SUMMARY OF CHIEF EVENTS
| I. The Fight for the Throne. | ||
| a.d. 69. | ||
| September | Antonius surprises a Vitellian detachment at Forum Alieni. | |
| At Padua the Pannonian legions arrive. | ||
| He fortifies Verona. The Moesian legions arrive. | ||
| Caecina holds Cremona with Legs. I Italica and XXI Rapax and cavalry. | ||
| He encamps with the rest of his force near Hostilia on the Tartaro. | ||
| Valens dawdles northward with three praetorian cohorts. | ||
| October | The fleet at Ravenna declares for Vespasian. | |
| Caecina attempts treachery and is imprisoned by his army, which starts on a forced march to Cremona. | ||
| Antonius starts from Verona to intercept them. | ||
| 27. | Second Battle of Bedriacum. Legs. I Italica and XXI Rapax sally from Cremona and are driven back by Antonius. | |
| The six legions from Hostilia reach Cremona. | ||
| The united Vitellian army makes a night sally from Cremona and is defeated. | ||
| 28. | Sack of Cremona. | |
| Surrender of Vitellian army. | ||
| November | Valens, having reached Ariminum, flies to Monaco, and is captured in the Stoechades Islands. | |
| Spain, Gaul, and Britain declare for Vespasian. | ||
| Antonius advances via Ariminum to Fanum Fortunae. | ||
| Vitellius holds the Apennines at Mevania with fourteen praetorian cohorts, a new legion of marines, and cavalry. | ||
| Mutiny of the fleet at Misenum. Tarracina seized. | ||
| Vitellius returns to Rome with seven cohorts and part of the cavalry. | ||
| The remaining cohorts are moved back from Mevania to Narnia. | ||
| L. Vitellius with six cohorts and cavalry besieges Tarracina. | ||
| December | Antonius crosses the Apennines and halts at Carsulae. | |
| Varus wins a cavalry skirmish at Interamna. | ||
| Valens beheaded at Urbino: his head flung into camp at Narnia. | ||
| Surrender of Vitellians at Narnia. | ||
| Antonius marches as far as Ocriculum, sending Cerialis forward to Rome with 1,000 cavalry. | ||
| 17. | Vitellius, wishing to abdicate, is prevented by troops and mob. | |
| 18. | They besiege Flavius Sabinus in the Capitol. | |
| 19. | Capitol stormed. Temple of Jupiter burnt. | |
| Sabinus caught and killed. | ||
| L. Vitellius takes Tarracina. | ||
| 20. | Cerialis defeated outside Rome. | |
| Antonius makes a forced march along Via Flaminia. | ||
| 21. | Capture of Rome. Murder of Vitellius. Domitian installed as 'Caesar'. | |
| a.d. 70. | ||
| January | L. Vitellius surrenders in Campania. Mucianus arrives in Rome as regent. | |
| II. The Rebellion on the Rhine | ||
| a.d. 69. | ||
| Autumn | Revolt of Civilis and Batavians, at first ostensibly in support of Vespasian. | |
| Revolt supported by Canninefates, Frisii, Marsaci, Cugerni. | ||
| Civilis routs Gallic auxiliaries and captures the Rhine flotilla in 'The Island'. | ||
| Munius Lupercus advances from Vetera with remnant of Legs. V Alaudae and XV Primigenia, supported by Ubian, Treviran, and Batavian auxiliaries. | ||
| Civilis drives him back into Vetera. | ||
| The eight Batavian cohorts at Mainz march off to join Civilis, and defeat Leg. I Germanica at Bonn. | ||
| Bructeri and Tencteri join revolt. | ||
| Civilis blockades Vetera. | ||
| Vocula advances to relieve Vetera with detachments of Legs. IV Macedonica, XXII Primigenia, and I Germanica. | ||
| Vocula encamps at Gelduba. Flaccus makes head-quarters at Novaesium. | ||
| Civilis' assault on Vetera repulsed. | ||
| Vocula with difficulty repulses attack on Gelduba. | ||
| Relief of Vetera. Vocula then retires to Novaesium. | ||
| Civilis takes Gelduba and wins skirmish outside Novaesium. | ||
| Mutiny in Novaesium. Flaccus murdered. | ||
| Civilis renews blockade of Vetera. | ||
| Chatti, Mattiaci, and Usipi threaten Mainz. | ||
| Vocula relieves Mainz and winters there. | ||
| a.d. 70. | ||
| January (?) | Revolt of Gallic tribes, Ubii, Tungri, Treviri, Lingones, headed by Classicus, Tutor, and Sabinus. | |
| Vocula advances to save Vetera, but is driven back to Novaesium by mutiny of Gallic auxiliaries, and there murdered. | ||
| His army swears allegiance to 'Empire of Gaul'. | ||
| Tutor takes Cologne and Mainz. | ||
| Vetera surrenders to Classicus. Garrison massacred. | ||
| The Baetasii, Nervii, and Tungri join revolt. | ||
| Spring | Mucianus and Domitian start from Rome with reinforcements. | |
| Cerialis, with Legs. XXI Rapax and II Adjutrix, is to operate on Lower Rhine. | ||
| Annius Gallus, with Legs. VII Claudia, VIII Augusta, XI Claudia, is to operate on Upper Rhine. | ||
| The Sequani, still loyal, defeat Sabinus and Lingones. | ||
| The Remi, also loyal, summon a Gallic Council, which votes for peace, but the Treviri and Lingones hold out under Classicus, Tutor, and Valentinus. | ||
| The Roman mutineers return to their allegiance. | ||
| Summer | Sextilius Felix routs Tutor near Bingen. Cerialis defeats Valentinus and occupies Trier. | |
| The Germans surprise the Romans in Trier, but Cerialis drives them out and storms their camp. | ||
| Massacre of Germans at Cologne. Cohort of Chauci and Frisii entrapped and burnt. | ||
| Leg. XIV Gemina arrives from Britain and receives submission of Nervii and Tungri. | ||
| Legs. I Adjutrix and VI Victrix arrive from Spain. | ||
| Autumn | Civilis defeats Cerialis near Vetera, but is routed on the next day and retires into The Island. | |
| Hard fighting on the Waal. | ||
| Germans capture Roman flotilla. | ||
| Civilis retires northwards over the Rhine. | ||
| Cerialis occupies The Island. | ||
| Civilis makes overtures of peace. |
Note
The text followed is that of C.D. Fisher (Oxford Classical Texts). Departures from it are mentioned in the notes.
