Provinciae Baeticae Maurorum civitates dono dedit: Otho's largesse and the means of civil war in Tacitus, Histories, 1.78.1 & 2.58

Abstract

According to Tacitus, Otho gave some Maurian communities (Maurorum civitates) as a gift to Baetica to obtain the support of the province in the civil war (Hist. 1.78.1). The details of the measure remain obscure and it has not yet been satisfactorily explained. In this article I present a new interpretation of Otho’s largitio from a political and administrative point of view, contextualising it within Tacitus’ account of the Straits war front (Hist. 2.58-59.1). I analyse which communities were affected by the measure, how the emperor could give formal validity to his statement and how the news about it could be spread throughout Baetica even though all Hispania was controlled on behalf of Vitellius by the consular legate Cluvius Rufus. Finally, I examine Tacitus’ narrative background in this episode of the civil war.