Year of the Four Emperors: Galba to Vespasian in 69 CE
The Year of the Four Emperors in 69 CE: compare Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian, their rival armies, battles and the Flavian settlement.
Last updated October 2026
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The Year of the Four Emperors was 69 CE. Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian held or claimed power in that year. Vespasian won the civil war and founded the Flavian dynasty. World History Encyclopedia: Year of the Four Emperors: When Four Men Battled For Control of the Roman Empire De Imperatoribus Romanis: Vespasian
The crisis followed Nero's death and showed that armies outside Rome could decide who ruled. The Eastern Roman Empire overview places this earlier succession war within the longer Roman story. De Imperatoribus Romanis: Galba
TL;DR: Galba lost the Guard's support. Otho took power in a coup, then died after defeat by Vitellius's forces. Vespasian's coalition defeated Vitellius and captured Rome. The winner restored stable government. But the year exposed the danger of rival armies choosing rival emperors.
Year of the four emperors: at a glance
The entries follow De Imperatoribus Romanis, De Imperatoribus Romanis: Otho, De Imperatoribus Romanis: Vitellius, De Imperatoribus Romanis.
Claims overlapped. So a single ruler sequence does not show every army's allegiance.
| Emperor | Period of rule or claim | How it ended | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galba | 68–15 January 69 | Killed in Otho's coup | Reviewed |
| Otho | 15 January–16 April 69 | Suicide after military defeat | Reviewed |
| Vitellius | Acclaimed in January; recognised at Rome after Otho's death | Killed when Flavian forces entered Rome in December | Reviewed |
| Vespasian | Acclaimed from July 69; victorious by December | Ruled until his death in 79 | Reviewed |
| The year was just a series of palace choices | Provincial armies drove the conflict | A narrow view of a wider civil war | Disputed |
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Nero's fall opened the succession
Nero's death in 68 ended the Julio-Claudian line. Galba rose without being a son or adopted heir of the previous emperor. His support in the provinces and the collapse of Nero's backing carried him toward power. De Imperatoribus Romanis
That removed a known dynastic route to the office. The title remained. But its next holder depended on army loyalty, public support and the ability to keep supporters satisfied.
Galba's example also created a danger for himself. If troops outside Rome could back him, other troops could back another governor. The civil war was already wider than a quarrel inside the palace.
See the Nero biography for the previous reign's end. The Roman dynasty page explains why the break in a ruling family mattered.
Galba: an emperor who lost support
Galba was an experienced aristocrat and governor. His rule was troubled by unpopular money measures, advisers and conflict with troops who expected rewards. His refusal to pay promised gifts helped weaken military loyalty. De Imperatoribus Romanis
At the start of 69, armies in Germany refused allegiance and backed Vitellius. Galba also faced a rival within his own circle. Otho had hoped to become his successor but was passed over when Galba adopted Piso. De Imperatoribus Romanis
Otho gained support in the Praetorian Guard. On 15 January, the coup killed Galba and Piso and placed Otho in power. Senate support followed a change already made by armed men.
Galba's fall shows why adoption alone could not secure the throne. Choosing an heir needed enough support from the forces able to enforce or overturn the choice. The announcement could also provoke someone who felt excluded.
Otho: a coup followed by a civil war
Otho tried to reconcile important groups after taking power. He wanted support from the Guard, the Senate and the provinces. His position still faced Vitellius's armies, which had already chosen their own emperor. De Imperatoribus Romanis
The conflict moved into northern Italy. Otho's forces were defeated near Cremona at the First Battle of Bedriacum in April. Otho then chose suicide on 16 April rather than continue the struggle.
Ancient accounts discuss his final decision as an effort to limit further bloodshed. His motives are harder to judge than the outcome. His death let Vitellius gain support in Rome.
The year also contained more than one method of losing power. Galba was killed in a coup. Otho's end followed a battlefield defeat. Both reveal how little the imperial title could guarantee without durable army support.
Vitellius: victory did not bring secure rule
Vitellius's troops had acclaimed him in Germany before Otho's fall. His commanders brought their armies into Italy, and their victory gave him the capital. He then had to turn a military coalition into a workable government. De Imperatoribus Romanis
The surviving literary picture is hostile. Stories of gluttony and cruelty were shaped by writers in a world ruled by his Flavian successors. Those character tales should be treated with caution rather than used as the sole explanation for his defeat.
More certain is the rise of a new rival coalition. Eastern armies declared for Vespasian, followed by supporters in the Danube region. Vitellius now faced a familiar threat. Other armies backed another emperor. De Imperatoribus Romanis
His position deteriorated as his commanders and forces failed to stop the advance. Winning the first civil-war contest had not removed the conditions that produced it.
Vespasian's coalition won the year
Vespasian was leading the Roman campaign in Judaea when the succession crisis developed. The troops in Egypt declared for him on 1 July, followed by those in Judaea and other supporters. Control of Egypt also gave his coalition influence over grain supplies to Italy. De Imperatoribus Romanis
Vespasian did not personally lead the final attack on Rome. Forces from the Danube moved into Italy under Antonius Primus. They defeated Vitellius's army at the Second Battle of Bedriacum in October. De Imperatoribus Romanis
Fighting then reached the capital. Vespasian's brother Sabinus was killed, and the Capitoline temple burned during the struggle. Flavian forces entered Rome in December and killed Vitellius.
Vespasian received imperial honours while still away from the city. His victory rested on the coalition's success in war and the support that followed. The Vespasian biography explains how he turned that victory into a lasting reign.
Timeline of the year
The entries follow De Imperatoribus Romanis, De Imperatoribus Romanis, De Imperatoribus Romanis.
The dates show the overlapping claims behind the usual four-name list.
| Date in 69 | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| January | German armies backed Vitellius | A provincial rival challenged Galba |
| 15 January | Otho's coup killed Galba | Otho gained the capital |
| April | First Battle of Bedriacum | Otho's forces lost |
| 16 April | Otho died by suicide | Vitellius gained Roman recognition |
| July | Eastern armies declared for Vespasian | A new coalition challenged Vitellius |
| October | Second Battle of Bedriacum | Flavian forces won in northern Italy |
| December | Flavian forces captured Rome | Vitellius died; Vespasian emerged as victor |
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Why the year mattered
The crisis showed that succession was not controlled by a settled rule that everyone accepted. The Guard, Senate, governors and provincial armies each had a role. But armed support could overturn a public decision.
Vespasian's later settlement made a new dynasty possible. His sons Titus and Domitian followed him. The emperors of Rome list places their reigns after the civil war. De Imperatoribus Romanis
Verdict: Year of the four emperors
The Year of the Four Emperors ended with Vespasian's victory. Its lasting lesson was the reach of provincial army power. A title at Rome was not enough.
A ruler needed armies and allies. Otherwise a rival could march on the capital.
Sources checked for this page
- Year of the Four Emperors: When Four Men Battled For Control of the Roman Empire - World History Encyclopedia
- De Imperatoribus Romanis: Vespasian
- De Imperatoribus Romanis: Galba
- De Imperatoribus Romanis: Otho
- De Imperatoribus Romanis: Vitellius
Questions people also ask
What year was the Year of the Four Emperors?
It was 69 CE, following Nero's death in 68.
Who were the four emperors?
Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian. Their claims and military support overlapped.
Who won the civil war?
Vespasian's coalition won and founded the Flavian dynasty.
Did Vespasian personally capture Rome?
No. Flavian forces entered the city while he was away. His coalition's commanders fought the final campaign.
Why did Otho die?
He took his own life after his forces were defeated by Vitellius's army in April 69.
What dynasty followed the crisis?
The Flavian dynasty, beginning with Vespasian and followed by Titus and Domitian.