Otho

[Emperor Goblinus]

If Otho had not been deposed by Vitellius 95 days after he took the throne, do you think that he would have gone on to be a famous, long-lived emperor? From the little that I've read about him, he wasn't a horrible ruler. His revolt in overthrowing Galba was gruesome, but that was just natural back then (doesn't mean it was right). In his brief term in office, the praetorians liked him, the Senate seemed to like him, and he seemed to be doing a good job of mending the wounds of the past, except of course with his rival Vitellius. But if he had not been dethroned, do you think that he would have been remembered as a great Roman emperor?

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I don't know much about him, but from how you described him, sure it seems like he could have been a famous emperor. But then the problem is that he got deposed easily, meaning he wasn't that strong of a ruler. Gotta fight the opposition back to show that you are legitimate and good leader ya know.

[Emperor Goblinus]

What had happened was that Galba, the man who replaced Nero, had grown extremely unpopular and was was being plotted against left and right. In the western provinces, the legions declared a popular general named Vitellius as emperor. But a confidante of Galba named Otho became disgruntled when Galba chose another man to be his successor. Otho revolted with the help of the praetorians and became emperor. He was very popular in the Rome and restored order. But Vitellius thought himself to be the rightful ruler and marched against Otho in a civil war reminiscient of the one fough between Caesar and Pompey. Eventually, Vitellius's general Caecina was victorious, and Otho killed himself.

I don't think that Otho made any serious mistakes which led to his downfall, it's just that he had the bad luck of becoming the emperor when a man who had the backing of nearly all of the West claimed the throne. As emperor, Otho killed his immediate rivals, but made peace with both former Galba supporters and the armies who had been friendly to Nero. If not for Vitellius, I think that he would have had a long, successful reign.

[Zeke]

Vitellius I heard was a preety horid ruler, basically a fat slob who just wasted his life away on selfish plreasures.

 

Zeke

[Favonius Cornelius]

All we know of Otho really was he was a good man. Of the 4, I swear to him.

[Virgil61]

Seutonius very briefly discusses the fact that his father was on Otho's staff after the battle with Vitellius' legions and how he abhored civil war between Romans choosing death over continued resistance.

[Emperor Goblinus]

Vitellius I heard was a preety horid ruler, basically a fat slob who just wasted his life away on selfish plreasures.

 

Zeke

 

True, but in terms of his legal business, he was quite good. He was very respectful towards the Senate and went to all of their sessions. He allowed a great deal of free speech, and even did not punish a senator who personally insulted him to his face.

 

But like many Roman emperors, he had a twisted side, and would do things like give a sick friend a glass a poison when they cried out for water, and have death row inmates spared from their sentence, only for them to be executed in front of the emperor in an even more gruesome fashion than they had originally been sentenced.

[Hamilcar Barca]

If Vitelius hadn't overthrown Otho, Vespasian would have more than likely done it himself. He already had allusions of self grandeaur going around in his head owing to Joesephus' prophecy that Nero would die and he would eventually replace him. (Not that this was underserved, Vespasian was a great emperor)

[Germanicus]

Something I recently found out about Otho was that he was fast friends with Nero, prior to Nero deciding he wanted Othos wife, at which time Otho was sent to govern Lusitania.