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The Year of the Three Emperors; 
A Provincial View, by Afilius Murena, Procurator for Syria, Cyprus, and the Judean Military District.
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As my life draws to a close, I feel that it is now safe for me to look back and reflect upon that exciting Year of Rome 823 (called by the Christian scribes in my province Anno Domini 69);the events that led to the accession of the Divine Emperor Vespasian, and my own modest part in them.
     
I will begin with the situation in September of the previous year. The Jewish revolt, in its second year, had been confined to a handful of fortified strongholds; Hebron, Jerusalem, and some rock in the desert called Masada. 
Facing these die hards were six veteran legions, three led from Syria by 
Military Governor Mucianus, and three from Judea by Military Governor Titus 
Flavius Vespasian. To our north were the settled and quiet provinces of Asia 
Minor, to our west, the Prefecture of Egypt, with two legions to guard Rome's corn supply, and to our East, the might of the Parthian Empire. Our tax income was a scant 45 Talents, as Judea was still not producing any revenue. Our outgoings on maintaining the legions totalled some 250 Talents, plus administration charges, road and aqueduct maintenance, and of course a modest sum for my own retirement fund (rarely reckoned at more than 5-10 Talents per quarter, I may add for the benefit of some who have questioned my probity).
     
Nero was dead, about which I had mixed feelings. My own appointment, from a 
steady but unremarkable Equestrian background, was due to him, and he was the last of the illustrious line of the Caesars. But his excesses had damaged the Empire, and it was clear that Rome needed a capable leader. Nevertheless, it was far from clear why the Senate had chosen Governor Galba, from Hispania, to be this man, except that he was first to rebel in strength. Still, with no Caesar, who else could appoint an Emperor but the Senate? To do otherwise would be to cast Rome into a civil war not seen since the days of Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius. We eagerly awaited the return of firm governance.
     
My first task was to secure from Rome pay for our legions. Three months passed with no reply to my increasingly agitated letters, and the troops were justifiably complaining about lack of money. Finally I took ship for Rome to make my case in person. I was pleased to discover that when I arrived, Galba and the Senate seemed extraordinarily busy extracting Rome from the financial chaos of Nero's death, and I returned with 218 Talents and promises of the same per quarter.
     
The new year turned, and the promised money did not arrive. Our brave boys were busy reducing the Jewish fortress cities, but men can only be fed on promises for so long. My next request to Rome for money brought a curt reply from an anonymous Senator acting as Imperial Treasurer, that we were "bottom of the Emperor's priority list in allocation of money". We were all shocked that men giving their lives in defence of Rome's security could be so shabbily treated, and complained vociferously. The Prefect of Egypt seemed particularly outraged, and threatened to cut off Rome's corn supply to feed the legions. At this, 100 Talents arrived, and the men grumbled but accepted half pay as a 'temporary measure'.
     
The Parthian Empire had been making beligerent noises during this time. Gangs of suspiciously well equipped 'bandit' horsemen were roving the borderlands. 
However, a combination of shows of strength and judicious bribery by myself and some of the legion commanders seemed to pacify the Parthian Emperor, and several cohorts of Parthian archers joined our forces in Syria as mercenaries.
     
Troubling rumours were reaching us by this time; that we had lost a legion to barbarians in Britannia, that the Dacians had invaded Dalmatia, to which the Emperor Galba had infamously cried "it's not my problem". 
The Emperor seemed to be losing his grip. In Judea, meanwhile, the war dragged on. Hebron fell to a massed assault by Governor Mucianus, with assistance provided by men from Egypt.
Then, after bringing down its mighty city walls, five legions under the command of Vespasian took Jerusalem in a bloody but brilliant assault, led personally by his able son Titus. By now the troops were owed six months' back pay - nothing had arrived from Rome since February - and so they were allowed free reign to gather what they could in the defeated cities. The fight seemed to go out of Judea at this time (albeit temporarily!) except of course for the mad Zealots at Masada. As an assault was impractical there, some cohorts were left to besiege it while we considered our position.
     
The news from Vespasian's brother in Rome was that Galba had left to go to 
Germania, where aside from the usual raiding by the barbarians, there had been mutinous talk among the legions (again!). However, Galba had disappeared, and it was not known if he was alive or dead. The Senate took control and declared that Rome was henceforth a Republic once more. A strangely retrograde step, in the opinion of those of us in Syria - the Divine Julius had overthrown the Republic precisely because of its shortcomings. Then news came that Galba, betrayed at every turn (except by us, of course) had committed suicide in Germania. The Empire was in crisis and a firm hand was clearly needed.
     
With the men proclaiming him as Emperor, and at the urging of the Prefect of 
Egypt, reluctantly Governor Vespasian, the glorious victor of Jerusalem, adopted the title Caesar, and declared that he would unite the Empire once more. 
Immediately neighbouring provinces began declaring for him. Cyrenecia, Bithnya (and the Fleet), Egypt of course, and with it Rome's corn supply. With Judea now pacified, tax revenues began to come in again, and with the income from various friends in Asia Minor, and corn from Egypt, the eight legions in Egypt, Syria and Judea could now be paid and fed again (although with several months of back pay still owing). In Judea everything quietened down. Mucianus took his best legion, and marched northwards through Asia. Meanwhile, the Bithnyan fleet, and the ships of the grain fleet, gathered at Caesarea to carry Vespasian and his loyallest legion, and also one of Egypt's legions, to Rome, where they would link up with Mucianus. Meanwhile, Sulpicius, commander of one of the Danube legions, declared that he too was Emperor, and marched on Rome. We now know that he was backed from Hispania, his strings pulled by the treacharous Otho, who was the reason why no Spanish taxes had reached Rome, precipitating its financial crisis. There was also news of the German legions marching south, no doubt with their own candidate in mind. In Rome, the severing of the corn supply had led to
riots, looting, burning, and massecres by the Praetorians. All was chaos.
     
Now, in my twilight years, I can confess that in Syria, where I was installed as Provisional Governor in Mucianus' absence, our loyalty momentarily wavered. It was by no means clear that Vespasian would win, and what of us then? The legate of the Vth legion began raising his own men, loyal only to him. Coordinating Vespasian's finances from Syria, I diverted a 50 Talent payment from Asia for my own use in emergency. There were mutterings from the men about back pay again now that the fighting was over, that as victors they deserved better. Finally, the Prefect of Egypt went to see the legate of the Vth, who had hinted that unless his men were paid, his support could no longer be counted upon. The Prefect tried to force him to swear an oath of allegiance to Vespasian. He would swear one only to Rome. The Prefect ordered him arrested for treason. Though his own paid lackeys resisted, the veteran legionaries displayed unswerving loyalty to Vespasian, for which they are to be congratulated. The legate was arrested and beheaded on the spot. So perish all traitors. In a reorganisation of commands I was also appointed legate of the VIth, and, once the Prefect of Egypt had disappeared to Rome, given plenipotentiary powers on behalf of Vespasian 
over Judea and Egypt as well. Reluctantly, I was also presuaded to hand over the larger part of my personal treasury to the cause. As the Prefect of Egypt said - with my colours nailed so firmly to Vespasian's mast, I must ensure his success or fall with him. From then on, Vespasian had the complete backing of all of the eastern provinces. Even rich Galatia, which had wavered, began to send its revenue south rather than west, and his success was assured.
     
I regret that I cannot tell of the mess that was Rome in those last few months. 
But we all understood that when Sulpicius arrived at the city and accepted the title of Dictator on behalf of the Senate that he had compromised whatever integrity he may have had, and he was murdered by his own men as he tried to explain his decision to them. I must repudiate at this point the vile rumours that Vespasian's agents were behind this assassination. And then, of course, the disgraceful behaviour of the few Praetorians who were not justly torn apart by the mob, who opened the gates to the German legions, which duly sacked the city.
Praise the Gods that Vespasian was at that moment able to restore order, quiet the Germans, and win the backing of the Senate. With the urban cohorts under his brother's charge, he cleared a path to the Senate House and proclaimed himself Emperor. And the rest is history.
     
As a footnote, I may add that in Judea we faced a second rebellion as the 
province had been stripped of troops. In Apollonia a legionary headquarters was overrun and the eagle stolen - a great blow to the Roman army. And the troops, still unpaid, began to be reluctant to move against the Jews. However, with the aid of the Parthian mercenaries the revolt was contained in Apollonia, and of course would eventually be crushed once Vespasian was able to send troops back to us.
     
I myself was hoping to be confirmed as Governor of Syria, but the Divine 
Vespasian had other ideas for me. My financial expertise would be required in Rome, he said, to sort out the mess following his accession. He needed a trusted man in charge of the treasury. I was unsure, but the prospect of being raised to senatorial rank was irresistible. I hope that since then I have continued to bring credit to my family, in every sense of the word.
     
Finally, I believe that Vespasian's success was in no small measure due to the support shown him by his men. In particular the Prefect of Egypt, not a man famed for straight dealing, showed a loyalty so unswerving that at times I began to wonder what his game was. I apologise now for doubting him. And, with one exception, the legionary commanders all realised upon which side their bread was buttered (my commiserations to Governor Mucianus, who came close to being proclaimed Emperor by us rather than Vespasian). As for myself, I believe I ensured that Vespasian's men were fed and paid rather successfully under the difficult circumstances. They also serve, who merely sit and count. But in the end, I think it was the fact that we all by and large trusted each other and pulled together that counted in our favour.
     
     Afilius Murena.
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