Year of the Four Emperors

Unlike Galba, he rapidly earned considerable popularity, notably by bestowing favours and emulating Nero's successful early years.

Mucianus arrived several days after and swiftly secured Vespasian's position in Rome (Primus had acted independently from him).

The death of Vitellius did not end the civil war, as the Rhine legions still rejected the rule of Vespasian and the new Flavian dynasty.

[2] The end of Nero's reign (54–68) was marked by political trials and plots, such as the Pisonian conspiracy in 65, showing the disenchantment of the senatorial elite towards the Emperor.

[3] In the winter of 67–68, Gaius Julius Vindex, the legate of Gallia Lugdunensis, looked for support among other governors and administrators in order to start a revolt against Nero.

Aware of his relatively humble origins, Vindex did not covet the Empire for himself, nor did he name a candidate, probably to maximise his chances of finding someone interested.

Plutarch tells that the people reached by Vindex forwarded his letters to Nero, except one: his southern neighbour Servius Sulpicius Galba, the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, the largest Spanish province.

[4] In mid-March 68, Vindex proceeded with his plan and raised an army composed of Gallic tribesmen, which nevertheless cut short his attempts to win over the officers of the seven legions posted on the Rhine, whose soldiers would not accept fighting alongside Gauls.

[5] In early April 68, Galba accepted Vindex's proposition and was acclaimed emperor in Carthago Nova (now Cartagena, Spain).

[7] The soldiers were motivated by their hatred of Galba, as they had not forgotten his term as governor of Germania Superior in 39–41, during which he harshly repressed the legions that had supported the rebellion of Lentulus Gaetilicus in 39.

The decisive move came from Nymphidius Sabinus, deputy prefect of the Praetorian Guard, who convinced his men to abandon Nero, by promising that Galba would give each of them 30,000 sesterces (equivalent to 10 years of wages), while he expected to be rewarded by the new emperor.

He appointed Cluvius Rufus as his replacement in his own province, but also murdered several of his opponents there, including Obultronius Sabinus, the probable governor of Baetica.

[13] During the first half of October, Galba finally completed his journey to Rome, which was described by Tacitus as "a long and bloody march",[14] because of the officials he had murdered on his way and also for the massacre he committed on the Milvian Bridge, just before the city.

He only trusted three men who had been with him in Spain: Titus Vinius, Cornelius Laco, and Icelus, who had amassed money as Nero's protegés had, which likewise triggered popular resentment against the new emperor.

[20] Moreover, at the beginning of the civil year of 69 on 1 January, the legions of Germania Inferior refused to swear allegiance and obedience to Galba.

However, Otho's initial efforts to restore peace and stability were soon checked by the revelation that Vitellius had declared himself Imperator in Germania and had dispatched half of his army to march on Italy.

Otho was not keen to begin another civil war and sent emissaries to propose a peace and convey his offer to marry Vitellius's daughter.

The city remained very sceptical when Vitellius chose the anniversary of the Battle of the Allia (in 390 BC), a day of bad auspices according to Roman superstition, to accede to the office of Pontifex Maximus.

With the throne tightly secured, Vitellius engaged in a series of banquets (Suetonius refers to three a day: morning, afternoon, and night) and triumphal parades that drove the imperial treasury close to bankruptcy.

Vespasian himself travelled to Alexandria, where he was acclaimed emperor on 1 July, thereby gaining control of the vital grain supplies from Egypt.

Surrounded by enemies, Vitellius made a last attempt to win the city to his side, distributing bribes and promises of power where needed.

Realizing the immediate threat, Vitellius made a last attempt to gain time by sending emissaries, accompanied by Vestal Virgins, to negotiate a truce and start peace talks.