The History of Christianity / Consisting of the Life and Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; the Adventures of Paul and the Apostles; and the Most Interesting Events in the Progress of Christianity, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.

by John S. C. Abbott

Character of the Roman Army.—​Conspiracy of Otho.—​Death of Galba.—​Vitellius Emperor.—​Revolt of the Jews, and Destruction of Jerusalem.—​Reign of Vespasian.—​Character of Titus; of Domitian.—​Religion of Pagan Rome.—​Nerva.—​Anecdotes of St. John.—​Exploits of Trajan.—​Letter of Pliny.—​Letter of Trajan.

S we contemplate the awful scenes of depravity and misery witnessed under the reign of many of the Roman emperors, the sympathies of the reader are naturally excited in behalf of the oppressed millions. But it is a melancholy truth, that the people were as bad as the rulers. The assassin and his victim, the oppressors and the oppressed, the emperor in his palace, the nobles in their castles, the beggared poor in their hovels, were alike merciless, morally degraded, and depraved. Probably earth has never witnessed a more diabolical band than was congregated in a Roman army.

The Roman senate which had deposed Nero, and consigned him to death, immediately proclaimed Galba emperor. He was comparatively a worthy man, seventy-two years of age, and childless. Conscious of the awful corruption which reigned at Rome, and of his inability to stem the torrent; oppressed with the infirmities of years, and drawing near to the grave,—he adopted as his successor a young officer in the army, Piso Lucianus, a man of noble character and of rare virtue. But the last thing that the army desired was a virtuous sovereign. The soldiers, accustomed to plunder and license, desired a rulerwho would gratify all their fierce and luxurious desires. They were exceedingly dissatisfied with the restraints which Galba imposed upon them. They wished for a tyrant who would trample down the nations, and who would allow the army to share in the plunder. Consequently, the soldiers were ripe for insurrection both against Galba and Piso.

There was a man in the army named Otho. He was one of the vilest of the vile; and had been so intimately the friend and accomplice of Nero, that he had ardently hoped for adoption. Tacitus says of him,—

“Otho was a stranger from his earliest days to every fair pursuit, and in the pride of manhood was distinguished for nothing but riot and debauchery. His emulation in luxury recommended him to the notice of Nero.” Most of the soldiers favored his views, and the creatures of Nero’s court zealously supported him as a congenial character. Numbers lamented the loss of Nero, and longed for the former laxity of discipline.

Otho formed a conspiracy in the army against Galba. He ridiculed his severe discipline, the restraints he imposed upon his troops, and his neglect to enrich them with plunder, and pamper them with luxuries. He assured them that Piso would be like Galba; that he would in the same way restrain their passions, and enforce rigid discipline. With talent for sarcasm, he scouted the idea of justice and mercy, declaring “that the affectation of practising such virtues, as they were called, was ridiculous in such a world as this.”

The conspiracy ripened. At the appointed time, the soldiers, with clashing of weapons and loud huzzas, raised Otho upon their shoulders, and declared him to be their emperor. The virtuous Galba was pursued with malignity even more intense than that which had driven Nero to suicide. The scene of his death is minutely described by Tacitus. Tumultuous thousands of the Roman soldiers, with oaths and imprecations, rushed from their encampment into the city to the palace of the emperor. A resistless mob of armed demoniac men surged through the streets. The populace fled before them.Galba had left the palace, and was on his way to the Forum. The infuriate mob of infantry and cavalry scattered in all directions. Some burst into the Forum, and trampled the senators beneath their feet. Galba was seized. As the assassins gathered around him, he looked up, and calmly said,—

“If you wish for my head, here it is. I am willing at any time to surrender it for the good of the Roman people.”

Scarcely had he uttered these words ere a sinewy soldier, with one blow of his heavy broadsword, struck off his head, and it rolled upon the pavement. Another soldier seized it by the hair, and thrust a pike into the palpitating flesh; and, with the shoutings of tumultuous thousands, the gory trophy was paraded through the streets. Such were the scenes which were witnessed in pagan Rome while the disciples of Jesus were preaching in obscurity, but with invincible zeal, from house to house, the gospel of love to God, and love to man.