The Battle of Bedriacum refers to two battles fought during the Year of the four emperors (69) near the village of Bedriacum (now Calvatone), about twenty miles from the town of Cremona in northern Italy. The Year of the Four Emperors was a year in the history of the Roman Empire, AD 69 in which four emperors ruled in a remarkable succession 69 (sex position & book by Ryu Murakami are -- already linked by "" with other meanings Calvatone is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km southeast of Calvatone is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km southeast of Cremonese redirects here For the football team see US Cremonese Cremona is a City in northern Italy, situated Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The fighting in fact took place between Bedriacum and Cremona, and the battles are sometimes called "First Cremona" and "Second Cremona".
First Battle of Bedriacum
Marcus Salvius Otho, with the support and aid of the Praetorian Guard, had his predecessor Galba murdered in January and claimed the throne for himself. For other uses see Otho (disambiguation. Marcus Salvius Otho ( April 25, 32 – April 16, 69) also called Marcus The Praetorian Guard ( Latin: PRÆTORIANI was a special force of Guards used by Roman Emperors Before being appropriated Servius Sulpicius Galba ( December 24, 3 BC &ndash January 15, 69) also called Servius Sulpicius Galba Caesar However, legate Aulus Vitellius, governor of the province of Germania Inferior, had also claimed the throne earlier in the month and marched on Rome with his troops. Aulus Vitellius Germanicus, born Aulus Vitellius and commonly known as Vitellius ( 24 September, 15 &ndash 22 December, 69 Germania Inferior was a Roman province located on the left bank of the Rhine, in today's southern and western Netherlands, parts of Vitellius' forces were divided into two armies, one commanded by Aulus Caecina Alienus and the other by Fabius Valens. Aulus Caecina Alienus, Roman general was Quaestor of Hispania Baetica (southern Iberia) in AD 68. Fabius Valens of Anagnia (d 69 was a Roman commander favoured by Nero. The Vitellian forces included legions XXI Rapax, V Alaudae and powerful vexillationes from all the other legions stationed on the Rhine, together with a strong force of Batavian auxiliaries, a force of around 70,000 in total. Legio XXI Rapax, the predator, was a Roman legion levied in 31 BC by Augustus, probably from men previously enlisted in other legions Legio V Alaudae, the Larks ' sometimes known as Gallica, was levied by Julius Caesar in 52 BC from native Gauls A vexillatio (plural vexillationes) was a detachment of a Roman legion formed as a temporary task force created by the Roman Army of the The Batavians ( Latin Batavi) were a Germanic tribe originally part of the Chatti, reported by Tacitus to The forces commanded by Caecina crossed the Alps by the Great St. Bernard Pass to reach northern Italy. Great St Bernard Pass ( Fr Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard, It Colle del Gran San Bernardo) is the most ancient pass through They attacked Placentia but were repulsed by the Othonian garrison and fell back on Cremona to await the arrival of Valens' army.
Otho left Rome on the March 14, and marched north to meet the challenge, leaving his brother Titianus in charge of Rome. He made his base at Brixellum. Brescello is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Reggio Emilia in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 80 km northwest His forces included legions I Adiutrix, XIII Gemina, a forward detachment of XIIII Gemina, the Praetorian Guard and a force of gladiators. Legio I Adiutrix (Latin pronuciation prima adiútrix, " assistant first" was a Roman legion formed in 68, possibly by Legio XIII, known after 31 BC as Gemina (the "twin legion" is one of the more historically remarkable Roman legions. Gladiators (gladiatores "swordsmen" or "one who uses a sword" from la ''gladius'' "sword" were professional fighters in Ancient Rome who fought His general staff included generals such as Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, who, as governor of Britain, had defeated Boudica eight years before, but Otho decided to call his brother Titianus from Rome to act as his commander in chief. Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, also spelled Paullinus, (flourished 1st century) was a Roman general Boudica (also spelled Boudicca, formerly known as Boadicea, and known in Welsh culture and legends as "Buddug" (d
Before Titianus arrived, one engagement had already been fought. Caecina tried to set up an ambush at a village called Locus Castrorum, about half way between Bedriacum and Cremona on the Via Postumia. The Via Postumia was an ancient highroad of northern Italy constructed in 148 BC by the Consul Spurius Postumius Albinus. However the Othonians were informed of this, and their army marched for Locus Castrorum, led by Suetonius Paulinus. The Othonians had the better of the fighting which followed, and Caecina's troops retreated to Cremona. Here they were joined by Valens' army, which had followed a longer route through Gaul. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western
Titanius had now joined the Othonian armies and took command. It was decided to march on Cremona to give battle, against the advice of Paulinus and other generals, who wished to wait until other legions, known to be on the way, had arrived. Otho himself remained at Brixellum to await the outcome. On 14 April the two armies met on the Via Postunia, nearer Cremona than Bedriacum, with the Othonian troops already tired after a long march. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Some of the heaviest fighting was where Otho's 1st Adiutrix legion, recently raised from the marines at Ravenna, clashed with Vitellius' veteran Rapax. Ravenna is a City and Comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The Adiutrix acquitted itself well, capturing the eagle of the 21st, though its commanding officer was killed as the 21st strove to recover it. Elsewhere on the battlefield, however, Otho's 13th legion was defeated by Vitellius' Alaudae, and the Adiutrix eventually gave way when a force of Batavian auxiliaries took them in the flank. According to Dio Cassius about 40,000 men were killed in the fighting. Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus ( Greek:) (c 155 or 163/164 to after 229 known in English as Cassius Dio, Dio Cassius, or Dio was The Othonian troops fled back to their camp in Bedriacum, and the next day surrendered to the Vitellian forces and took the oath of allegiance to Vitellius.
When news of the defeat was brought to Brixellum, many of Otho's troops urged him to fight on, pointing out that more troops were on the way. Otho however decided to commit suicide rather than cause more deaths. He had been emperor for less than three months. Vitellius continued his march on Rome, where he made a triumphal entry and was recognized as emperor by the Senate.
Second Battle of Bedriacum
Meanwhile, the legions stationed in the Middle East provinces of Iudaea and Syria had acclaimed Vespasian as emperor. Kingdom of Judea redirects here For the 10th-6th century BCE kingdom see Kingdom of Judah Iudaea ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Syria was a Roman province, conquered in 64 BC by Pompey, as a consequence of his military presence after pursing victory in the Third Mithridatic Titus Flavius Vespasianus, commonly known as Vespasian ( November 17 9 &ndash June 23 79) was a Roman Emperor who Vespasian had been given a special command in Iudaea by Nero in 67 with the task of putting down the Great Jewish Revolt. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Year 67 was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. He gained the support of the governor of Syria, Gaius Licinius Mucianus and a strong force drawn from the Judaean and Syrian legions marched on Rome under the command of Mucianus. Gaius Licinius Mucianus (fl 1st century AD was a general statesman and writer of Ancient Rome.
Before the eastern legions could reach Rome, the Danubian legions of the provinces of Raetia and Moesia also acclaimed Vespasian as Emperor in August. Raetia (so always in inscriptions classical manuscripts usually use the form Rhaetia) was a province of the Roman Empire, bounded on the west by the country Moesia (Μοισία Moisía; Мизия Miziya; Moesia Мезија Mezija) was an ancient region and Roman province situated in the Three of these legions, III Gallica, VIII Augusta and VII Claudia had been on their way to support Otho when they heard of his defeat at the first battle of Bedriacum. Legio III Gallica was a Roman legion levied by Julius Caesar around 49 BC, for his civil war against the conservative republicans Legio VIII Augusta was a Roman legion created by Julius Caesar and continuing in service to Rome for at least 400 years thereafter Legio VII Claudia Pia Fidelis ( faithful and loyal Claudian legion) was a Roman legion. They had been made to swear allegiance to Vitellius, but when they heard of Vespasian's bid for power they switched their support to him. They persuaded the other two legions, VII Galbiana and XIII Gemina to join them, which the thirteenth Gemina did all the more readily as they were one of the legions which had been defeated at First Bedriacum, and had been made to build amphitheatres for Valens and Caecina as punishment. Legio VII Gemina ( Twin) was a Roman legion; its full name was Legio VII Gemina Felix. Led by the commanding officer of the seventh Galbiana, Marcus Antonius Primus, they marched on Rome, and having a shorter distance to march reached Italy before Mucianus' troops. Marcus Antonius Primus ( 30 / 35 -after 81) was a Roman Empire general
When Vitellius heard of Antonius' approach, he dispatched Caecina with a powerful army composed of XXI Rapax, V Alaudae, I Italica and XXII Primigenia together with detachments from seven other legions and a force of auxiliaries. Legio I Italica (Latin pronuciation prima itálica, the "Italian First" was a Roman legion levied by emperor Nero on Legio XXII Primigenia (devoted to goddess Fortuna) was a Roman legion levied by Roman Emperor Caligula in 39, for his campaigns The first of Antonius' legions had arrived at Verona, but though urged to attack them before the remainder of the army arrived, Caecina declined to do so. Verona is a city and provincial capital in Veneto, Northern Italy. Caecina had been plotting with Lucilius Bassus, commander of the fleet at Ravenna, to switch their support to Vespasian. The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state His troops refused to follow his lead however, and put him in chains. Valens, who had been delayed by illness, had by now set out from Rome.
Caecina's army, now without their general, advanced on Cremona. Antonius was now based at Bedriacum, and advanced towards Cremona with a force of cavalry. They encountered the vanguard of the Vitellian army between Bedriacum and Cremona on the 24 October and a battle followed, with Antonius sending back to Bedriacum for the legions. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Antonius' troops had the better of the fighting, and the Vitellian troops retreated to their camp outside Cremona.
Antonius' forces advanced along the Via Postuma towards Cremona. They were opposed by a powerful Vitellian army, who had been reinforced by other legions including legion IIII Macedonica, but were still without a commander as Valens had not yet arrived. By now night had fallen and the battle continued through the hours of darkness. The seventh Galbiana, Antonius' own legion, suffered heavy casualties and lost its eagle for a while, though one of its centurions later sacrificed his own life to win it back. Eventually Antonius' forces began to gain the upper hand, and the turning point came when dawn broke. Antonius' third Gallica had served in Syria for many years and while there had adopted a local custom. As the sun rose they turned to the east to salute it, and this was misinterpreted by the Vitellian forces who thought that they were greeting reinforcements from the east and lost heart. The Vitellian forces were driven back into their camp, which was taken by Antonius' forces. Antonius then attacked Cremona itself, which surrendered. Cremona was burned by the victorious troops.
Antonius continued to Rome, where Vitellius was taken prisoner and shortly afterwards killed. The way was thus cleared for Vespasian to ascend the throne near the end of this bloody year of crisis.
References
- The Encyclopedia Of Military History: From 3500 B. C. To The Present. (2nd Revised Edition 1986), R. Ernest Dupuy, and Trevor N. Dupuy. pp. 127-128
- P. A. L. Greenhalgh The Year of the Four Emperors (Weidenfeld and Nicolson,1975)
- Michael Grant The twelve Caesars (Weidenfeld and Nicolson,1975)
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