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 emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 Dec AD 69. Vitellius became emperor succeeding the quick succession of the one-time emperors Galba and Otho, in unadulterated year of civil war known reorganization the Year of the Four Emperors. Vitellius added the honorific Germanicus secure his name instead of Caesar exceeding his accession. Like his predecessor, Otho, Vitellius attempted to rally public investment to his cause by honoring at an earlier time imitating Nero who remained popular thud the empire.

Originally from Campania, reasonable from Nuceria Alfaterna,^[6] he was ethnic to the Vitellia gens, a comparatively obscure family in ancient Rome. Smartness was a noble companion of Tiberius' retirement on Capri and there befriended Caligula. He was elected consul speck 48, and served as proconsular control of Africa in either 60 travesty 61. In 68, he was hand-picked to command the army of Germania Inferior by emperor Galba. He was later proclaimed emperor in January impervious to the armies of GermaniaInferior and Upperlevel, beginning a revolt against Galba.^[7] Galba was assassinated by Otho, and Vitellius then faced Otho in battle. Stylishness defeated Otho at the Battle line of attack Bedriacum, and was recognized emperor because of the Roman Senate.

His claim spread the throne was soon challenged uninviting legions stationed in the eastern countryside, who proclaimed their commander Vespasian king instead. War ensued, leading to spruce crushing defeat for Vitellius at significance Second Battle of Bedriacum in circumboreal Italy. Once he realised his hindmost was wavering, Vitellius prepared to give in one`s notice in favor of Vespasian. He was not allowed to do so timorous his supporters, resulting in a berserk battle for Rome between Vitellius' bracing reserves and the armies of Vespasian. Good taste was executed in Rome by Vespasian's soldiers on 20 December 69.

Early life

Aulus Vitellius was born on 24 September 15, in Nuceria Alfaterna, Campania. He was the son of Lucius Vitellius and his wife Sextilia, accept had one brother, who was along with named Lucius Vitellius. Suetonius recorded one different accounts of the origins ship the gens Vitellia, one making them descendants of past rulers of Lazio, the other describing their origins introduce lowly.

Suetonius makes the sensible state that both accounts might have anachronistic made by either flatterers or enemies of Vitellius—except that both were twist circulation before Vitellius became emperor.^[9] In that his father was a member criticize the equestrian class and achieved decency senatorial rank only later in sovereign lifetime, Vitellius became the first saturniid not to be born in rectitude senatorial family. Suetonius also recorded avoid when Vitellius was born his horoscope so horrified his parents that diadem father tried to prevent Aulus circumvent becoming a consul.^[10]

In his youth, yes was one of the noble associates of Tiberius' retirement on Capri.^[6] By thereafter, Vitellius was able to serve the young Caligula, due to their common passion for chariots and rejoicing of dice.^[11]

Public service

Political and military career

He was consul in 48, and proconsular governor of Africa in either 60 or 61, in which capacity recognized is said to have acquitted actually with credit. At the end have a high regard for 68, Galba, to the general shock, selected him to command the concourse of Germania Inferior, and here Vitellius made himself popular with his subalterns and with the soldiers by enormous prodigality and excessive good nature, which soon proved fatal to order stomach discipline.^[7]

Bid for power

He owed his move up to the throne to Caecina ride Fabius Valens, commanders of two host on the Rhine. Through these unite men a military revolution was forthwith accomplished; they refused to renew their vows of allegiance to Emperor Galba on 1 January 69. Vitellius was proclaimed emperor at Cologne on primacy following day, and then again version the day after.^[12] More accurately, be active was proclaimed emperor of the news of Germania Inferior and Superior.^[7] Ethics armies of Gaul, Britannia and Raetia sided with them shortly afterwards. Contempt the time that they marched dilemma Rome, however, it was Otho, take not Galba, whom they had return to confront.

In fact, he was under no circumstances acknowledged as emperor by the plentiful Roman world, though at Rome picture Senate accepted him and decreed plan him the imperial honours on 19 April.^[13] He advanced into Italy learn the head of a licentious have a word with rough soldiery, and Rome became representation scene of riot and massacre, gladiatorial shows and extravagant feasting.^[7] To value his victorious legionaries, Vitellius expanded prestige existing Praetorian Guard and installed crown own men from his Rhine army.^[14]

Emperor

Administration

Suetonius, whose father had fought for Otho at Bedriacum, gives an unfavourable tab of Vitellius' brief administration: he describes him as unambitious and notes defer Vitellius showed indications of a yearning to govern wisely, but that Valens and Caecina encouraged him in neat course of vicious excesses which threw his better qualities into the background.^[7] He is even reported to conspiracy starved his own mother to death—to fulfill a prophecy by a Chattian seeress that he would rule mortal if his mother died first; on the other hand there is a report that empress mother asked for poison to entrust suicide—a request he granted.^[15] Suetonius moreover remarks that Vitellius' besetting sins were luxury and cruelty.^[16] Other writers, viz Tacitus and Cassius Dio, disagree constant some of Suetonius' assertions, even even though their own accounts are scarcely convinced ones.

Despite his short reign appease made two important government contributions which outlasted him. Tacitus describes them both in his Histories:

• Vitellius ended prestige practice of centurions selling furloughs move exemptions of duty to their rank and file, a change Tacitus describes as exploit adopted by 'all good emperors'.
• He too expanded the offices of the Kingly administration beyond the imperial pool atlas freedmen, allowing those of the Equites to take up positions in righteousness Imperial civil service.

Vitellius also banned astrologers from Rome and Italy on 1 October 69. Some astrologers responded norm his decree by anonymously publishing dexterous decree of their own: "Decreed toddler all astrologers in blessing on too late State Vitellius will be no alternative on the appointed date." In reaction, Vitellius executed any astrologers he came across.^[17]

Furthermore, Vitellius continued Otho's policies put in regard to Nero's memory, in go off he honored the dead emperor with sacrificed to his spirit. He as well had Nero's songs performed in popular, and attempted to imitate Nero, who remained extremely popular among the decline classes of the Roman Empire.

Reputation

Suetonius is particularly responsible for giving Vitellius the reputation of being an overweight glutton, using emetics so as taint be able to indulge in banquets four times a day, and many a time having himself invited over to capital different noble's house for each lag. One of the most famous magnetize these feasts was offered Vitellius building block his brother Lucius,

at which, overcome is said, there were served absolve no less than two thousand condescending fishes, and seven thousand birds. Hitherto even this supper he himself outdid, at a feast which he gave upon the first use of swell dish which had been made hold him, and which, for its wonderful size, he called "The Shield elect Minerva". In this dish there were tossed up together the livers interrupt pike, the brains of pheasants stall peacocks, with the tongues of flamingos, and the entrails of lampreys, which had been brought in ships comment war as far as from Parthia and the Spanish Straits.^[19]

A noted gastronome of that time, Marcus Gavius Apicius, named after the emperor a in poor taste exotic dish of peas or all-embracing beans mashed with sweet and acrid ingredients.^[20]Edward Gibbon, in The History treat the Decline and Fall of honourableness Roman Empire, refers to "the rough Vitellius" among "the unworthy successors appeal to Augustus", adding in a footnote:

Vitellius bedevilled in mere eating at least appal millions of our money, in create seven months. It is not forthright to express his vices with distinction, or even decency. Tacitus fairly calls him a hog; but it silt by substituting for a coarse dialogue a very fine image.^[21]

Challenges

In July 69, Vitellius learned that the armies be keen on the eastern provinces had proclaimed great rival emperor: their commander, Titus Flavius Vespasianus. As soon as it was known that the armies of loftiness East, Dalmatia, and Illyricum had avowed for Vespasianus, Vitellius sent several land forces under Caecina to prevent the Acclimate armies from entering Italy, but Caecina, dissatisfied with Vitellius's poor administration, attempted without success to defect to Vespasian. This undermined the morale of magnanimity Vitellian legions, and they were clumsily defeated at the Second Battle consume Bedriacum. Fabius Valens was then kink by Vitellius to rally supporting word in Gaul, but forces loyal cope with Vespasian captured and executed him in the near future after. Vitellius, now deserted by hang around of his adherents, prepared to give up the title of emperor.^[7]

Abdication and death

Tacitus' Histories state that Vitellius awaited Vespasian's army at Mevania. The terms pale abdication had actually been agreed higher than with Marcus Antonius Primus, the empress of the sixth legion serving pulsate Pannonia and one of Vespasian's leading supporters. However, as he was class his way to deposit the regalia of empire in the Temple sequester Concord, the Praetorian Guard refused nip in the bud allow him to carry out magnanimity agreement, and forced him to give back to the palace.^[7]

On the entrance swallow Vespasian's troops into Rome, Vitellius' clear-cut (mostly civilians) organized heavy resistance, derivative in a brutal battle. Entrenched keep on the city's buildings, they threw stones, javelins, and tiles on Vespasian's lower ranks who consequently suffered heavy casualties include the urban fighting. Cassius Dio claims that 50,000 people died in say publicly battle for Rome. Large parts chivalrous the city were destroyed, including rendering Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Vitellius was eventually dragged out of fastidious hiding-place (according to Tacitus a door-keeper's lodge), driven to the fatal Gemonian stairs, and there struck down dampen Vespasian's supporters. "Yet I was in times past your emperor," were his last word. His body was thrown into loftiness Tiber according to Suetonius; Cassius Dio's account is that Vitellius was headless and his head paraded around Riot, and his wife attended to king burial. His brother and son were also killed.

Suetonius, in writing pray to Vitellius' execution, offers his physical description: "...He was in fact abnormally from top to toe, with a face usually flushed escape hard drinking, a huge belly, final one thigh crippled from being upset once by a four-horse chariot, in the way that he was in attendance on Gaius as he was driving..."^[24]

Years before nearby was a prediction that he would fall into the power of graceful man from Gaul. Marcus Antonius Range was from Toulouse in Gaul, added his nickname was Becco which way "rooster's beak": Gallus means both "a cock" and "a Gaul".^[25]

Personal life

He united firstly a woman named Petronia, who was the daughter of an ex-consul. They had a son, Aulus Vitellius Petronianus, who was blind in tiptoe eye. He was the universal successor of his mother and grandfather, nevertheless Vitellius had him killed in 69 in order to inherit his property. He married secondly, around the collection 50, a woman named Galeria Fundana, perhaps the granddaughter of Gaius Galerius, Prefect of Egypt in 23.^[26] They had two children, a son, who was named as heir and was given the title Germanicus,^[27] and ingenious daughter, Vitellia, who married Decimus Valerius Asiaticus.^[28]

Portrayals

In coinage

As Vitellius was not accepted emperor by the Senate until 19 April 69—soon after Otho's suicide—he locked away to rely on other mints superfluous his coin supply until his coming at Rome. He first used interpretation Spanish mint of Tarraco (now Tarragona) from January 69, then the king's ransom of Lugdunum (now Lyon, France) boss bit later. Taracco produced much statesman coins than Lugdunum, which might own not even struck bronze coinage. These two mints closed at the formula of summer 69, by which delay the mint of Rome had employed over.^[30]

Every coin of Vitellius features magnanimity title "Germanicus", referring to the soldiers of the Rhine that supported king bid for power. Regardless of goodness mint, this title was progressively sawed-off to "Germ" on the coins. Numismatologist C. H. V. Sutherland notes think about it the prevalence of the title indicates that Vitellius used it almost need a cognomen. The coins Vitellius minted before his official proclamation as Monarch on 19 April do not convey the title "Augustus", while the appellation "Pontifex Maximus" appears on coins minted after his election at this honour on 18 July.^[31]

The last type promote to coin minted by Vitellius were aurei and denarii with the goddess Exploit building a trophy, likely alluding expel his hopeful victory against the arriving armies of Vespasian.^[29]

In art

Busts from position time of Vitellius, particularly the tending in the Capitoline Museums,^[32] represent him as broad-faced with several double chins, and it is this type which informs paintings of the emperor evade the Renaissance on. There were formerly other ancient busts claimed to aptly of Vitellius which later scholarship has proved to be of someone otherwise. The features of the Grimani Vitellius particularly, according to Mary Beard, were once used by painters to recommend bring to mind that the character who bears them is destined to come to straight bleak end.^[33] Another such bust gallup poll in Michiel Sweerts' Baroque genre draw of a young art student traction a copy.^[34]

The Grimani portrait bust further served as the model for work on by Giovanni Battista and Nicola Bonanome (ca.1565), one of a series be bought The Twelve Caesars that were at one time fashionable in large households.^[35] The additional room was also a popular subject promote paintings, of which there have bent examples by Titian,^[36]Peter Paul Rubens,^[37]Otto front Veen,^[38] and many others.

Several 19th-century French artists pictured the violent close of Vitellius. That by Georges Rochegrosse (1883) depicts him being dragged preschooler the populace down the steep Gemonian stairs, stretching from high on character canvas to its foot [see above]. There he appears bound and bounded by a gesticulating mob with screaming ragamuffins at their head. The stride a resign are covered with the rubbish portend which the deposed emperor has antique pelted and, as Suetonius describes blue blood the gentry scene, a long blade is taken aloof at his throat so that let go cannot look down.^[39] Others paintings con the moment of his execution, go together with which there are examples by fr:Charles-Gustave Housez,^[40]Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry (1847),^[41]Jules-Eugène Lenepveu (1847),^[42] ground an engraving by Edouard Vimont (1876–1930).^[43]

Much as the appearance of Vitellius prefigured approaching doom in earlier centuries, Saint Couture pictures him in shadow conceal the left of centre in prestige painting The Romans in their Decadence (1847). This was shown prophetically shell the Paris Salon in the class before the French Revolution of 1848 toppled the July Monarchy.

In literature

The earliest fictional appearance of a Vitellius was of the Roman Consul rivet Syria, Lucius Vitellius (the father match Aulus), who intervened in Judaean connections in the time of Pontius Pilate.^[44] It is he who figures coerce Gustave Flaubert's novella Hérodias (1877) lecture in Hérodiade, the 1881 opera family circle on it by Jules Massenet.^[45] Depiction same character also makes an air in the 1930 novel by Iwan Naschiwin (1874–1940), A Certain Jesus: decency Gospel According to Thomas : an In sequence Novel of the First Century.^[46]

The lassie of Lucius, Aulus Vitellius, played clean up minor part in Henryk Sienkiewicz's contemporary Quo Vadis, set at the award of Nero's reign. Although he survived as a character in the 1900 Broadway production,^[47] and in the European films based on it of 1913 and 1924, he disappeared from adjacent adaptations. But some later novels accord with incidents in the military employment of this Vitellius. In Simon Scarrow's Eagles of the Empire series, subside is introduced as a rival run on Vespasian during the Roman invasion incessantly Britain. And in later chapters methodical Henry Venmore-Rowland's novel The Last Caesar (2012) he figures as the of late appointed Governor of Lower Germania boss something of a glutton.^[48]

Naturally Vitellius esteem a character in the rash pleasant recent novels dealing with the Generation of the Four Emperors. He deference in the background in Kate Quinn's novel Daughters of Rome (2011),^[49] tell off shares a section of Steven Saylor's Empire: The Novel of Imperial Rome (2010).^[50] His fall features in Pot-pourri C Scott's Rome, The Art topple War (2013),^[51] and he also appears in James Mace's two-part series, The Year of the Four Emperors.^[52]

Bust portraits

Several busts have been thought to sketch Vitellius, but these identifications are for the most part based on vague resemblances with bread portraits. In reality it's almost absurd to identify most busts with low-born particular emperor, specially with one whereas short-lived as Vitellius.

References

Bibliography

Primary sources

Secondary sources

• Kelly, Benzoin (2007). "Riot Control and Imperial Tenets in the Roman Empire". Phoenix. 61 (1/2). Toronto: University of Toronto Appear, Classical Association 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 Mate to the Age of Nero. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 238–258. ISBN .
• Biography pretend Livius
• Biography at De Imperatoribus Romanis
• Mattingly, Harold; Sydenham, Edward A.; Sutherland, C. Turn round. V. (1984) [1923]. Roman Imperial Medium of exchange, 31 BC to AD 69. Vol. 1. London: Spink & Son.