Publius Vitellius the Younger
Encyclopedia
Publius Vitellius was a 1st century Roman commander under Germanicus
, with whom he was friends. He was the son of the eques Publius Vitellius the Elder and belonged to the gens Vitellia
- the future emperor Vitellius
was Publius the Younger's nephew
In 15 he accompanied Germanicus on his second campaign in Germania
. During the retreat Germanicus handed over command of the II Augusta
and XIV Gemina
legions to Vitellius. The journey back was disastrous, however, with many of the units' troops drowned in a flood. One year later, while Germanicus was preparing for his third and largest campaign in Germania, he sent Vitellius and Gaius Antius to Gaul
to collect taxes. On Germanicus's suspicious death in 19 Vitellius was among the proescutors of Gnaius Calpurnius Piso, finally convicted of Germanicus's murder, and Tacitus praises Vitellius's eloquence in the trial.
Vitellius was later among the supporters of Sejanus
and upon Sejanus
's execution on charges of high treason in 31 Vitellius was also indicted for complicity, having been praefectus of the treasury under him. Vitellius and his brother were put under house arrest. Publius then opened his veins with a penknife but, though Tacitus writes that Publius then died, Suetonius believes that he survived the suicide attempt due to his family's pleas only to die shortly afterwards from an illness.
Vitellius married Acutia. She was later convicted of maiestatis
.
Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar , commonly known as Germanicus, was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and a prominent general of the early Roman Empire. He was born in Rome, Italia, and was named either Nero Claudius Drusus after his father or Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle...
, with whom he was friends. He was the son of the eques Publius Vitellius the Elder and belonged to the gens Vitellia
Vitellius (gens)
The Gens Vitellia or Vitelii were a gens in ancient Rome. It is also spelled Vitullius in inscriptions.In the time of Suetonius it was controversial between Aulus Vitellius and his enemies whether it was old and noble or recent and obscure, even plebeian. It would have originated as a diminutive...
- the future emperor Vitellius
Vitellius
Vitellius , was Roman Emperor for eight months, from 16 April to 22 December 69. Vitellius was acclaimed Emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors...
was Publius the Younger's nephew
In 15 he accompanied Germanicus on his second campaign in Germania
Germania
Germania was the Greek and Roman geographical term for the geographical regions inhabited by mainly by peoples considered to be Germani. It was most often used to refer especially to the east of the Rhine and north of the Danube...
. During the retreat Germanicus handed over command of the II Augusta
Legio II Augusta
Legio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
and XIV Gemina
Legio XIV Gemina
Legio quarta decima Gemina was a legion of the Roman Empire, levied by Julius Caesar in late 58 B.C. The cognomen Gemina suggests that the legion resulted from fusion of two previous ones, one of them being the Fourteenth legion that fought in the Battle of Alesia, the other being the Martia ...
legions to Vitellius. The journey back was disastrous, however, with many of the units' troops drowned in a flood. One year later, while Germanicus was preparing for his third and largest campaign in Germania, he sent Vitellius and Gaius Antius to Gaul
Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. Roman control of the area lasted for less than 500 years....
to collect taxes. On Germanicus's suspicious death in 19 Vitellius was among the proescutors of Gnaius Calpurnius Piso, finally convicted of Germanicus's murder, and Tacitus praises Vitellius's eloquence in the trial.
Vitellius was later among the supporters of Sejanus
Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Seianus , commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius...
and upon Sejanus
Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Seianus , commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius...
's execution on charges of high treason in 31 Vitellius was also indicted for complicity, having been praefectus of the treasury under him. Vitellius and his brother were put under house arrest. Publius then opened his veins with a penknife but, though Tacitus writes that Publius then died, Suetonius believes that he survived the suicide attempt due to his family's pleas only to die shortly afterwards from an illness.
Vitellius married Acutia. She was later convicted of maiestatis
Lèse majesté
Lese-majesty is the crime of violating majesty, an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.This behavior was first classified as a criminal offence against the dignity of the Roman republic in Ancient Rome...
.