Quintus Petillius Cerialis Caesius Rufus (c. AD 30 — after AD 83),[1] otherwise known asQuintus Petillius Cerialis, was aRoman general and administrator who served inBritain duringBoudica's rebellion and went on to participate in thecivil wars after the death ofNero. He later crushed the rebellion ofJulius Civilis and returned to Britain as its governor.
Because he probably succeededCaesius Nasica as commander ofLegio IX Hispana, and since brothers are often attested as serving in succession in the same post,Anthony Birley suggests that Cerialis was the younger brother of Nasica, and had beenadopted by Petillius Rufus, who was known aspraetor in AD 28.[2] However, in his monograph of naming practices in the first centuries of the Roman Empire, Olli Salomies argues that Cerialis was actually the biological son of Petillius Rufus by a woman named Caesia, who may have been the daughter of a Caesius Cerialis, therefore Caesius Nasica would not have been his brother "but a close relative."[3]
His first important assignment was as legate ofLegio IX Hispana (Ninth Iberian Legion) in theRoman province ofBritannia, under governorGaius Suetonius Paulinus. In the defeat of the 60/61 rebellion led by QueenBoudica of theIceni, Cerialis suffered a serious defeat when attempting to relieve the city ofCamulodunum (Colchester), which was taken by the Britons before he arrived. "The victorious enemy met Petilius Cerialis, commander of the ninth legion, as he was coming to the rescue, routed his troops, and destroyed all his infantry. Cerialis escaped with some cavalry into the camp, and was saved by its fortifications."[4]
As the son in law ofVespasian, being the husband ofDomitilla the Younger, Cerialis was made a hostage byVitellius in 69, during the civil wars of theYear of Four Emperors. Cerialis managed to escape disguised as a peasant and joined the Flavian army. He was one of the cavalry leaders that conquered Rome for the approaching Vespasian.[5] His role was to enter Rome via Sabine territory along the Via Salaria.[6]
This success and his brother-in-law's trust gave him the command ofXIVGemina, then stationed in the difficult province ofGermania Inferior. Again, Cerialis had to deal with a local revolt, theBatavian rebellion, in which the local tribes, led byJulius Civilis, a romanized prince, besieged two Roman legions at Xanten. Cerialis was again successful and received honours from Vespasian, which included his firstconsulate.[7]
In 71, Cerialis was appointedgovernor ofRoman Britain, bringing theIIAdiutrix with him to the province. He was supported byGnaeus Julius Agricola, commander ofXXValeria Victrix.[8]
As governor, Cerialis campaigned against theBrigantes of northern England. In 74, Cerialis left Britain; amilitary diploma dated 21 May 74 attests he was consul a second time, withTitus Clodius Eprius Marcellus as his colleague.[9]
According to the 1911Encyclopædia Britannica, "Tacitus says that he was a bold soldier rather than a careful general, and preferred to stake everything on the issue of a single engagement. He possessed natural eloquence of a kind that readily appealed to his soldiers. His loyalty to his superiors was unshakable".[10]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byas Ordinary consuls | Suffect consul of theRoman Empire 70 withGaius Licinius Mucianus | Succeeded byas Suffect consuls |
| Preceded by | Governor of Roman Britain 71-74 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Suffect consul of theRoman Empire 74 withTitus Clodius Eprius Marcellus II | Succeeded by ignotus, as Suffect consulsand ...]on[. |
| International | |
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| People | |
