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112-542: Sertorius first became prominent during the Cimbrian War fighting under Gaius Marius , and then served Rome in the Social War . Unsuccessful in his attempt for the plebeian tribunate c.  88 BC due to the hostility of Lucius Cornelius Sulla , after Sulla's consulship in 88 BC he joined with Cinna and Marius during the short civil war in 87 BC. He led in the assault on Rome and played

224-463: A 149 km (93 mi) section of the Rhône was made navigable for small ships up to Seyssel . As of 2017 , the part between Lyon and Sault-Brénaz is closed for navigation. The Saône, which is also canalized, connects the Rhône ports to the cities of Villefranche-sur-Saône , Mâcon and Chalon-sur-Saône . Smaller vessels (up to CEMT class I ) can travel further northwest, north and northeast via

336-659: A Sullan governor again, asked Sertorius to be their war leader. It is likely they were influenced by Sertorius' tenure as governor being far gentler than his predecessors, who often extracted very high taxes and warred against tribes arbitrarily for glory and plunder, neither of which Sertorius had done. The Lusitanians were also implored by Sertorius' "friends in Spain", likely Roman exiles who knew Sertorius, but were unable to flee with him when Annius retook Hispania and had consequently taken refuge in Lusitania. Sertorius did not lead

448-556: A base around the town of Aquae Sextiae (modern Aix-en-Provence ) and trained his men. Over his successive consulships, Marius was not idle. He trained his troops, built his intelligence network, and conducted diplomacy with the Gallic tribes on the provincial frontiers. While the panicked Senate and people of Rome gave Marius the power he needed to build his army, the failure of the Cimbri and Teutones to follow up on their victory gave him

560-455: A few hundred Romans escaped with their lives across the carnage-choked river. The Battle of Arausio was the costliest defeat Rome had suffered since Cannae and, in fact, the losses and long-term consequences were far greater. For the Cimbri and Teutones it was a great (though temporary) triumph. Instead of immediately gathering their allies and marching on Rome, the Cimbri proceeded to Hispania . There, they suffered their first defeat, not at

672-498: A huge toothed "claw"wheel 6.5 metres (21 ft) across to grip the river bed in the shallows to supplement the paddle wheels. In the 20th century, powerful motor barges propelled by diesel engines were introduced, carrying 1,500 tonnes (3,300,000 lb). In 1933, the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) was established to improve navigation and generate electricity, also to develop irrigated agriculture and to protect

784-600: A minor legend in antiquity, still remembered in the time of Ammian . Serving under Gaius Marius , sometime between the autumns of 104 and 102 BC, Sertorius spied on the Germanic tribes that had defeated Caepio, probably disguised as a gaul . Marius may have sought Sertorius (and other survivors of Arausio) out due to their experience fighting against the Germans, as he likely wanted information regarding enemy tactics and movements. Sertorius probably did not know enough of

896-539: A peculiar missile weapon, the materis ; the large sword was retained and the long narrow shield, along with which they probably wore also a coat of mail. They were not destitute of cavalry; but the Romans were superior to them in that arm. Their order of battle was as formerly a rude phalanx professedly drawn up with just as many ranks in depth as in breadth, the first rank of which in dangerous combats not unfrequently tied together their metallic girdles with cords. Following

1008-403: A political career and thus moved to Rome in his mid-to-late teens trying to make it big as an orator and jurist . His speaking style made a sufficiently negative impression on the young Cicero to merit a special mention in a later treatise on oratory: Of all the totally illiterate and crude orators, well, actually ranters, I ever knew – and I might as well add 'completely coarse and rustic' –

1120-840: A proconsular command by the Senate specifically to defeat and drive him from Hispania Ulterior. Metellus would be Sertorius' main antagonist between 80–77 BC. Prior to Metellus' arrival, Marcus Domitius Calvinus , proconsul in Hispania Citerior, marched against Sertorius but was defeated by Lucius Hirtuleius , Sertorius' legate. Sertorius, who referred to Metellus as "the old woman", employed guerrilla warfare effectively and outmaneuvered Metellus through rapid and relentless campaigning. Sertorius also defeated and killed Lucius Thorius Balbus , Metellus' legate. Although initially outnumbered, Sertorius' repeated victories, along with his "uncharacteristically humane" administration impressed

1232-528: A prolonged fight in which he presented himself as a Roman proconsul against the Sullan regime at Rome. He gathered support from other Roman exiles and the native Iberian tribes – in part by using his tamed white fawn to paint himself as a divinely inspired leader before them – and employed irregular warfare to defeat commanders repeatedly sent from Rome to subdue him. Sertorius allied with Mithridates VI of Pontus and Cilician pirates in his struggle against

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1344-470: A promise that they would never again fight against him or rejoin Cinna's successor Carbo . Sertorius motives for seizing Suessa are debated. It is possible the city defected to Sulla during the armistice (perceiving Scipio's negotiations as a sign of weakness), and thus Sertorius, en route to Norbanus, conquered the town to restore the status quo. It is also possible Sertorius, who distrusted Sulla and doubted

1456-594: A role in restraining the reprisals that followed. During the Cinnan domination of the republic he was elected praetor, some time before 83 BC and probably after 85 BC. He criticised Gnaeus Papirius Carbo and other Marians' leadership of the anti-Sullan forces during the civil war with Sulla and was, late in the war, given command of Hispania. In late 82 BC he was proscribed by Sulla and forced from his province. However, he soon returned in early 80 BC, taking in and leading many Marian and Cinnan exiles in

1568-559: A row, starting in 104 BC. Because of the destruction of the Roman force at Arausio and the pressure of the impending crisis, Marius was tasked with rebuilding, effectively from scratch, the Gallic legions. Building his army around a core of trained legionaries from the last year, Marius again secured exemption from the property requirements and with his newly minted reputation for victory, raised an army of some thirty thousand Romans and forty thousand Italian allies and auxiliaries. He established

1680-540: A sacrifice, he filled the tomb up again, and thereafter was among those promoting its traditions and honours. Sertorius remained in Tangier for some time. News of his success against Ascalis spread, and won Sertorius fame among the people of Hispania , particularly that of the Lusitanians in the west, whom Roman generals and proconsuls of Sulla's party had plundered and oppressed. The Lusitanians, being threatened by

1792-597: A series of dams and diversion canals, with a navigation lock beside the hydroelectric power plant on each of these canals. The locks were up to 23 metres (75 ft) deep. After building the Génissiat dam on the Upper Rhône (with no lock) in 1948, designed to meet the electricity needs of Paris, twelve hydroelectric plants and locks were built between 1964 and 1980. With a total head of 162 m (531 ft), they produce 13 GWh of electricity annually, or 16% of

1904-631: A stag cult of funerary and oracular nature; this cult was most popular in western Hispania and Lusitania, where Sertorius drew his most fervent followers. As a result of all of these factors, Sertorius' power and army grew exponentially in 80 and 79 BC. Metellus' offensive in 79 BC was unsuccessful, and Sertorius gained control over both Hispanian provinces with the aid of Hirtuleius. From 78 BC onward Metellus campaigned against Sertorian cities, but his invasions into Lusitania and Ulterior were thwarted by Sertorius. When Sertorius learned of Metellus' intention to siege Lacobriga , Sertorius supplied

2016-488: A strong defensive position and demanded that the Cimbri and their allies leave the province immediately. The Cimbri initially set about complying peacefully with Rome's demands, but soon discovered that Carbo had laid an ambush against them. Infuriated by this treachery, they attacked and, at the Battle of Noreia , annihilated Carbo's army, almost killing Carbo in the process. Italy was now open to invasion, yet for some reason,

2128-498: A view now contested by modern historians. Rome was finally victorious, and its Germanic adversaries, who had inflicted on the Roman armies the heaviest losses that they had suffered since the Second Punic War , with victories at the battles of Arausio and Noreia , were left almost completely annihilated after Roman victories at Aquae Sextiae and Vercellae . Some of the surviving captives are reported to have been among

2240-583: Is 251 cubic metres per second (8,900 cu ft/s). Below the dam, the Rhône receives the waters of the Arve , fed by the Mont Blanc massif, with a visibly higher sediment load and much lower temperature. After a total of 290 kilometres (180 mi) in Switzerland, the Rhône continues west, entering France and the southern Jura Mountains . It turns toward the south, past Lac de Bourget , which

2352-677: Is not known whether Sertorius immediately returned with him. As one of Didius' experienced officers, Sertorius may have remained in Hispania in 92 BC to continue subduing the Iberian tribes under Didius' successor, Gaius Valerius Flaccus .Alternatively, Sertorius may have spent the year in Rome gathering support for his quaestorship; as a novus homo the necessary political maneuvering would have required time and effort. In 92 BC, upon his return from his military tribunate in Hispania, Sertorius

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2464-711: Is unclear. He was not sent with Gaius Flavius Fimbria and Lucius Valerius Flaccus east for the First Mithridatic War. Sertorius certainly served in the government during this time; Cinna may have utilized his skill as a soldier and popularity with the common people to quell any remnants of revolt and stabilize Italy, thereby consolidating his power and that of the Marian government. He probably also helped train and levy soldiers for Sulla's inevitable return. Marius died in January 86 BC; eventually, Cinna himself

2576-684: The Battle of Burdigala (modern day Bordeaux ) and killed its commander, the consul Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravalla . In 105 BC, Rome and its new consul Gnaeus Mallius Maximus and the proconsul Quintus Servilius Caepio , in order to settle the matter once and for all, gathered the largest force it had fielded since the Second Punic War, and possibly the largest force it had ever sent to battle. The force consisted of over 80,000 men, along with tens of thousands of support personnel and camp followers in two armies, one led by each consul. The consuls led their armies on their own armed migration to

2688-875: The Centre -Loire-Briare and Loing Canals to the Seine , via the Canal de la Marne à la Saône (recently often called the " Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne ") to the Marne , via the Canal des Vosges (formerly called the "Canal de l'Est – Branche Sud") to the Moselle and via the Canal du Rhône au Rhin to the Rhine . The Rhône is infamous for its strong current when the river carries large quantities of water: current speeds up to 10 km/h (6.2 mph) are sometimes reached, particularly in

2800-857: The Mediterranean Sea ( Gulf of Lion ). At Arles , near its mouth, the river divides into the Great Rhône (French: le Grand Rhône ) and the Little Rhône ( le Petit Rhône ). The resulting delta forms the Camargue region. The river's source is the Rhône Glacier , at the east edge of the Swiss canton of Valais . The glacier is part of the Saint-Gotthard Massif , which gives rise to three other major rivers:

2912-1020: The Reuss , Rhine and Ticino . The Rhône is, with the Po and the Nile , one of the three Mediterranean rivers with the largest water discharge . The name Rhône continues the Latin Rhodanus name ( Greek Ῥοδανός Rhodanós ) in Greco-Roman geography . The Gaulish name of the river was * Rodonos or * Rotonos (from a PIE root * ret- "to run, roll" frequently found in river names). Names in other languages include German : Rhone [ˈroːnə] ; Walser : Rotten [ˈrotən] ; Italian : Rodano [ˈrɔːdano] ; Arpitan : Rôno [ˈʁono] ; Occitan : Ròse [ˈrɔze, ˈʀɔze] ; and Romansh : Rodan . The Greco-Roman as well as

3024-606: The Rhône River near Orange, Vaucluse , where, disliking and distrusting each other, they erected separate camps on opposite sides of the river; by so doing they left their disunited force open to separate attack. The overconfident Caepio foolishly attacked without support from Maximus; his legions were wiped out and his undefended camp overrun. The now isolated and demoralized troops of Maximus were then easily defeated. Thousands more were slain trying desperately to rally and defend his poorly positioned camp. Only Caepio, Maximus, and

3136-686: The Roman Republic and the Germanic and Celtic tribes of the Cimbri and the Teutons , Ambrones and Tigurini , who migrated from the Jutland peninsula into Roman-controlled territory, and clashed with Rome and her allies. The Cimbrian War was the first time since the Second Punic War that Italia and Rome itself had been seriously threatened. The timing of the war had a great effect on

3248-746: The Scordisci , along with the Boii , many of whom apparently joined them. In 113 BC they arrived on the Danube , in Noricum , home to the Roman-allied Taurisci . Unable to hold back these new, powerful invaders on their own, the Taurisci called on Rome for aid. The following year the Roman consul Gnaeus Papirius Carbo led the legions into Noricum, and after making a show of force, took up

3360-872: The Swiss Alps , at an altitude of approximately 2,208 metres (7,244 ft). From there it flows southwest through Gletsch and the Goms, the uppermost valley region of the Valais before Brig . In the Brig area, it receives the waters of the Massa from the Aletsch Glacier , the longest glacier of the Alps, and shortly after, it receives the waters of the Vispa , the longest affluent in Valais. After that, it flows onward through

3472-615: The Teutones , Ambrones , and Cimbri were decisively defeated. Some scholars believe that Sertorius' tactics and strategies during his revolt in Hispania were substantially similar to Marius' and conclude that Sertorius' earlier service with Marius was an important learning experience. What Sertorius did for the next three years is unclear, but he probably continued to serve in the military. Sertorius eventually travelled to Hispania Citerior to serve its governor, Titus Didius , as military tribune in 97 BC. During his service, Sertorius

Quintus Sertorius - Misplaced Pages Continue

3584-611: The Tiber to prevent supply from reaching the city by river. After Octavius surrendered Rome to the forces of Marius, Cinna, and Sertorius, Sertorius abstained from the proscriptions and killings his fellow commanders engaged in. Sertorius went so far as to rebuke Marius and move Cinna to moderation. After Marius' death he, probably with Cinna's approval, annihilated Marius' slave army which was still terrorizing Rome. The years 87–84 BC are often described as spent "waiting for Sulla" and what exactly Sertorius did while Cinna controlled Rome

3696-455: The 230s Gothic invasion of the Balkans (250–251) Gothic invasion of the Balkans (254) Gothic invasion of the Balkans (267–268) Roman–Alemannic Wars Gothic War (367–369) Gothic War (376–382) Visigothic Wars Vandalic Wars Anglo-Saxon Wars Vandalic War (533–534) Gothic War (535–554) The Cimbrian or Cimbric War (113–101 BC) was fought between

3808-659: The Alps. From Lyon, the Rhône flows south, in its large valley between the Alps and the Massif Central . At Arles , the Rhône divides into two major arms forming the Camargue delta , both branches flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, the delta being termed the Rhône Fan. The larger arm is called the "Grand Rhône", the smaller the "Petit Rhône". The average annual discharge at Beaucaire is 1,700 m /s (60,000 cu ft/s). The main tributaries of

3920-649: The Balearics. Sertorius engaged this superior fleet in a naval battle to avoid allowing them to disembark, but adverse winds broke most of his lighter ships, and he eventually fled the islands. Sertorius heard of, and had a genuine interest in the Isles of the Blessed , ascribing the isles to the Celto-Hispanian belief of an afterlife in the western ocean and learning more for his own political purposes. While he

4032-511: The Cimbri and their allies moved west over the Alps and into Gaul . In 109 BC, they invaded the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis and defeated the Roman army there under Marcus Junius Silanus . In 107 BC, the Romans were defeated again, this time by the Tigurini , who were allies of the Cimbri whom they had met on their way through the Alps . That same year, they defeated another Roman army at

4144-556: The Cimbri were virtually annihilated, and both their highest leaders, Boiorix and Lugius, fell. The women killed both themselves and their children in order to avoid slavery. Thus the war, which began with a mass migration, ended in defeat and mass suicide. The Cimbri were not completely wiped off the face of the map or from the pages of history. Their allies, the Boii , with whom they intermixed, settled in southern Gaul and Germania and were there to welcome and confront Julius Caesar , Marius's nephew, in his campaigns of conquest. Some of

4256-497: The German languages to comprehend detailed information, but could report on their numbers and formations: "after seeing or hearing what was of importance", he returned to Marius. Sertorius became well-known and trusted by Marius during his service with him. He almost certainly fought with his commander at the Battle of Aquae Sextiae (now Aix-en-Provence , France ) in 102 BC and the Battle of Vercellae in 101 BC, in which

4368-583: The Lusitanians he marched on Lucius Fufidius, propraetor of Hispania Ulterior, and defeated him at the Battle of the Baetis River , consolidating control over the province. News of Sertorius' victory spread throughout Hispania Ulterior, including a rumour that his army included fifty thousand cannibals. The Senate learned that Sertorius had returned to Hispania, and as a result sent Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius , an experienced Sullan general, with

4480-516: The Lusitanians in a 'war of liberation' from the Roman Republic however; instead, the Lusitanians, hoping for his milder administration to return, offered their support for him to revive the defeated Marian cause with Hispania as his base. While considering the offer, Sertorius learned of his mother's death in Italy and "almost died of grief", lying in his tent, unable to speak for a week. With

4592-583: The Marian army. So Konrad: "the loss of the Consul's [Scipio's] army was not caused by the seizure of Suessa". After Suessa, Sertorius departed to Etruria where he raised yet another army, some 40 cohorts, as the Etruscans, having gained their Roman citizenship through the Marian regime, were fearful of a Sullan victory. In 82 BC, Marius' son, Gaius Marius the Younger , became consul without having held

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4704-423: The Marian cause, Sertorius opposed granting him any command either out of fear his position would be diminished, or because he feared Marius' vindictiveness and what he would do when Rome was retaken. Sertorius advised not to trust Marius, and although he greatly disliked Marius by then, he consented to Marius' return upon understanding that Marius came at Cinna's request and not of his own accord. Oh, really? Here I

4816-454: The Marian regime. When Sertorius marched through the Pyrenees mountain range he ran into severe weather and a mountain tribe that demanded a tribute for allowing his passage. His companions claimed it was an outrage; but Sertorius paid the tribe and commented that he was buying himself time, and that if a man had a lot to do, nothing is more precious than time. Flaccus, the governor of

4928-619: The Marians in various battles, his second capture of Rome, and the Sullan proscriptions . Sertorius learned that he was one of the foremost among the proscribed, among the first names listed. By 81 BC all other significant Marian leaders were dead, and Sertorius' Spain had become a priority for the Sullan government. Sulla's forces, probably three or four legions under the command of Gaius Annius Luscus, departed for Hispania early in 81 or very late in 82 BC, but were unable to break through

5040-844: The Morge and Hermance, the lake is divided by the two countries along its centreline, with the left bank in France. The remainder of the lake is Swiss, including the entire right (north) bank. Here, the tributaries are the Veveyse , the Venoge , the Aubonne , the Morges , among other smaller rivers. Lake Geneva ends in the city of Geneva , where the lake level is controlled by the Le Seujet dam  [ fr ] . The average discharge from Lake Geneva

5152-426: The Pyrenees until Salinator was assassinated by P. Calpurnius Lanarius, one of his subordinates, who defected to the Sullans. Annius then marched into Hispania. Unable to convince the Spanish tribes to fight for him, Sertorius was seriously outnumbered and he abandoned his provinces. He fled to Nova Carthago and with 3,000 of his most loyal followers set sail to Mauritania , perhaps attempting some sort of attack on

5264-487: The Rhône are, from source to mouth: The Rhône has been an important highway since the times of the Greeks and Romans . It was the main trade route from the Mediterranean to east-central Gaul . As such, it helped convey Greek cultural influences to the western Hallstatt and the later La Tène cultures. Celtic tribes living near the Rhône included the Seduni , Sequani, Segobriges , Allobroges , Segusiavi , Helvetii , Vocontii and Volcae Arecomici . Navigation

5376-407: The Rhône drains via the Canal de Savières . Continuing generally westward, the Rhône then receives the waters of the Valserine , enters the reservoir created by the Génissiat Dam , and is then joined by the Ain . Reaching Lyon , the most populous city on its course, the Rhône receives its biggest tributary, the Saône , with an average flow of 473 m /s (16,700 cu ft/s), compared to

5488-486: The Rhône's 600 m /s (21,000 cu ft/s) at this point. From this confluence, the Rhône follows a southward course. Along the Rhône Valley, it is joined on the right (western) bank by the rivers Eyrieux , Ardèche , Cèze , and Gardon coming from the Cévennes mountains ; and on the left bank by the rivers Isère , (with an average discharge of 333 m /s (11,800 cu ft/s)), Drôme , Ouvèze , and Durance (188 m /s (6,600 cu ft/s)) from

5600-583: The Roman government. Substantial efforts by the Sullan regime to forcibly suppress his anti-Sullan resistance, led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius and Pompey , were unsuccessful. After defeating Pompey in 76 BC at the Battle of Lauron however, he suffered significant reverses in the following years. By 73 BC his allies had lost confidence in his leadership; his lieutenant Marcus Perperna Veiento assassinated him in late 73 or 72 BC. His cause fell in defeat to Pompey shortly thereafter. The Greek biographer and essayist Plutarch chose Sertorius as

5712-546: The Romans, what message they wished them to give to their wives? Marius followed cautiously, maintaining distance from the enemy, but closely following his movements. A few days later, a skirmish turned into a battle with the Ambrones, who for some reason camped separately from the Teutones. The Ambrones were defeated with heavy losses and fled to their Teutonic allies. The Teutones halted their trek south and awaited Marius near Aquae Sextiae . This afforded Marius favorable conditions, for with his enemy stationary he got to scout

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5824-417: The Senate, Marius granted Roman citizenship to two cohorts of his Italian allied soldiers (around a thousand soldiers, within an army counting about 32 000 men, half of which were Italian allies ), allegedly claiming that in the din of battle he could not distinguish between the voices of Romans and the Italic allies. According to traditional historiography, henceforth Italian legions became Roman legions and

5936-430: The adjective derived from the river is rhodanien , as in le sillon rhodanien (literally "the furrow of the Rhône"), which is the name of the long, straight Saône and Rhône river valleys, a deep cleft running due south to the Mediterranean and separating the Alps from the Massif Central . Before railroads and highways were developed, the Rhône was an important inland trade and transportation route, connecting

6048-425: The advice of the goddess Diana , who had been syncretized with a native Iberian deity. Spanus, one of the commoners who lived in the country, came across a doe trying to escape from hunters. The doe fled faster than he could pursue, but the animal had newly given birth. He [Spanus] was struck by the unusual colour of the fawn, for it was pure white. He pursued and caught it. The Iberians were greatly impressed by

6160-472: The aid of his companions, Sertorius was eventually able to leave his tent, decided to accept the Lusitanian offer, and prepared his army and fleet to return to Hispania. Sertorius crossed the strait at Gibraltar at Tingis in 80 BC, landing at Baelo near the Pillars of Hercules in the summer or fall of the year. A small fleet under an Aurelius Cotta (specific name not known) from the coastal town of Mellaria failed to stop him. After being reinforced by

6272-436: The allied cities of the Italian peninsula progressively began to demand a greater say in the external policy of the Republic, leading eventually to the Social War . Rh%C3%B4ne The Rhône ( / r oʊ n / ROHN , French: [ʁon] ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before discharging into

6384-423: The armies he expected to be sent after him by Sulla. After gaining control of both provinces Sertorius sent an army, under Julius (possibly Livius) Salinator, to fortify the pass through the Pyrenees. During his occupation of Hispania Sertorius collected news of the war in Italy . Likely from refugees and Marian exiles fleeing Sulla's veteran legions, by December of 82 BC he had heard of Sulla's victory over

6496-442: The battlegrounds and he chose his ground carefully. In the subsequent battle , he lured the Teutones and their allies into attacking him while his army was occupying the high ground. During their attack they were ambushed from the rear by a select force of five cohorts which Marius had hidden in a nearby wood. The Teutones were routed and massacred and their king, Teutobod , was placed in Roman chains. But Aquae Sextiae had only evened

6608-512: The capital. He took revenge on his enemies and forced Marius into exile, then left Italy to fight the First Mithridatic War against Mithridates VI of Pontus . Sulla did not harm Sertorius, probably because he had not participated in Marius and Rufus' actions. After Sulla left, violence erupted between Sullan loyalists, led by the consul Gnaeus Octavius , and the Marians, led by the consul Lucius Cornelius Cinna . Cinna, as "the enemy of his enemy [Sulla]" and "not so much... an old ally of Marius as

6720-443: The cities of Arles , Avignon , Valence , Vienne and Lyon to the Mediterranean ports of Fos-sur-Mer , Marseille and Sète . Travelling down the Rhône by barge would take three weeks. By motorized vessel, the trip now takes only three days. The Rhône is classified as a Class V waterway for the 325 km-long (202-mile) section from the mouth of the Saône at Lyon to the sea at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône . Upstream from Lyon,

6832-411: The city in response, and then prepared to meet Metellus there. When he arrived and sent out foragers, Sertorius ambushed them and killed many, forcing Metellus to leave, unsuccessful. In 77 BC, Sertorius focused his attention on subduing Iberian tribes who had not yet accepted his authority in the interior. Metellus did not extensively campaign against Sertorius in the year due to the revolt in Rome of

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6944-428: The coastal cities to keep his forces together, but was driven off by the locals. He then fell in with a band of Cilician pirates who were pillaging the Spanish coast. Together they attacked and took Pityussa , the most southerly of the Balearic Islands , which they started using as a base. When this was reported to Annius, he sent a fleet of warships and almost a full legion to drive Sertorius and his pirate allies from

7056-475: The confluence of the Isère and the Rhône , where he could observe and halt the march of the Teutons. When the Teutons arrived, they attempted to force him into battle, but he declined; they attacked the Roman camp, but were beaten off. Impatient of the delay and of Marius' passivity, they finally decided to simply march past him into Italy. So enormous were their numbers, that they reportedly took 6 whole days marching by his camp, and in their arrogance they taunted

7168-781: The consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (father of the triumvir ). At some point during these years, Sertorius challenged Metellus to single combat , and when Metellus declined, his soldiers mocked him. Sertorius' made the Iberians an organized army through Roman formations and signals. He encouraged them to decorate their armaments with precious metals, and thus more likely to retain their equipment between engagements. Many native Iberians pledged themselves to him, serving as bodyguards who would take their own lives if he perished. Cimbrian War Gallic Wars (58 BC – 57 BC) Clades Lolliana (16 BC) Roman campaigns in Germania (12 BC – AD 16) Marcomannic Wars (166–180) ( participating Roman units ) Roman campaigns in Germania during

7280-402: The country's total hydroelectric production (20% if the Upper Rhône schemes are added). There have been significant benefits for agriculture throughout the Rhône valley. With the Lower Rhône project completed, CNR turned its attention to the Haut-Rhône (Upper Rhône), and built four hydropower dams in the 1980s: Sault-Brénaz, Brégnier-Cordon, Belley-Brens and Chautagne. It also drew up plans for

7392-418: The countryside open to the invaders. But the Cimbri took their time ravishing the fertile region, which gave Marius time to arrive with reinforcements—his same victorious legions from Aquae Sextiae. It would be at Vercellae near the confluence of the Sesia River with the Po on the Raudine Plain where the superiority of the new Roman legions and their cavalry were clearly demonstrated. In the devastating defeat

7504-416: The devastation of the Arausio, fear shook the Roman Republic to its foundations. The terror cimbricus became a watchword, as Rome expected the Cimbri at its gates at any time. In this atmosphere of panic and desperation, an emergency was declared. The constitution was ignored and Gaius Marius , the victor over Jugurtha of Numidia was elected consul for an unprecedented, and arguably illegal, five years in

7616-476: The events: Cinna was murdered and against the wishes of Sertorius, and against the law, the younger Marius took the consulship while such [ineffectual] men as Carbo , Norbanus , and Scipio had no success in stopping Sulla's advance on Rome, so the Marian cause was being ruined and lost; cowardice and weakness by the generals played its part, and treachery did the rest, and there was no reason why Sertorius should stay to watch things going from bad to worse through

7728-463: The existing sources do not record it. According to the historian Sallust : Many successes were achieved under his [Sertorius] leadership, but these have not been recorded in history, firstly because of his humble birth and secondly because the historians were ill-disposed towards him. His quaestorship may have been prorogued into 90 BC. Between 90–89 BC he almost certainly led as a commander and fought, along with providing men and materiel to

7840-430: The fawn, who was calm in Sertorius' military camp and affectionate with him, and saw Sertorius as a divinely inspired leader. Sertorius would obscure information from military reports, claim Diana had told him of said information through the fawn in his dreams, and then act accordingly to further this belief. White animals were perceived as having oracular qualities among Germanic peoples, and in Hispania itself there existed

7952-400: The focus of one of his biographies in Parallel Lives , where he was paired with Eumenes of Cardia , one of the post- Alexandrine Diadochi . Sertorius was born in Nursia (a town whose people had received Roman citizenship in 268 BC) in Sabine territory around 126 BC. The Sertorius family were of equestrian status. It appears that he did not have any noteworthy ancestors and

8064-468: The garrison into the bargain". The incident at Castulo earned Sertorius considerable fame in Hispania and abroad, aiding his future political career. During his military tribunate Sertorius probably became familiar with the Iberian methods of war, namely guerrilla warfare , which he would later use to great effect in his revolt. Didius returned to Rome in the June of 93 BC to celebrate a triumph , but it

8176-425: The gates for Sertorius and his men, convinced they were their warriors returning with loot from the slain Roman garrison. Sertorius then killed many of the towns' inhabitants and sold the rest into slavery. Later in Hispania during his revolt, Sertorius did not quarter his soldiers in native cities, "noting the stupidity of a policy which would cause rebellion in a hostile city, hostility in a neutral one, and corrupt

8288-698: The hands of a Roman army, but against a Celtiberian coalition. In the meantime, the Teutones remained in Gaul. Why they again failed to invade Italy remains a mystery. Theodor Mommsen speculatively describes their methods of war: Their system of warfare was substantially that of the Celts of this period, who no longer fought, as the Italian Celts had formerly done, bareheaded and with merely sword and dagger, but with copper helmets often richly adorned and with

8400-633: The historical region of Chablais . It then enters Lake Geneva near Le Bouveret , where the water flows west. On the left (south) bank of Lake Geneva, the river Morge joins at the village of Saint-Gingolph , and also marks the French-Swiss border. Westward, the Dranse (unrelated to the Drance) enters the lake with its preserved delta , and then the Hermance marks another French-Swiss border. Between

8512-474: The inferior judgement of men with superior power. By late 83 or early 82 BC, having fallen out with the new Marian leadership, Sertorius was sent to Hispania as proconsul , "no doubt by mutual agreement". Sertorius may have been intended to go to Hispania even before Sulla's Civil War in order to relieve command of the two Spanish provinces ( Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Citerior ) from their governor, Gaius Valerius Flaccus, due to his doubtful loyalty to

8624-514: The internal politics of Rome, and the organization of its military. The war contributed greatly to the political career of Gaius Marius , whose consulships and political conflicts challenged many of the Roman Republic 's political institutions and customs of the time. The Cimbrian threat, along with the Jugurthine War , allegedly inspired the putative Marian reforms of the Roman legions ,

8736-399: The judgement of Scipio, conquered the city intending to force an end to negotiations. Spann believes that calling Sertorius' seizure of Suessa a "foolish action" is not wholly unjustified, but argues against trusting Appian's account (the only one that survives, based on Sulla's memoirs) which states Sertorius' capture of Suessa as being the main cause of negotiations ending and the defection of

8848-554: The large glaciers of the massifs of Monte Rosa , Dom , and Grand Combin , but also from the steeper slopes of the Bernese Alps to the north, and the Mont Blanc massif to the west. As a result, the Rhône Valley experiences a drier climate than the rest of Switzerland , being sheltered by the three highest ranges of the Alps, making Valais the driest and largest wine region of the country. At Martigny, where it receives

8960-451: The native warriors, many of whom joined his cause. His character, in that he treated the natives as allies rather than subjects, may have also played a role. Sertorius organized the natives into an army and adjoined them to his core Roman forces, commanding them under Roman officers. The natives are said to have called Sertorius the "new Hannibal " whom he resembled physically (having one eye) and, they believed, in military skill. Although he

9072-403: The negotiations were not sincere, in that he likely agreed intending to make Scipio's already disaffected army more likely to defect to him. Sertorius was present at the talks between the commanders, and advocated against letting Sulla's troops fraternize with Scipio's; he did not trust Sulla and advised Scipio to force a decisive action. Instead, he was sent to Norbanus to explain that an armistice

9184-636: The newly emerging leader of those who disapproved of Sulla's coup" represented a re-emergence of Sertorius' political fortunes. As a result of this, and remembering Sulla's opposition when he ran for tribune, Sertorius declared for the Marian faction. Cinna was driven from Rome in 87 BC during the Bellum Octavianum . Sertorius, as one of his allies, aided him in recruiting ex-legionaries and drumming up enough support to enable Cinna to march on Rome. When Marius returned from exile in Africa to aid

9296-465: The offices that a candidate for the consulship should have held, and at the unconstitutional age of 27. Sertorius, who probably qualified for the office, objected but his opinion was ignored. Following this appointment, Sertorius returned to Rome and castigated the Marian leadership for their lack of action in combatting Sulla, pointed out Sulla's bravery, and stated his belief that unless met directly soon Sulla would inevitably destroy them. Plutarch sums up

9408-439: The other consul, Gaius Norbanus , blocking the road to Capua . At the Battle of Mount Tifata Sulla inflicted a crushing defeat on Norbanus, with Norbanus losing thousands of men. The beaten Norbanus withdrew with the remnants of his army to Capua . Sulla was stopped in his pursuit by Scipio's advance. However, Scipio was unwilling to risk a battle and started negotiations under a flag of truce. Sulla's motives in agreeing to

9520-399: The other surviving soldiers, who still had their weapons. He secured the unguarded exits of the town, and then led his men inside, killing all barbarian men of military age irrespective of participation in the revolt. Once he learned some attackers had come from a neighbouring town, he had his men wear the armour of the slain natives and led them there. Probably arriving at dawn, the town opened

9632-542: The rebelling gladiators during the Third Servile War . According to some Roman accounts, sometime around 120–115 BC, the Cimbri left their original lands around the North Sea due to flooding ( Strabo , on the other hand, wrote that this was unlikely or impossible ) They supposedly journeyed to the south-east and were soon joined by their neighbours and possible relatives the Teutones. Together they defeated

9744-672: The reconstructed Gaulish name is masculine, as is French le Rhône . This form survives in the Spanish/Portuguese and Italian namesakes, el/o Ródano and il Rodano , respectively. German has adopted the French name but given it the feminine gender, die Rhone . The original German adoption of the Latin name was also masculine, der Rotten ; it survives only in the Upper Valais ( dialectal Rottu ). In French,

9856-471: The reputation of a war hero. Sertorius then ran for tribune of the Plebs in 89 or 88 BC, but Lucius Cornelius Sulla thwarted his efforts, causing Sertorius to oppose Sulla. Sulla's reasons for doing so are not completely clear. It may have originated in a personal quarrel since both men served under Marius earlier in their careers. It is also equally possible Sulla (and by extension the optimates , who he

9968-508: The riverside towns and land from flooding. Some progress was made in deepening the navigation channel and constructing scouring walls, but World War II brought such work to a halt. In 1942, following the collapse of Vichy France , Italian military forces occupied southeastern France up to the eastern banks of the Rhône, as part of the Italian Fascist regime's expansionist agenda. In 1948, the French government started construction of

10080-517: The roughest and readiest were Q. Sertorius ... After his undistinguished career in Rome as a jurist and an orator, he entered the military. Sertorius' first recorded campaign was under Quintus Servilius Caepio as a staff officer and ended at the Battle of Arausio in 105 BC, where he showed unusual courage. When the battle was lost, Sertorius escaped while wounded by swimming across the Rhone , apparently still with his weapons and armour. This became

10192-524: The score: while the Teutones had been eliminated, the Cimbri remained a formidable threat. In 101 BC, the Cimbri returned to Gaul and prepared for the final stage of their struggle with Rome. For the first time they penetrated through the Alpine passes, which Marius's co-consul for that year, Quintus Lutatius Catulus , had failed to fortify, into northern Italy. Catulus withdrew behind the Po River , leaving

10304-617: The southern theatres of the war. He served under a series of commanders, probably Marius and Lucius Porcius Cato , most certainly under Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo . A wound sustained during the conflict cost him the use of one of his eyes. Sertorius used his wounds as personal propaganda. Being scarred in the face had its advantages. "Other men, he used to say, could not always carry about them the evidence of their heroic achievements. Their tokens, wreaths and spears of honour must at some times be set aside. His proof of valour remained with him at all times". Upon his return to Rome he apparently enjoyed

10416-468: The stretch below the last lock at Vallabrègues and in the relatively narrow first diversion canal south of Lyon. The 12 locks are operated daily from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. All operation is centrally controlled from one control centre at Châteauneuf. Commercial barges may navigate during the night hours by authorisation. The Rhône begins as the meltwater of the Rhône Glacier in Valais , in

10528-502: The surviving captives are reported to have been among the rebelling gladiators in the Third Servile War . The political consequences from the war had an immediate and lasting impact on Rome. The end of the Cimbrian war marked the beginning of the rivalry between Marius and Sulla , which eventually led to the first of Rome's great civil wars . Moreover, following the final victory at Vercellae, and without first asking permission from

10640-507: The time he needed to finish it. They would soon be confronted by an army of organized and trained soldiers under the leadership of a brilliant and ruthless commander. By 102 BC, Marius was ready to face the Cimbri; the latter, after difficulties in Spain, had turned north into Gaul, where they were joined by the Teutons . After this union, the Germanic coalition determined to move back south upon Italy, which they had previously avoided. Marching south through Switzerland and Savoy , their army

10752-417: The two Spanish provinces, did not recognize his authority, but Sertorius had an army at his back and used it to assume control. He did not meet with significant resistance in his first seizure of Hispania. Sertorius persuaded the local chieftains to accept him as the new governor and endeared himself to the general population by cutting taxes, and then began to construct ships and levy soldiers in preparation for

10864-475: The upper river used barques du Rhône , sailing barges, 30 by 3.5 metres (98 by 11 ft), with a 75-tonne (165,000 lb) capacity. As many as 50 to 80 horses were employed to haul trains of five to seven craft upstream. Goods would be transshipped at Arles into 23-metre (75 ft) sailing barges called allèges d'Arles for the final run down to the Mediterranean. The first experimental steam boat

10976-490: The valley which bears its name and runs initially in a westerly direction about thirty kilometers to Leuk , then southwest about fifty kilometers to Martigny . Down as far as Brig , the Rhône is a torrent; it then becomes a great mountain river running southwest through a glacial valley. Between Brig and Martigny , it collects waters mostly from the valleys of the Pennine Alps to the south, whose rivers originate from

11088-473: The waters of the Drance on its left bank, the Rhône makes a sharp turn towards the north. Heading toward Lake Geneva ( French : Le Léman ), the valley narrows near Saint-Maurice , a feature that has long given the Rhône valley strategic importance for the control of the Alpine passes. The Rhône then marks the boundary between the cantons of Valais (left bank) and Vaud (right bank), separating two parts of

11200-780: Was augmented by some tribes of Helvetians , particularly the Tigurini , and the Ambrones of uncertain descent. Before approaching Italy, the Germans decided on a two-pronged movement; the Teutons with the Ambrones and the Tigurini would move from the west along the coast-road from Transalpine into Cisalpine Gaul; while the Cimbri would march east and turn around into Italy by the Julian and Carnic Alps. When Marius heard of their movements, he advanced to Valence , and established his camp at

11312-433: Was built at Lyon by Jouffroy d'Abbans in 1783. Regular services were not started until 1829 and they continued until 1952. Steam passenger vessels 80 to 100 metres (260–330 ft) long made up to 20 km/h (11 kn) and could do the downstream run from Lyon to Arles in a day. Cargo was hauled in bateau-anguilles , boats 157 by 6.35 metres (515.1 by 20.8 ft) with paddle wheels amidships, and bateaux crabes ,

11424-585: Was closely tied to through marriage with Caecilia Metella and opposition to Marius) were uncertain about what manner of tribune Sertorius would be, and not being able to rely on his obedience led to their opposition. Knowing Sertorius was popular with the common people and associated with Marius may have been enough to thwart his ambitions. In any case, Sertorius was a senator by 87 BC, likely adlected due to his earlier quaestorship . In 88 BC, after Publius Sulpicius Rufus and Marius supplanted his eastern command, Sulla marched his legions on Rome and took

11536-404: Was difficult, as the river suffered from fierce currents, shallows, floods in spring and early summer when the ice was melting, and droughts in late summer. Until the 19th century, passengers travelled in coches d'eau (water coaches) drawn by men or horses, or under sail. Most travelled with a painted cross covered with religious symbols as protection against the hazards of the journey. Trade on

11648-466: Was elected quaestor and assigned Cisalpine Gaul in the year 91. His quaestorship was unusual in that he largely governed the province while the actual governor, perhaps Gaius Coelius Caldus , spent time across the Alps subduing remnants of the Cimbric invasion. The same year, the Social War broke out, and Sertorius contributed by levying soldiers and obtaining weapons. He may have done more, though

11760-415: Was idle Sertorius' pirate allies defected and went to Africa to help install the tyrant Ascalis on the throne of Tingis . Sertorius followed them to Africa in the fall of 81 or the spring of 80 BC, rallied the locals in the vicinity of Tingis, and defeated Ascalis' men and the pirates in battle. After gaining control over Tingis, Sertorius defeated and killed the general Vibius Paciaecus and his army, who

11872-503: Was in force and negotiations were underway. Sertorius made a detour along his way and captured the town of Suessa Aurunca which had gone over to Sulla. When Sulla complained to Scipio about this breach of trust by Sertorius, Scipio gave back his hostages as a sign of good faith. Disappointed by the behavior of their commander and unwilling to fight Sulla's battle-hardened veterans, Scipio's troops defected en masse. Scipio and his son were captured by Sulla, who released them after extracting

11984-520: Was murdered in 84 BC, lynched by his own troops. It is probable that Sertorius became praetor in 85 or 84 BC. On Sulla's return from the East in 83 BC a civil war broke out. Sertorius, as a praetor, was among the men chosen to command the Marian forces against him. When the consul Scipio Asiaticus marched against Sulla, Sertorius was part of his staff. Sulla arrived in Campania and found

12096-515: Was posted to the Roman-controlled Oretani ( Iberian ) town of Castulo . The local garrison had become hated by the natives for their lack of discipline and constant drinking, and Sertorius either arrived too late to stop their impropriety or was unable to. The natives invited a neighbouring tribe to free the town of the garrison, and they successfully slaughtered many of the Roman soldiers. Sertorius managed to escape and gathered

12208-502: Was probably sent by Annius against him. Paciaecus' defeated army then joined Sertorius. Local legend had it that Antaeus , the son of Poseidon and Gaia , and the husband of Tinge who gave name to Tingis, was buried in Mauritania. Sertorius had the tomb excavated for he wanted to see the body of Antaeus which was reported to be sixty cubits in size. According to Plutarch, Sertorius was dumbfounded by what he saw and after performing

12320-430: Was strict and severe with his soldiers, Sertorius was considerate to the natives, and made their burdens light despite financial strain in his war effort. This was likely partially pragmatic, as Sertorius had to retain the goodwill of the native Iberians if he had any chance of winning the war. Sertorius' most famous strategy to this end was his white fawn, a present from one of the natives that he claimed communicated to him

12432-584: Was thinking that Marius had decided for himself to come to Italy, and so I was trying to decide what good it would do. But it turns out there's nothing to discuss. Since after all, you invited him, then you have to receive and employ him. There's no question about it. In October of 87 BC, Cinna marched on Rome. During the siege, Sertorius commanded one of Cinna's divisions stationed at the Colline Gate and fought an inconclusive battle with troops commanded by Pompeius Strabo. Sertorius and Marius also bridged

12544-489: Was thus a novus homo (a "new man"), ie the first of his family to join the Senate. Sertorius' father died before he came of age and his mother, Rhea, focused all her energies on raising her only son. She made sure he received the best education possible for a young man of his status. In return, according to Plutarch, he became excessively fond of his mother. Having inherited his father's clients, like many other young rural aristocrats ( domi nobiles ), Sertorius sought to begin

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