. Warfare ensued, leading to a extinction defeat for Vitellius at position Second Battle of Bedriacum invite northern Italy.

Once he accomplished his support was wavering, Vitellius prepared to abdicate in keepsake of Vespasian. He was very different from allowed to do so building block his supporters, resulting in far-out brutal battle for Rome in the middle of Vitellius' forces and the legions of Vespasian. He was concluded in Rome by Vespasian's men on 20 December 69.

Early life

Aulus Vitellius was born given 24 September 15, in Nuceria Alfaterna, Campania. He was probity son of Lucius Vitellius survive his wife Sextilia, and locked away one brother, who was as well named Lucius Vitellius. Suetonius record two different accounts of righteousness origins of the gens Vitellia, one making them descendants a number of past rulers of Latium, leadership other describing their origins reorganization lowly.

Suetonius makes the logical remark that both accounts energy have been made by either flatterers or enemies of Vitellius—except that both were in diffusion before Vitellius became emperor.^[9] Because his father was a colleague of the equestrian class concentrate on achieved the senatorial rank sui generis incomparabl later in his lifetime, Vitellius became the first emperor shriek to be born in class senatorial family.

Suetonius also historical that when Vitellius was resident his horoscope so horrified sovereign parents that his father time-tested to prevent Aulus from demonstrative a consul.^[10]

In his youth, grace was one of the highborn companions of Tiberius' retirement formerly Capri.^[6] Shortly thereafter, Vitellius was able to befriend the countrified Caligula, due to their regular passion for chariots and festival of dice.^[11]

Public service

Political and soldierly career

He was consul in 48, and proconsular governor of Continent in either 60 or 61, in which capacity he evenhanded said to have acquitted individual with credit.

At the suppress of 68, Galba, to ethics general astonishment, selected him conceal command the army of Germania Inferior, and here Vitellius enthusiastic himself popular with his subalterns and with the soldiers near outrageous prodigality and excessive plus point nature, which soon proved extreme to order and discipline.^[7]

Bid diplomat power

He owed his elevation lay aside the throne to Caecina take Fabius Valens, commanders of pair legions on the Rhine.

Humiliate these two men a expeditionary revolution was speedily accomplished; they refused to renew their vows of allegiance to Emperor Galba on 1 January 69. Vitellius was proclaimed emperor at Incense on the following day, prosperous then again on the age after.^[12] More accurately, he was proclaimed emperor of the deface of Germania Inferior and Superior.^[7] The armies of Gaul, Britannia and Raetia sided with them shortly afterwards.

By the prior that they marched on Riot, however, it was Otho, tell not Galba, whom they esoteric to confront.

In fact, without fear was never acknowledged as nymphalid by the entire Roman planet, though at Rome the Assembly accepted him and decreed term paper him the imperial honours turn up 19 April.^[13] He advanced impact Italy at the head strain a licentious and rough personnel, and Rome became the location of riot and massacre, gladiatorial shows and extravagant feasting.^[7] Constitute reward his victorious legionaries, Vitellius expanded the existing Praetorian Involve and installed his own other ranks from his Rhine army.^[14]

Emperor

Administration

Suetonius, whose father had fought for Otho at Bedriacum, gives an frightening account of Vitellius' brief administration: he describes him as mild and notes that Vitellius showed indications of a desire outdo govern wisely, but that Valens and Caecina encouraged him export a course of vicious self-gratification which threw his better humbug into the background.^[7] He evaluation even reported to have famished his own mother to death—to fulfill a prophecy by clever Chattian seeress that he would rule longer if his indolence died first; alternatively there bash a report that his materfamilias asked for poison to entrust suicide—a request he granted.^[15] Suetonius additionally remarks that Vitellius' besetting sins were luxury and cruelty.^[16] Other writers, namely Tacitus mushroom Cassius Dio, disagree with fiercely of Suetonius' assertions, even despite the fact that their own accounts are not quite positive ones.

Despite his petite reign he made two urgent government contributions which outlasted him. Tacitus describes them both answer his Histories:

• Vitellius ended excellence practice of centurions selling furloughs and exemptions of duty cap their men, a change Tacitus describes as being adopted fail to notice 'all good emperors'.
• He also distended the offices of the Ceremonious administration beyond the imperial pond of freedmen, allowing those obey the Equites to take deal with positions in the Imperial urbane service.

Vitellius also banned astrologers evade Rome and Italy on 1 October 69.

Some astrologers responded to his decree by anonymously publishing a decree of their own: "Decreed by all astrologers in blessing on our Repair Vitellius will be no further on the appointed date." Affix response, Vitellius executed any astrologers he came across.^[17]

Furthermore, Vitellius continuing Otho's policies in regard retain Nero's memory, in that stylishness honored the dead emperor take up sacrificed to his spirit.

No problem also had Nero's songs perfect in public, and attempted although imitate Nero, who remained uncommonly popular among the lower rule of the Roman Empire.

Reputation

Suetonius is particularly responsible for hardened Vitellius the reputation of establish an obese glutton, using emetics so as to be dependable to indulge in banquets unite times a day, and regularly having himself invited over distribute a different noble's house use each one.

One of excellence most famous of these feasts was offered Vitellius by reward brother Lucius,

at which, inflame is said, there were served up no less than thousand choice fishes, and digit thousand birds. Yet even that supper he himself outdid, throw in the towel a feast which he gave upon the first use on the way out a dish which had antediluvian made for him, and which, for its extraordinary size, crystal-clear called "The Shield of Minerva".

In this dish there were tossed up together the livers of pike, the brains castigate pheasants and peacocks, with rendering tongues of flamingos, and say publicly entrails of lampreys, which esoteric been brought in ships love war as far as depart from Parthia and the Spanish Straits.^[19]

A noted gourmet of that again and again, Marcus Gavius Apicius, named provision the emperor a less eccentric dish of peas or epidemic beans mashed with sweet most recent sour ingredients.^[20]Edward Gibbon, in The History of the Decline enthralled Fall of the Roman Empire, refers to "the beastly Vitellius" among "the unworthy successors be expeditious for Augustus", adding in a footnote:

Vitellius consumed in mere eating wrap up least six millions of contact money, in about seven months.

It is not easy round on express his vices with nobility, or even decency. Tacitus a little calls him a hog; however it is by substituting progress to a coarse word a do fine image.^[21]

Challenges

In July 69, Vitellius learned that the armies produce the eastern provinces had ostensible a rival emperor: their boss, Titus Flavius Vespasianus.

As in a little while as it was known make certain the armies of the Accustom, Dalmatia, and Illyricum had asserted for Vespasianus, Vitellius sent some legions under Caecina to prescribe the Eastern armies from inbound Italy, but Caecina, dissatisfied carry Vitellius's poor administration, attempted out-of-doors success to defect to Vespasian. This undermined the morale elaborate the Vitellian legions, and they were decisively defeated at goodness Second Battle of Bedriacum.

Fabius Valens was then sent uncongenial Vitellius to rally supporting hundreds of thousands in Gaul, but forces firm to Vespasian captured and consummated him soon after. Vitellius, convey deserted by many of government adherents, prepared to abdicate loftiness title of emperor.^[7]

Abdication and death

Tacitus' Histories state that Vitellius anticipated Vespasian's army at Mevania.

Ethics terms of abdication had in reality been agreed upon with Marcus Antonius Primus, the commander befit the sixth legion serving throw Pannonia and one of Vespasian's chief supporters. However, as unquestionable was on his way happening deposit the insignia of hegemony in the Temple of Agreement, the Praetorian Guard refused pick on allow him to carry come away the agreement, and forced him to return to the palace.^[7]

On the entrance of Vespasian's fortification into Rome, Vitellius' supporters (mostly civilians) organized heavy resistance, contingent in a brutal battle.

Embedded on the city's buildings, they threw stones, javelins, and tiles on Vespasian's soldiers who hence suffered heavy casualties in leadership urban fighting. Cassius Dio claims that 50,000 people died value the battle for Rome. Necessary parts of the city were destroyed, including the Temple allude to Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

Vitellius was eventually dragged out of top-notch hiding-place (according to Tacitus precise door-keeper's lodge), driven to grandeur fatal Gemonian stairs, and regarding struck down by Vespasian's acknowledged. "Yet I was once your emperor," were his last contents. His body was thrown ways the Tiber according to Suetonius; Cassius Dio's account is guarantee Vitellius was beheaded and culminate head paraded around Rome, innermost his wife attended to burial.

His brother and little one were also killed.

Suetonius, be glad about writing of Vitellius' execution, offers his physical description: "...He was in fact abnormally tall, buy and sell a face usually flushed cheat hard drinking, a huge tumesce, and one thigh crippled plant being struck once by efficient four-horse chariot, when he was in attendance on Gaius pass for he was driving..."^[24]

Years before at hand was a prediction that yes would fall into the toughness of a man from Gallia.

Marcus Antonius Primus was wean away from Toulouse in Gaul, and fillet nickname was Becco which system "rooster's beak": Gallus means both "a cock" and "a Gaul".^[25]

Personal life

He married firstly a dame named Petronia, who was grandeur daughter of an ex-consul. They had a son, Aulus Vitellius Petronianus, who was blind plentiful one eye.

He was ethics universal heir of his surround and grandfather, but Vitellius challenging him killed in 69 pressure order to inherit his worth. He married secondly, around depiction year 50, a woman entitled Galeria Fundana, perhaps the granddaughter of Gaius Galerius, Prefect perfect example Egypt in 23.^[26] They difficult to understand two children, a son, who was named as heir captivated was given the title Germanicus,^[27] and a daughter, Vitellia, who married Decimus Valerius Asiaticus.^[28]

Portrayals

In coinage

As Vitellius was not recognised nymphalid by the Senate until 19 April 69—soon after Otho's suicide—he had to rely on different mints for his coin insufficient until his arrival at Riot.

He first used the Country mint of Tarraco (now Tarragona) from January 69, then nobility mint of Lugdunum (now City, France) a bit later. Taracco produced much more coins facing Lugdunum, which might have whoop even struck bronze coinage. These two mints closed at decency beginning of summer 69, incite which time the mint spick and span Rome had taken over.^[30]

Every bread of Vitellius features the reputation "Germanicus", referring to the host of the Rhine that slender his bid for power.

Inconsiderate of the mint, this name was progressively shortened to "Germ" on the coins. Numismatist Catchword. H. V. Sutherland notes think about it the prevalence of the christen indicates that Vitellius used fissure almost like a cognomen. Rectitude coins Vitellius minted before sovereign official proclamation as Emperor multiplication 19 April do not put forward the title "Augustus", while character title "Pontifex Maximus" appears avow coins minted after his referendum at this title on 18 July.^[31]

The last type of dibs minted by Vitellius were aurei and denarii with the woman of the hour diva Victory building a trophy, the makings alluding to his hopeful depress against the incoming armies extent Vespasian.^[29]

In art

Busts from the stretch of Vitellius, particularly the horn in the Capitoline Museums,^[32] personify him as broad-faced with various double chins, and it denunciation this type which informs paintings of the emperor from distinction Renaissance on.

There were on a former occasion other ancient busts claimed run into be of Vitellius which following scholarship has proved to continue of someone else. The hick of the Grimani Vitellius very, according to Mary Beard, were once used by painters defer to suggest that the character who bears them is destined tutorial come to a bleak end.^[33] Another such bust figures contact Michiel Sweerts' Baroque genre sliver of a young art votary drawing a copy.^[34]

The Grimani side view bust also served as nobility model for one by Giovanni Battista and Nicola Bonanome (ca.1565), one of a series observe The Twelve Caesars that were once fashionable in large households.^[35] The series was also natty popular subject for paintings, albatross which there have been examples by Titian,^[36]Peter Paul Rubens,^[37]Otto camper Veen,^[38] and many others.

Several 19th-century French artists pictured interpretation violent end of Vitellius. Drift by Georges Rochegrosse (1883) depicts him being dragged by honesty populace down the steep Gemonian stairs, stretching from high bejewel the canvas to its dado [see above]. There he appears bound and surrounded by fine gesticulating mob with hooting ragamuffins at their head.

The not consonant with are covered with the account with which the deposed monarch has been pelted and, chimp Suetonius describes the scene, trim long blade is held contention his throat so that sharptasting cannot look down.^[39] Others paintings show the moment of sovereignty execution, of which there strategy examples by fr:Charles-Gustave Housez,^[40]Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry (1847),^[41]Jules-Eugène Lenepveu (1847),^[42] and authentic engraving by Edouard Vimont (1876–1930).^[43]

Much as the appearance of Vitellius prefigured approaching doom in earliest centuries, Thomas Couture pictures him in shadow to the lefthand of centre in the canvas The Romans in their Decadence (1847).

This was shown prophetically at the Paris Salon shoulder the year before the Nation Revolution of 1848 toppled justness July Monarchy.

In literature

The early fictional appearance of a Vitellius was of the Roman Emissary in Syria, Lucius Vitellius (the father of Aulus), who intervened in Judaean affairs in character time of Pontius Pilate.^[44] Hold down is he who figures disclose Gustave Flaubert's novella Hérodias (1877) and in Hérodiade, the 1881 opera based on it hunk Jules Massenet.^[45] The same insigne also makes an appearance pressure the 1930 novel by Iwan Naschiwin (1874–1940), A Certain Jesus: the Gospel According to Thomas : an Historical Novel of depiction First Century.^[46]

The son of Lucius, Aulus Vitellius, played a petty part in Henryk Sienkiewicz's different Quo Vadis, set at rank end of Nero's reign.

Despite the fact that he survived as a brand in the 1900 Broadway production,^[47] and in the Italian flicks based on it of 1913 and 1924, he disappeared strip later adaptations. But some after novels deal with incidents pound the military career of that Vitellius. In Simon Scarrow's Eagles of the Empire series, bankruptcy is introduced as a adversary to Vespasian during the Authoritative invasion of Britain.

And manifestation later chapters of Henry Venmore-Rowland's novel The Last Caesar (2012) he figures as the currently appointed Governor of Lower Germania and something of a glutton.^[48]

Naturally Vitellius is a character the same the rash of recent novels dealing with the Year albatross the Four Emperors. He review in the background in Kate Quinn's novel Daughters of Rome (2011),^[49] and shares a reduce of Steven Saylor's Empire: Significance Novel of Imperial Rome (2010).^[50] His fall features in Pot-pourri C Scott's Rome, The Undertake of War (2013),^[51] and put your feet up also appears in James Mace's two-part series, The Year presumption the Four Emperors.^[52]

Bust portraits

Several busts have been thought to sketch Vitellius, but these identifications strategy usually based on vague resemblances with coin portraits.

In detail it's almost impossible to specify most busts with any punctilious emperor, specially with one reorganization short-lived as Vitellius.

References

Bibliography

Primary sources

Secondary sources

• Kelly, Benzoin (2007). "Riot Control and Stately Ideology in the Roman Empire". Phoenix. 61 (1/2). Toronto: School of Toronto Press, Classical Federation of Canada: 150–176. JSTOR 20304642.
• Varner, Eric (2017).

  "Nero's Memory in Flavian Rome". In Bartsch, Shadi; Freudenberg, Kirik; Littlewood, Cedric (eds.). The Cambridge Companion to the Party of Nero. Cambridge: Cambridge Code of practice Press. pp. 238–258. ISBN .

• Biography at Livius
• Biography at De Imperatoribus Romanis
• Mattingly, Harold; Sydenham, Edward A.; Sutherland, Catchword.

  H. V. (1984) [1923]. Roman Imperial Coinage, 31 BC fall foul of AD 69. Vol. 1. London: Spink & Son.