Vitellius

Family: Julio-Claudian and Flavian houses · Role: emperor · First appears: Otho 8

The Vitellii were said to descend from Faunus, king of the aborigines, and Vitellia, worshipped in many places as a goddess. Those who remained of the family moved from the Sabine country to Rome and entered the patrician order, while another branch settled at Nuceria before later returning to Rome.

At court, Vitellius became intimate with Caligula through their shared fondness for chariot-driving, with Claudius through gaming, and especially with Nero, for whom he once brought back the emperor from the theatre so that he could perform among the harpers. Under these three princes he received high offices and sacred dignities, governed Africa for two years with singular integrity, and later served as deputy to his brother. In the city, however, as superintendent of public works, he was said to have pillaged temples. He married Petronia, by whom he had a son named Petronius, whom he first released so that he could become his mother’s heir and shortly afterwards murdered, accusing him of plotting against his life; soon after, he married Galeria Fundana, with whom he had sons and daughters.

Galba sent him to govern Lower Germany, reportedly through the influence of Titus Junius, whose friendship he had gained by supporting the same charioteers. The disaffected army welcomed him, and before a month had passed the soldiers proclaimed him emperor; he accepted the name Germanicus, deferred Augustus, and refused Caesar. The armies in Germany swore allegiance to him, while Otho offered him partnership in the empire and marriage into his family before war became unavoidable. Vitellius divided his troops against Otho, and while still in Gaul disbanded the praetorian cohorts, ordered the punishment of 120 petitioners connected with Otho, and sent Otho’s suicide poniard to Agrippina for dedication to Mars. He later assumed the office of Pontifex Maximus, made the magistrates’ terms ten years and himself consul for life, and publicly sacrificed to Nero’s shade.