Where was Galba killed? The Lacus Curtius and the assassination site in the Roman Forum
Galba was killed in the Roman Forum beside the Lacus Curtius on January 15, AD 69. Ancient authors name the spot explicitly or place it in the forum’s center, which matches the Lacus Curtius’ location.
Galba was cut down in the Roman Forum beside the Lacus Curtius on January 15, AD 69. Tacitus and Suetonius name the shrine directly, and Plutarch sets the scene as his litter overturned there while he bared his throat; Cassius Dio’s epitome simply places the murder in the forum’s middle. These reports agree topographically, since the Lacus Curtius lay near the center of the paved square. Lured into the open by a false report that Otho had been slain, Galba encountered Otho’s cavalry and Praetorians at this spot, where he was dispatched and his head carried to the new claimant.
Key Factors
Named location in primary sources
Tacitus and Suetonius explicitly place the killing “near/beside the Lake of Curtius,” and Plutarch narrates the litter’s overturning at the same spot. This convergence of independent witnesses fixes the site with unusual clarity.
Forum topography matches the texts
The Lacus Curtius stood essentially in the center of the Forum’s paved square, just north of the Basilica Julia and west of the Temple of Castor. Cassius Dio’s broader description—“the middle of the Forum”—therefore aligns with the Lacus Curtius identification.
Engineered encounter at the Lacus Curtius
Galba was drawn into the Forum by a false report that Otho had been killed, only to meet hostile horse and foot there. At the Lacus Curtius his litter was upset; he exposed his throat and was slain, with a soldier of the Fifteenth Legion named Camurius delivering the fatal blow.
Why Galba was vulnerable at that moment
Days earlier, Galba alienated the Guard by adopting Piso without promising a donative. Otho moved quickly, winning over Praetorians with gifts and promises; their acclamation set the ambush in motion.
Historical Evidence
""Near the Lake of Curtius, Galba was thrown from his chair... Camurius, a soldier of the Fifteenth Legion, pierced his throat.""
""He was killed beside the Lake of Curtius...""
""The litter was upset at the place called Lacus Curtius... he presented his neck, saying: 'Do your work, if this is better for the Roman people.'""
""As he reached the middle of the Roman Forum... there they cut him down.""
Part of Assassination of Galba and Otho's Accession
This location anchors the Assassination of Galba and Otho's Accession (69), marking the moment military power openly dictated imperial legitimacy in the Forum itself. See the event page for the sequence from Galba’s fall to Otho’s elevation, and the Year of the Four Emperors timeline for the ensuing clashes with Vitellius and Vespasian.