Galba's Position
23
ments from Germany, Britain, and Illyricum,[1] which had been selected by Nero, dispatched to the Caspian Pass[2] for the projected war against the Albanians, and subsequently recalled to aid in crushing the revolt of Vindex.[3] These were all fine fuel for a revolution, and, although their favour centred on nobody in particular, there they were at the disposal of any one who had enterprise.
7It happened by chance that the news of the death of Clodius Macer and of Fonteius Capito arrived in Rome simultaneously. Macer,[4] who was undoubtedly raising a disturbance in Africa, was put to death by the imperial agent Trebonius Garrutianus, acting under Galba's orders: Capito[5] had made a similar attempt in Germany and was killed by two officers, Cornelius Aquinus and Fabius Valens, without waiting for instructions. While Capito had a foul reputation for extortion and loose living, some people yet believed- ↑ Illyricum included all the Danube provinces.
- ↑ The Pass of Dariel over the centre of the Caucasus. The Albanians lay to the east of its southern end, on the south-west coast of the Caspian.
- ↑ Vindex, Pro-praetor in the Lyons division of Gaul, had revolted against Nero early in the year 68 and offered his support to Galba, then governor of the Tarragona division of Spain. He was defeated by Verginius Rufus, commanding the forces in Upper Germany, and committed suicide. Verginius afterwards declared for Galba, though his troops wanted to make him emperor. Cp. chap. 8.
- ↑ Clodius Macer commanded Legio III Augusta and governed Numidia, which Tiberius at the end of his reign had detached from the pro-consulate of Africa.
- ↑ Governor of Lower Germany. See chap. 58 and iii. 62.
