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Sunday, August 15, 2010 - 4:11 PM
The emperor on hearing of the death of his representative appointed
Aulus Didius in his place, that the province might not be left without
a governor. Didius, though he quickly arrived, found matters far from prosperous,
for the legion under the command of Manlius Valens had meanwhile been defeated,
and the disaster had been exaggerated by the enemy to alarm the new general,
while he again magnified it, that he might win the more glory by quelling
the movement or have a fairer excuse if it lasted. This loss too had been
inflicted on us by the Silures, and they were scouring the country far
and wide, till Didius hurried up and dispersed them. After the capture
of Caractacus, Venutius of the Brigantes, as I have already mentioned,
was pre-eminent in military skill; he had long been loyal to Rome and had
been defended by our arms while he was united in marriage to the queen
Cartismandua. Subsequently a quarrel broke out between them, followed instantly
by war, and he then assumed a hostile attitude also towards us. At first,
however, they simply fought against each other, and Cartismandua by cunning
stratagems captured the brothers and kinsfolk of Venutius. This enraged
the enemy, who were stung with shame at the prospect of falling under the
dominion of a woman. The flower of their youth, picked out for war, invaded
her kingdom. This we had foreseen; some cohorts were sent to her aid and
a sharp contest followed, which was at first doubtful but had a satisfactory
termination.
The legion under the command Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire fought with a similar
result. For Didius, burdened with years and covered with honours, was content
with acting through his officers and merely holding back the enemy. These
transactions, though occurring under two propraetors, and occupying several
years, I have closely connected, lest, if related separately, they might
be less easily remembered. I now return to the chronological
order.
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