Tacitus: The Histories, Volumes I and II. Cornelius Tacitus
BOOK V
SUMMARY OF CHIEF EVENTS
| I. The Fight for the Throne. | ||
| a.d. 68. | ||
| June | 9. | Death of Nero. |
| 16. | Galba, Governor of Nearer Spain, declared Emperor at Clunia. | |
| Fonteius Capito, Governor of Lower Germany, Clodius Macer, Governor of Africa, and Nymphidius Sabinus, Prefect of the Guard, murdered as possible rivals. Verginius Rufus, Governor of Upper Germany, refuses to compete | ||
| October | Galba enters Rome. Massacre of Marines at Mulvian Bridge. | |
| His government controlled by Laco, Vinius, and Icelus. | ||
| a.d. 69. | ||
| January | 1. | News of mutiny in Upper Germany, now governed by Hordeonius Flaccus. |
| 3. | The armies of Upper Germany (under Caecina) and of Lower Germany (under Valens) salute Vitellius, Governor of Lower Germany, as Emperor. | |
| 10. | Galba adopts Piso Licinianus as his successor. | |
| 15. | Otho declared Emperor in Rome and recognized by Praetorian Guard. | |
| Murder of Galba, Vinius, and Piso. | ||
| Otho recognized by the Senate. | ||
| February | The Vitellian armies are now marching on Italy: Caecina through Switzerland and over the Great St. Bernard with Legio XXI Rapax and detachments of IV Macedonica and XXII Primigenia: Valens through Gaul and over Mount Genèvre with Legio V Alaudae and detachments of I Italica, XV Primigenia, and XVI. | |
| March | Caecina crosses the Alps. | |
| Otho dispatches an advance-guard under Annius Gallus and Spurinna. | ||
| Otho starts for the Po with Suetonius Paulinus, Marius Celsus, and Proculus. | ||
| Titianus left in charge of Rome. | ||
| Otho sends fleet to Narbonese Gaul, and orders Illyric Legions1 to concentrate at Aquileia. | ||
| Spurinna repulses Caecina from Placentia. | ||
| Otho's main army joins Gallus at Bedriacum. | ||
| Titianus summoned to take nominal command. | ||
| April | 6. | Battle of Locus Castorum. Caecina defeated. |
| Valens joins Caecina at Cremona. | ||
| 15. | Battle of Bedriacum. Othonian defeat. | |
| 17. | Otho commits suicide at Brixellum. | |
| 19. | Vitellius recognized by the Senate. | |
| May | Vitellius greeted by his own and Otho's generals at Lyons. | |
| 24. | Vitellius visits the battle-field of Bedriacum. | |
| June | Vitellius moves slowly towards Rome with a huge retinue. | |
| July | 1. | Vespasian, Governor of Judaea, proclaimed Emperor at Alexandria. |
| 3. | At Caesarea. | |
| 15. | At Antioch. | |
| The Eastern princes and the Illyric Legions2 declare for Vespasian. His chief supporters are Mucianus; Governor of Syria, Antonius Primus commanding Leg. VII Galbiana, and Cornelius Fuscus, Procurator of Pannonia. | ||
| Mucianus moves slowly westward with Leg. VI Ferrata and detachments from the other Eastern legions. | ||
| Vespasian holds Egypt, Rome's granary. | ||
| Titus takes command in Judaea. | ||
| Antonius Primus with Arrius Varus hurries forward into Italy. | ||
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August
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