The History of Rome: Rise and Fall of the Empire. John Bagnell Bury
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over her countrymen. This maiden belonged to the tribe of the Bructeri, and lived remote from the abodes of others in a solitary tower on the river Luppia. She had predicted the success of the Germans and the destruction of the legions, and the accomplishment of her prophecy confirmed her power. She was soon called upon to exert it for the purpose of hindering her countrymen from abusing their victory.
The Ubii had been faithful to Rome throughout the rebellion; but when the legions yielded, nothing was left for them but to yield too. The question was then agitated by the Germans, whether they should destroy Colonia, or leave it standing. Jealousy of the privileged position of the Ubii and desire of plunder prompted the trans-Rhenane tribes to counsel its destruction, but Civilis judged that clemency would be the better policy. The Tencteri sent an embassy to the colony, and demanded that the inhabitants should pull down their walls, slay all the Romans within their borders, and resume their German habits and institutions. But the Agrippinenses escaped from the fulfillment of these requisitions by appealing to the authority of Civilis and the prophetess Veleda. The Sunuci, who lived west of the Ubii on the Mosa, were then reduced; and the Nervii, Tungri, and Bastasii, who still maintained the cause of Rome under the leadership of Claudius Labeo, a Batavian, but a rival of Civilis, submitted.
The new Gallic empire had no firm foundation, and was not destined to prosper. It had sprung up by means of the Batavian rebellion; but Civilis and the Batavians, although they made common cause with Classicus in pulling down the Roman power, stood aloof from the imperium Galliarum. The Germans had no intention of throwing off Roman for the sake of Celtic rule. But besides, the Gauls themselves were for the most part by no means favorable to the project of the Treveri and the Lingones. Julius Sabinus cast down the bronze tables on which the treaties between Rome and the Lingones were inscribed, assumed the name of Caesar, and marched at the head of a disorderly band of his countrymen against the Sequani. But the Sequani were faithful to Rome, and beat back the spurious Caesar, who deserted in the middle of the battle, and by burning down the house to which he fled caused it to be supposed that he had killed himself. But he really remained hidden in a subterranean retreat for no less than five years, kept alive by his wife Epponina. He was finally discovered, and put to death, along with his wife, by Vespasian’s orders.
The declaration of the Sequani against the Gallic rebels was soon confirmed by the verdict of a common council summoned by the Remi, who took upon themselves the initiative in this crisis. It was put to the states of Gaul whether they preferred “liberty or peace”. The Treveri were represented by Julius Valentinus, but the arguments of Julius Auspex, a noble of the Remi, carried the day, and a letter to the Treveri was composed “in the name of the Gauls”, calling upon them to desist from war. The strongest motive of the Gallic states in adhering to Rome was perhaps mutual jealousy. The question presented itself: supposing the empire of the Gauls to be established, what city will be the centre? The other states would certainly never have submitted to be ruled from the city of the Treveri or the city of the Lingones. It does not appear that the idea of a Federal Union—like that of the Achaean League—occurred to any of the Gallic patriots.
In the meantime Mucianus and the government of Vespasian were making preparations to suppress the rebels of the north, both Germans and Gauls. Q Petillius Cerealis was appointed to the command in Lower, Annius Gallus, the general of Otho, in Upper Germany. Two of the victorious legions, the VIIIth of Moesia and the XIth of Dalmatia, along with one of the Vitellian legions, the XXIst, whose station was Vindonissa, were chosen for the expedition, and marched northward by the Pennine, Cottian, and Graian Alps. Moreover the XIVth was summoned from Britain, and VI. Victrix and X. Gemina from Spain. But the rebels did not realize, or at least took no steps to meet, the danger which was approaching. Civilis was engaged in pursuing his enemy Claudius Labeo, in the wilds of Belgica. Classicus was enjoying his position as head of an empire. Tutor talked about occupying the Alpine passes, but omitted to do so. He had indeed increased the forces of the Treveri by the accession of the Vangiones and other small tribes, and some of the legionaries of Moguntiacum joined his army. Sextilius Felix, the officer who had been set by the leaders of Vespasian to watch Raetia, was the first to arrive on the scene of action with his auxiliary cohorts. One cohort which he sent on in advance was routed by the forces of Tutor, but on the approach of the rest and of the XXIst legion, which had reached Vindonissa, the legionaries deserted, and the allies of the Treveri followed the example. Tutor with his Treverans retreated to Bingium, and took up a position on the left bank of the Nava (Nahe), having broken down the bridge. But the cohorts of Sextilius crossed by a ford, and routed the Treveri. The legions, who had been compelled to post themselves at Augusta Treverorum, on the news of this defeat, took an oath of allegiance to Vespasian, and marched to the town called in older days Divodurum, in later days Mettis, now Metz. The leaders Tutor and Valentinus roused the Treveri again to arms, and put to death the legati Herennius and Numisius, whom they had kept prisoners.
Petillius Cerealis now arrived at Moguntiacum. His contempt for the enemy, and his rejection of a Gallic levy, inspired his troops with confidence and confirmed the Gauls in their obedience. He united the remnant of the legions of Moguntiacum with his own army, and marched in three days, at the rate of nine hours a day, to Rigodulum (Riol), about ten miles from Augusta Treverorum, lower down the Mosella, protected on one side by the river, on the other by sleep hills. This place had been occupied by a large band of Treveri under Valentinus, who had entrenched himself behind ditches and stone barricades. The troops of Cerealis boldly stormed the position, and Valentinus himself was captured. They then entered Augusta Treverorum, the soldiers burning to destroy the home of Classicus and Tutor—a city, they said, far more guilty than Cremona, which had paid so heavily for its part in the Vitellian war. But the august city, which was destined hereafter to become the capital of a Belgic province, and even a seat of Roman Emperors, was spared by the decision of Cerealis.
When Civilis and Classicus learned that the Romans held Augusta Treverorum, they tried to tempt the ambition of Cerealis by offering him theimperium Galliarum. Cerealis did not deign to reply to the letter, which he sent to Rome; and the rebels prepared for a decisive battle. Civilis counseled delay, until they should receive reinforcements from the trans-Rhenane tribes; but Tutor urged that if they delayed, the Roman forces would be increased by the legions which had been summoned from Spain and Britain. The advice of Tutor was followed, and the forces of the insurgents unexpectedly attacked the Roman camp. Augusta Treverorum lies on the right bank of the Mosella; the Roman camp was pitched on the left bank, to protect the town against the foe coming from the north. On the night of the attack Cerealis himself happened to be sleeping in the city, and he was awakenen by the news that his troops were fighting, and getting the worst of it. The enemy had made a way through the camp, routed the cavalry, and occupied the bridge which connected the town with the left bank. The boldness and presence of mind of the general retrieved the fortune of the legions. Placing himself at the head of those whom the foe had driven before them into the town, he recovered the bridge, and, reaching the camp, rallied his men. Everything was in favor of the enemy, and the victory which the Romans secured seemed almost miraculous.
The Agrippinenses gladly returned to their allegiance to Rome; they slew the Germans in their city, and destroyed a cohort of Chauci and Frisians, which was stationed at Tolbiacum (Zülpich), by making them intoxicated and then setting on fire the house in which they slumbered. The rebels in Belgica were suppressed by the XIVth legion, which arrived from Britain. On the other hand the Britannic fleet was defeated by the Canninefates, who were more skillful in managing ships, but this success did not hinder the suppression of the rebellion. The next defeat of Civilis took place at Vetera, where, having gathered together his forces after the defeat at Augusta Treverorum, he had taken up a strong position. The army of Cerealis, doubled in number by the arrival of the legions from Spain and Britain, proceeded to Vetera; but the combat was delayed by the nature of the ground. The fields, always marshy, had been flooded by the art of Civilis, who had built a mole into the Rhine from the right bank, and so caused the river to overflow. Thus the Romans could not approach the camp, and when they attempted to fight in the deep marsh, the Batavians, skillful in swimming, had the advantage. On the following days, Cerealis drew out his line of battle. The cohorts and cavalry were placed in front; the legions in the centre, and a chosen band in the rear, in case of emergencies. Civilis arranged his forces in deep columns. The Cugerni and Batavians were on the right, the trans-Rhenanes on the left and nearer the river.