Otho

This is often fanciful and forced, abounds in contrasts rather than resemblances, and is seldom of any special historical value, although it often has great literary charm.

There are also four single lives in our collection, Artaxerxes, Eretus, Galba, and Otho, and we get traces of twelve more that are now lost.

One of the pairs is a double one, where, to match the two Gracchi, Plutarch selects the two reforming Spartan kings Agis and Cleomenes.

We have in all, therefore, fifty lives by Plutarch.

This is often fanciful and forced, abounds in contrasts rather than resemblances, and is seldom of any special historical value, although it often has great literary charm.

There are also four single lives in our collection, Artaxerxes, Eretus, Galba, and Otho, and we get traces of twelve more that are now lost.

One of the pairs is a double one, where, to match the two Gracchi, Plutarch selects the two reforming Spartan kings Agis and Cleomenes.

We have in all, therefore, fifty lives by Plutarch.

This is often fanciful and forced, abounds in contrasts rather than resemblances, and is seldom of any special historical value, although it often has great literary charm.

There are also four single lives in our collection, Artaxerxes, Eretus, Galba, and Otho, and we get traces of twelve more that are now lost.

One of the pairs is a double one, where, to match the two Gracchi, Plutarch selects the two reforming Spartan kings Agis and Cleomenes.

We have in all, therefore, fifty lives by Plutarch.

How easy 'tis, when destiny proves kind, With full-spread sails to run before the wind! But those that 'gainst stiff gales laveering go Must be at once resolved and skilful too.

He would not, like soft Otho, hope prevent, But stayed, and suffered fortune to repent.

These virtues Galba in a stranger sought, And Piso to adopted empire brought.

How shall I then my doubtful thoughts express, That must his sufferings both regret and bless? For when his early valour Heaven had crossed, And all at Worcester but the honour lost, Forced into exile from his rightful throne, He made all countries where he came his own.

The following year inflicted a terrible blow on his affections and his fortunes.

Otho's fleet, while cruising idly about, cruelly raved into Meliae, a district of Liguria.

His mother, who was living here on her own estate, was murdered.

The estate itself, and a large part of her patrimony, were plundered.

Within months of his arrival in Rome, Galba was dead, murdered by his Praetorian guards.

They had switched their allegiance to Salvius Otho, a friend and some say lover of the late Nero.

Otho proclaimed himself emperor on the 15th of January.

He also would last but a few months.

The storm clouds of civil war had finally broken.

So as far as hostilities against the Jews go, they're almost halted immediately, whilst he sits and waits to find out what will happen, which way the empire is going to go.

The power struggle that ensued disposed of the emperors with terrifying rapidity.

Galba replaced by Otho.

Three of them you don't need to worry about.

Galba, Otho, and Vitellus.

Not important in history.

Vespasian, though, he's the one who survives the year of the four emperors, and he becomes emperor for a good while.

This is often fanciful and forced, abounds in contrasts rather than resemblances, and is seldom of any special historical value, although it often has great literary charm.

There are also four single Lives in our collection—Artaxerxes, Eretus, Galba, and Otho—and we get traces of twelve more that are now lost.

One of the pairs is a double one, where, to match the two Gracchi, Plutarch selects the two reforming Spartan kings Agis and Cleomenes.

We have in all, therefore, fifty Lives by Plutarch.

In any case, a general in the West, a man named Galba, is marching on Rome and proclaimed he's hailed as the new emperor.

But he in turn is assassinated and another claimant to the throne, a man named Otho arises, only to be replaced by yet another claimant to the throne named Vitellius.

In the meantime, we're now in the year 69.

In the meantime, Vespasian has halted operations in Judea.

Well, Nero's death in 68 CE left a power vacuum, and the empire went through what we call the Year of the Four Emperors.

Galba, Otho, and Vitellius each seized the throne in quick succession, but none of them lasted long.

The legions in the east, especially in Dudia where Vespasian was commanding the campaign against the rebellion, they had a different idea.

In July 69, the legions in Alexandria and then in Dudia proclaimed Vespasian emperor.