Hordeonius Flaccus
Encyclopedia
Marcus Hordeonius Flaccus (c. 14 – 69) was a Roman senator
. He was consul
in 47, and commander of the Rhine army during the Batavian rebellion
.
In 69, The year of the four emperors, Emperor Vitellius
ordered troops from the Rhine borders redeployed to Italy to support him against the rebellion of Vespasian
which Flaccus refused because he had heard rumors of a possible uprising of the Batavians. When Vittellius ordered forced recruitment of Batavians, they did rise in rebellion against the Romans.
His indecision in which emperor to support (Vitellius or Vespasian), and his resulting inactivity in the containment of the Batavian rebellion, made his later reputation suffer in the works of Tacitus
. He was murdered by his own troops (still loyal to Vitellius) after trying to celebrate the victory of Vespasian.
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
. He was consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
in 47, and commander of the Rhine army during the Batavian rebellion
Batavian rebellion
The Revolt of the Batavi took place in the Roman province of Germania Inferior between 69 and 70 AD. It was an uprising against Roman rule by the Batavians and other tribes in the province and in Gaul...
.
In 69, The year of the four emperors, Emperor Vitellius
Vitellius
Vitellius , was Roman Emperor for eight months, from 16 April to 22 December 69. Vitellius was acclaimed Emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors...
ordered troops from the Rhine borders redeployed to Italy to support him against the rebellion of Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
which Flaccus refused because he had heard rumors of a possible uprising of the Batavians. When Vittellius ordered forced recruitment of Batavians, they did rise in rebellion against the Romans.
His indecision in which emperor to support (Vitellius or Vespasian), and his resulting inactivity in the containment of the Batavian rebellion, made his later reputation suffer in the works of Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
. He was murdered by his own troops (still loyal to Vitellius) after trying to celebrate the victory of Vespasian.