VITELLIIIS, Anuts, Roman emperor, son of Lucius Vitellius the prince of the syco. pliants who surrounded Caligula, but who, according to Tacitus, in his provincial administration exhibited the virtues of a former age," was born Sept. 24, 15 A.D., and through his father's influence at court became consul, 48 A.D., and afterward procon sul of Africa, where his administration gave great satisfaction. He had been a com panion of Tiberius at Caprex, and was equally a favorite with Caligula, Claudius, "i_ero, and Galba, the last of whom appointed him commander of the legions in Lower Ger many, thinking his intense devotion to gastronomic pleasures would effectually prevent his becoming a rival. However, Vitellius had not been a month in his new post, till he had completely gained the affections of his soldiers by extreme familiarity and liberality (strongly contrasting with Galba's parsimony); and on Jan. 3, 69, they took him from. his tent, and proclaimed him emperor. This decision was adopted by the rest of the troops in Gaul; and two armies, under Valens and Cmcina, immediately set out to secure Rome, Vitellius followinn. leisurely. A notice of his contest with Otho in Northern Italy will be found under OTRO. The adherents of his predecessor were leniently treated, with the exception of the centurions of Otho's army, who were put death, an act which greatly offended his own supporters. Vitellius's journey to Rome was a curious specimen of a triumphant advance, the nominal conqueror being invariably muddled with liquor, and the soldiers of his army straggling about, committing excesses of all sorts with perfect impunity. At last he reached Rome, and without loss of time, proceeded, by right of his office as Pontifex Maximus, to deify Nero. The administra=
tion was mostly in the hands of the freedman Asiaticus, though P. Sabinus (brother of Vespasian), and the two generals who had gained for him the imperial dignity, were high in authority; and the government was marked by great moderation, for A% iteilius was too far sunk in the vilest debauchery to be capable of tyranny. But he was not long allowed to disgust the respectable part of the citizens of Rome; for the legions of Pannonia and Ihyricum, having proclaimed Vespasian emperor, advanced into Italy under Antonius Primus. They were opposed by the Vitellian troops, commanded by Cmcina, but through the treachery of the latter general, gained a decisive victory near Bedrincum, and another, on the following evening, over another Vitellian army which had marched to the support of the first. ' Vitellins, at this critical period of his fortunes, nothing abated his swinish indugences; but his brother, Lucius, in the south, displayed more energy, and defeated Vespasian's partisans in several battles. Meantime, the soldiers, enraged at the treachery of P. Sabinus, and his allies among the senators and knights, stormed the Capitol, and slew Sabinus. From this time, Rome was a scene of unintermittiug violence and bloodshed till the troops of Primus entered the city. Vitellius was foundwandering about his palace in a state of stupid terror, and being ignominiously exposed in the streets, was killed by repeated blows, his head carried about Rome, and his 'body thrown into the Tiber, in Dec. 69 A.D.—For a com plete sketch of his private life, see Tacitus's Historiu, iii., and Dion Cassius, 65; see. also Suetonius, Vit. Duodee. Cces.