Julius Classicus
Encyclopedia
Julius Classicus was a Gaulish nobleman of the 1st century AD, belonging to the tribe of the Treviri
. He served as a commander of the Roman auxiliaries. Along with Julius Tutor, another Treviran Roman auxiliary commander, and Julius Sabinus
, who claimed descent from Gaius Julius Caesar
, he joined the rebellion of Gaius Julius Civilis
during the disorder of the Year of the Four Emperors
(69 AD).
, along with his allies Antonius Primus
and Mucianus
, decided to stir up trouble in Germany so as to distract Vitellius
, the current Roman Emperor. A letter was sent to a Batavian chieftain, Julius Civilis, encouraging him to start a rebellion. Liking the idea, Civilis revolted and began to harry Gallia Lugdunensis
.
Classicus, along with Sabinus and Tutor, were leaders of the Treviri
and Lingones
, both Gallic
tribes, and had separate ideals from Civilis and his Batavian revolt. The Batavians were seeking little more than tribal independence, while Sabinus and his allies were looking to start a new Roman Empire in Gaul, an Imperium Galliarum. After killing a deserter named Vocula, who had tried to escape after seeing the treachery of Classicus and the rest, Julius Classicus read an oath of allegiance (dressed as a Roman general) to the 1st and 16th legions of Germany, commanding them to swear allegiance to their new emperor, Julius Sabinus
(who would have been the 5th Emperor in just a little over a year).
After this oath, Classicus tried to lure Munius Lupercus and his garrison at Xanten
into surrender by offering them quarter, but Lupercus declined. Soon after, the army left for Trier and Sabinus went on to lose a battle to the Sequani
after squandering his troop resources, mainly because he didn't trust his new legions. According to Tacitus, Classicus spent the critical juncture after this defeat in idleness. After Tutor was defeated in a further battle, Classicus and Civilis fell back in panic.
. As Cerialis advanced on Augusta Treverorum
, capital of the Treviri
, Classicus and Civilis tried to sow panic in the Roman army by alleging Vespasian had died. Cerialis, however, in a series of battles defeated the uprising and accepted the surrender of Civilis, who was probably executed. Classicus died in the aftermath as well.
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
. He served as a commander of the Roman auxiliaries. Along with Julius Tutor, another Treviran Roman auxiliary commander, and Julius Sabinus
Julius Sabinus
Julius Sabinus was an aristocratic Gaul of the Lingones at the time of the Batavian rebellion of AD69. He attempted to take advantage of the turmoil in Rome after the death of Nero to set up an independent Gaulish state....
, who claimed descent from Gaius Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, he joined the rebellion of Gaius Julius Civilis
Gaius Julius Civilis
Gaius Julius Civilis was the leader of the Batavian rebellion against the Romans in 69. By his nomen, it can be told that he was made a Roman citizen by either Augustus or Caligula....
during the disorder of the Year of the Four Emperors
Year of the Four Emperors
The Year of the Four Emperors was a year in the history of the Roman Empire, AD 69, in which four emperors ruled in a remarkable succession. These four emperors were Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian....
(69 AD).
Background
In order to secure his position as Roman Emperor, VespasianVespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
, along with his allies Antonius Primus
Marcus Antonius Primus
Marcus Antonius Primus was a Roman Empire general.Primus was born at Tolosa in Gaul. During the reign of Nero, he was resident in Rome and a member of the Senate, from which he was expelled for conspiring to forge a will with Valerius Fabianus, and was banished from the city...
and Mucianus
Mucianus
Gaius Licinius Mucianus was a general, statesman and writer of ancient Rome.His name shows that he had passed by adoption from the gens Mucia to the gens Licinia. He was sent by Claudius to Armenia with Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Under Nero he is recorded as suffect consul ca...
, decided to stir up trouble in Germany so as to distract Vitellius
Vitellius
Vitellius , was Roman Emperor for eight months, from 16 April to 22 December 69. Vitellius was acclaimed Emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors...
, the current Roman Emperor. A letter was sent to a Batavian chieftain, Julius Civilis, encouraging him to start a rebellion. Liking the idea, Civilis revolted and began to harry Gallia Lugdunensis
Gallia Lugdunensis
Gallia Lugdunensis was a province of the Roman Empire in what is now the modern country of France, part of the Celtic territory of Gaul. It is named after its capital Lugdunum , possibly Roman Europe's major city west of Italy, and a major imperial mint...
.
The revolt
Classicus was specifically the commander of the Treviran cavalry regiment and exchanged many letters with Civilis. In these letters Classicus was an accomplice in rebellion with Civilis against Rome, and boasted that he had more ancestors who had been enemies of Rome than friends.Classicus, along with Sabinus and Tutor, were leaders of the Treviri
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
and Lingones
Lingones
Lingones were a Celtic tribe that originally lived in Gaul in the area of the headwaters of the Seine and Marne rivers. Some of the Lingones migrated across the Alps and settled near the mouth of the Po River in Cisalpine Gaul of northern Italy around 400 BCE. These Lingones were part of a wave of...
, both Gallic
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
tribes, and had separate ideals from Civilis and his Batavian revolt. The Batavians were seeking little more than tribal independence, while Sabinus and his allies were looking to start a new Roman Empire in Gaul, an Imperium Galliarum. After killing a deserter named Vocula, who had tried to escape after seeing the treachery of Classicus and the rest, Julius Classicus read an oath of allegiance (dressed as a Roman general) to the 1st and 16th legions of Germany, commanding them to swear allegiance to their new emperor, Julius Sabinus
Julius Sabinus
Julius Sabinus was an aristocratic Gaul of the Lingones at the time of the Batavian rebellion of AD69. He attempted to take advantage of the turmoil in Rome after the death of Nero to set up an independent Gaulish state....
(who would have been the 5th Emperor in just a little over a year).
After this oath, Classicus tried to lure Munius Lupercus and his garrison at Xanten
Xanten
Xanten is a historic town in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany, located in the district of Wesel.Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park or archaeological open air museum , its medieval picturesque city centre with Xanten Cathedral and many museums, its large man-made lake for...
into surrender by offering them quarter, but Lupercus declined. Soon after, the army left for Trier and Sabinus went on to lose a battle to the Sequani
Sequani
Sequani, in ancient geography, were a Gallic people who occupied the upper river basin of the Arar , the valley of the Doubs and the Jura Mountains, their territory corresponding to Franche-Comté and part of Burgundy.-Etymology:...
after squandering his troop resources, mainly because he didn't trust his new legions. According to Tacitus, Classicus spent the critical juncture after this defeat in idleness. After Tutor was defeated in a further battle, Classicus and Civilis fell back in panic.
Aftermath
Vespasian, now emperor, was ready to clean up the mess that the civil war had created. He dispatched an army led by his close ally Petilius CerialisQuintus Petillius Cerialis
Quintus Petilius Cerialis Caesius Rufus was a Roman general and administrator who served in Britain during Boudica's rebellion and who went on to participate in the civil wars after the death of Nero. He later defeated the rebellion of Julius Civilis and returned to Britain as its governor.His...
. As Cerialis advanced on Augusta Treverorum
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, capital of the Treviri
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
, Classicus and Civilis tried to sow panic in the Roman army by alleging Vespasian had died. Cerialis, however, in a series of battles defeated the uprising and accepted the surrender of Civilis, who was probably executed. Classicus died in the aftermath as well.
Significance
After this revolt, Vespasian decided that for further safety, auxiliary troops would be stationed in different parts of the empire from their origins, and would have a commander that was not of the same native land, further ensuring that no local revolts could ever take place again.Sources
- Penguin Dictionary of Ancient History
- TacitusTacitusPublius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
' HistoriesHistories (Tacitus)Histories is a book by Tacitus, written c. 100–110, which covers the Year of Four Emperors following the downfall of Nero, the rise of Vespasian, and the rule of the Flavian Dynasty up to the death of Domitian.thumb|180px|Tacitus...