Titus Vinius

Also known as: Vinius · Family: Roman · Role: consul · First appears: Histories I.1-4

In A.D. 69, Titus Vinius began his consulship as colleague of Galba. He was one of Galba’s lieutenants, and Galba knew of his friendship with Otho. Because Otho was a bachelor and Vinius had an unmarried daughter, gossip presented them as father and son-in-law. Vinius’s daughter was Crispina, and during Galba’s reign his influence protected Ofonius Tigellinus, who claimed to have saved her.

During the palace crisis, Vinius resisted a proposal and Laco threatened him, deepening their private quarrel. Laco later proposed his assassination without Galba’s knowledge, while Piso Licinianus’s supporters relied on the belief that Piso disliked Vinius. Vinius also had earlier conflicts with Calvisius Sabinus and Caligula: scandal marked his first military service under Calvisius Sabinus, and Caligula ordered him put in irons. His friendship with Galba subsequently brought him into danger.

At the temple of Julius, Vinius was brought down by a blow to the knee, and “a common soldier named Julius Carus ran him through with a sword.” Julius Carus was therefore his enemy at the moment of his death, while Laco, Piso Licinianus, and Caligula are also recorded among those opposed to him.

Relationship record

Life events

Servius Galba began his second consulship with Titus Vinius as colleague.(Histories I.1-4)
- With: Galba
- “[A.D. 69.] I propose to begin my narrative with the second consulship of Servius Galba, in which Titus Vinius was his colleague.”
Laco threatened Titus Vinius, intensifying their private quarrel during the crisis.(Histories I.31-35 · 📍 palace)
- With: Laco
- “Laco, prompted by Icelus, assailed him with threats, persisting in his private quarrel”
Laco proposed Titus Vinius's assassination without Galba's knowledge.(Histories I.36-39)
- With: Laco
- “It is said that Laco, without Galba's knowledge, proposed the assassination of Titus Vinius”
Julius Carus runs Titus Vinius through with a sword.(Histories I.40-45 · 📍 temple of Julius)
- With: Julius Carus
- “afterwards a common soldier named Julius Carus ran him through with a sword.”

Histories I.1-4

with Galba (They were colleagues in the consulship.) “I propose to begin my narrative with the second consulship of Servius Galba, in which Titus Vinius was his colleague.”

Histories I.5-8

employer: Galba “Of his two lieutenants Titus Vinius was the vilest of men and Cornelius Laco the laziest.”

Histories I.9-13

friends with Otho “Galba was aware of the friendship between Otho and Vinius.”
with Otho (Gossip alleged that Otho was Vinius's son-in-law.) “Otho was a bachelor and Vinius had an unmarried daughter: so gossip, never reticent, pointed to them as father and son-in-law.”
with Galba (colleagues) “Such was the state of the Roman world when Servius Galba, consul for the second time, and Titus Vinius his colleague, inaugurated the year which was to be their last, and almost the last for the commonwealth of Rome.”

Histories I.31-35

enemies with Laco “When Vinius resisted this proposal, Laco, prompted by Icelus, assailed him with threats, persisting in his private quarrel to the ruin of his country.”
enemies with Piso Licinianus “The young man had a great name, his popularity was still fresh, and moreover, he disliked Titus Vinius, or, if he did not, Vinius' enemies hoped he did: it is so easy to believe in hatred.”

Histories I.36-39

enemies with Laco “It is said that Laco, without Galba's knowledge, proposed the assassination of Titus Vinius, either with the idea that his execution would be a sop to the soldiers, or because he believed him Otho's accomplice, or, as a last alternative, hatred may have been his motive.”

Histories I.40-45

enemies with Julius Carus “He was brought to the ground in front of the temple of Julius by a blow on the knee, and afterwards a common soldier named Julius Carus ran him through with a sword.”
friends with Otho “or perhaps, in the case of Galba and of Vinius, the recollection of his treason to the one and of his former friendship with the other troubled even his unfeeling heart with gloomy thoughts”

Histories I.46-49

child: Crispina “and this was done for Vinius by his daughter Crispina.”
employer: Calvisius Sabinus “A scandal marked his first military service under the general Calvisius Sabinus.”
enemies with Caligula “He was therefore put in irons by order of Caligula.”
friends with Galba “Subsequently his friendship with Galba brought him into danger.”

Histories I.72-76

protégé: Ofonius Tigellinus “During Galba's reign he had been protected by the influence of Titus Vinius, on the plea that he had saved his daughter.”

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