Emperor Vitellius and Otho

Agnes Yu

World History 1 

Period  7 

April 13th, 2015

Presentation

   Vitellius

- 8^th Emperor of  the Roman Empire

- Vitellius was born in AD 15. Vittelius' father, Lucius Vitellius, three times held the office of consul as well as once being the emperor's fellow censor.

-Vitellius himself became consul in AD 48 and later became proconsul of Africa in about AD 61-2.

-Vitellius was a Roman Emperor for eight months from April 16  to December 22 , 69 AD

- Vitellius was proclaimed emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors

- Despite his short reign he made two important contributions to Roman government which outlasted him.

-Vitellius ended the practice of Centurions selling furloughs and exemptions of duty to their men, a change Tacitus describes as being adopted by 'all good emperors'.

-He also expanded the offices of the Imperial Administration beyond the imperial pool of Freedmen allowing those of the Equites to take up positions in the Imperial Civil Service

  Otho

- He was the second emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. But he only lasted for three months.

- He was born at April 25th. His father was Lucius Otho

- He died at April 16th at the age of 36

- Otho was a friend of Nero, and his wife, Poppaea Sabina, became Nero's mistress. 

- He joined the revolt of Galba against Nero, but on Galba's accession Otho formed a conspiracy.

- Otho had entertained hopes of being adopted by Galba whom he had helped, but then turned against Galba.

- Otho inherits the war that Vitellius had launched against Galba; the army of Vitellius defeats the soldiers of Otho near Cremona;

- He was ambitions and greedy, tried to pacify Vitellius but failed.

- His major effect to Rome is that he overthrew the Emperor Galba

- Otho commits suicide.

BOOK BACK COVER: (for Otho)

                                          
Back Cover

ROME

Vitellius was the third of the four emperors who ruled the Roman Empire in the year 69 CE. One of his predecessors, Galba, who had replaced the fallen Emperor Nero, was murdered by the Praetorian Guard for failing to keep promises to those who had put him in power.  Emperor Otho, Galba’s successor, committed suicide before the imposing armies of Vitellius reached Rome.  He had chosen to sacrifice his own life instead of those of his men. Vitellius, like the previous two occupants of the throne, would not remain in power long.

In July 69, Vitellius learned that the armies of the eastern provinces had proclaimed a rival emperor; their commander, Titus Flavius Vespasianus. As soon as it was known that the armies of the East, Dalmatia, and Illyricum had declared for Vespasianus, Vitellius, deserted by many of his adherents, would have resigned the title of emperor.