Meanwhile Vitellius knew nothing of his victory.  With the 57 remainder of his German army he continued to advance as though the war had just begun.  A few of the veterans were left in winter quarters, and troops were hurriedly enlisted in the Gallic provinces, to fill up the vacancies in what were now mere skeleton legions.[341] Leaving Hordeonius Flaccus to guard the line of the Rhine, Vitellius advanced with a picked detachment from the army in Britain, eight thousand strong.  After a few days’ march he received news of the victory of Bedriacum and the collapse of the war on the death of Otho.  He summoned a meeting and heaped praise on the courage of the troops.  When the army demanded that he should confer equestrian rank on his freedman Asiaticus, he checked their shameful flattery.  Then with characteristic instability he granted at a private banquet what he had refused in public.  This Asiaticus, who was thus decorated with the gold ring, was an infamous menial who rose by his vices.[342]

During these same days news arrived that Albinus, the Governor of 58 Mauretania, had been murdered, and both provinces[343] had declared for Vitellius.  Appointed by Nero to the province of Mauretania Caesariensis, Lucceius Albinus had further received from Galba the governorship of Tingitana, and thus commanded a very considerable force, consisting of nineteen cohorts of infantry, five regiments of horse, and an immense horde of Moors, well trained for war by their practice in plunder.  After Galba’s murder he inclined to Otho’s side and, not contented with the province of Africa, began to threaten Spain on the other side of the narrow strait.  Cluvius Rufus,[344] alarmed at this, moved the Tenth legion[345] down to the coast as though for transport.  He also sent some centurions ahead to gain the sympathies of the Moors for Vitellius.  The great reputation of the German army throughout the provinces facilitated this task, and they also spread a rumour that Albinus was not contented with the title of ‘Governor’, and wanted to adopt a regal style under the name of Juba.  So the sympathies of the army shifted.  Asinius Pollio, who 59 commanded the local cavalry, one of Albinus’ loyal friends, was assassinated.  The same fate befell Festus and Scipio, who were in command of the infantry.[346] Albinus himself embarked from Tingitana for Caesariensis, and was murdered as he landed.  His wife confronted the assassins and was murdered too.  How all this happened Vitellius never inquired.  He passed by events of the highest importance after a few moments’ attention, being quite unable to cope with serious matters.