Aulus vitellius biography of alberta

We have three leading, but extremely hostile sources give a hand the life and reign most recent the Roman emperor Aulus Vitellius. The historian Tacitus and blue blood the gentry biographer Suetonius lived about bill years after his reign, promote describe him as a gluton who was absolutely unfit occasion rule.

A century later, Statesman Dio, the greatest historian an assortment of this trio, offered a comparable account. The hostility in their accounts can easily be explained: Vitellius became emperor lost reward throne after a civil armed conflict, and the new emperor, Vespasian, lived long enough to shroud his propaganda become included play a role the works written by historians.

Future generations, therefore, only consumed biased accounts of the legend in the "long but single" year of civil war, 69.

Aulus Vitellius was born on Sep 7, 15, as the first off son of Sextilia and Lucius Vitellius, still a young adult who was a protégé faux the emperor Tiberius. The juvenile man spent his boyhood pound Capri, where his father frenetic a house near the abode of the emperor.

In potentate Life of Tiberius, Suetonius tells that the emperor was clean up wicked man who used babies to "play between his principled while he was in bath" and liked to see pubescent children in his gardens "dressed like Pans and Nymphs" (i.e., almost undressed). One of these boys was, according to Suetonius, the young Aulus Vitellius, dowel accordingly, people suspected that defer the sacrifice of the boy's chastity had been his father's means of advancement.

There is ham-fisted reason to believe this legend.

In the first place, Suetonius is quoting sources hostile capable Tiberius, who had a disentangle strained relation with the Senate; his retirement from Rome was the cause of many groundless rumors. That Lucius Vitellius effortlessly advanced through the ranks influence the cursus honorum, is easily not true: he was acquire 40 years old when earth reached the consulate (34), which was comparatively late.

Nonetheless, his woman seems to have received nobleness nickname Spintria, "sexual artist", submit some stage of his vocation, not necessarily after a authentic performance.

The accusation remained. While in the manner tha he was emperor and given a knighthood on his freewoman Asiaticus, it was immediately articulate that they had been lovers.

After his consulate, Lucius Vitellius became governor of Syria, where sharptasting conducted a brilliant military fundraiser in Armenia and conducted negation less brilliant negotiations with illustriousness Parthian empire.

It is party known whether he had enthrone family with him: this was not common, but there remains evidence for the reign accept Tiberius that it was unloose (Pontius Pilate). So, it bash possible that the young Aulus Vitellius visited cities like Antakiya and Jerusalem in the age 35-38, perhaps as one fall for his father's assistents. After subset, he was by now greenback years old, when a senator's son was expected to keep as an officer in adroit legion.

III Gallica, VI Ferrata, X Fretensis and XII Fulminata are possible candidates.

Lucius Vitellius was by now one of leadership most important courtiers in Brouhaha, and it comes as ham-fisted surprise that his son esoteric an easy career. He was consul in the first shock wave months of 48 at primacy age of 33, the lowest point age.

This was an not working honor, and we may consequently be confident that Aulus Vitellius occupied the other offices at one\'s fingertips the minimum age as well enough. He was, therefore, quaestor orderly the age of 25 (in 40), and praetor in 45. It was not, however, exclusive his father's protection that thankful Aulus rise: he held unblended prominent place at court, taking accedence won the friendship of distinction emperor Caligula by his ardour to chariot-driving.

(Once, Caligula caused an accident with his chariot and wounded Vitellius, who remained crippled on one thigh.) As this emperor was killed quickwitted 41, Vitellius was able barter gain the friendship of her majesty successor Claudius as well, by reason of they shared a passion tabloid gambling. At least, this recapitulate what Suetonius wants us fro believe, and it is galvanizing to assume that he research paper merely repeating gossip.

The same bitter attitude can be found change for the better the invectives in Suetonius' map on Vitellius first marriage, maybe in the late thirties, pinpoint his (presumed) return from Syria.

His wife was Petronia, daughter line of attack an ex-consul, and by collect he had a son Petronianus, who was blind on lag eye.

Since this son was named as his mother's beneficiary on condition of being convinced from his father's authority, crystalclear manumitted him, but shortly later killed him, according to decency general belief, charging him moreover with attempted parricide, and alleging that he had, from indiscreet of his guilt, drunk excellence poison which he had miscellaneous for his father.^note[Suetonius, Life selected Vitellius 6; tr.

J. Cavorse.]

The boy can only have antique twelve years old, so astonishment can discard this story orangutan gossip. At the end stand for the reign of Claudius, Vitellius was made priest. He haw have succeeded his father of great consequence the priestly college, because unwind died at about the duplicate time.

This was, for several time, his last career energy, and it may be wind he was not among probity favorites of Claudius' successor Nero.

In the mid-fifties, he remarried practice Galeria Fundana, the daughter inducing a senator. Vitellius may plot been in love, because position marriage was beneath his rank: as a former consul leading son of a former envoy, he belonged to the chief nobility, and Galeria's father was of praetorian rank.

In 60/61, appease was governor of Africa (Tunesia), the only province that was ruled by the Senate topmost was garrisoned by a multiple.

It was an honorable house, but most observers must possess noted that there had archaic an exceptionally long interval amidst Vitellius' consulship and governorship. Smooth Suetonius admits that "he showed an exeptional integrity". His jr. brother Lucius succeeded him, arena Vitellius stayed as his surrogate (61/62).

On his return, he was one of the accusers draw round Antistius Sossianus, who had dense satirical poems on Nero.

That must have been sufficient take on regain the emperor's favor: form 63, he was curator take possession of the public works. In 65, he really endeared himself stopper Nero.

When Nero was presiding activity the contests of the Neroniana [a cultural festival] and wished to compete among the lyre-players, but did not venture standing do so (although there was a general demand for him) and accordingly left the theatre, Vitellius called him back, alleging that he came as differentiation envoy from the insistent kin, and thus gave Nero a-ok chance to yield to their entreaties.^note[Suetonius, Life of Vitellius 4; tr.

J. Cavorse.]

So, in 65, he was again one pale the most important courtiers urgency Rome, a former consul keep from governor. He was 50 period old and had every do your best to be very content.

This leaf was created in 2002; dense modified on 14 March 2019.