Quintus Petillius Cerialis
Encyclopedia
Quintus Petilius Cerialis Caesius Rufus (born ca. 30) 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 name suggests that he was an adopted son of a Caesius family into the Petilii. His elder brother may have been Caesius Nasica
.
IX Hispana
(Ninth Hispanic Legion) in the Roman province
of Britannia
, under governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus
. He took part in the defeat of the 60/61 rebellion led by Queen Boudica
of the Iceni
, although he suffered a serious defeat when attempting to relieve the city of Camulodunum
(Colchester
), which was destroyed by the Britons. His force, the Ninth Legion, was nearly annihilated in the Massacre of the Ninth Legion
. Only the cavalry, including Cerialis, managed to escape. The survivors joined Suetonius Paulinus, participating in his final victory.
, Cerialis was made a hostage by Vitellius
in 69, during the civil wars of the Year of Four Emperors. Cerialis managed to escape disguised as a peasant and joined the Flavian army. He was one of the cavalry leaders that conquered Rome for the approaching Vespasian. His role was to enter Rome via Sabian territory along the Via Salaria.
This success and his brother-in-law's trust gave him the command of XIV Gemina
, then stationed in the difficult province of Germania Inferior
. Again, Cerialis had to deal with a local revolt, the Batavian rebellion
, in which the local tribes, led by Julius Civilis
, a romanized prince, besieged two Roman legions at Xanten. Cerialis was again successful and received honours from Vespasian.
, bringing the II Adiutrix
with him to the province. He was supported by Gnaeus Julius Agricola
, commander of XX Valeria Victrix
.
As governor, Cerialis campaigned against the Brigantes
of northern England. In 74, Cerialis left Britain and returned to Rome as suffect consul. In 83 he was nominated consul for the second time, as a junior partner of the Emperor Domitian
.
According to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica "Tacitus
says that he was a bold soldier rather than a careful general, and preferred to stake everything on the issue of a single engagement. He possessed natural eloquence of a kind that readily appealed to his soldiers. His loyalty to his superiors was unshakable."
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
general and administrator who served in Britain during Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
's rebellion and who went on to participate in the civil wars after the death of Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. He later defeated the rebellion of Julius Civilis and returned to Britain as its governor.
His name suggests that he was an adopted son of a Caesius family into the Petilii. His elder brother may have been Caesius Nasica
Caesius Nasica
Caesius Nasica was a Roman military officer.He commanded Legio IX Hispana in Britain, and defeated the first revolt of Venutius of the Brigantes during the governorship of Aulus Didius Gallus ....
.
Boudican rebellion
His first important assignment was as legate of the Roman legionRoman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
IX Hispana
Legio IX Hispana
Legio Nona Hispana was a Roman legion, which operated from the first century BCE until mid 2nd century CE. The Spanish Legion's disappearance has raised speculations over its fate, largely of its alleged destruction in Scotland in about 117 CE, though some scholars believe it was destroyed in the...
(Ninth Hispanic Legion) in the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Britannia
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, under governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus
Gaius Suetonius Paulinus
Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, also spelled Paullinus, was a Roman general best known as the commander who defeated the rebellion of Boudica.-Career:...
. He took part in the defeat of the 60/61 rebellion led by Queen Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
of the Iceni
Iceni
The Iceni or Eceni were a British tribe who inhabited an area of East Anglia corresponding roughly to the modern-day county of Norfolk between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD...
, although he suffered a serious defeat when attempting to relieve the city of Camulodunum
Camulodunum
Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. Camulodunum is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain as recorded by the Romans, existing as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, when it became the first Roman town, and...
(Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
), which was destroyed by the Britons. His force, the Ninth Legion, was nearly annihilated in the Massacre of the Ninth Legion
Massacre of the Ninth Legion
The Massacre of the Ninth Legion refers to the defeat of a large vexillation of the Legio IX Hispana during the revolt against Roman rule in Britain launched by Boudica, queen of the Iceni of Norfolk...
. Only the cavalry, including Cerialis, managed to escape. The survivors joined Suetonius Paulinus, participating in his final victory.
Civil war
As a relative of 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...
, Cerialis was made a hostage by 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...
in 69, during the civil wars of the Year of Four Emperors. Cerialis managed to escape disguised as a peasant and joined the Flavian army. He was one of the cavalry leaders that conquered Rome for the approaching Vespasian. His role was to enter Rome via Sabian territory along the Via Salaria.
This success and his brother-in-law's trust gave him the command of XIV Gemina
Legio XIV Gemina
Legio quarta decima Gemina was a legion of the Roman Empire, levied by Julius Caesar in late 58 B.C. The cognomen Gemina suggests that the legion resulted from fusion of two previous ones, one of them being the Fourteenth legion that fought in the Battle of Alesia, the other being the Martia ...
, then stationed in the difficult province of Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior was a Roman province located on the left bank of the Rhine, in today's Luxembourg, southern Netherlands, parts of Belgium, and North Rhine-Westphalia left of the Rhine....
. Again, Cerialis had to deal with a local revolt, the Batavian rebellion
Batavian rebellion
The Revolt of the Batavi took place in the Roman province of Germania Inferior between 69 and 70 AD. It was an uprising against Roman rule by the Batavians and other tribes in the province and in Gaul...
, in which the local tribes, led by 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....
, a romanized prince, besieged two Roman legions at Xanten. Cerialis was again successful and received honours from Vespasian.
Late career
In 71 Cerialis was appointed governor of BritainRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, bringing the II Adiutrix
Legio II Adiutrix
Legio secunda Adiutrix , was a Roman legion levied by emperor Vespasian in 70, from Roman navy marines of the classis Ravennatis. There are still records of II Adiutrix in the Rhine border in the beginning of the 4th century...
with him to the province. He was supported by Gnaeus Julius Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. His biography, the De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae, was the first published work of his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, and is the source for most of what is known about him.Born to a noted...
, commander of XX Valeria Victrix
Legio XX Valeria Victrix
Legio vigesima Valeria Victrix was a Roman legion, probably raised by Augustus some time after 31 BC. It served in Hispania, Illyricum, and Germania before participating in the invasion of Britannia in 43 AD, where it remained and was active until at least the beginning of the 4th century...
.
As governor, Cerialis campaigned against the Brigantes
Brigantes
The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England, and a significant part of the Midlands. Their kingdom is sometimes called Brigantia, and it was centred in what was later known as Yorkshire...
of northern England. In 74, Cerialis left Britain and returned to Rome as suffect consul. In 83 he was nominated consul for the second time, as a junior partner of the Emperor Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
.
According to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica "Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius 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...
says that he was a bold soldier rather than a careful general, and preferred to stake everything on the issue of a single engagement. He possessed natural eloquence of a kind that readily appealed to his soldiers. His loyalty to his superiors was unshakable."