About six months earlier, Gaius Julius Vindex, the governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, had rebelled against tax policies instituted by Emperor Nero. To gain support, Vindex had called upon Galba, the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, to declare himself Emperor. Galba was one of Rome's oldest generals, enjoying considerable prestige and widespread political support. Nero's own popularity was already on the decline, but nonetheless, he managed to crush the revolt by quickly sending the governor of Germania Superior, Virginius Rufus to Gaul, who defeated Vindex in a battle near Vesontio. Galba was declared a public enemy, and his legion confined to the city of Clunia. The victory proved insufficient to restore Nero's damaged reputation however. Rumours quickly spread across the Empire that multiple legions were defecting to Galba's side. By June 68, the Senate had voted Galba the Emperor and declared Nero a public enemy. Nero's fate was ultimately sealed when Nymphidius Sabinus, the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, bribed his soldiers to desert their Emperor. On June 9 68, Nero committed suicide, and with him the Julio-Claudian dynasty came to an end.