He had the hair of his body plucked out, and because of the thinness of his locks wore a wig so carefully fashioned and fitted to his head, that no one suspected it.

[7] On 1 January 69, the day Galba took the office of consul alongside Titus Vinius, the fourth and eighteenth legions of Germania Superior refused to swear loyalty to the emperor.

On the following day, the soldiers of Germania inferior also refused to swear their loyalty and proclaimed the governor of the province, Aulus Vitellius, as emperor.

[8] Galba tried to ensure his authority as emperor was recognized by adopting the nobleman Piso Licinianus as his successor,[9] an action that gained resentment from Otho.

[12] At the same time, the fears of the more sober and respectable citizens were relieved by Otho's liberal professions of his intention to govern equitably, and by his judicious clemency towards Aulus Marius Celsus, a consul-designate and devoted adherent of Galba.

After a vain attempt to conciliate Vitellius by the offer of a share in the Empire, Otho, with unexpected vigor, prepared for war.

From the much more remote provinces, which had quietly accepted his accession, little help was to be expected, but the legions of Dalmatia, Pannonia and Moesia were eager in his cause, the Praetorian cohorts were a formidable force and an efficient fleet gave him the mastery of the Italian seas.

Otho's advanced guard successfully defended Placentia against Aulus Caecina Alienus, and compelled that general to fall back on Cremona, but the arrival of Fabius Valens altered the aspect of affairs.

However, the rashness of the emperor's brother Titianus and of Proculus, prefect of the Praetorian Guards, added to Otho's feverish impatience, overruled all opposition, and an immediate advance was decided upon.

When this decision was taken, Otho's army had already crossed the Po and were encamped at Bedriacum (or Betriacum), a small village on the Via Postumia, on the route by which the legions from Dalmatia would naturally arrive.

It has been thought that Otho's suicide was committed in order to steer his country away from the path to civil war and to avoid casualties in his legions.

[21] Writing during the reign of the Emperor Domitian (AD 81–96), the Roman poet Martial expressed his admiration for Otho's choice to spare the empire from civil war through sacrificing himself: Although the goddess of civil warfare was still in doubt, And soft Otho had perhaps still a chance of winning, He renounced fighting that would have cost much blood, And with sure hand pierced right through his breast.