Accordingly neither the
Treveri, the Lingones, nor the other revolted States, took measures at all
proportioned to the magnitude of the peril they had incurred. Even their
generals did not act in concert. Civilis was traversing the pathless wilds
of the Belgæ in attempting to capture Claudius Labeo, or to drive him
out of the country. Classicus for the most part wasted his time in indolent
repose, as if he had only to enjoy an empire already won. Even Tutor made no
haste to occupy with troops the upper bank of the
Rhine and the passes of the Alps. Meanwhile the 21st legion, by way of
Vindonissa, and Sextilius Felix with the auxiliary
infantry, by way of
Rhætia, penetrated into
the province. They were joined by the Singularian Horse, which had been
raised some time before by Vitellius, and had afterwards gone over to the
side of Vespasian. Their commanding officer was Julius Briganticus. He was
sister's son to Civilis, and he was hated by his uncle and hated him in
return with all the extreme bitterness of a family feud. Tutor, having
augmented the army of the Treveri with fresh levies from the Vangiones, the
Cæracates, and the Triboci, strengthened it with a force of veteran
infantry and cavalry, men from the legions whom he had either corrupted by
promises or overborne by intimidation. Their first act was to cut to pieces
a cohort, which had been sent on in advance by Sextilius Felix; soon
afterwards, however, on the approach of the Roman generals at the head of
their army, they returned to their duty by an act of honourable desertion,
and the Triboci, Vangiones, and Cæracates, followed their example.
Avoiding
Mogontiacum, Tutor retired with the Treveri
to
Bingium, trusting to the strength of the
position, as he had broken down the bridge over the river Nava. A sudden attack, however, was made by the infantry
under the command of Sextilius; a ford was discovered, and he found himself
betrayed and routed. The Treveri were panic-stricken by this disaster, and
the common people threw down their arms, and dispersed themselves through
the country. Some of the chiefs, anxious to seem the first to cease from
hostilities, fled to those States which had not renounced the Roman
alliance. The legions, which had been removed, as I have before related,
from Novesium and
Bonna to
the ter-
ritory of the Treveri, voluntarily swore allegiance to
Vespasian. These proceedings took place in the absence of Valentinus. When
he returned, full of fury and bent on again throwing everything into
confusion and ruin, the legions withdrew to the Mediomatrici, a people in
alliance with
Rome. Valentinus and Tutor again
involved the Treveri in war, and murdered the two legates, Herennius and
Numisius, that by diminishing the hope of pardon they might strengthen the
bond of crime.