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

VITELLIUS. VTELLELLITUS. 1275
revolt of Vespasian, and he endeavoured to stop the connected with Vespasian by marriage, and had
report of it from circulating in Rome. Hie sum- made his escape from Rome in the dress of a rustic.
nloned troops from various quarters, but showed no Domitian, the son of Vespasian, was in Rome
great vigour in his preparations, being unwilling to watched by Vitellius; and Flavius Sabinus, Veslet it be thought that he was afraid of the revolt. pasian's brother, was still Praefectus urbi.
Primus reached Aquileia with some of the infantr' Primus now took Interanena (Terni) and was
and part of the cavalry, where he was well received, joined by many of the officers of Vitellius, who
and also at Padua and other places. He also made had now nothing left but the city of Rome. Propreparations to besiege Verona; and he was joined posals had already been made to Vitellius both
by many of the old Praetorian soldiers, whom from Primus and Mucianus to resign; and it is
Vitellius had disbanded. said that in a conference between Flavius Sabinus
Roused by this intelligence Vitellius d&spatched and Vitellius, the terms of the emperor's resignaCaecina with a powerful force to North Italy. But tion were settled. On the 18th of December, after
Caecina was not faithful to the emperor; he had hearing that his troops at Interamna had surrenalready formed treacherous designs and communi- dered, he left the palace in the dress of mourning
cated with Sabinus the brother of Vespasian, who with his infant son, and declared before the people
still remained praefect of Rome. Caecina ordered with tears that he renounced the empire. But
part of his troops to assemble at Cremona and part receiving some encouragement from the people he
at Hostilia on the Po; and he went to Ravenna to returned to the palace. The newns of his intended
see Lucilius Bassus, commander of the fleet, who resignation had brought a number of senators,
shortly afterwards delivered it up to the party of equites, and others about Sabinus; and nothing
Vespasian. Caecina now moved the troops at seemed left except for Sabinus to compel Vitellius
Hostilia towards Verona, and posted them in an to resign. But the force of Sabinus, which was
advantageous position. But instead of attacking not strong, was repelled in the streets by some
the enemy with his superior force, he waited till soldiers of Vitellius, and Sabinus and his party
two other legions from Maesia joined Primus, and retired to the Capitol. On the following day Sahe then urged his soldiers to submit, and he in- binus sent to summon Vitellius to resign, and to
duced part of them to take the oath to Vespasian. complain (Tacit. Hist. iii. 70) of the attack of his
HIis men however put him in chains and went to soldiers. Vitellius answered that he could not
Cremona to join the troops which were there. control his soldiers, who immediately, without ally
The history of this campaign is told under PRIMus, leader, attacked the Capitol, which by some acciMn. ANTONIUS. dent was fired during the contest and burnt.
Primus left Verona and encamped at Bedriacum Domitian, who was with Sabinus in the Capitol,
about the 26th of October, where he defeated the escaped, and also the son of Sabinus, but the father
Vitellians in two battles, and afterwards took and and the consul Quintius Atticus were taken pripillaged the city of Cremona. Valens left Rome a soners. Vitellius had influence enough to save
few days after Caecina, and he was in E}ruria when Atticus from the fury of the soldiers, but Sabinus
he heard of the victories of Primus. Upon this he was torn in pieces. (Hist. iii. 74.)
~attempted to escape by sea to Gaul, but he was In the mean time L. Vitellius took Tarracina
thrown upon the Stoechades islands on the coast, and defeated the partizans of Vespasian, but this
where he was seized by order of Valerius Paulinus, advantage was not followed up by an advance upon
governor (procurator) of Gallia Narbonensis, and Rome. The troops of Primus were close upon the
shortly afterwards put to death. (Tacit. HIist. iii. city on the evening of the day on which Sabilus
43, 62.) When Vitellius heard of the treachery was killed; and Petilius Cerealis who reached the
of Caecina, he deprived him of the consulship, and suburbs before Primus received a check. Vitellius
put Alfenus Varus in the place of P. Sabinus, the now attempted to arm the slaves and the populace;
Praefectus Praetorio. Cornelius Fuscus with some but he still hoped to come to terms and sent mestroops of Vespasian had invested Rimini and oc- sengers to Prinus and Cerealis. But it was now
cupied all the country to the Apennines, before too late; the partizans of Vespasian entered the
Vitellius was roused from his torpor. At last he city, and various fights took place, in which many
sent a strong force to guard the passes of the Apen- persons were killed; Rome was filled with tumult
nines; the station of this force was at Mevania and bloodshed. Vitellius having gorged himself
(Bevagna) in the country of the Umbri. He re at his last meal left the palace for the house of
nained at Rome, employed in distributing ma- his wife on the Aventine, with the intention of
gistracies for the next ten years and in giving every stealing away to his brother Lucius at Tarracina;
thing away in the hopes of retaining popular favour but with his usual unsteadiness of purpose he re(Tacit. Hist. iii. 56). His presence being loudly turned to the palace, which he found nearly decalled for by the soldiers, he went to the camp of serted, and even the meanest of the slaves slank
Mevania, where he only displayed his stupidity and away from him. Terrified at the solitude he hid
his incompetence. He was recalled from Mevania himself in an obscure part of the palace, from
by the news of the revolt of the fleet at Misenum; which he was dragged by Julius Placidus, a triand the army at Mevania having retreated to bunus cohortis. He was led through the streets
Narnia, part of this force was left there, and the with every circumstance of ignominy and dragged
other part was sent under the command of L. Vi- to the Gemoniae Scalae, where the body of Satellius, the emperor's brother, to put down the in- binus had been exposed. There he was killed with
surrection in Campania, and the revolt of the, fleet repeated blows. He uttered one expression to the
at Misenum. Primus took advantage of the retreat tribune who was insulting him, which was not unof the troops to cross the snows of the Apennines, worthy of his former dignity: he told him that he
for itwas now the month of December, and encamped had once been his emperor. His head was carried
at Carsulae, between Mevania and Namnia, where about Rome, and his body was dragged into the
he was joined by Q. Petilius Cerealis, who was Tiber; but it was afterwards interred by his wife