The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. II. The Reigns of the Emperours Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, and Titus, with an Account of the Colonies, Free Towns, and Courts of Judicature then in Spain.

CLaudius the Emperour was Poison'd by an Eunuch, or as others have it, by his Wife Agrippina, to the intent her Son Domitius Nero might obtain the Empire; which prov'd fatal to her. Certain it is, he dyed in the Year of Grace 55. Nero, his Son-in-Law, and * 1.1 Successor, held the Empire 14 Years; the first 5 he govern'd well, as Trajan used to testify, * 1.2 after that he sunk into all manner of Vice and Debauchery, like a wild Beast, that breaking loose from its Confinement, bears down all before it. To such a degree did his Cruelty rage that he kill'd his own Mother, of whom he would first have had Carnal Knowledge; he also slew his Aunt, his two Wives, Octavia and Popea, his Master Seneca, the Famous Poet Lucan, and a great number of Men of Quality. His Lust was so extravagant, that he publickly Mar∣ried a Young Man, and caused a Boy to be cut, that he might make use of him as a Woman. He used to sing in the Theatre like a Player; for his Sport set Fire to Rome, and then to ap∣pease the raging People, charg'd it upon the Christians, against whom, upon that score, he raised the first Persecution. On the one hand he profused the publick Revenue, and on the other, by all unlawful means, seiz'd the Riches of private Persons. In his time liv'd the fa∣mous Apollonius Thyaneus; and in his Travels came into Spain. The same is said of the Apo∣stle St. Paul, but other Authors de••y his coming hither; and for St. Peter's ever being in Spain, as Metaphrastes affirms, there is but little ground to believe it. Servius Sulpicius Galba had go∣vern'd * 1.3 Spain the term of eight Years, he was very old, being above 70 years of Age, when Julius Vindex, who govern'd Gallia Narbonensis, astonish'd at the Cruelties, and other Bruta∣lities of Nero, by Letter invited him to put a stop to all those Evils, by accepting of the Em∣pire. But Galba excusing himself on account of his Age, and the danger of such an under∣taking, Vindex declared himself, and took up Arms against Nero. This news being brought into Spain, Galba in an Assembly of the chief Men of all the Country, whom he had called together to Carthagena, declar'd the cause, why all Men were oblig'd to put their hand to re∣dress so many grievances, and relieve the Commonwealth. He inveighed against the Cruelty and Vices of Nero, showing the mischiefs he had already done, and what they might expect from him. There happen'd to be there present a Child banished by Nero into Majorca, which so heightned the indignation of all there present, that with loud Acclamations they Proclaimed Galba, Augustus, and Emperour. He would not accept of that Title, but offered himself to be General of the Romans, and Lieutenant for the Senate against Nero, which was * 1.4 an extraordinary Token of his Modesty. Otho Silvius, then Governour of Lusitania, was a great Instrument in forwarding this Work, for he resolv'd to follow Galba, and to that purpose Coin'd a vast Quantity of Gold and Silver, he had gathered. Upon this Account Otho was prefer'd to the New Emperour's Favour, and had the first Place about him, which T. Junius his Lieutenant aimed at, but neither could he attain, or was he acceptable to the People, as one that sold the Favour of his Prince; whereas Otho espous'd the pretensions of the needy, without any prospect of advantage. Julius Vindex being betrayed in France, where he had declar'd against Nero, kill'd himself. Virginius Rufus who vanquished him, would not accept of the Empire, but left all to the disposal of the Senate, which was a singular Moderation. The misfortune of Vindex so startled Galba, that he retir'd almost in despair to the City Clu∣nia, but the News of Nero's Death being soon after brought to him, he reviv'd and took heart again. The manner of Nero's Death was thus. As soon as the Senate understood what Vindex had done in France, and Galba in Spain, they conceiv'd hopes of destroying the Ty∣rant, and in order to it, they declar'd him an Enemy to his Country. Immediately his Guards, and Servants forsook him, and he fled to the Country House of one Phaon, a freed Man of his own, where despairing of making his escape, he kill'd himself in the 32th Year of his Age. Thus ended the Crimes of this Prince, and in him the Family of the Caesars and Claudii. * 1.5 Galba understanding what had happen'd, resolv'd to march with all speed to Rome; for his Guard he carry'd with him a Legion of the choicest Soldiers in all Spain. With him also went Fabius Quintilianus, a Native of Calahorra, the Famous Rhetorician. When Nero dy'd Silius Italicus was Consul at Rome, which was the Year of Grace 69. Galba being come to Rome en∣joy'd * 1.6 the Empire but 7 Months, and was then slain by the Pretorian Bands in a Mutiny they * 1.7 raised, because he gave them not the Donative he had promis'd, and kept a strict hand over them, which they being us'd to liberty, could not brook; as also because he was heard to say, he chose, but did not buy Soldiers. But the greatest Promoter of this Mutiny was Otho, who offended that Galba had adopted one Piso, a Youth, of great hopes, and thereby cut him off the reward he expected for the assistance he had given him; caus'd himself to be carry'd in a Chair to the Pretorian Bands, who saluted him Emperour, and Murder'd Galba; together with Piso, and Titus Junius. His ill gotten Power was not lasting, for he was Emperour only * 1.8 the space of 95 days. The German Legions, in imitation of those of Spain, declar'd their

General Aulus Vitellius Emperour, and France join'd with them. Spain seem'd to stand Neu∣ter, therefore Otho to gain the Affections of that People, gave them Jurisdiction over Mau∣ritania Tingitana, whence is ensued that the People of that Province long after repaired to the Roman Courts at Cadiz, to determine their Law suits, and were subject to the Goths, as long as they held the Sovereignty of Spain. However Lucius Albinus Governour of Mau∣ritania, came over into Spain, the more to strengthen other parts, but was defeated by Clu∣vius * 1.9 Rufus, left there by Galba, that had now declared for Vitellius. Otho being vanquished in Lombardy, killed himself, and Vitellius entred Rome armed, and beset with Soldiers, as if he had Triumphed over his Country. This, and the manner of his Government, not unlike to the beginning, made him odious to all Men, besides that, having spent the former part of his * 1.10 Life in disorderly Vices, now, with the increase of Power, he gave himself the greater loose, and so became Contemptible, which gave occasion to the Legions that were in the East, to try their Fortune in choosing an Emperor, as they did with much better success than any of the others.

Flavius Vespasianus the chief of the most Noble Family of the Favij, in the time of the Em∣peror Claudius, made War in Britain, and subdu'd the Isle of Wight. The many Victories * 1.11 gain'd there made him Famous, but by reason of the Confusion of those times he retir'd to a Pri∣vate Life, whence he was call'd the last Year but one of Nero's Reign, to Command the Army, that was sent against the Jews. He had almost subdu'd that Province, when his Soldiers declar'd him Emperor, and Mucianus who govern'd Siria on the one side, as also Tiberius Alexander, that Commanded in Aegypt, on the other, invited and perswaded him to accept of that Title. This being concluded and agreed upon, they caus'd their Legions to take an Oath of fidelity to him, their example was soon follow'd by the other Provinces. The par∣ticular account of their Actions belongs not to this History, but in Conclusion Vitellius was slain at Rome, in the ninth Month of his Reign, and 57th Year of his Age. Vespasian leaving his * 1.12 Son Titus, to Command in Asia, came by the way of Alexandria into Italy, and so to Rome, in the Year of our Lord 72, and was receiv'd with the general applause and satisfaction of the Senate and People. He govern'd the Empire ten Years with such prudence and Virtue, that * 1.13 he seemed to want nothing but the knowledge of the Christian Faith. Titus having subdu'd the Jews, and destroy'd Hierusalem, Triumph'd with his Father at Rome, and having brought over with him a vast number of Captive Jews, part of them were sent into Spain, where they setled in the City Merida, as their Writers affirms. At his first coming to the Empire, Vespasian granted to the Spaniards the priviledges of Latium, or Italy, the more to incline them to his Party, they at that time favouring Vitellius. Licinius Larius, now governed Hi∣spania * 1.14 Citerior as Pretor, a Man given to Learning, and great Friend to Pliny then Questor there, for whose natural History, and some other Works, he offered a great sum of Money. This Licinius is supposed to have built the Bridge of Segovia, a Work so lofty and wonderful, that the commonalty are perswaded, it was built by the Devil. Others Attribute the build∣ing of this Bridge to the Emperor Trajan, but there are no sufficient grounds to assert either Opinion. It is much more credible, that the Town in Galicia, now called Betanços, formerly Flavium Brigancium, the other now called Padron, then Iria Flavia, also the Town Municipium Flavium Axaritanum, now Lora, and other places of that name, were built by the Family of Vespasian, who were all called Flavij, or else they took those names in Honour of the Em∣peror, or one of his Sons. The Emperor Vespasian lived to be 70 Years of Age, and then dyed at Rome, on the 24th of June in the Year of our Lord 80. He was as happy in his Death, as his Life, for that he left behind his Son Titus, to succeed in the Empire, who e∣qual'd * 1.15 * 1.16 his Father in all his Virtues, and far exceeded him, in Affability, Sweetness of Tem∣per, and Liberality, to which he was so inclin'd, he was used to say, none ought to go from his Princes presence dissatisfyed, and remembring one Night that he had bestowed no fa∣vour that day, said to those about him; My Friends we have lost a day; These good quali∣ties gained him the Affections of all Men so intirely, that he was called, the Ornament and delight of Mankind. But Death cut him off very untimely, for he was not above 42 Year of Age, reigned only two Years, two Months, and twenty Days, and deceased on the 13th of September, in the Year of Christ 82. Nothing of note appears to have hap'ned during this time in Spain. It was Governed by three Pretors, in the three Provinces, Tarraconensis, * 1.17 Betica, and Lusitania. In Betica there were eight Roman Colonies, and as many Municipiums, which enjoyed less priviledges than the others, and four Courts to determine Law suits, that were held at Cadiz, Sevil, Ezija, and Cordova. In Lusitania were Five Colonies, one Muni∣cipium, which was Lisbon, called by another name Felicitas Julia, and three Courts at Meri∣da, * 1.18 Badajoz, and Santaren, then called Scalabis. In Hispania, Citerior, or Tarraconensis, there were Fourteen Colonies (some say more) Thirteen Municipiums, and Seven Courts at Carta∣gena, Tarragona, Zaragoça, Clunia, now Corun̄a, Astorga, Lugo, and Braga. The Pretors, now when the time of their Command was expired, and they waited for one to succed them, called themselves Legates, or Lieutenants, and not Propretors, as was used before.

Notes

• * 1.1

  55.
• * 1.2

  Nero C. Reigned Fourteen Years.
• * 1.3

  Galba go∣verns Spain.
• * 1.4

  Is Pro∣claimed Emperor. Otho joins him.
• * 1.5

  Nero kills himself.
• * 1.6

  69.
• * 1.7

  Galba but 7 Months, viz. slain.
• * 1.8

  Otho only 95. days.
• * 1.9

  Otho de∣feated kills him self.
• * 1.10

  Vitellius enters Rome.
• * 1.11

  Flavius Vespasianus chosen Emperor.
• * 1.12

  Vitellius only nine Months.
• * 1.13

  Vespasian Reigns ten Years.
• * 1.14

  Licinius Larius governs Spain.
• * 1.15

  80.
• * 1.16

  Titus Reigns only two Years, 2 Months, and 20 Days. Decus & deliciae, humani ge∣neris.
• * 1.17

  82.
• * 1.18

  Spain how divided and go∣vern'd.