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

66 OTHO. OTHO.
in every kind of rapacity (Tac. A.9ric. 6). On the towards those who were his personal enemies, and
death of Galba in January A. D. 69, Titianus was the change in his habits shown by devoting himself
a second time made consul, with his brother Otho, to the administration of affairs, gave people hopes
the emperor. When the latter set out from Rome that the emperor would turn out better than was
against the generals of Vitellius, he left Titianus in expected. Still these appearances were by many
charge of the city, but he soon afterwards sent for considered deceptive, and there was little confidence
him and gave him the chief command in the war. in a man who owed his elevation to the murder of
It was partly through his eagerness to engage with Galba, and the violence of the soldiers, whom he
the Vitellian troops, that his brother lost the was compelled to keep in good humour. Otho was
empire; and on the downfall of the latter Titianus acknowledged emperor by Luceius Albinus, gowas so little dreaded, that he was pardoned by vernor of Mauritania (Tacit. Hist. ii. 58), and by
Vitellius-pietate et ignavia excusatus, says Tacitus. Carthage and the rest of Africa. The legions in
(Tac. I-ist. i. 75, 77. ii. 23, 33, 39, 60.) Dalmatia, Pannonia, and Maesia took the oath of
OTHO, M. SA'LVIUS, Roman emperor A. D.69, fidelity to the emperor. He was also recognised
was descended from an ancient Etruscan family. His by Egypt, by Mucianus in Syria, and by Vespasian
father L. Otho, who was consul in A. D. 33, had two in Palestine; by Gallia Narbonensis, Aquitania,
sons, Marcus and L. SalviusTitianus. [See above, and by Spain. But he had a formidable opposition
No. 2.] Marcus Otho was born in the early part of in the legions stationed in Germany on the Rhine,
A. D. 32. He was of mQderate stature, ill-made in the whither Vitellius had been sent to take the comlegs, and had an effeminate appearance. He was mand by Galba, in the month of December, A. D.
one of the companions of Nero in his debaucheries, 68. Vitellius was a glutton,' a drunkard, and a
till he was sent as governor to Lusitania, which he man of no capacity, but by his affable manners and
administered with credit during the last ten years of his liberality he gained the good will of the soldiers
Nero's life [NERO, p. 1163, a.]. Otho attached who were dissatisfied with Galba. Vitellius had
himself to Galba when he revolted against Nero, in the command of four legions on the Lower Rhine,
the hope of being adopted by him and succeeding to and two other legions on the upper course of the
theempire. But Galba, who knew Otho'scharacter, river were under Hordeonius Flaccus. Some of
and wished to have a worthy successor, adopted the Gallic towns also were ill disposed to Galba.
L. Piso, on the tenth of January, A. D. 69, and Neither Flaccus nor Vitellius had energy enough
designated him as the future emperor. (Tacit. to commence a movement: it was begun by FaIIist. i. 15.) bius Valens, who commanded a legion in Lower
Otho thus saw his hopes disappointed. His Germany, and stimulated Vitellius to aim at the
private affairs also were in a ruinous condition, and supreme power. Alienus Caecina, who also comhe resolved to seize the power which an astrologer manded a legion in Upper Germany, and was an
had foretold him that he would one day possess. officer of ability, hated Galba; and thus, before
He enlisted in his design a few soldiers, and on the the murder of the aged emperor, every thing was
fifteenth of January he was proclaimed emperor by ripe for a revolt in Germany.
a mere handful of men, who, with their swords Vitellius, who was in the town of Cologne
drawn, carried him in a litter to the camp, where he (colonia Agrippinensis), was greeted with the title
was saluted emperor. Otho was ready to promise of imperator, on the third of January, A. D. 69.
any thing and to stoop to any thing to extricate He accepted the title of Germanicus, but he would
himself from his dangerous position, and to receive not assume that of Caesar. There was a striking
the prize at which he aimed (Tacit. Hist. i. 36). contrast between the ardour of the soldiers, who
A little vigour and decision on the part of Galba wished to march for Italy in the midst of the
might have checked the rising. The matter was at winter, and the sluggishness of their newly-elected
last decided by Otho and the soldiers making their emperor, who even by midday was drunk and
way into the forum, upon which the standard- stupified with his gluttonous excesses. But every
bearer of the cohort that accompanied Galba thing favoured Vitellius. Valerius Asiaticus, gosnatched from it the emperor's effigy, and threw it vernor of Belgica, declared for him, and Junius
on the ground. This was the signal for deserting Blaesus, governor of Gallia Lugdunensis. The
Galba, who received his death-blow from a common troops in Rhaetia and Britain were also on his side.
soldier. Valens and Caecina were sent forward, each at the
The soldiers showed they were the masters of head of a large army. The lazy emperor followed
the emperor by choosing as praefecti praetorio, at his leisure. Valens had advanced as far as
Plotius Firmus and Licinius Proculus; Flavius Toul (civitas Leucorum, Tacit. Hist. i. 64; D'AnSabinus, the brother of Vespasian, was made prae- ville, Notice de la Gaule, " Tullum"), when he heard
fectus urbi. On the evening of the day in which of Galba's death, the news of which determined
Galba was murdered the senate took the oath of Gallia Narbonensis and Aquitania to declare for
fidelity to Otho, who afterwards offered a sacrifice Vitellius, though they had taken the oath to Otho.
in the Capitol, with no favourable omens. The Cluvius Rufus, the governor of Spain, did the same.
new emperor showed his moderation or his prudence Valens advanced by the route of Autun, Lyon,
by protecting against the filry of the soldiers, Marius Vienne, and Lucus (Luc), to the foot of the Alps,
Celsus, who had maintained his fidelity to Galba, plundering, and robbing all the way. The march
and who showed the same devotion afterwards to of Caecina was still more disastrous to the country
the cause of Otho. The punishment of Tigellinus, through which he made his way. He readily picked
the guilty encourager of Nero's crimes, and the a quarrel with the Helvetii, many of whom were
first to desert him, was demanded by the people, slaughtered, and others were sold as slaves. Avenand granted. This abominable wretch received ticum (Avenche), their capital, surrendered, and
the news of his death being required while he was its fate was left to the mercy of Vitellius, who
enjoying the waters of Sinuessae, and he cut his yielded to the eloquent entreaty of Claudius Cossus,'throat with a razor. The indulgence of Otho one of the legati who were sent to mollify the