Vitellius
AULUS, a Roman em peror; son of Lucius Vitellius, the consul (34); born A. D. 15. At that dark AULUS VITELLIUS period of Roman history vice and not virtue was the passport to royal favor, and the son like the father was a master of the arts of servile cringing and abject flattery. To these he owed his rapid rise and his favor with Tiberius, Caius Caligula, Claudius and Nero. On the 69, and having crushed his rival Otho he secured undisputed possession of peror by the soldiers at Köln, Jan. 2, A. D. 69, and and having crushed his rival Otho Italy. Though undoubtedly a man of low character, he did not proceed to ex- treme measures against the adherents of his rival. His chief passion was sensual Italy. Though undoubtedly a man of low character, he did not proceed to extreme measures against the adherents of gluttony, and he spent enormous sums of money in eating and drinking. Vespasianus revolted, and was proclaimed emperor July 1 at Alexandria, and Antonius Primus declared for the new emperor and hastened into Italy at the head of a powerful force. He defeated the generals of Vitellius twice and enhead of a powerful force. He defeated the generals of Vitellius twice and entered Rome, Dec. 21 or 22, A. D. 69. The fallen emperor was seized, dragged with every mark of ignominy through the streets and murdered.