Book Review: The Year of the Four Emperors by Kenneth Wellesley

The Year of the Four Emperors by Kenneth Wellesley is an examination of the Roman empire after the death of Nero. This book had been retitled in it's third edition. The title the book was originally released under in it's first printing was The Long Year AD 69. The chaos surrounding the power struggle and wars of dynastic succession in AD 69 proved to be pivotal turning points in the history of the Roman people. Wellesley argues that the year of the four emperors was a turbulent, violent time in Roman history, although that turbulence did not affect the entire empire directly. Wellesley believes that AD 69 was an important year in the history of the Roman Empire, as it marked the balancing point between the power of the Senate and the power of the army. AD 69 was the year that the Republic died, and the Empire came into its true power.

This was because the power of the Senate ultimately bowed to the power of the Roman military. In this time of political crisis, the Senate proved itself to be ineffectual, lacking unity in the face of adversity, and basically useless. However, the Roman military, though fractured into warring factions during this period, became more powerful. The fighting between conflicting factions enhanced their endurance, and ultimately proved that the Roman military was efficient, and was the most important part of the administration of the Roman government. This ultimately proved that true political power in Rome derived from having the backing of a strong and organized military faction, a belief that influenced the centuries of Roman leaders that followed Vespasian.

Wellesley's fascinating chronicle and examination of the events of AD 69 trace the Roman state's history after the death of Nero, to the rise of the emperors Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and, finally, Vespasian. While the Senate did play a role in the conflicts in the year of the four emperors, Wellesley argues that "there were practical jobs to be done by the army"1, and so the army ultimately was the only body with political power and leverage that mattered. The Senate, Wellesley argues, was a weak governing body for two main reasons. Firstly, the Senate was composed largely of men of the sort that were only interested in their own political advancement.

Secondly, the emperor did not need to find his approval within the political factions in the Senate. Therefore, Wellesley argues, "outside [of seeking] imperial favour no process of natural selection for leadership exist[ed]"2. Wellesley also understands that the conflict didn't cause the same sorts of problems for all people in every part of the empire. He admits: "it is easy...for us to exaggerate the impact of the political and military drama. There were many parts of the empire...where the civil conflict was talked about rather than experienced...At Cremona the October fair had not been canceled"3.

Of special interest to the reader are the descriptions of the battles, and of the vengeance enacted by the winning sides of the conflict upon the losers. Also fascinating to read about are the repercussions of the military and political struggles; for example the revolts in the provinces. Wellesley has given a lot of thought to his work, and covered every aspect of Roman life for all of the classes in Roman society all throughout the empire. He is very critical of the Praetorian Guard and of the military as a whole, and comes quite close to mocking their annual renewing of their vows of loyalty to the emperor. Certainly, this is to be expected, as the military proved throughout Roman history to be fickle and untrustworthy. However, he goes farther to examine how such a fickle political entity could become stable enough in later years to become the basis for political power in the Roman Empire for centuries after the year of the four emperors. He also acknowledges the role that client kings such as Antiochus and Sohaemus played in bringing the Flavian dynasty into power.

This writing style employed by Wellesley is superb, and the information included in the book is surprising to the reader in its depth and quality. There are virtually no improvements to be made in this third edition. Wellesley throughly examines all of his sources, and even takes primary sources from Roman historians such as Tacitus with a grain of salt, frequently writing such statements as "if we may trust Tacitus".4 While primarily a Tacitean scholar, Wellesley also incorporates a very balanced bibliography. The bibliography is heavy on Tacitus and secondary sources based on Tacitus, but is overall very well balanced. Wellesley is as fascinating and engaging to read as Suetonius or Tacitus. Wellesley truly has a gift for creating and engrossing narrative experience that is also well written from the perspective of an historian. He vividly describes each major player in the conflict, as well as the locales which they inhabit. His critical analysis in The Year of the Four Emperors of primary sources and synthesis of evidence mingles effortlessly with his immensely readable writing style.

The book is so enjoyable that it reads more like the engrossing story it is, and not at all like a dry historical monograph. The book is made truly exemplary with the inclusion of informative and helpful images. Interspersed throughout the text of the monograph are several maps of Cremona and Northern Italy, reproductions of coins, statues, inscriptions, photographs of the countryside as it exists today, and, most surprisingly, an Egyptian relief depicted Otho as Pharaoh of Egypt. One improvement for the next edition might be to include even more maps, with more detail, so that it is easier to picture the scenes of battles and political struggles. Also included in his epigraphic evidence is a papyrus recording an announcement to the people of Alexandria by Tiberius Julius Alexander. It excites the reader to see primary source material from this period from the more far-flung reaches of the empire. There is also a very helpful index of place names, with Latin and vernacular renderings side by side. The myriad of fascinating and unusual evidence chosen for this third edition of the book enhances an already superb text, and creates and truly memorable and exciting reading experience. This monograph is an authoritative, engrossing, and phenomenally enjoyable and educational reading experience.