1. One of the principal generals of the Emperor Vitellius in Dict. of Antiq. s. v. Juvenalia, 2d ed.), he was accustomed to
act the licentious part of a mime, at first, as if by compulsion, but afterwards evidently
from choice. He was subsequently appointed by Nero legatus of the first legion in Germany. In
the troubles immediately preceding and following Nero's death, Valens endeavoured to persuade
Verginius Rufus, who governed Upper Germany, to assume the purple ; and when Rufus refused to
do so, Valens sought to blacken his character, and accused him to Galba of attempting to make
himself emperor. Soon after Galba's accession, Valens, in conjunction with the legate of
another legion, Cornelius Aquinus, put to death Fonteius Capito, the governor of Lower
Germany, on the plea that he was intending to revolt, but, as many thought, because he had
refused to take up arms at the solicitation of Valens and Aquinus. However this may be, Valens
claimed great merit with Galba for the services he had rendered him in exposing the plots of
Verginius Rufus, and destroying Fonteius Capito, who might have been a dangerous rival ; and
upon receiving no reward, he complained bitterly that he had been treated with ingratitude.
Accordingly, upon the arrival of Vitellius in Lower Germany as the successor of Capito, Valens
was one of the first to urge him to seize the empire, and this time he was more successful
than he had been with his former commanders. The legions in Upper Germany refused to take the
oath of allegiance to Galba on the 1st of January, A. D. 69. Valens thereupon marched into
Cologne on the following day, and saluted Vitellius as emperor. His example was immediately
followed by the soldiers in Lower Germany, and on the next day by those of Upper Germany, arid
active preparations were made to prosecute the war against Galba. Vitellius entrusted the
conduct of it to Valens and A. Caecina, the latter of whom had commanded a iegion in Upper
Germany, and had been one of the, chief leaders of the revolt in favour of Vitellius. Valens
was entrusted with 40,000 men belonging to the army of Lower Germany, with orders to march
through Gaul, and persuade it to submit to Vitellius, or, if he could not succeed in so doing,
to lay it waste with fire and sword, and finally to cross over into Italy by Mont
Genêvre (Cottionis Alpibus). Caecina received 30,000 men belonging
to the army of Upper Germany, with orders to march direct into Italy by the pass of the Great
St. Bernard (Poeninis jugis).
Valens commenced his march early in January, His formidable army secured him a friendly
reception in Gaul; but upon his arrival at Diviodurum (Metz), his soldiers were seized with a
panic terror, and slaughtered 4000 of the inhabitants This massacre, however, instead of
provoking any resistance in Gaul, only made the people still more anxious to deprecate the
wrath of the troops. On reaching the capital of the Leuci, the modern Toul, Valens received
intelligence of the death of Galba and the accession of Otho; and this news produced the
recognition of Vitellius throughout the whole of Gaul, the inhabitants of which detested alike
both Otho and Vitellius, but were more afraid of the latter. Valens, therefore, continued to
advance without any interruption. The inhabitants of Lugdunum (Lyons) persuaded him to march
against Vienna (Vienne), which had espoused the cause of Vindex and Galba; but the Viennenses
averted the impending danger by throwing themselves before the army as suppliants, and by
giving an immense sum of money to Valens, of which the soldiers likewise received a small
portion. The avarice of Valens knew no bounds, and he employed the great power which he now
possessed, to gratify it in every possible manner. Throughout his march the proprietors of the
lands and the magistrates of the cities paid him large sums of money not to march through
their property or encamp upon it; and if money failed, they were obliged to appease him by
sacrificing their wives and daughters to his lusts. On his arrival in Italy, Valens took up
his quarters at Ticinum (Pavia), where he nearly lost his life in an insurrection of the
soldiers. He took refuge in the dress of a slave in the tent of one of his officers, who
concealed him till the danger was over. Valens afterwards put this man to death on suspicion
of his having taken a thousand drachmae from his baggage. (OTHO.] The two generals remained in northern Italy for some time after the battle, till
they were joined by Vitellius, whom they accompanied to Rome. Vitellius advanced them to the
consulslhip, which they entered upon on the 1st of September, and he left the whole government
in their hands. CAECINA.] Valens remained faithful to Vitellius, almost the only fact
recorded in his favour. He had left Rome a few days after Caecina, and might perhaps have
prevented the revolt of the latter, if the indulgence of his pleasures had not delayed him on
the march. He was still in Tuscany when he heard of the victory of Primus and the capture of
Cremona [PRIMUS], and as he had not sufficient troops to oppose the
enemy, he resolved to sail to Gaul and rouse the Gallic provinces to espouse the cause of
Vitellius : but he was taken prisoner by some ships sent after him by Suetonius Paulinus at
the islands of the Stoechadae (the Hières) off Massilia. He was kept in confinement for
a time, but about the middle of September was slain at Urbinum (Urbino) and his head shown to
the Vitellian troops, to contradict the report that he had escaped to Germany and was there
collecting an army. (Otho, 100.6.)