Quintus Petillius Cerialis

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Quintus Petillius Cerialis Caesius Rufus (* around 30), usually called Petilius Cerialis (or Cerealis ) by Tacitus , was a Roman senator and general in the second half of the 1st century AD.

Live and act

His full name suggests that he came from the perhaps Umbrian family of the Caesii and was adopted by the Petillii family . Petillius Cerialis was related by marriage to the Flavian imperial family; possibly he was the husband of Flavia Domitilla , the daughter of Vespasian .

His first important task was as a legate of Legio VIIII Hispana in the province of Britain under the governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus . During this time Cerialis suffered with the Legio VIIII in the Boudicca uprising in 60/61 AD a heavy defeat against the rebellious tribes of the Iceni and Trinovanten at Camulodunum under the queen Boudicca . He had to retreat to a fortified camp with his legion's cavalry, but lost all of his foot troops. The governor Suetonius Paulinus finally managed to put down the uprising. For Petillius Cerealis, however, the defeat resulted in a delay in his office career . He was only able to hold the office of consul almost ten years later.

Since he was a family member of Vespasian, Vitellius made him his hostage in the year of the four emperors 69. Cerialis managed to escape, however, and when conquering Rome he was one of the leaders of Vespasian's cavalry. This success, as well as the trust of his relatives, gave him command of the armed forces of the Germania Inferior province in the early 70s . Once again Cerialis had to deal with a local revolt, this time with the Batavian uprising , in which regional tribes, led by Iulius Civilis , a Romanized nobleman, besieged two Roman legions in the double legion camp Vetera (near today's Xanten ). Here too, Cerialis was successful. Allegedly Cerialis refused to join a revolt against Domitian's father Vespasian.

In the year 70 he became a suffect consul for the first time.

In 71 he was appointed governor of Britain ; under him, Gnaeus Iulius Agricola served as commandant of Legio XX Valeria Victrix . Cerialis fought here against the Brigantes , a tribe in northern England. In 74 he left Britain to take up his second consulate in Rome in May (as a suffect consul with Titus Clodius Eprius Marcellus ).

Tacitus says he was more of a bold soldier than a cautious general, who preferred to put everything on one card for a specific goal. He possessed a natural eloquence that worked quickly on his soldiers. His loyalty to his superiors was unshakable.

His brother (possibly son) was Quintus Petillius Rufus, consul for the second time in 83, his son was Gaius Petillius Firmus, who was a military tribune under Vespasian.

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Remarks

  1. The full name form in a military diploma , CIL 16, 20 .
  2. The cognomen in Cassius Dio : Κερεάλιος.
  3. Tacitus, Historien 3.59.2 ; Cassius Dio 65, 18.
  4. Tacitus , Annals 14:32 ; (lat./engl.)
  5. Tacitus, Histories 3:59 .
  6. Tacitus, Historien 3.78-79 ; Cassius Dio 65, 18.
  7. Tacitus, Historien 4.68–79 ; 5.14–26-
  8. Tacitus, Histories , 4.86
  9. Tacitus, Agricola 8, 2–3 and 8 , 17 (Latin / English)
  10. CIL 16, 20 .
  11. ^ AE 1967, 355 .