Everything about Galba totally explained
Servius Sulpicius Galba (
December 24,
3 BC –
January 15,
69), also called
Servius Sulpicius Galba Caesar Augustus, was
Roman Emperor from
June 8,
68 until his death. He was the first emperor of the
Year of the Four Emperors.
Origins and rise to power
He was born as
Servius Sulpicius Galba near
Terracina, "on the left as you go towards Fundi" in the words of Suetonius.
Through his paternal grandfather ("more eminent for his learning than for his rank — for he didn't advance beyond the grade of praetor" and who "published a voluminous and painstaking history", according to Suetonius), who predicted his rise to power (
Suetonius, 4
), he was descended from
Servius Sulpicius Galba. Galba's father attained the consulship, and although he was short,
hunchbacked and only an indifferent speaker, was an industrious pleader at the
bar. His mother was
Mummia Achaica, the granddaughter of
Catullus and great-granddaughter of
Lucius Mummius Achaicus. They only had one other child, an elder son called
Gaius who left Rome after squandering the greater part of his estate, and committed suicide because Tiberius wouldn't allow him to take part in the allotment of the provinces in his year. On his father's remarriage to
Livia Ocellina, Galba was adopted by her and took her names, remaining
Lucius Livius Ocella until becoming emperor.
He came from a noble family and was a man of great wealth, but was unconnected either by birth or by
adoption with the first six Caesars. In his early years he was regarded as a youth of remarkable abilities, and it's said that both
Augustus and
Tiberius prophesied his future eminence (
Tacitus,
Annals,
vi. 20;
Suet. Galba, 4).
He became
Praetor in 20, and
consul in 33; he earned a reputation in the provinces of
Gaul,
Germania,
Africa and
Hispania (
Iberia, comprising modern
Spain and
Portugal) for his military capability, strictness and impartiality. On the death of
Caligula, he refused the invitation of his friends to make a bid for the empire, and loyally served
Claudius. For the first half of
Nero's reign he lived in retirement, till, in 61, the emperor bestowed on him the province of
Hispania Tarraconensis.
In the spring of 68, Galba was informed of Nero's intention to put him to death, and of the insurrection of
Julius Vindex in Gaul. He was at first inclined to follow the example of Vindex, but the defeat and death of the latter renewed his hesitation. The news that
Nymphidius Sabinus, the
Praetorian Prefect, had given him his favour revived Galba's spirits. Until now, he'd only dared to call himself the
legate of the
senate and Roman people; after Nero's
suicide, he assumed the title of
Caesar, and marched straight for
Rome.
Following Nero's death, Nymphidius Sabinus sought to seize power prior to the arrival of Galba, but he couldn't win the loyalty of the Praetorian guard and was killed. Upon Galba's approach to the city in October, he was met by soldiers presenting demands; Galba replied by killing many of them.
Rule and fall
Galba's primary concern during his brief reign was in restoring state finances, and to this end he undertook a number of unpopular measures, the most dangerous of which was his refusal to pay the praetorians the reward promised in his name. Galba scorned the notion that soldiers should be "
bribed" for their loyalty. He further disgusted the mob by his meanness and dislike of pomp and display. His advanced age had destroyed his energy, and he was entirely in the hands of favourites. Three of these —
Titus Vinius, who became Galba's colleague as
consul,
Cornelius Laco, the commander of the
Praetorian Guard and Galba's
freedman Icelus Marcianus — were said to virtually control the emperor. The three were called "the three
pedagogues" because of their influence on Galba. All this made the new emperor gravely unpopular.
On
January 1,
69, two legions in
Germania Superior refused to swear loyalty to Galba and toppled his statues, demanding that a new emperor be chosen; on the next day, the soldiers of
Germania Inferior also rebelled and took the decision of who should be the next emperor into their own hands, proclaiming the governor of the province,
Vitellius, as emperor. This outbreak of revolt made Galba aware of his own unpopularity and of the general discontent. In order to check the rising storm, he adopted as his
coadjutor and successor
L. Calpurnius Piso. The populace regarded the choice of successor as a sign of fear, and the Praetorians were indignant, because the usual donative wasn't forthcoming.
M. Salvius Otho, formerly governor of
Lusitania, and one of Galba's earliest supporters, disappointed at not being chosen instead of Piso, entered into communication with the discontented Praetorians, and was adopted by them as their emperor. Galba, who at once set out to meet the rebels — he was so feeble that he'd to be carried in a litter — was met by a troop of cavalry and was
butchered near the
Lacus Curtius. Piso was killed shortly afterwards. According to Plutarch, during Galba's last moments he offered his neck, and said, "Strike, if it be for the good of the Romans!"
Altogether around 120 people claimed the credit for killing Galba, being anxious to win Otho's favour and hoping to be rewarded. A list of their names was drawn up, which fell into the hands of Vitellius when he succeeded Otho as emperor. Every one of them was executed.
During the later period of his provincial administration Galba was indolent and apathetic, but this was due either to a desire not to attract Nero's favor or to the growing infirmities of age.
Tacitus says all pronounced him worthy of the empire, until he became emperor ("
omnium consensu capax imperii nisi imperasset").
Further Information
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