Lucius Vitellius

Family: Roman Empire · Role: censor and thrice consul · First appears: Histories I.9-13

Lucius Vitellius, a Roman Empire censor and thrice consul, was the son of Vitellius, and Galba considered this sufficient to impress the troops. During the struggle with Otho, he was ordered to accompany the expedition as a friendly escort, treated “just like anybody else” rather than as either an emperor’s brother or an enemy’s brother. His wife, Triaria, was described as cruel and urged him to avoid winning a reputation for mercy at the expense of the emperor’s safety.

Later, Vitellius assigned him the remaining cohorts to protect Rome. Lucius rose to propose a harsh sentence against Caecina and held a mean, jealous dislike for Junius Blaesus, whose reputation outshone his own. At Tarracina, his forces captured Julianus; Lucius had him flogged until he bled and then killed him before his eyes. He sent Vitellius a laurel-wreath announcing the victory and asked whether he should continue reducing Campania, a delay that saved Vespasian’s party and Rome. After surrendering with his Guards, Lucius was executed.

Relationship record

Life events

• Otho ordered Lucius Vitellius to accompany the expedition as a friendly escort rather than as a participant.(Histories I.85-88)
  • With: Otho
  • “Among these was Lucius Vitellius, whom he treated neither as an emperor's brother nor as the brother of an enemy, but just like anybody else.”
• Vitellius assigned his remaining cohorts to Lucius Vitellius for the protection of Rome.(Histories III.53-56 · 📍 Rome)
  • With: Vitellius
  • “His other cohorts were given to his brother, Lucius Vitellius, for the protection of the city.”
• Lucius Vitellius’s forces captured Tarracina and took Julianus prisoner.(Histories III.73-77 · 📍 Tarracina)
  • With: Julianus
  • “Julianus was taken to Lucius Vitellius”
• Lucius Vitellius had Julianus flogged until bloody and killed him before his eyes.(Histories III.73-77 · 📍 Tarracina)
  • With: Julianus
  • “who had him flogged till he bled and then killed before his eyes.”
• Lucius Vitellius sent Vitellius a laurel-wreath announcing his victory and asked whether to continue campaigning.(Histories III.73-77 · 📍 Tarracina)
  • With: Vitellius
  • “Lucius himself sent a laurel-wreath to his brother in token of his success, and inquired whether he wished him to return at once or to continue reducing Campania.”
• Lucius Vitellius was executed after surrendering with his Guards.(Histories IV.1-4)
  • “Lucius Vitellius was then executed.”

Histories I.9-13

• child: Vitellius “He was the son of the Lucius Vitellius who had been censor and thrice consul, and Galba thought this sufficient to impress the troops.”

Histories I.85-88

• siblings with Vitellius “Among these was Lucius Vitellius, whom he treated neither as an emperor's brother nor as the brother of an enemy, but just like anybody else.”

Histories II.59-63

• married with Triaria “Lucius Vitellius' wife, Triaria, whose cruelty was altogether unwomanly, terrified him by suggesting that he was trying to get a reputation for mercy at the expense of his emperor's safety.”

Histories III.34-38

• enemies with Caecina “Lucius Vitellius rose to propose a harsh sentence against Caecina.”
• enemies with Junius Blaesus “He had a mean and jealous dislike for Blaesus, whose spotless reputation far outshone his own, which was tainted with every kind of infamy.”

Histories III.53-56

• siblings with Vitellius “His other cohorts were given to his brother, Lucius Vitellius, for the protection of the city.”
• employer: Vitellius “His other cohorts were given to his brother, Lucius Vitellius, for the protection of the city.”

Histories III.73-77

• siblings with Vitellius “Lucius himself sent a laurel-wreath to his brother in token of his success”
• married with Triaria “Some writers have accused Lucius Vitellius' wife, Triaria, of putting on a soldier's sword”
• enemies with Julianus “Julianus was taken to Lucius Vitellius, who had him flogged till he bled and then killed before his eyes.”
• enemies with Vespasian “Lucius himself sent a laurel-wreath to his brother in token of his success, and inquired whether he wished him to return at once or to continue reducing Campania. This delay saved not only Vespasian's party but Rome as well.”

Histories IV.1-4

• siblings with Vitellius “Lucius Vitellius was then executed. He was as weak as his brother, though during the principate he showed himself less indolent.”

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