MOPPING UP

t the end of AD 69, things were going well for Civilis. He remained undefeated and the revolt had spread; the Treveri and Lingones had joined his rebellion. In Italy, however, Vespasian had defeated Vitellius and his principal supporter, Gaius Licinius Mucianus, was making arrangements for the defeat of the revolt. He appointed Appius Annius Gallus and Quintus Petillius Cerialis as commanders, and a large army of five legions was assembled to deal with the crisis. These included , , , and . With , they started on three paths towards the crisis over the Cottian, Pennine, and Graian Alps. Reading between Tacitus’ lines, it seems that Gallus took , , and via the east-most Cottian Alps into Germania Superior, whist Cerialis began with , with whom he crossed the west-most Pennine Alps before proceeding to Vindonissa. There he was joined by a force of auxiliaries from Raetia. This force then moved on to Argentoratum and Mogontiacum, then to Trier and Vetera and (eventually) to the homelands of the Batavi, fighting the final battle in August or September of AD 70. Cerialis was reinforced at Trier by , which had come from Britain. and were also summoned from Spain (the latter joining Cerialis at Trier). also joined Cerialis at Trier having marched over the Graian Alps up through Lugdunum (Lyons) and taking the surrender of the Lingones at Andematunnum (Langres). The details will not be found in Tacitus’ account, however. Instead, we must look further afield for them, in the stratagems of Sextus Julius Frontinus.