A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

1206 VALENS. VALENS.
in the empire, and whom he put to death a few Valens was entrusted with 40,000 men belonging
months afterwards, when he concluded a peace to the army of Lowe'r Germany, with orders to
with Constantine, who stipulated positively for the march through Gaul, and persuade it to submit to
deposition of this puppet Caesar. Eckhel assigns Vitellius, or, if he could not succeed in so doing,
a medal bearing on the obverse the legend IMP. to lay it'waste with fire and sword, and finally to
c. AUR. VAL. VALENS. P. F. AUG., and on the cross over into Italy by Mont Geunvre (Cottianis
reverse JOVI CONSERVATOrtI AUGG., to this Va- Alpibus). Caecina received 30,000 men belonging
lens; but it seems doubtful whether he ever re- to the army of Upper Germany, with orders to
ceived, formally at least, any higher title than that march direct into Italy by the pass of the Great
of Caesar. [Compare MARTINIANUS.] (Excerpta St. Bernard (Poeninisjuyis).
Vales. 17, 18; Aurel. Vict. EYpit. 40; Zosim. ii. Valens commenced his march early in January,
19, 20.) [W. R.] His formidable army secured him a friendly recepVALENS, DONA'TIUS, a centurion in the tion in Gaul; but upon his arrival at Diviodurum
army of Hordeonius Flaccus in Germany, attempted (Metz), his soldiers were seized with a panic
with some few others to protect the images of terror, and slaughtered 4000 of the inhabitants
Galba, when the rest of the soldiers revolted to This massacre, however, instead of provoking any
Vitellius, but was seized, and shortly afterwards resistance in Gaul, only made the people still more
put to death. (Tac. Hist. i. 56, 59.) anxious to deprecate the wrath of the troops. On
VALENS, FA'BIUS. 1. One of the principal reaching the capital of the Leuci, the modern
generals of the Emperor Vitellius in A. D. 69. His Toul, Valens received intelligence of the death of
character is drawn in the blackest colours by Galba and the accession of Otho; and this news
Tacitus; and among the various profligate com- produced the recognition of Vitellius throughout
manders in that civil war, Valens seems to have the whole of Gaul, the inhabitants of which debeen the most notorious for his avarice, venality, tested alike both Otho and Vitellius, but were
and cruelty. He was of an equestrian family, and more afraid of the latter. Valens, therefore, conwas born at Anagnia, a town of Latium. He en- tinued to advance without any interruption. The
tered freely into the debaucheries of Nero's court, inhabitants of Lugdunum (Lyons) persuaded him
and at the festival of the Juvenalia, in which the to march against Vienna (Vienne), which had
nost distinguished persons of the state were obliged espoused the cause of Vindex and Galba; but the
to take a part (see Dict. of Antiq. s. v. Juvenalia, Viennenses averted the impending danger by
2d ed.), he was accustomed to act the licentious throwing themselves before the army as suppliants,
part of a mime, at first, as if by compulsion, but and by giving an immense sum of money to Vaafterwards evidently from choice. He was sub- lens, of which the soldiers likewise received a
sequently appointed by Nero legatus of the first small portion. The avarice of Valens knew no
legion in Germany. In the troubles immediately bounds, and he employed the great power which
preceding and following Nero's death, Valens en- he now possessed, to gratify it in every possible
deavoured to persuade Verginius Rufus, who go- manner. Throughout his march the proprietors of
verned Upper Germany, to assume the purple; the lands and the magistrates of the cities paid him
and when Rufus refused to do so, Valens sought large sums of money not to march through their
to blacken his character, and accused him to Galba property or encamp upon it; and if money failed,
of attempting to make himself emperor. Soon they were obliged to appease him by sacrificing
after Galba's accession, Valens, in conjunction with their wives and daughters to his lusts. On his
the legate of another legion, Cornelius Aquinus, arrival in Italy, Valens took up his quarters at
put to death Fonteius Capito, the governor of Ticinum (Pavia), where he nearly lost his life iin
Lower Germany, on the plea that he was intend- an insurrection of the soldiers. He took refuge in
ing to revolt, but, as many thought, because he the dress of a slave in the tent of one of his officers,
had refused to take up arms at the solicitation of who concealed him till the danger was over. Valens
Valens and Aquinus. However this may be, afterwards put this man to death on suspicion
Valens claimed great merit with Galba for the of his having taken a thousand drachmae from his
services he had rendered him in exposing the plots baggage. (Dion Cass. lxiv. 16; comp. Tac. Hist.
of Verginius Rufus, and destroying Fonteius ii. 29.) Caecina, who had arrived in Italy before
Capito, who might have been a dangerous rival; Valens, had meantime been defeated by the geanid upon receiving no reward, he complained bit- nerals of Vitellius in the neighbourhood of Cret(rly -that he had been treated with ingratitude. mona; and although Valens and Caecina disliked
Accordingly, upon the arrival of Vitellius in Lower each other, and it was thought that the latter had
Germany as the successor of Capito, Valens was been defeated, because Valens had purposely not
one of the first to urge him to seize the empire, made sufficient haste to join him, yet their mutual
and this time he was more successful than he had interests now led them to unite their forces, and to
been with his former commanders. The legions'act in harmony against the common enemy. Otho's
in Upper Germany refused to take the oath of generals earnestly dissuaded him from risking a
allegiance to Galba on the 1st of January, A. D. battle, but their opinion was overruled by the em69. Valens thereupon marched into Cologne on peror, who was anxious to bring the war to a close.
the following day, and saluted Vitellius as emperor. The result was the battle of Bedriacum, in which
Itis example was immediately followed by the Valens and Fabius gained a decisive victory, and
soldiers in Lower Germany, and on the next day thus secured for Vitellius the sovereignty of Italy.
by those of Upper Germany, and active preparations [OTHOI] The two generals remained in northern
were made to prosecute the war against Galba. Italy for some time after the battle, till they were
Vitellius entrusted the conduct of it to Valens and joined by Vitellius, whom they accompanied to
A. Caecina, the latter of whom had commanded a Rome. Vitellius advanced them to the consulship,
chgion in Upper Germany, and had been one of which they entered upon on the 1st of September,
the chief leaders of the revolt in favour of Vitellius. land he left the whole goverunment in their hanids.