Aulus Caecina Severus

Aulus Caecina Severus was a Roman politician and general who was consul in 1 BC. He was Emperor Augustus' representative in Moesia when the Great Illyrian Revolt broke out. As a result, he spent 4 years in heavy fighting against the Illyrian tribes before the revolt was suppressed by the Romans. In 14 AD he was in charge of several legions on the lower Rhine which mutinied on the death of Augustus. He was recorded as having handled this poorly, with the situation only being salvaged by the intervention of his commander-in-chief, Germanicus.

Over the next two years, while campaigning in Germany, Caecina led his legions with skill and verve. At the conclusion of one hard-fought battle he famously routed the army of Arminius, who seven years earlier had destroyed three Roman legions. He was eulogised by the chroniclers for his exploits. On his return to Rome he was awarded triumph honours.

Aulus Caecina Severus was descended from a distinguished Volaterran family of Etruscan origin. He made his name as a military man and was appointed consul by emperor Augustus in 1 BC. Becoming a consul was considered the highest honour of the Roman state and the emperor would have chosen candidates to fill it carefully.

In 6 AD he was the envoy of the emperor in Moesia when the Great Illyrian Revolt erupted. Severus was called upon to take his legions south to suppress the revolt. In Illyria he was joined by the forces of Marcus Plautius Silvanus. In 7 AD their combined armies met the Daesitiates and the Breuci at the Battle of Sirmium. The Romans won a hard-fought victory, but their losses were so heavy that they could not follow it up. Caecina was then forced to quickly return to Moesia, as Dacian and Sarmatian raiders were causing havoc in the province. For the next two years he continued to fight the rebels in Illyricum, inflicting another defeat on them in 8 AD as they attempted to prevent him from marching to link up in Pannonia with Germanicus, the heir of Augustus' successor, Tiberius. The revolt was finally put down in 9 AD.

Around 14 AD, Caecina was the legate in charge of the legions along the lower Rhine frontier in Gallia Belgica (what would later become Germania Inferior), under the overall command of Germanicus. When the Rhine legions rebelled following the death of Augustus, the men under Caecina were at the forefront, demanding the demobilisation of men who had served an excessive number of campaigns, and an increase in pay for the rest. Caecina apparently lost his nerve over the mutiny. He initially made no move to stop the disorder from spreading, and when centurions sought his protection, he agreed, albeit reluctantly, to hand them over to the legionaries to be tortured and killed. Germanicus was forced to intervene. When he arrived he eventually agreed to the troops' demands. He managed to come up with the money to pay some of the legions and ordered Caecina to take the First and Twentieth legions back to Oppidum Ubiorum (Cologne), together with the depleted treasury.

When Germanicus arrived at Oppidum Ubiorum, he sent Caecina to Castra Vetera (Xanten), where the mutinous legions V Alaudae and XXI Rapax were stationed. Determined to make an example of them, he ordered Caecina to announce to the troops that unless they punished the principal troublemakers, he would come in with a larger army and execute a large number of soldiers at random. Caecina discussed the situation with men he could trust, and they agreed to obey his orders and kill the mutiny's ringleaders before Germanicus arrived.

The following year (15 AD) Caecina was involved in the campaign against Arminius, the leader of the Germans who had famously defeated Publius Quinctilius Varus at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest and destroyed three legions, not including a large number of auxiliaries and camp followers. Germanicus, who first proceeded to attack the Chatti, left him in command of four legions on the Rhine. Caecina was soon forced to turn back a Cherusci advance. He then followed this up with a successful battle against the Marsi. Hearing that Arminius had gathered together a large coalition of forces, Germanicus sent Caecina with forty cohorts towards the Ems as a diversionary tactic, ravaging the countryside as he marched. Rejoining Germanicus, they pushed towards the Teutoburg Forest. Caecina was sent in advance to scout the route, as well as build bridges and causeways so that the army could cross the numerous areas of marshland.

After fighting an indecisive battle with Arminius, Germanicus ordered Caecina to take his original forces and march back to the Rhine. Arriving at a spot referred to as Pontes Longi, or "long causeways," and finding it impassable, Caecina began repairs to the causeways so that he could continue his march towards the Rhine. However, he was attacked by Arminius who just managed to hold him off when night fell. The next day, the two armies joined in battle again. The Roman legions became separated and were again almost defeated. Caecina, trying to hold the front line against the Germans, had his horse killed under him, and he only survived due to the timely intervention of the First Legion. When Caecina saw many of the Germans turning from fighting to plundering the baggage carts and pack mules, he gave orders for the baggage to be abandoned. This was the key reason the First and Twentieth legions were able to withdraw and rejoin the Fifth and Twenty-First legions on dry land by nightfall.