Year of the four emperors

One indicates under the term Année of the Four emperors the period which goes from June 68 to December 69, which saw following one another on the throne of the Roman Empire not less than three emperors before the capacity échût Vespasien. It is the first Civil war since the reign of Auguste. It follows the reign of Néron.

Events

End of the reign of Néron

With beginning of the year 68 the revolt thundered against Néron and its excesses to be finished moreover it (it had just returned for example of a purely artistic visit to Greece). The governor of the Lyons province of Gaulle, Caïus Julius Vindex threatened to enter openly revolts some against the emperor. He had even succeeded in joining Servius Sulpicius Galba, the governor of Tarraconaise and one of the most honest men of the State, a model servant of Tibère, Caligula and Claude.

In Africa, the Legate of the III Legio Augusta, Lucius Clodius Macer him also tie-beam revolts some against Néron, threatening even to cut the African supply corn of Rome.

The 15 May 68 the prefect of the legions of Germanic higher, Lucius Verginius Rufus crushed with its soldiers the troops of Vindex close to Besancon. Néron had a deferment.

In Spain, Galba had been made acclaim emperor but had, according to Suétone, only accepted one humbler title, that of Lieutenant of the Senate and the People Romain . He raised troops to reinforce his legion, the VIII '' Gemina ''.

In Rome, the Préfet of the court Nymphidius Sabinus, secretly rejoined in Bent, increased the paranoia of Néron by flooding it of lies, announcing more horrible news to him all the ones than the others. It ends even up persuading it to leave its Domus Aurea for a house in the suburbs of Rome. Once Néron far, Sabinus sold the allegiance of the Praetorian with Galba while the Sénat voted the forfeiture of Néron. Which committed suicide the June 6th 68, abandoned of all. The Sénat voted the Damnatio memoriae of Néron, and voted by plebiscite Galba.

The reign of Bent

With this news Galba gathered its troops and went on Rome. And against any waiting it put nearly four months to arrive to the Eternal City (entered in October 68). During this time with Rome the situation was very difficult: the city was delivered to the partisans of Néron (in fact of the slaves freed for the majority by the preceding prince) who plundered, stole and terrorized the population. Nymphidius Sabinus even tried to use this situation to be made name emperor by the Prétoriens. Which, not wishing to lose the reward mirobolante promised by same Sabinus in the name of Bent and in front of being delivered when this last would arrive, and in July 68 massacred refused the prefect of the court.

If the authority of Galba to Rome were more or less recognized, it was it entirely in the provinces. Only legions of Germanic, those which had overcome Caïus Julius Vindex thundered to see that only the Praetorian benefitted from the accession to the throne of Galba.

The arrival with Rome did not have anything triumphal. It was indeed necessary to pass by the sword all the partisans of Néron who refused to take again their old statute of slave - and much of them were former sailors.

Bent, old man, was then completely handled by its advisers, Titus Vinius, Cornelius Laco and Icelus. Which did not get along on nothing, except on the need for benefitting from this reign to fill the pockets. Galba made thus, probably on the councils of these three men, the errors which ended up exasperating the people of Rome, the Patriciat, and the army finally (refusal to pay the promised premium, the Donativum with the Praetorian ). The legions of Germanie they also revolted openly against Galba which had not rewarded the merits for their fight against the separatist Vindex.

Galba made then a last error. It adopted Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi Licinianus, or Pison , the grandson of famous the Pison that Néron had made carry out for conspiracy. By doing this Galba lost one of its older supports, Othon, the governor of Lusitanie. Which bought the Praetorian and assassinated Galba.

The reign of Othon

The same day, the January 15th 69, the Sénat frightened by the Praetorian Garde named Othon emperor. Which had to deal with two major difficulties: initially hostility of known as the Senate which regretted Galba and then the revolt of the legions of Germanie ordered by Vitellius which had been acclaimed by its troops emperor. The Civil war was profiled at the horizon.

The two armies met with the Bataille of Bedriacum. The troops of Othon left there losing, and it committed suicide little time afterwards by hatred of the Civil war.

The reign of Vitellius

Hardly elected official Vitellius had to face the revolt of the legions of Judaea which had proclaimed Vespasien emperor. Leaving with his son Titus the care to finish the operations in the area, the victorious general Vespasien put at the head his troops.

He met with the Bataille of Casement bolt the army of Vitellius, and demolished it. Vitellius managed to return to Rome and initially hiding the news of its defeat. But when the people learned it, he massacred Vitellius.

End of the civil war

Vespasien was crowned emperor by the Sénat the December 22nd 69. It founded the dynasty of the Flaviens which that of the Antonins succeeded, bringing on the whole 124 years of political stability to the Roman Empire.

Four emperors

Chronological plank

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