Otho
Reece Period attributed: Period 3
Member of the Civil-Wars dynasty.
Coins for this issuer were issued from 69 until .
Otho was born in AD 32 and led a reckless youth, eventually gaining the favour of Nero. As a confidant, he helped divert attention from Nero’s murder of his mother Agrippina, and enjoyed a close and possibly promiscuous relationship with Nero’s consort Poppaea Sabina. Exiled by Nero for his relations with Poppaea, Otho joined Galba against the emperor and ingratiated himself with as many potential allies as possible. Otho hatched a plan for capturing Galba, which led to the latter’s assassination.
Otho made a show of telling the Senate and armies that he would only accept any offers they saw fit to bestow upon him. His first act as Emperor was to finish Nero’s extravagant Golden House, and soon after his ascent the armies in Germany took an oath of loyalty to Vitellius. Otho plunged into war with them to cement his superiority, but he soon realized he was losing and decided to commit suicide. He was appreciated more after death than during life and even credited with killing Galba to preserve Rome, not from personal ambition.
Suetonius reports that Otho had an uninspiring appearance and kept his body completely hairless. He was of medium height and had bow-legs.
Latest examples recorded with images
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Record: GLO-743715
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A silver Denarius of Otho (15 January &nda…
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Record: KENT-079FF2
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A silver denarius of Otho (AD 69) dating t…
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Record: SWYOR-8E47D9
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A silver Roman coin; a denarius of Otho (A…
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Record: DOR-6E9E29
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A silver denarius of Otho (AD 69)&nbs…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
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Information from Wikipedia
- Preferred label: Otho
- Full names:
Title: Predecessor: GalbaSuccessor: VitelliusDefinition: Marcus Otho (/ˈoʊθoʊ/; born Marcus Salvius Otho; 28 April 32 – 16 April 69) was the seventh Roman emperor, ruling for three months from 15 January to 16 April 69. He was the second emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. A member of a noble Etruscan family, Otho was initially a friend and courtier of the young emperor Nero until he was effectively banished to the governorship of the remote province of Lusitania in 58 following his wife Poppaea Sabina's affair with Nero. After a period of moderate rule in the province, he allied himself with Galba, the governor of neighbouring Hispania Tarraconensis, during the revolts of 68. He accompanied Galba on his march to Rome, but revolted and murdered Galba at the start of the next year. Inheriting the problem of the rebellion of Vitellius, commander of the army in Germania Inferior, Otho led a sizeable force which met Vitellius' army at the Battle of Bedriacum. After initial fighting resulted in 40,000 casualties, and a retreat of his forces, Otho committed suicide rather than fight on, and Vitellius was proclaimed emperor.Parents: Birth place: Roman Italy, FerentoDeath place: BrescelloSpouse: Other title(s): Came After: Came before: Subjects on wikipedia: Types issued