The Year of the Four Emperors: Rome's Civil War After Nero

The Story of Italy: Rome, Renaissance, and the Birth of Modern Europe — Fexingo History · Jul 7, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In 69 AD, the Roman Empire tore itself apart in a single catastrophic year. This episode follows the fall of Nero, the rise and fall of Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, and the eventual triumph of Vespasian—founder of the Flavian dynasty. We explore the murder of Galba, the brutal battles of Bedriacum, the dramatic siege of Cremona, and the role of the Praetorian Guard and provincial legions in making and breaking emperors. Along the way, we meet key figures like the disgraced praetorian prefect Nymphidius Sabinus, the general Caecina Alienus, and the Jewish historian Josephus, who predicted…