. Civil war and rebellion in the Roman empire 69-70; companion to the "Histories" of Tacitus . emieslaine had a very good smell, but a Citizen farre better. How-beit to qualifie and allay the strong savour and sent that theycast, hee poured downe his throat before them all exceedinggreat store of strong wine, and dealt the same Vitellius is the one utterly contemptible figureof the century. Thus the first Battle of Bedriacum2 wasfought, and Vitellius won his throw for review of the military measures of both sidesshows that both made mistakes, or at least failed
. Civil war and rebellion in the Roman empire 69-70; companion to the "Histories" of Tacitus . emieslaine had a very good smell, but a Citizen farre better. How-beit to qualifie and allay the strong savour and sent that theycast, hee poured downe his throat before them all exceedinggreat store of strong wine, and dealt the same Vitellius is the one utterly contemptible figureof the century. Thus the first Battle of Bedriacum2 wasfought, and Vitellius won his throw for review of the military measures of both sidesshows that both made mistakes, or at least failedin their intentions. Neither the plan of tacticalpenetration on the one side, nor that of stra-tegical envelopment on the other, was fully carriedout. As Othos had been the more brilliant and 1 Suetonius, Vitellius, 10. Philemon Hollands translation ( 1606).Cf. Tac. ii. 70. 2 The title Battle of Bedriacum is a misnomer, as the actual fightingtook place just outside Cremona, twenty miles away, and that of the Battleof Cremona would be more fitting. But the former name is consecrate VITELLIUS. From a bust in Vienna. SEC. VIII AND THE VITELLIANS 121 daring conception, so its failure, which precipitatedthe final fight, was the more ruinous, and broughtdefeat and death upon him. The great cause of its failure was the incompetence^of Othos generals. As the story of the battle shows,they clung to the main road too long, calculatingtoo confidently upon the enemys immobility. Butthe enemy gladly sallied out to attack, and Othostroops were caught encumbered with baggage andtools, unready for a fight and not expecting incompetence the generals added cowardice, ofwhich later they blandly made a merit, and wonVitellius pardon by this means. \] There was smallwonder that with such generals Otho lost the troops fought well for him against all possibleodds. It had been better for Suetonius had hedied eight years earlier amid Boadiceas war-chariots. ■ He saved Bri
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