Gaius Iulius Vindex

Gaius Julius Vindex (* 25, † 68 at Vesontio, today Besançon) was a Roman senator of the 1st century AD He came from Aquitaine, although his father had already been a senator.

The Vindex revolt

In the year 67 was Vindex governor of the province of Gallia Lugdunensis. In the spring of 68 he rose against Emperor Nero. He joined other contingents, especially tribes from the country's center. He himself had no legions available. Nevertheless, he gathered a force to be estimated at 100,000 men. Vindex complained publicly about the excesses of the emperor, did not seek himself, however, after the Roman throne, but was looking for the more than seventy years governor of the province of Hispania Terraconensis, Servius Sulpicius Galba, to win as allies. Galba hesitated a long time, then decided yet for the uprising. On April 2, 68 he declared officially in Carthago Nova that he was against Nero. To his successor he did not want to proclaim at this time. He called himself legatus senatus only populique Romani ( governor of the Senate and People of Rome), which he referred to the republican tradition and obviously vowed not to the Princeps.

Were supported Vindex and Galba from the governor of Lusitania, Marcus Salvius Otho, who at that time was forced to give his wife Poppaea to Nero. But together they did not have enough legions to carry out an effective military uprising can. Now Efforts were inferior and Germania superior to the commander of the Rhine armies in Germania. The commander in Lower Germany, Gaius Fonteius Capito was apparently unwilling or able to take a decision; his colleague in the Upper Germanic province, Lucius Verginius Rufus, took two whole months to put his troops in motion. However, after negotiations with Vindex Verginius decided - for whatever reason, can not say today with certainty - to march against the rebels in the field. Vindex was defeated at the Battle of Vesontio and committed suicide.

When Galba of Vindex ' experienced defeat, he retired to the Spanish city Clunia. Although Nero had never seen and most recently even the commander of the Rhine armies had put to death with his legions, the senior officer Verginius Rufus and his legionaries did not fall from the emperor down, but remained loyal to their Princeps. Verginius probably beat the offer from to seek to proclaim himself emperor, and retired instead returned to his province.

At this time the princeps was still holding on to Neapolis, but then returned back to Rome. When Nero finally learned of the public statement of Galba, he should have fainted. , With the result that he wrote satirical verses after the initial shock on Galba and proceeded to the theater The Senate, it was finally, who responded: He declared hostis populi Romani to Galba ( enemy of the Roman people ).

Galba, after more governors and army commanders had defected to him, yet the Emperor, but was able to hold only a few months before and this was soon replaced it by Otho, Vitellius. Vindex headed by his elevation as the Roman emperor Four year, the only Vespasian was able to finish in December 69.

Swell

• Cassius Dio: Roman History. Translated by Otto Veh. 5 volumes, Artemis & Winkler, Dusseldorf 2007, ISBN 978-3-538-03103-6.
• Suetonius: Kaiser biographies. Latin and German by Otto Wittstock. Akademie Verlag, Berlin 1993, ISBN 3-05-001844-5.
• Tacitus: Annals. Latin and German. Edited by Erich Heller. Artemis & Winkler, Munich 1992, ISBN 3-7608-1645-2.