Vespasian Welcomed at Rome

Titus Caesar received the news about his father: every city in Italy had longed for his coming, and Rome above all had welcomed him with great eagerness and splendor. Freed in the most pleasant way from his anxiety on his father's account, Titus gave himself over to great joy and celebration. For while Vespasian was still far away, all the people of Italy were already honoring him in their minds as though he had come. They wanted him so much that they took their expectation for his arrival, and the goodwill they bore him was entirely free and unforced. The senate, remembering the disasters that had come with the recent changes of rulers, longed to receive a ruler adorned with the dignity of age and at the height of his achievements in war, one whose supremacy, they knew, would serve nothing but the safety of those he governed. The common people, worn down by the miseries of civil war, were still more eager for him to come. They supposed they would at last be firmly rid of their troubles, and they trusted they would get back their security along with prosperity. The soldiers looked to him above all. They knew better than anyone the greatness of the wars he had won, and having experienced the inexperience and cowardice of other commanders, they longed to be rid of the great shame those men had brought on them, and prayed to receive the one man able both to save them and to bring them honor. [a]

With such goodwill on every side, the men of high rank could not bear to wait, and hurried to meet him as far from Rome as they could. Nor could any of the rest endure the delay of seeing him. They poured out of the city in such crowds, and everyone found it so much easier and pleasanter to go than to stay, that for the first time the city itself felt what it was to be nearly empty, for those who stayed were fewer than those who went. When word came that he was drawing near, and those who had met him reported how kindly he received each of them, the whole remaining multitude, with their wives and children, waited for him along the roads. Wherever he passed, the people, delighted at the sight of him and the gentleness of his face, raised every kind of cry, calling him their Benefactor and Savior and the only ruler worthy of Rome. The whole city was like a temple, full of garlands and incense. He could barely reach the palace for the crowds standing around him. There he offered sacrifices of thanksgiving for his return to the gods of his household, and he urged the crowds to feast. They held their banquets by tribes, families, and neighborhoods, and as they poured out drink offerings they prayed to God that Vespasian himself might remain at the head of the Roman government for a very long time, and that the power might be kept unchallenged for his sons and for their descendants after them. So the city of Rome received Vespasian with eagerness, and at once began to advance into great prosperity.

Before this, while Vespasian was at Alexandria and Titus was pressing the siege of Jerusalem, a large part of the Germans was stirred to revolt. Most of the Gauls joined in their plans, and together they built up great hopes that they would be rid of Roman rule. What drove the Germans to take up revolt and bring on the war was, first, their nature, which lacks sound judgment and is ready to throw itself into danger on slight hope. Second was their hatred of their masters, since their people know of no one but the Romans who has ever forced them into subjection. Above all, though, it was the moment that gave them courage. They saw the Roman empire thrown into disorder within by the constant changes of its emperors, and they heard that every part of the world under Rome was unsettled and shaking. They thought the troubles and factions of the Romans had handed them the best opportunity they could have. Two of their leaders, Classicus and Vitillus, urged the plan on and puffed them up with these hopes. These men had plainly been eager for such an upheaval for a long time, and now the moment emboldened them to declare their intentions; and they were about to put the attempt to masses who were already willing. A great part of the Germans had already agreed to revolt, and the rest felt no differently, when Vespasian, as if guided by divine providence, sent letters to Petilius Cerealis, who had formerly commanded in Germany, granting him the rank of consul and ordering him to go and govern Britain. Cerealis set out for his post, and on learning of the German revolt, he fell on them when they had already gathered, drew up his army, killed a great number of them in the battle, and forced them to give up their madness and come to their senses. [c]

Even if he had not reached the region so quickly, they would have been punished before long. As soon as news of their revolt reached Rome, Domitian Caesar heard it, and he did not shrink, as another man of his age would have, from taking on so great an undertaking, though he was still very young. He had courage in his nature from his father, and training more advanced than his years, and he marched against the barbarians at once. At the mere report of his approach their spirits collapsed. They surrendered to him, counting it a great gain from their fear to be brought back under the same yoke without further disaster. So Domitian gave all the affairs of Gaul their proper order, so that the region would not easily be thrown into disorder again, and returned to Rome in splendor, admired by all for achievements beyond his years but worthy of his father.

At the same time as the German revolt just described, the Scythians made a bold attack on the Romans. The Scythians called Sarmatians, a very numerous people, crossed the Danube to the Roman side unnoticed. They fell on the Romans with great violence, all the more dangerous because their attack was wholly unexpected, and killed many of the Romans guarding the frontier. They also killed the consular legate Fonteius Agrippa, who came out to meet them and fought hard, and then they overran the whole country under him, plundering whatever they came upon. When Vespasian learned what had happened and how Moesia had been laid waste, he sent Rubrius Gallus to punish the Sarmatians. Many of them died in the battles he fought, and the survivors fled in fear to their own country. Having brought the war to an end, the general also provided for the security of the future. He held the region with more and larger garrisons, so that crossing became altogether impossible for the barbarians. So the war in Moesia came to a quick end. [h]