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Claudius Civilis

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CIVILIS, CLAUDIUS, or more correctly IULIUS, a Bata vian leader of the German revolt against Rome (A.D. 6g-7o). He had served as a Roman auxiliary. During the disturbances that fol lowed the death of Nero, he induced the Batavi to rebel, under the pretence of assisting Vespasian. The neighbouring Germans joined the revolt. The Roman garrisons near the Rhine were driven out, and 24 ships captured. Two legions were blockaded in Castra Vetera (near the modern Xanten), and the survivors were finally massacred. Eight cohorts of Batavian veterans joined their countrymen, and the troops sent by Vespasian to the relief of Vetera threw in their lot with them. The result of these acces sions to the forces of Civilis was a rising in Gaul. The Roman generals were murdered (A.D. 7o), and the whole of the Roman forces were induced by two commanders of the Gallic auxiliaries (Julius Classicus and Julius Tutor) to revolt from Rome and join Civilis. Most of Gaul declared itself independent, and the founda tion of an empire of the Gauls was contemplated. Vespasian resolved to take strong measures for the suppression of the revolt. The arrival of Petillius Cerialis with a strong force awed the Gauls and mutinous troops into submission; Civilis was defeated at Augusta Treverorum (Trier, Treves) and Vetera, and forced to withdraw to the island of the Batavians. He finally came to an agreement with Cerialis whereby his countrymen obtained certain advantages, and resumed amicable relations with Rome. From this time Civilis disappears from history.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-The

chief authority for the history of the insurBibliography.-The chief authority for the history of the insur- rection is Tacitus, Histories, iv., v., whose account breaks off at the beginning of Civilis's speech to Cerialis; also Josephus, Bellum Judaicum, vii. 4. See also Merivale, Hist, of the Romans under the Empire, ch. 58; H. Schiller, Geschichte der romischen Kaiserzeit, bk. ii. ch. 2. § 54 (1883) ; B. Henderson, Civil War and Rebellion in the Roman Empire (1908) ; Mommsen, Provinces of the Roman Empire (ch. iv.) , trans. Dickson (1909).

roman, empire and revolt