Lucius Vitellius
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This page is on Lucius Vitellius, the father of the emperor Vitellius.
For his other son, the emperor's brother, see Lucius Vitellius the younger.
Lucius Vitellius the elder (before 5BC - 51AD) was the youngest of four sons of Publius Vitellius, and the only one of them not to die through politics. Under Tiberius, he was consul in 34AD and governor of Syria in 35. He supported Caligula and was a favourite of Claudius' wife Messalina. During Claudius' reign he was consul twice more and governed Rome while the emperor was absent on his invasion of Britain. Around the time that Claudius married Agrippina the Younger, Vitellius served as censor.
He wielded great influence and was known for his outstanding character, though at one point a senator accused him of treason. He died of paralysis in 51AD.
