03-07-2002, 03:50 PM
I've been reading Book I of Tacitus' _Annales_, particularly the account of the mutiny of the Rhine legions following Augustus' death. The account of how Germanicus handled what was obviously a confused and very dangerous situation is intriguing. Clearly, Tacitus would have us see Germanicus as the hero of the hour, saving the army from its own depravity.<br>
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But it reads like Germanicus was simply terrified, bewildered, and without a clue what to do. The legionaries had beaten up or murdered their centurions -- were sullen, unrepentant, and unafraid of reprisal. I especially like the part when he draws his sword, threatening to kill himself rather than see the legions disgraced -- and one old soldier draws his sword and says, "here, use mine, it's sharper!"<br>
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He caved in -- gave the mutineers all they demanded (most of which they well deserved anyway). Only by cynically putting his pregnant wife and child at risk was he able to retrieve anything (then, that might have been Agrippina's idea, she seems to be the brighter of the two). His greatest achievement was inspiring a bloodbath, as the "good" soldiers slaughteed the leaders of the mutineers (whom they had all been sheepishly following), just because "little boots" looked cute in his caligae.<br>
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It was not an edifying story: not for the army, for the empire, or for Germanicus.<br>
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John <p></p><i></i>
<br>
But it reads like Germanicus was simply terrified, bewildered, and without a clue what to do. The legionaries had beaten up or murdered their centurions -- were sullen, unrepentant, and unafraid of reprisal. I especially like the part when he draws his sword, threatening to kill himself rather than see the legions disgraced -- and one old soldier draws his sword and says, "here, use mine, it's sharper!"<br>
<br>
He caved in -- gave the mutineers all they demanded (most of which they well deserved anyway). Only by cynically putting his pregnant wife and child at risk was he able to retrieve anything (then, that might have been Agrippina's idea, she seems to be the brighter of the two). His greatest achievement was inspiring a bloodbath, as the "good" soldiers slaughteed the leaders of the mutineers (whom they had all been sheepishly following), just because "little boots" looked cute in his caligae.<br>
<br>
It was not an edifying story: not for the army, for the empire, or for Germanicus.<br>
<br>
John <p></p><i></i>