Emperor Vitellius at the Archaeological Museum of Venice

“Emperor Vitellius”

Sculpture – Marble (Height 48 cm) First half of the 2nd century

Emperor Vitellius Vitellius (15–69 AD) was described as lazy by Tacitus and as the worst of the Caesars by Suetonius.

According to Tacitus, Vitellius was known for his cruelty: he is said to have rejoiced at the sight of a mass grave containing several thousand civilians killed during the Battle of Cremona following the defeat of Otho, which enabled him to become emperor.

His imperial reign was one of the shortest, lasting only eight months, from 19 April to 22 December in the year 69.

Debauched and cruel, he did not hesitate to sentence to death all those who opposed him or who simply asked him to pay his debts; he was quickly detested by those around him and by the Romans.

Emperor Vitellius The Roman people regarded him as a debauched tyrant, to the extent that his own troops and allies turned against him and rallied to Vespasian.

Sensing the danger, Vitellius tried to flee from Rome, but he was captured and handed over to the people by the army commander Antonius Primus, a supporter of Vespasian.

He died after being stoned by the crowd, who, after dragging his body through the streets of Rome on a hook, threw it into the Tiber on 22 December 69.

The end of the life of a miserable fellow.

Emperor Vitellius