Between Romans and barbarians: the revolt of the Batavians
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51349/veg.2026.2.12Keywords:
civil war, rebellion, barbarians, identity, Roman empireAbstract
The war of the four emperors led to a rebellion that historiography labels the ‘Revolt of the Batavians’ (69-70 AD). However, the conflict dragged various communities of Gauls and Germanic peoples into a series of clashes that became part of the dynamics of the civil war between Vespasian and Vitellius. Starting from the historiographical debate about the motivation and structure of this episode, as well as the preserved sources, mainly Tacitus' Histories, we propose an analysis from the perspective of the rebels. We consider that identity played a relevant role and it is necessary to reflect on the provincial situation that led auxiliary soldiers to rebel against Rome.
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