Editing Otho (section)

===Overthrow of Galba===
[[File:Otone - foto di euthman.jpg|thumb|Bust labelled as Otho in the [[National Archaeological Museum, Florence]].]]
On 1 January 69, the day Galba took the office of consul alongside [[Titus Vinius]], the [[Legio IV Macedonica|fourth]] and [[Legio XVIII|eighteenth]] legions of [[Germania Superior]] refused to swear loyalty to the emperor. They toppled the statues of Galba and demanded that a new emperor be chosen. On the following day, the soldiers of [[Germania inferior]] also refused to swear their loyalty and proclaimed the governor of the province, [[Aulus Vitellius]], as emperor.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[wikisource:The_Histories_(Tacitus)/Book_1#57|1.27–57]]. </ref> Galba tried to ensure his authority as emperor was recognized by adopting the nobleman [[Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi Licinianus|Piso Licinianus]] as his successor,{{sfn|Greenhalgh|1975|pp=30, 37, 45, 47–54}} an action that gained resentment from Otho.{{sfn|Grant|2002|p=188}} Galba was killed by the praetorians on 15 January, followed shortly by Vinius and Piso. Their heads were placed on poles and Otho was proclaimed emperor.{{sfn|Greenhalgh|1975|pp=30, 37, 45, 47–54}}

[[Nero]]'s statues were again set up, his freedmen and household officers reinstalled, including the young castrated boy [[Sporus]] whom Nero had taken in marriage and Otho also would live intimately with.{{sfn|Smith|1849|pp=897, 2012}}{{sfn|Champlin|2005|pp=147–148}} The populace acclaimed him as "Nero Otho", although Otho did not appear to like the title.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[wikisource:The_Histories_(Tacitus)/Book_1#78|1.78]]. </ref> 

At the same time, the fears of the more sober and respectable citizens were relieved by Otho's liberal professions of his intention to govern equitably, and by his judicious clemency towards [[Aulus Marius Celsus]], a consul-designate and devoted adherent of Galba. He assumed the [[Roman consul|consulate]] of the year alongside his brother [[Titianus]], but only until the 1st of March.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[wikisource:The_Histories_(Tacitus)/Book_1#57|1.71ff, 77]].</ref>