GALBA
Servius (Sulpicius) Galba
An Emperor in trouble – Galba’s relationship with the Roman Army
In 68 AD, Nero, abandoned by all, had committed suicide and the Julio-Claudian dynasty was no more. Part of the cause of his downfall was his poor attitude towards the army, both morally and materially,[1] and how the men in the legions and the Praetorian Guard had reacted to it.[2] His successor Galba had a different, more hands-on, relationship with the army but the results were the same: he lost both the Empire and his life.
Servius (Sulpicius) Galba was born in 5 or 3 BC[3] of an illustrious senatorial family. He was adopted by Augustus’ wife Livia and very close to her. Augustus had told him that he would get a taste of his power and Tiberius had not bothered hurting him when he had heard of a prediction that Galba would be emperor one day,[4] which he became eventually, through “fear, folly or ambition”.[5] He was governor of Aquitania, then became consul in 33 AD under Tiberius.
Caligula gave him a command in Germany, where he was quite successful.[6] He was proconsul of Africa for two years under Claudius, in 45-46 AD, earned a triumph for his work in Germany and Africa, then he went into semi-retirement under Nero.
GALBA LED ROMAN LEGION AGAINST GAULS OF HISPANIA
Galba was finally sent by Nero to Hispania Tarraconensis in 60 AD. In 68 AD, he learned of the Vindex revolt in Gaul and that Nero wanted him dead.[7] Galba corresponded with Vindex as well, and the rebel pleaded with Galba to make a grab for power.[8] Nero had then seized all of Galba’s property, which was quite considerable, and Galba reciprocated by seizing Nero’s assets in Spain.[9] It was now open war. Galba managed to get his legion all worked up against Nero by showing them the portraits of all the people that had been executed by the artist-emperor. Galba’s troops then proclaimed him Emperor, but he told them that he was only the legate of the Senate and the People of Rome.
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TIMELINE http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-empire/timeline-of-roman-emperors.htm
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