Fabius Valens

Also known as: Fabius / Valens · Family: German forces · Role: officer · First appears: Histories I.5-8

In Germany, Fabius Valens and Cornelius Aquinus killed Fonteius Capito without waiting for instructions, after Capito had made an attempt there. The officers were also thought to have urged Capito to declare war and then falsely charged him with their own offence. Fabius supported Verginius before defaming him, and became hostile to Galba after believing that his actions against Verginius’s hesitation and Capito’s designs had been met with ingratitude. He then incited Vitellius to pursue imperial power, entered Cologne with cavalry and auxiliaries, and saluted him as emperor.

Vitellius employed Fabius alongside Caecina in the invasion of Italy, assigning him to draw the Gauls to his standard and advance through the Cottian Alps. He punished Batavians to restore discipline, left the Eighteenth cohort at Lugdunum, disarmed Vienne and requisitioned supplies, and threatened to burn Lucus until its authorities paid him. He slandered Manlius Valens while praising him openly, dispatched forces under Julius Classicus to defend Narbonese Gaul, and competed with Caecina, who did not want the war’s glory to fall entirely to him. Although Fabius and Otho were enemies, they worked together against Otho, writing letters that abandoned any hope of pardon and heaped abuse upon him.

At Ticinum, Fabius’s troops renewed their obedience, but his order that the Batavians march to Narbo provoked a mutiny: they attacked him, drove him from camp, and looted his quarters. He later returned safely, accepted their submission, and demanded no punishment. After joining Caecina, he helped prepare for decisive battle, construct a bridge over the Po, and bring reinforcements against the Othonian flank. Under Vitellius, Fabius and Caecina managed the government, expanded the Guards and city garrison, received public honours, and celebrated Vitellius’ birthday with gladiatorial shows; Fabius also supported Julius Priscus and claimed to have saved Caecina’s life.

When Vespasian and Mucianus rose against Vitellius, Fabius was treated as a rival whose standing should not be exceeded. He remained loyal to Vitellius and an experienced soldier, receiving reinforcements before being driven by a gale onto the Stoechades, where Valerius Paulinus’s cruisers overtook him. At Urbinum, Fabius was executed in prison and his head was shown to Vitellius’ Guards; the account also records that he betrayed Galba, remained faithful to Vitellius, and murdered Fonteius Capito after undermining his loyalty.