Year of the Four Emperors: A Visual Timeline
📅 68 AD
- April: Galba, governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, and Vindex, governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, rebel against Emperor Nero.
- May: The Rhine legions defeat and kill Vindex in Gaul.
- June 8: The Senate declares Nero a public enemy.
- June 9: Nero commits suicide; Galba is recognized as emperor.
- November: Vitellius is appointed governor of Germania Inferior by Galba.
📅 69 AD
January
- 1st: The Rhine legions refuse to swear loyalty to Galba.
- 2nd: Vitellius is acclaimed emperor by the Rhine legions.
- 10th: Galba adopts Lucius Calpurnius Piso Licinianus as his heir.
- 15th: Galba and Piso are assassinated by the Praetorian Guard; Otho is proclaimed emperor.
April
- 14th: First Battle of Bedriacum: Vitellius' forces defeat Otho's army.
- 16th: Otho commits suicide.
- 19th: Vitellius is recognized as emperor by the Senate.
July
- 1st: Vespasian is proclaimed emperor by the legions in Egypt under Tiberius Julius Alexander.
- 3rd: The army in Judea swears allegiance to Vespasian.
October
- 24th: Second Battle of Bedriacum: Flavian forces under Marcus Antonius Primus defeat Vitellius' army.
December
- 20th: Vitellius is captured and executed by Flavian forces.
- 21st: Vespasian is recognized as emperor by the Senate.
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Augustus
Augustus, the first Roman emperor, ushered in an era of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana.
Tiberius
Succeeding Augustus, Tiberius, a skilled military leader, became a controversial emperor known for both stability and a later reign of terror.
Caligula
Caligula, notorious for his cruelty and extravagance, ruled Rome for just four chaotic years.
Claudius
Overcoming a reputation for disability, Claudius proved to be a capable emperor who expanded the Roman Empire and improved its infrastructure.
Nero
Nero, the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, is remembered for both his early promise and later descent into tyranny.
Galba
Galba, a seasoned aristocrat who rose to power after Nero's suicide, faced a turbulent reign marked by financial woes and military discontent.
Otho
Ruling for only three months in the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors, Otho seized power but was defeated and committed suicide.
Vitellius
Briefly holding power in 69 AD during the Year of the Four Emperors, Vitellius was known for his indulgence and was ultimately overthrown and killed.
Vespasian
Rising from humble beginnings, Vespasian restored stability to the Roman Empire after a civil war and launched an ambitious building program.
Titus
Son of Vespasian, Titus became emperor known for both his ruthless conquest of Jerusalem and his generosity during disasters.
Domitian
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Nerva
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Trajan
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Hadrian
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Antoninus Pius
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Marcus Aurelius
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Commodus
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Pertinax
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Septimius Severus
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Caracalla
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