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

1274 VITELLIUS. VITELLIUS.
the oath of fidelity to Vitellius. Flavius Sabinus, any person in the enjoyment of what had been
who was praefect of Rome, made the soldiers who given by Nero, Galba, and Otho; nor did he conwere there take the oath to Vitellius, and the fiscate any person's property. Though some of
senate as a matter of course decreed to him all the Otho's adherents were put to death, he let the next
honours which previous emperors had enjoyed. of kin take their property; and he restored to the
Vitellius had not advanced far from Cologne, where relations of those who had been put to death in
he was proclaimed emperor, when he received in- former reigns such part of the property of the detelligence of the victory of his generals and of the ceased as was in possession of the fiscus. But
death of Otho. All the empire submitted to Vi- though he showed moderation in this part of his
tellius, and even Mucianus, the governor of Syria, conduct, he showed none in his expences. He was
and Vespasian, who was conducting the war against a glutton and an epicure, and his chief amusement
th eJews, made their legions take the oath of fidelity was the table, on which he spent enormous sums
to the new emperor. of money. It is said that he was not greedy of
Vitellius, on his road to Rome, passed by Lyon, money simply for money's sake, but his extravawhere he gave to his young son the title of Ger- gant way of living caused a prodigious expenditure.
manicus with the insignia of imperial dignity. There was a report of his compelling his mother
(Tacit. Hist. ii. 59.) The generals of the victorious Sextilia to die of starvation, because of a prediction
and of the vanquished armies met Vitellius at Lyon. that he would reign a long time if he survived her;
Salvius Titianus, the brother of Otho, was pardoned but there are good reasons for not believing this
for fighting on his brother's side. Marius Celsus story. (Sueton. Vespas. c. 14; Tacit. Hist. iii. 67.)
was allowed to retain the consulship, the functions She seems to have been a woman of good character
of which he was to commence in the July following. and of good sense. Galeria Fundana, the second
Suetonius Paulinus and Proculus, after being kept wife of Vitellius, conducted herself with prudence
for some time in a state of anxiety, were at last and moderation during her husband's short reign,
pardoned, upon the scandalous pretence, on their as Tacitus says. What Dion Cassius (lxv. 4) says
part, that they had voluntarily lost the battle of of her, is not contradictory of the statement of
Bedriacum. But Vitellius offended the army by Tacitus, even if Dion's story be true.
putting to death the bravest of the centurions of Vespasian, who had been appointed to the comOtho. He published an edict by which astrolo- mand in the Jewish war by Nero in A. D. 66, had
gers (mathematici) were ordered to leave Italy be- conquered all the country in two campaigns, exfore the first of the following October. Vitellius cept the city of Jerusalem, and had acquired a great
continued his journey by way of Vienna (Vienne reputation. But no one had yet thought of him as
in Dauphind), without paying any attention to the a candidate for the imperial dignity, on account of
discipline of the troops which accompanied him. the meanness of his origin. On the accession of
On crossing the Alps he found North Italy full of Galba, Vespasian sent his son Titus to pay his resoldiers, those of his own armies and those of Otho, spects to the new emperor; but Titus, hearing of
who were quarrelling one with another. To pre- Galba's death, and of the contest between Otho
vent further disorder, Vitellius dispersed the legions and Vitellius, went no farther than Corinth,
of Otho in different places. He sent back to Ger- whence he returned to his father. Between Licinius
many eighteen Batavian cohorts, which were very Mucianus, the governor of Syria, and Vespasianus,
turbulent; and he also sent back to their country there was some jealousy; but the death of Nero
many Gallic auxiliaries. On arriving at Cremona, and the troubles of the times brought them together
about the 25th of May, he went to see the battle for their mutual safety, and they laboured at sefield of Bedriacum, which was covered with putre- curing the affection of their soldiers, who soon began
fying bodies; and when some of his attendants to think of giving a new master to the empire.
expressed their disgust at the stench, he said, After the death of Otho the two generals made
" that a dead enemy smelt sweetest, and still their troops take the oath of fidelity to Vitellius.
sweeter when he was a citizen." (Sueton. Vitellius, But Mucianus now urged Vespasian to assume the
10.) He went to see the modest tomb of Otho; and imperial power, a measure which he was slow to
he sent to Cologne the dagger with which Otho adopt, being old and cautious. At last, during an
had killed himself, to be dedicated to Mars. interview with Mucianus, he consented, perhaps as
Vitellius was followed to Rome by sixty thou- much from a conviction that it was necessary for
sand soldiers and an immense body of camp at- his personal security, and the good of the empire,
tendants. His progress was marked by licentious- as from ambitious views. Mucianus went back to
ness and disorder. (Tacit. Hist. ii. 87.) He seems Antioch, and Vespasian to Caesarea, his usual place
to have entered Rome in July. The ceremonial of of residence. The first decisive step in favour of
his entrance is described by Tacitus (Hist. ii. 89). Vespasian was taken by Tiberius Alexander, the
He found his mother in the Capitol, and conferred governor of Faypt, who caused his soldiers in Alexon her there the title of Augusta; and he assumed andria to take the oath of fidelity to Vespasian on
the title of Pontifex Maximus on the 18th of July, the first of July A. D. 69. Thus within the space
the inauspicious day on which the Roman armies of a year and a few days, the Roman empire had
were once slaughtered at the Cremera and the witnessed the death of Nero, the accession and
Allia. P. Sabinus and Julius Priscus were made death of Galba and Otho, the accession of VitelPraefecti Praetorio, and the number of praetorian lius, and the proclamation of Vespasian. The new
cohorts was increased. Caecina and Valens had emperor was speedily recognised by all the East;
great influence, but they could not agree. The and the legions of Illyricum under Antonius Primus
chief favourites of Vitellius were a freedman named entered North Italy and declared for Vespasian.
Asiaticus, and actors and buffoons. The vilest of This movement in favour of Vespasian began with
the populace were pleased to see honour paid to the the third legion, which was stationed in Maesia,
memory of Nero by this worthy successor, but the and had formerly been in Syria. Vitellius heard
better sort were disgusted. He did not disturb of the revolt of this legion before he heard of the