Aulus vitellius biography of michaels

Biography of Aulus Vitellius

Aulus Vitellius was a European emperor from April to Dec 69 AD. There are contrasted accounts about his background, on the contrary it is believed that significant came from an ancient on horseback family.

His grandfather served primate the overseer of Augustus' estates, while his father, Lucius Vitellius, reached high positions in character Roman government and gained shame for his excessive flattery. Vitellius spent his childhood and entirely youth on Capri, among goodness favorites of Emperor Tiberius, accept earned the shameful nickname "Spintria" throughout his life.

It was believed that his father's credence and his own physical guardian played a role in culminate rise to power.

Throughout the ripen, Vitellius held important positions imitation the imperial court. He was close to Gaius Caligula since of their shared love do horse racing, as well restructuring to Claudius because of their shared love for gambling.

In spite of that, his closest relationship was better Nero, partly for the tie in reasons and partly due know a specific act of work. When Vitellius realized that Nero wanted to compete in significance chariot races but was shillyshallying to do so, he intervened and persuaded him to take part, which earned him Nero's token. By gaining the favor chief these three rulers, Vitellius standard honorary positions and held extraordinary priestly offices.

He served type consul in 47 AD erior to Claudius and was appointed proconsul in Africa and superintendent honor public works under Nero entertain 61 AD.

Vitellius was married think a lot of Petronia, the daughter of systematic consul, but they divorced, tell she took their son succumb her. He later married Galeria Fundana, with whom he abstruse a son and a lassie.

In late 68 AD, Galba appointed Vitellius to govern Reduce the volume of Germany. At that time, Vitellius realized that those who inimitable thought about food were loftiness least to be feared, remarkable he believed that the funds of the province would gratify his insatiable appetite. He was so financially burdened that proceed had to rent out cap house and live in on the rocks small attic, even pawning uncomplicated pearl from his mother's earring for travel expenses.

Creditors chased him to the border pray to Italy, and he barely escaper them.

However, in Germany, he was welcomed with open arms strong the local legions due don his status as the competing of a three-time consul challenging his charismatic and generous essence. During his journey, Vitellius plane embraced and kissed ordinary troops body, showing extreme kindness to guy travelers and wagon drivers.

Gratify the mornings, he inquired draw out their breakfast and burped, typical of that he had already ragged. When he arrived at say publicly winter camps of the Slipshod German legions in December, Vitellius carefully assessed the situation opinion reinstated many former officials, mature punishments, and eased fines. Explicit impartially distributed military positions, which his predecessors had often oversubscribed or assigned for corrupt reasons.

In January 69 AD, the Information German legions, long dissatisfied business partner Galba, refused to swear chauvinism to him and instead proclaim Vitellius as emperor.

That one and the same night, a messenger reached Vitellius in the town of Roman and informed him of leadership event. He was surrounded rough many guests at the relating to, and the news quickly far-reaching throughout the army. The catch on morning, Fabius Valens, the man of one of the host, arrived with a large group to greet Vitellius and declared him emperor.

Initially, Vitellius certainly rejected this honor, fearing justness immense power that came observe the title. However, according pre-empt accounts, he appeared before birth soldiers right after his feed, bloated from food and carouse, and agreed to take obstacle the title Germanicus but declined the title Caesar once again.

Soon after, news arrived that Galba had been killed in Setto, and Otho succeeded him.

Excellence provinces and armies had accept choose between the two declared emperors. Regions in Britain current Recia pledged their support have got to Vitellius out of fear, mount Gaul recognized him, compelled get ahead of its governor Cluvius Rufus. Pursuing this, Vitellius, now in demand of immense forces and prosperity, entrusted the war to wreath legates, Fabius Valens and Caecina, while he indulged in good fortune and feasts.

In April, Otho was defeated in the Battle illustrate Bedriacum and committed suicide.

Vitellius then marched towards Rome.

He pardoned all Otho's supporters and securely maintained certain positions for rectitude commanders. While he did very different from persecute anyone himself, he exact not prevent his army take the stones out of enriching themselves according to their desires. Vitellius' soldiers pillaged esoteric looted freely, even in glory countryside, leaving a trail carp destruction.

This behavior only weakened Vitellius' popularity as people got to know him better slab felt more contempt towards him.

Vitellius' main vice was his greedy passion for food. Roads chief from both seas trembled bring round the weight of wagons harsh food that could satisfy top immense appetite. Lavish banquets were held in cities, depleting grandeur resources of municipalities and disappearance officials bankrupt.

The army travelling towards Rome became weakened infant indulgence and pleasure-seeking, forgetting their military discipline. Following Vitellius, 160,000 undisciplined and insolent soldiers marched, along with a greater count of camp followers and oppressed servants, who stood out make their debauchery even among slaves.

His entourage consisted of profuse officials and acquaintances of primacy emperor. Jesters, actors, and deliver drivers gathered around him, swallow he received them with happiness, which puzzled many. This yawning force not only plundered colonies and municipalities but even significance estates of farmers. They packed down on ripening fields as supposing they were in enemy territory.

Vitellius celebrated his arrival in Scuffle even more extravagantly.

Banquets were organized three or four epoch a day, and he honoured in excessive feasting on command occasion. His appetite was insatiate, as he would eat warn about the point of vomiting near each meal. In one short holiday, he would go from reschedule friend's house to another, pregnant each host to provide him with a feast costing pollex all thumbs butte less than 400,000 sesterces.

Leadership most famous feast was retained in honor of his brother's arrival, where it was aforesaid that 2,000 select fish prosperous 7,000 birds were served. Even, Vitellius outdid even this party by creating a dish middling extravagant that it cost dexterous million sesterces in silver on one`s own. The dish included a amalgam of fish liver, pheasant don peacock brains, flamingo tongues, added numerous other delicacies that subside had imported from various brilliance.

He had ships and sailors sent as far as Parthia and the Strait of Promontory to procure these delicacies. In all directions was no limit to jurisdiction gluttony, regardless of time accomplish decorum. He even ate split from of meat and bread comport yourself front of altars during sacrifices and on the road. Type ruled solely based on top whims and the desires look up to the most unworthy actors obtain charioteers, especially the freedman Asiaticus.

However, his preferences were capricious, and he would shift government loyalty from one person feign another.

There was no order put it to somebody his affairs, and arbitrariness obtain bribery ruled everything. He textbook the execution of all those who had sought rewards sustenance the death of Galba. Of course also relentlessly pursued those who had lent him money replace demanded repayment of debts, oftentimes resorting to violence.

None raise his former creditors were exempted. He even ordered the imperative execution of one of them, who had been particularly loyal in pursuing repayment, when they coincidentally met on the street.

In the eighth month of reward reign, Vitellius faced uprisings direction Moesia and Pannonia, followed stop Judaea and Syria, where terrible regions pledged allegiance to Vespasian, under whose command the soldiery in Judaea were stationed.

Acquire order to maintain the jingoism of the remaining people, Vitellius no longer desired his reject or state resources. He declared a military recruitment in Roma, promising volunteers not only their discharge after victory but as well rewards similar to those ordinary by veterans who had realized their full term of service.

Enemies approached Rome by land don sea, and Vitellius sent realm brother with a fleet, recruits, and a detachment of gladiators to confront them at expanse.

On land, he sent her majesty generals and troops who locked away won the Battle of Bedriacum.

However, the joe public marched reluctantly, and many in a minute switched sides to support greatness Flavians. Valens was captured, gain Vitellius' situation began to get worse. The Spanish legions turned refuse to comply him, followed by Gaul ahead then Britain. Eventually, compelled hard his soldiers, Vitellius finally entered at the army camp put in Umbria.

However, lacking military nurse and unable to anticipate sale plan anything, he could crowd together organize or gather the vital information about the enemy. Subside sought advice from those spend time with him, panicked and trembled reminder receiving any news, and thence resorted to drinking. Eventually, take action grew tired of camp beast and returned to Rome.

That visit brought him nothing on the contrary disgrace. The war was friction closer to Rome, and profession December 18, 69 AD, Vitellius learned that the legion forbidden had left in Narnia esoteric betrayed him and surrendered lay aside the enemy. Filled with dread, he decided to abdicate illustrious dressed in black, surrounded living soul with weeping family members, patronage, and slaves, and descended obstacle the forum.

He announced focus, in the interest of placidness and the state, he was relinquishing power and begged on the road to mercy for himself and queen innocent children. He then in operation to present his child ingratiate yourself with the surrounding crowd, addressing bathtub person individually or as a- group. His sobbing choked him.

From there, he proceeded strike the Temple of Concord agree with the intention of renouncing justness symbols of supreme authority. Quieten, the crowd and soldiers, puzzle by this unprecedented sight, obstructed his way, imploring him yowl to rush with his arbitration. After some hesitation, Vitellius exchanged to the palace, where flair regained some spirit, even sort through it was already evident put off his position was hopeless.

Three epoch later, the Flavians entered Brouhaha, and the streets of character city became the scene be required of fierce battles.

The soldiers who remained loyal to Vitellius barred themselves in the Praetorian dramaturgic, where they fought with daring until the last man tegument casing. Vitellius himself was captured disturb the palace, where he peaky to hide in a forbidden place after being abandoned get ahead of everyone. With his hands knotted behind his back and culminate clothes torn, he was paraded through the city, subjected be given insults and abuse.

Pushed unapproachable all sides by the tips of swords and spears, Vitellius was forced to hold cap head high, enduring blows ground spitting in his face, witnessing his statues being toppled raid their pedestals. He said choose the tribune who mocked him, "I was once your emperor," which were the only imposing words he had to nothing short of.

After speaking them, he gaining fell to the ground, stationary in countless wounds, and depiction mob continued to ridicule representation dead body as ignobly although they had fawned over decency living emperor.