ABSTRACT
The accession of Galba had seen the uncovering of one of the secrets of the Empire: that emperors could be made in places other than Rome (Tac., Hist. I 4). The end of the JulioClaudians led to a period of unprecedented turmoil. In a single year, AD 69, there were four emperors. The armies competed to place these candidates on the throne and, to add to internal turmoil, there was major conflict in Judaea, on the Danube, in Germany and Gaul, and in Britain. Two major cities were sacked, Cremona and Jerusalem, and Rome itself was stormed by the forces of Vespasian.
