User:Daanschr/ Historical maps/ Civilis



Batavian Revolt

The Batavians were a Germanic tribe who were actively involved in the Roman Empire as Roman soldiers. The leader of the Batavian revolt, Gaius Julius Civilis, was a veteran in numerous Roman wars. The aim of the revolt was to gain independence from the Roman Empire.

Civilis knew a lot about the Roman tactics, so he could easily exploit Roman weaknesses. The revolt started with a trick. Instead of the Batavians starting the revolt, it were their neighbours and fellow Germanic Cananefates who revolted first under their chief Brinno in 69. The Cananefates were also heavily involved in the Roman military and experienced soldiers.

The revolt started with a successful attack of the Cananefates on the Roman fortress Praetorium Agrippinae, a few kilometres from my home. Other fortresses in the lower Rhine area, including fortress Matilo, a hundred meters from my home were quickly conquered or abandoned. The Frisians and the Chauci joined the Cananefates. The Romans retaliated by sending in legions, including the Batavians. But, the Batavians didn't attack the Cananefates. And so, the Roman troops could easily be defeated.

Subsequently attention was focused on the Roman army in the middle Rhine area in eastern Germania Inferior and Germania Superior. The Batavians got aid from Germanic tribes on the other non-Roman side of the Rhine, the related Chatti and the Usipeti. The Celtic Treveri and Lingones in Gaul joined the rebellion as well. Chief Julius Sabinus of the Lingones thought he was the grandson of Julius Caesar and claimed the Roman throne as new emperor. But, the neighbouring pro-Roman Sequani defeated him.

A major victory was the conquest of the camp Castra Vetera in middle Germania Inferior in 70. The Batavians gave up the revolt when they were left as the only enemies for the new Roman emperor Vespasian. Vespasian had defeated Vitellius in 69. The Batavian revolt ended when the Roman army was free after the fall of Jeruzalem in 70. They submitted to the Romans without a fight.