Vespasian: Background: Suetonius, Vespasian, 1-5

1. Who did Titus Flavius Petro fight for during the Civil War (Julius Caesar vs Pompey)? What job did he take up after his military service?
1. Pompey, after Pharsalus he earned an honourable discharge and became a tax-collector
2. During whose reign was Vespasian born?
1. Augustus - 5 years before his death
3. Who brought Vespasian up as a child? How did he honour this person throughout his life?
1. His grandmother, Tertulla. He preserved her estate, including his childhood room, and drank from a silver cup that belonged to her
4. Who convinced Vespasian to take up a Senatorial career?
1. His mother, Vespasia Pollio - she used to call him "your brother's footman"
5. List the positions Vespasian held during his Senatorial career (Suet, 2)
1. Military tribune in Thrace
2. Quaestor in Crete and Cyrenaica
3. First attempt at aedileship came to nothing
4. Second scraped through in sixth place
5. Praetorship - one of the popular choices - during Gaius' reign where he acted as a flatter
6. Who did Vespasian marry? How many children did they have? What were their names?
1. Flavia Domitilla
2. 3
3. Titus, Domitian, Domitilla
7. What post did Vespasian hold during Claudius' reign? Who was he indebted to?
1. Was given command of a legion in Germany and Britain - fought in thirty battles, subjugated two tribes and captured the island of Vectis (Isle of Wight)
2. Narcissus
8. Who did Vespasian fear during Nero's reign and why?
1. Agrippina, for her animosity towards Narcissus (who Vespasian was indebted to)
9. What province was Vespasian assigned to? What type of a governor was he known as and what nickname did he earn?
1. Africa
2. Rule characterised by justice and dignity - he came back no richer than he went and had to mortgage his estates to go into trade
3. "Mule Driver"
10. Why was Vespasian dismissed from the Imperial Court during Nero's reign?
1. During Nero's tour of Achaia (Greece) he would either leave during Nero's musical recitals or fall asleep
11. What ancient superstition was at that time circulating in the East? Which group thought it was about them?
1. That the rulers of the world would come from the east - The Jews thought this referred to them, it actually meant Roman emperors
12. Who was sent to subdue the Jewish revolt? Who was also taken to serve on his staff?
1. Vespasian, who took his eldest son Titus with him
13. How did Vespasian's grandmother react to an omen from an ancient oak tree that Vespasian would one day be emperor?
1. Mocked it: "Fancy your going soft in the head before your old mother does!"
14. How did Gaius punish Vespasian for neglecting his job as a street cleaner? How was this interpreted?
1. He had soldiers load Vespasian's toga with mud - was taken as a sign that one day the soil of Italy would be trampled by Civil War, and Vespasian would protect it in his bosom
15. What did the god Carmel promise Vespasian? (Carmel is the Jewish Gid - Mount Carmel was a sacred site in Judaea)
1. He would never be disappointed in what he desired, no matter how lofty his ambitions
16. Which distinguished Jewish prisoner proclaimed he would one day be emperor
1. Flavius Josephus (as in THE Josephus)

Otho and the Challenge of Vitellius

 Otho Becomes Emperor, Immediate Challenges

• Otho, despite the success of is coup, was faced with immediate challenges to his position
• In particular, one Aulus Vitellius, commander of the legions of Lower Germany, also harboured imperial ambition
• In late 68 AD, Vitellius had been sent by Galba to take up the position of governor of the lower Rhine region, a position left vacant by the execution of Fonteius Capito
• "Galba had openly stated that a glutton was the sort of rival whom he feared least, and he expected Vitellius to cram his belly with the fruits of the province" - Suetonius, Vitellius,7
• Galba had once again failed to appreciate his own popularity, and the ambitions of others

The Backstory: Insurrections in Germany during Galba's reign

• Galba's unpopularity began to stir insurrections in Germany, bolstered in particular by two officers, Fabius Valens and Caecina Alienus, who held a personal enmity towards Galba
• On 1st January 69AD, when Galba was being sworn in as Consul, the legions at Mainz in Germany refused to recognise Galba as emperor

Suetonius, Vitellius, 8

Tacitus, 1.62

1. What titles did Vitellius accept from the soldiers, which did he reject? Why do you think this may be?
• Suetonius + Tacitus - assumed the title "Germanicus" - in order to reap some of the popularity in Germany with the association - "Conqueror of Germany"
• Suetonius - hesitated to accept "Augustus" - a lot to live up to
• Suetonius + Tacitus - refused emphatically "Caesar" - perhaps the name had become sullied from the days of Caligula and Nero - because he was going to march on Rome he wouldn't want to remind people of the similarities between him and Caesar
2. What can we learn of Vitellius as an individual?
• Tacitus - gluttonous - ready to accept the privileges of emperor - spent his time in "idle pleasures and sumptuous banquets"
• Suetonius - he cancelled all punishments of the soldiers, regardless of crime. Shrewd? Spineless? Lazy?
3. Why does Vitellius seem to be so popular with the soldiers of his army?
• Suetonius - his lack of discipline contrasts favourably with Galba. One speech he gave when his camp burnt down - "courage my men - light is given us"
• positive/optimistic
• he gives few speeches maybe because he understands not to get too involved in the soldiers' affairs
• Tacitus - The soldiers acted independent of their commander - they realised they had to act fast to secure victory
• Their keenness to act made them carry out their duties without Vitellius' direction

A Confusing Situation in Rome, January 69 AD

There was now a very confusing political situation in Rome during this period:

1. There was an incumbent emperor in Rome, Galba
2. An open revolt from a usurper in Germany - Vitellius
3. A would-be assassin, Otho

Tacitus gives us a rather damning impression of the latter two:

"Here then were the two most despicable men in the whole world by reason of their unclean, idle and pleasure-loving lives, apparently appointed by fate for the task of destroying the empire" (1.50)

After Otho's coup, he was sworn in as emperor on 16th January, 69 AD

Suetonius, Otho, 7 - Who does Otho model himself on? What problems will this cause him?

Otho and Vitellius

After Galba's death, there were now two claimants to the imperial throne, Otho ruling as usurper-emperor in Rome, and Vitellius as rebel emperor in Germany

Suetonius, Otho, 8

Tacitus, 1.74-78

1. List the ways in which Otho and Vitellius tried to undermine each other and enhance their own positions
• Otho
• Tacitus:
• Kept up a "lively correspondence" with Vitellius, offering bribes of money, indfluence and a life of indulgence
• They accused each other of debauchery "here at least both were right"
• Shared a consulship with Verginius - the former governor of Germany, other appointments were left untouched
• Suetonius:
• Otho sent an imperial dispatch to Germany ordring the legions to stand down, but the deputation joined with Vitellius and betrayed Otho
• He "contemplated some ceremony to honour Nero in order to entice the mob" who called him "Nero Otho"
• Vitellius
• Tacitus:
• "Similar bouts" were offered by Vitellius
• Vitellius' deputy Valens sent a message to the praetorians boasting of the strengths of the Germanic legions and trying to intimidate them - "outclassed in a military sense they remained inflexibly loyal"
• Vitellius sent a letter to Otho's brother, threatening to kill him if any harm came to Vitellius' family in Rome - both families survived
• Assassins were sent by Otho to Germany and Vitellius to Rome - "both parties failed to achieve anything"
• Vitellius was compelled to fight for the throne, Otho "went on with his imperial duties as if there were not a cloud in the sky"
2. List the provinces that swore loyalty to Otho, and those who swore loyalty to Vitellius?
• Otho
• Dalmatia, Pannonia, Moesia
• Distant and oversea provinces "remained loyal"
• Vespasian and Mucianus had Judaea and Syria swear fealty
• Egypt and Africa expressed "nominal" support
• Vitellius
• Spain had "gone over" to Vitellius
• Narbonese rallied to Vitellius
• Legions of Germany
3. Who, in your view, seems to be in the better position? Why?

War in Italy

• Vitellius, guided by Valens and Caecina, sent legions towards the capital in preparation for the inevitable military struggle to come with Otho
• The Senate, ever subservient, were not sure how they would survive such political uncertainty - who did they need to brown - nose?
• "For the senate it was a task of steering between Scylla and Charybdis" - Tacitus
• Due to the speed of Valens and Caecina's march, Otho could not rely on support from the provincial legions in Pannonia and Dalmatia to prevent Vitellius' advance
• Otho realised the strategic importance of ensuring Valens and Caecina's armies were kept divided - they had advanced through two separate passes in the Alps - and so marched with 25,000 men to Cremona (northern Italy)
• Valens had 40,000 men, Caecina 30,000, and so Otho was drastically outnumbered should their armies combine

Initial Moves

• Otho enjoyed some early successes:
• Placentia was successfully defended by Otho's deputy Spurinna against Caecina
• Caecina also failed to execute an ambush on Otho's troops along the Via Postumia (through northern Italy)
• However, despite these successes, Otho ultimately failed to stop the uniting of Valens and Caecina's armies
• The decision now needed to be made: engage Vitellius' forces immediately or delay in the hope that the legions from Pannonia could reach Italy in time

The First Battle of Bedriacum, 14th April 69 AD

• The decision was ultimately made to confront the Vitellian forces, which culminated in a battle near Bedriacum in North-Central Italy
• Unsurprisingly, the vastly outnumbered Othonian forces were defeated, which included the as-yet untried Praetorian Guard (good at killing emperors, clearly not good at actual fighting)

Suetonius, Otho, 9-12 (first two questions)

Tacitus, Histories, 1.86, 1.89 (last question)

1. Why did Otho decide upon fighting Vitellius?
• Suetonius
• Perhaps he suffered from nervousness?
• Perhaps he wished to engage Vitellius' forces before he arrived?
• Perhaps he could not control the "offensive spirit" of his troops?
• Perhaps due to Vitellius' supplies running low?
• There were talks of an armistice, and Otho's troops were beginning to fraternise with the enemy - fears his soldiers may change sides?
2. What did Otho do after his defeat? How did this reflect on his reputation?
• Suetonius
• "Immediately" decided upon suicide - even though he could've retreated to the provinces that had sworn him loyalty
• He did not want to risk the lives of the city of Rome, nor cause any more bloodshed for his troops
• "thus many who had hated Otho loved him for the way he died"
• He also burned any documents that could incriminate others to Vitellius, and did not punish any deserters
3. What effect did the war between Otho and Vitellius have on Rome itself?
• Tacitus
• Rising cost of food - a famine breaks out
• Tiber flooded and caused devastation
• One of the bridges on the Tiber had collapsed
• Unemployment
• Tenement blocks began to collapse

The Nature of Vitellius' Emperorship

• After Otho's suicide, the Senate proclaimed Vitellius emperor and bestowed the imperial titles onto him
• Technically this made Vitellius emperor, though it should be noted that many regions of the empire never actually swore allegiance to Vitellius during his brief reign
• Both Tacitus and Suetonius give us a rather damning account of Vitellius' character, perhaps influenced by the fact that he was the emperor defeated by the Flavians, and so it was in their interests to vilify his character

Side note - Otho based himself on Nero

Suetonius, Vitellius, 10-12

Tacitus, Histories, 2.90-91

Make notes on the character of Vitellius and the nature of his leadership according to the sources

• Suetonius:
• Power hungry - consulship for life
• Lacks respect for the traditions/position of the senate
• makes all political appointments ten years in advance
• His march on Rome in military dress suggests he doesn't respect tradition/political norms
• When his soldiers began committing all sorts of crimes, Vitellius laughed them off
• "Only one thing smells sweeter than a dead enemy, a dead fellow citizen" - has no regard for his fellow countrymen
• He mocks Otho's humble grave "he deserved this type of Mausoleum" and looted the dagger Otho had used to kill himself, dedicating it to the temple of Mars
• He based important decisions on what performers in the theatre told him
• He made his freedman and lover Asiaticus into an Equestrian
• He spent his time in lavish banquets and festivals - more enjoys the privileges than the responsibilities
• Tacitus
• "typical of his ignorance of all law, human and divine"
• "His administration seemed to operate in an atmosphere of carouse" (drunken revelry)
• He attended the games as a punter rather than an emperor
• He attended every Senate meeting, no matter how trivial
• He particularly argued with Helvidius Priscus and the courtiers had to calm him down. Then he would boast about his opposition to Thrasea Patus (the guy who walked out on Nero)
• the Senate sneered at his comparison with such a distinguished senator