The Germany and the Agricola of Tacitus
and victory among the Romans, is affixed to letters, and to the spears
and javelins of the soldiers." The _laurus_ of the ancients was probably
the baytree, and not what we now call laurel.
[89] _Ascire_, al. _accire_, "To receive into regular service." The
reference is to the transfer of soldiers from the supernumeraries to
the legions. So Walch, followed by Dronke, Both, and Walther. The next
clause implies, that he took care to receive into the service none but
the best men (_optimum quemque_), who, he was confident, would prove
faithful (_fidelissimum_).
[90] In like manner Suetonius says of Julius Caesar, "He neither noticed
nor punished every crime; but while he strictly inquired into and
rigorously punished desertion and mutiny, he connived at other
delinquencies."--Life of Julius Caesar, s. 67.
[91] Many commentators propose reading "exaction," instead of
"augmentation." But the latter may be suffered to remain, especially as
Suetonius informs us that "Vespasian, not contented with renewing some
taxes remitted under Galba, added new and heavy ones: and augmented the
tributes paid by the provinces, even doubling some."--Life of Vesp. s.
19.
[92] In the year of Rome 832. A.D. 79.
[93] Many vestiges of these or other Roman camps yet remain in different
parts of Great Britain. Two principal ones, in the county of Annandale,
in Scotland, called Burnswork and Middleby, are described at large by
Gordon in his Itiner. Septentrion, pp. 16, 18.
[94] The year of Rome 833, A.D. 80.
[95] Now the Firth of Tay.
[96] The principal of these was at Ardoch, seated so as to command the
entrance into two valleys, Strathallan and Strathearn. A description
and plan of its remains, still in good preservation, are given by Mr.
Pennant in his Tour in Scotland in 1772, part ii. p. 101.
[97] The year of Rome 834, A.D. 81.
[98] The Firths of Clyde and Forth.
[99] The neck of land between these opposite arms of the sea is only
about thirty miles over. About fifty-five years after Agricola had left
the island, Lollius Urbicus, governor of Britain under Antoninus Pius,
erected a vast wall or rampart, extending from Old Kirkpatrick on the
Clyde, to Caeridden, two miles west of Abercorn, on the Forth, a space
of nearly thirty-seven miles, defended by twelve or thirteen forts.
These are supposed to have been on the site of those of Agricola. This
wall is usually called Graham's dike; and some parts of it are now
subsisting.
[100] The year of Rome 835, A.D. 82.
[101] Crossing the Firth of Clyde, or Dumbarton Bay, and turning to the
western coast of Argyleshire, or the Isles of Arran and Bute.
[102] The Bay of Biscay.
[103] The Mediterranean.
[104] The year of Rome 836, A.D. 83.
[105] The eastern parts of Scotland, north of the Firth of Forth, where
now are the counties of Fife, Kinross, Perth, Angus, &c.
[106] This legion, which had been weakened by many engagements, was
afterwards recruited, and then called Gemina. Its station at this affair
is supposed by Gordon to have been Lochore in Fifeshire. Mr. Pennant
rather imagines the place of the attack to have been Comerie in
Perthshire.
[107] For an account of these people see Manners of the Germans, c. 32.
[108] Mr. Pennant had a present made him in Skye, of a brass sword and a
denarius found in that island. Might they not have been lost by some of
these people in one of their landings?
[109] The Rhine.
[110] This extraordinary expedition, according to Dio, set out from the
western side of the island. They therefore must have coasted all that
part of Scotland, must have passed the intricate navigation through the
Hebrides, and the dangerous strait of Pentland Firth, and, after coming
round to the eastern side, must have been driven to the mouth of the
Baltic Sea, Here they lost their ships; and, in their attempt to proceed
homeward by land, were seized as pirates, part by the Suevi, and the
rest by the Frisii.
[111] The year of Rome 837, A.D. 84.
[112] The scene of this celebrated engagement is by Gordon (Itin.
Septent.) supposed to be in Strathern, near a place now called the
Kirk of Comerie, where are the remains of two Roman camps. Mr. Pennant,
however, in his Tour in 1772, part ii. p. 96, gives reasons which appear
well founded for dissenting from Gordon's opinion.
[113] The more usual spelling of this name is Galgacus; but the other is
preferred as of better authority.
[114] "Peace given to the world" is a very frequent inscription on the
Roman medals.
[115] It was the Roman policy to send the recruits raised in the
provinces to some distant country, for fear of their desertion or
revolt.
[116] How much this was the fate of the Romans themselves, when, in
the decline of the empire, they were obliged to pay tribute to the
surrounding barbarians, is shown in lively colors by Salvian:--"We call
that a gift which is a purchase, and a purchase of a condition the most
hard and miserable. For all captives, when they are once redeemed,
enjoy their liberty: we are continually paying a ransom, yet are never
free."--De Gubern. Dei, vi.
[118] The expedition of Claudius into Britain was in the year of Rome
796, from which to the period of this engagement only forty-two years
were elapsed. The number fifty therefore is given oratorically rather
than accurately.
[119] The Latin word used here, _covinarius_, signifies the driver of
a _covinus_, or chariot, the axle of which was bent into the form of
a scythe. The British manner of fighting from chariots is particularly
described by Caesar, who gives them the name of _esseda_:--"The
following is the manner of fighting from _essedae_: They first drive
round with them to all parts of the line, throwing their javelins, and
generally disordering the ranks by the very alarm occasioned by the
horses, and the rattling of the wheels: then, as soon as they have
insinuated themselves between the troops of horse, they leap from their
chariots and fight on foot. The drivers then withdraw a little from the
battle, in order that, if their friends are overpowered by numbers,
they may have a secure retreat to the chariots. Thus they act with
the celerity of horse, and the stability of foot; and by daily use and
exercise they acquire the power of holding up their horses at full speed
down a steep declivity, of stopping them suddenly, and turning in a
short compass; and they accustom themselves to run upon the pole, and
stand on the cross-tree, and from thence with great agility to recover
their place in the chariot."--Bell. Gall. iv. 33.
[120] These targets, called _cetrae_, in the Latin, were made of
leather. The broad sword and target were till very lately the peculiar
arms of the Highlanders.
[121] Several inscriptions have been found in Britain commemorating the
Tungrian cohorts.
[122] The great conciseness of Tacitus has rendered the description of
this battle somewhat obscure. The following, however, seems to have been
the general course of occurrences in it:--The foot on both sides began
the engagement. The first line of the Britons which was formed on the
plain being broken, the Roman auxiliaries advanced up the hill after
them. In the meantime the Roman horse in the wings, unable to withstand
the shock of the chariots, gave way, and were pursued by the British
chariots and horse, which then fell in among the Roman infantry, These,
who at first had relaxed their files to prevent their being out-fronted,
now closed, in order better to resist the enemy, who by this means were
unable to penetrate them. The chariots and horse, therefore, became
entangled amidst the inequalities of the ground, and the thick ranks
of the Romans; and, no longer able to wheel and career as upon the open
plain, gave not the least appearance of an equestrian skirmish: but,
keeping their footing with difficulty on the declivity, were pushed off,
and scattered in disorder over the field.
[123] People of Fifeshire.
[124] Where this was does not appear. Brotier calls it Sandwich, making
it the same as _Rutupium_: others Plymouth or Portsmouth. It is clear,
however, this cannot be the case, from the subsequent words.--_White_.
[125] This circumnavigation was in a contrary direction to that of the
Usipian deserters, the fleet setting out from the Firth of Tay on the
eastern coast, and sailing round the northern, western, and southern
coasts, till it arrived at the port of Sandwich in Kent. After staying
here some time to refit, it went to its former station, in the Firth of
Forth, or Tay.
[126] It was in this same year that Domitian made his pompous expedition
into Germany, from whence he returned without ever seeing the enemy.
[127] Caligula in like manner got a number of tall men with their hair
dyed red to give credit to a pretended victory over the Germans.
[128] Thus Pliny, in his Panegyric on Trajan, xlviii., represents
Domitian as "ever affecting darkness and secrecy, and never emerging
from his solitude but in order to make a solitude."
[129] Not the triumph itself, which, after the year of Rome 740 was no
longer granted to private persons, but reserved for the imperial family.
This new piece of adulation was invented by Agrippa in order to gratify
Augustus. The "triumphal ornaments" which were still bestowed, were a
peculiar garment, statue, and other insignia which had distinguished the
person of the triumphing general.
[130] Of Dover.
[131] Domitian, it seems, was afraid that Agricola might refuse to obey
the recall he forwarded to him, and even maintain his post by force. He
therefore despatched one of his confidential freedmen with an autograph
letter, wherein he was informed Syria was given to him as his province.
This, however, was a mere ruse: and hence it was not to be delivered
as Agricola had already set out on his return. In compliance with these
instructions, the freedman returned at once to Domitian, when he found
Agricola on his passage to Rome According to Dion (liii.), the emperor's
lieutenants were required to leave their province immediately upon
the arrival of their successor, and return to Rome within three
months.--_White_.
[132] Agricola's successor in Britain appears to have been Sallustius
Lucullus, who, as Suetonius informs us, was put to death by Domitian
because he, permitted certain lances of a new construction to be palled
Lucullean.--Life of Domitian, s. 10.
[133] Of this worst kind of enemies, who praise a man in order to render
him obnoxious, the emperor Julian, who had himself suffered greatly by
them, speaks feelingly in his 12th epistle to Basilius;--"For we live
together not in that state of dissimulation, which, I imagine, you have
hitherto experienced: in which those who praise you, hate you with a
more confirmed aversion than your most inveterate enemies."
[134] These calamitous events are recorded by Suetonius in his Life of
Domitian.
[135] The Rhine and Danube.
[136] The two senior consulars cast lots for the government of Asia and
Africa.
[137] Suetonius relates that Civica Cerealis was put to death in his
proconsulate of Asia, on the charge of meditating a revolt. (Life of
Domitian, s. 10.)
[138] Obliging persons to return thanks for an injury was a refinement
in tyranny frequently practised by the worst of the Roman emperors. Thus
Seneca informs us, that "Caligula was thanked by those whose children
had been put to death, and whose property had been confiscated." (De
Tranquil, xiv.) And again;--"The reply of a person who had grown old in
his attendance on kings, when he was asked how he had attained a thing
so uncommon in courts as old age? is well known. It was, said he, by
receiving injuries, and returning thanks."--De Ira, ii. 33.
[139] From a passage in Dio, lxxviii. p. 899, this sum appears to have