Onomastus

Family: Otho's faction · Role: Otho's freedman · First appears: Histories I.21-25

Life events

Otho placed Onomastus in charge of the projected crime, recruiting Barbius Proculus and Veturius into the conspiracy.(Histories I.21-25)
- With: Otho Barbius Proculus Veturius
- “Otho then put Onomastus, one of his freedmen, in charge of the projected crime, and Onomastus took into his confidence Barbius Proculus, an aide-de-camp, and a subaltern named Veturius, both in the Body Guard.”
Onomastus gave Otho the agreed signal that troops were assembling for the conspiracy.(Histories I.26-30)
- With: Otho
- “his freedman, Onomastus, announced that the architect and contractors were waiting to see him. This had been agreed upon as the signal that the troops were assembling and the conspiracy was ripe.”

employer: Otho (Onomastus is Otho's freedman and is placed in charge of the plot.) “Otho then put Onomastus, one of his freedmen, in charge of the projected crime”
enemies with Galba (Onomastus directs the projected crime against Galba's regime.) “Otho then put Onomastus, one of his freedmen, in charge of the projected crime, and Onomastus took into his confidence Barbius Proculus, an aide-de-camp, and a subaltern named Veturius, both in the Body Guard. Having assured himself by many interviews that they were both bold and cunning, Otho proceeded to load them with bribes and promises, providing them with funds to enable them to test the feelings of the others. And so a couple of common soldiers took it upon them to transfer the Roman Empire: and they did it. A very few were admitted as accomplices. These, by various devices, worked on the indecision of the others. The non-commissioned officers who had been promoted by Nymphidius felt themselves under suspicion; the private soldiers were indignant and in despair at the constant postponement of Galba's largess”

employer: Otho (Onomastus is Otho's freedman.) “In a few moments his freedman, Onomastus, announced that the architect and contractors were waiting to see him.”

Extracted from the original text of Tacitus — The Histories & The Annals (Books I-VI) & Agricola. Made with Rho MD.