HumanitiesWeb.org - Roman History Roman History - Book XVI. (XI. Julian attacks the Allemanni in the islands of the Rhine in which they had taken refuge, and repairs the fort of Saverne.) by Ammianus Marcellinus
Roman History Roman History - Book XVI. XI. Julian attacks the Allemanni in the islands of the Rhine in which they had taken refuge, and repairs the fort of Saverne.
by Ammianus Marcellinus
A.D. 357.
But Julian, having
passed his winter at Sens, amid continual disturbance, in the ninth consulship
of the emperor, and his own second, while the threats of the Germans were raging
on all sides, being roused by favourable omens, marched with speed to Rheims,
with the greater alacrity and joy because Severus was in command of the army
there; a man inclined to agree with him, void of arrogance, but of proved
propriety of conduct and experience in war, and likely to follow his lawful
authority, obeying his general like a well-disciplined soldier.
In another
quarter, Barbatio, who after the death of Silvanus had been promoted to the
command of the infantry, came from Italy by the emperor's orders, to Augst, with
25,000 heavy-armed soldiers.
For the plan
proposed and very anxiously prepared was, that the Allemanni, who were in a
state of greater rage than ever, and were extending their incursions more
widely, should be caught between our two armies, as if between the arms of a
pair of pincers, and so driven into a corner and destroyed.
But while these
well-devised plans were being pressed forward, the barbarians, in joy at some
success which they had obtained, and skilful in seizing every opportunity for
plunder, passed secretly between the camps of the armies, and attacked Lyons
unexpectedly. And having plundered the district around, they would have stormed
and burnt the city itself, if they had not found the gates so strongly defended
that they wore repulsed; so that they only destroyed all they could find outside
the city.
When this
disaster was known, Caesar, with great alacrity, despatched three squadrons of
light cavalry, of approved valour, to watch three lines of road, knowing that
beyond all question the invaders must quit the district by one of them.
Nor was
he
mistaken; for all who came by these roads were slaughtered by our men,
and the
whole of the booty which they were carrying off was recovered unhurt.
Those
alone escaped in safety who passed by the camp of Barbatio, who were
suffered to
escape in that direction because Bainobaudes the tribune, and
Valentinian (afterwards emperor), who had been appointed to watch that
pass with the squadrons of
cavalry under their orders, were forbidden by Cella (the tribune of the
Scutarii,
who had been sent as colleague to Barbatio) to occupy that road, though
they
were sure that by that the Germans would return to their own country.
The cowardly
master of the horse, being also an obstinate enemy to the glory of Julian, was
not contented with this, but being conscious that he had given orders
inconsistent with the interests of Rome (for when he was accused of it Cella
confessed what he had done), he made a false report to Constantius, and told him
that these same tribunes had, under a pretence of the business of the state,
came thither for the purpose of tampering with the soldiers whom he commanded.
And owing to this statement they were deprived of their commands, and returned
home as private individuals.
In these days,
also, the barbarians, alarmed at the approach of our armies, which had
established their stations on the left bank of the Rhine, employed some part of
their force in skilfully barricading the roads, naturally difficult of access,
and full of hills, by abattis constructed of large trees cut down; others
occupied the numerous islands scattered up and down the Rhone, and with horrid
howls poured forth constant reproaches against the Romans and the Caesar; who,
being now more than ever resolved to crush some of their armies, demanded from
Barbatio seven of those boats which he had collected, for the purpose of
constructing a bridge with them, with the intention of crossing the river. But
Barbatio, determined that no assistance should be got from him, burnt them all.
Julian,
therefore, having learnt from the report of some spies whom he had lately taken
prisoners, that, when the drought of summer arrived, the river was fordable,
addressed a speech of encouragement to his light-armed auxiliary troops, and
sent them forward with Bainobaudes, the tribune of the Cornuti, to try and perform some gallant exploit, if they
could find an opportunity. And they, entering the shallow of the river, and
sometimes, when there was occasion for swimming, putting their shields under
them like canoes, reached a neighbouring island, and having landed, killed every
one they found on it, men and women, without distinction of ago, like so many
sheep. And having found some empty boats, though they were not very safe, they
crossed in them, forcing their way into many places of the same land. When they
were weary of slaughter, and loaded with a rich booty, some of which, however,
they lost through the violence of the river, they returned back to the camp
without losing a man.
And when
this was known, the rest of the Germans, thinking they could no longer trust the
garrisons left in the islands, removed their relations, and their magazines, and
their barbaric treasures, into the inland parts.
After
this Julian turned his attention to repair the fortress known by the name of
Saverne, which had a little time before been destroyed by a violent attack of
the enemy, but which, while it stood, manifestly prevented the Germans from
forcing their way into the interior of the Gauls, as they had been accustomed to
do; and he executed this work with greater rapidity than he expected, and he
laid up for the garrison which he intended to post there sufficient magazines
for a whole year's consumption, which his army collected from the crops of the
barbarians, not without occasional contests with the owners.
Nor indeed was
he contented with this, but he also collected provisions for himself and his
army sufficient for twenty days. For the soldiers delighted in using the food
which they had won with their own right hands, being especially indignant
because, out of all the supplies which had been recently sent them, they were
not able to obtain anything, inasmuch as Barbatio, when they were passing near
his camp, had with great insolence seized on a portion of them, and had
collected all the rest into a heap and burnt them. Whether he acted thus out of
his own vanity and insane folly, or whether others were really the authors of
this wickedness, relying on the command of the emperor himself, has never been
known.
However, as
far as report went, the story commonly was, that Julian had been elected Caesar,
not for the object of relieving the distresses of the Gauls, but rather of being
himself destroyed by the formidable wars in which he was sure to be involved;
being at that time, as was supposed, inexperienced in war, and not likely to
endure even the sound of arms.
While
the works of the camp were steadily rising, and while a portion of the army was
being distributed among the stations in the country districts, Julian occupied
himself in other quarters with collecting supplies, operating with great
caution, from the fear of ambuscades. And in the mean time, a vast host of the
barbarians, outstripping all report of their approach by the celerity of their
movements, came down with a sudden attack upon Barbatio, and the army which (as
I have already mentioned) he had under his command, separated from the Gallic
army of Severus only by a rampart; and having put him to flight, pursued him as
far as Augst, and beyond that town too, as far as they could; and, having made
booty of the greater part of his baggage and beasts of burden, and having
carried off many of the sutlers as prisoners, they returned to their main army.
And Barbatio,
as if he had brought his expectations to a prosperous issue, now distributed his
soldiers into winter quarters, and returned to the emperor's court, to forge new
accusations against the Caesar, according to his custom.