(1) Ingentī ergō labōre et moderātiōne, cum apud Carnuntum iūgī trienniō persevērāsset, bellum Marcomannicum cōnfēcit, quod cum hīs Quādī, Vandalī, Sarmatae, Suēvī atque omnis barbaria commōverat. Multa hominum mīlia interfēcit ac Pannoniīs servitiō līberātīs Rōmae rūrsus cum Commodō Antōnīnō fīliō suō, quem iam Caesarem fēcerat, triumphāvit.

(2) Ad huius bellī sūmptum cum aerāriō exhaustō largītiōnēs nūllās habēret neque indīcere prōvinciālibus aut senātuī aliquid vellet, īnstrūmentum rēgiī cultūs factā in forō dīvī Trāiānī sectiōne distrāxit, vāsa aurea, pōcula crystallina et murrina, uxōriam ac suam sēricam et auream vestem, multa ōrnamenta gemmārum. Ac per duōs continuōs mēnsēs ea vēnditiō habita est multumque aurī redāctum. Post victōriam tamen ēmptōribus pretia restituit, quī reddere conparāta voluērunt; molestus nūllī fuit, quī māluit semel ēmpta retinēre.

    The Marcomannic Wars (166-180 CE)

    Dio Cassius, Histories Book 72.

    (1) bellum Marcomannicum: For more details, see Dio 72.3–21; Historia Augusta, Marc. Aur. 12.13, 14.1–6, 17.1–3, 21.6–22.2, 27.10. According to Bird,

    In c. 166 CE Germans and Sarmatians crossed the upper and lower Danube, invaded northern Italy and began a bitter war which lasted throughout the rest of M. Aurelius' reign. The wars were fought in two main campaigns, against the Marcomanni and Quadi from Carnuntum (Altenburg), east of Vienna, and against the Sarmatian Iazyges from Sirmium (Mitrovica) in Pannonia Inferior.

    Quādī: the Quadi were a powerful people who dwelt in the southeastern part of Germany. They had been taken under the protection of Rome by Tiberius. In 174 CE Marcus Aurelius defeated them in a fierce battle. They appear again during the reign of Gallienus (9.8). Towards the end of the fourth century they disappear from history (Hazzard).

    Vandalī: the Vandali or Vandals were an alliance of German peoples, who dwelt originally on the northern coast of Germany. Later they settled north of the Marcomanni, whom they joined. They invaded Spain, and later Africa. Under their king Gaiseric they invaded Italy, and took and plundered Rome, 455 CE (Hazzard).

    Sarmatae: Sarmatians, Sarmatae.

    Suēvī: the Suevi were an important alliance of German tribes. Their name survives in the modern Suabia (Hazzard).

    omnis : "every," a hyperbole.

    Pannoniīs servitiō līberātīs: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419).

    Rōmae: "at Rome," locative case (AG 427.3).

    (2) aerāriō exhaustō: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419).

    largītiōnēs: rewards in money or land that would be expected by surviving soldiers on discharge after a great victory.

    indīcere prōvinciālibus aut senātuī aliquid: "to make any demands on the provinces or the senate" (Hazzard). indīcere takes a dative object (LS indīcō -ere).

    īnstrūmentum rēgiī cultūs: "royal furniture," (LS instrumentum I.2).

    factā ... sectiōne: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419).

    sectiōne: "auction" (LS sectiō II.C).

    in forō dīvī Trāiānī: Trajan's Forum in the center of the city of Rome.

    distrāxit: > distraho, -ere, "to disperse or get rid of by sale, sell" (LS distraho A.2.β).

    murrina: fluorspar or agate (LS murrina).

    conparāta: "their purchases" (Hazzard), perfect passive participle used substantively (LS comparo II).

    molestus nūllī fuit: "he was bothersome to no one," i.e., he did not make a fuss with anyone (dative, AG 383).

    semel ēmpta: "things bought the previously," i.e., during the original auction (LS semel II.B.2)

    Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates

     

    moderātiō, ōnis [moderor], f.

    moderation, self-control

    Carnuntum, ī, n.

    an ancient Celtic town in Upper Pannonia, on the Danube

    iūgis, e [iungō], adj.

    joined together, continuously

    triennium, ī [trēs + annus], n.

    the space of three years, three years

    persevērō, āre, āvī, ātus

    to persist, persevere

    Marcomannicus, a, um, adj.

    belonging or pertaining to the Marcomanni

    Quādī, ōrum, pl. m.

    a Suabian (Germanic) people

    Vandalī, ōrum, pl. m.

    Vandals, a confederacy of Germanic peoples that invaded Italy in the fifth century A.D.

    Sarmatae, ārum, pl. m

    the inhabitants of Sarmatia

    Suēvī, ōrum, pl. m.

    a confederacy of Germanic tribes

    barbaria, ae [barbarus], f.

    a strange land, a foreign country (opposed to Greece and Italy)

    commoveō, ēre, mōvī, mōtus

    to arouse, disturb, move, influence

    mīlia, um, pl. n.

    thousand, thousands

    Pannoniī, ōrum, pl. m.

    the inhabitants of Pannonia

    servitium, ī [servus], n.

    slavery; slaves

    līberō, āre, āvī, ātus [līber]

    to set free, release

    Commodus, ī, m.

    L. Antōnīnus Commodus, emperor 180–193 A.D.

    Antōnīnus, ī, m.

    the name of a dynasty of Roman emperors. (1) T. Aurēlius Antōnīnus Fulvius Bōiōnius Pius, 138–161 A.D.; (2) M. Aurēlius Antōnīnus Vērus, 161–180 A.D.; (3) L. Annius Antōnīnus Vērus, 161–169 A.D.; (4) L. Antōnīnus Commodus, 180–193 A.D.; (5) M. Aurēlius Antōnīnus Bassānius Caracalla, 211–217 A.D.; (6) M. Aurēlius Antōnīnus, Heliogabalus, 218–222 A.D.

    Caesar, aris, m.

    a family name in the Julian gens. (1) C. Iūlius Caesar, the famous dictator; (2) Sex. Iūlius Caesar, uncle of the dictator. Consul 91 B.C.; (3) C. Octāviānus, the emperor Augustus

    triumphō, āre, āvī, ātus

    to celebrate a triumph

    sūmptus, ūs [sūmō], m.

    outlay, expense 2

    aerārium, ī [aes, copper], n.

    treasury, fund

    exhauriō, īre, hausī, haustus

    to take out, empty out, exhaust

    largītiō, ōnis [largior], f.

    liberality, largesse

    prōvinciālis, is, m.

    a provincial

    īnstrūmentum, ī [īnstruō], n.

    furniture

    cultus, ūs [colō], m.

    dress, splendor, finery

    Trāiānus, ī, m.

    (M.) Ulpius Crīnītus Trāiānus, Roman emperor 98–117 A.D.

    sectiō, ōnis, f.

    a sale at auction of confiscated property

    distrahō, ere, trāxī, trāctus

    to pull asunder, part, separate

    vās, vāsis (pl. vāsa, ōrum), n.

    a vessel, dish

    pōculum, ī, n.

    cup

    crystallinus, a, um [crystallum, crystal], adj.

    of crystal

    murrinus, a, um, adj.

    of or belonging to the stone murra, murine

    uxōrius, a, um [uxor], adj.

    of a wife

    sēricus, a, um, adj.

    of silk, silken

    ōrnāmentum, ī [ōrnō, to fit out], n.

    a preparation; decoration, ornament, jewel

    gemma, ae, f.

    a bud; gem, precious stone

    continuus, a, um [contineō], adj.

    successive, uninterrupted

    mēnsis, is, m.

    a month

    vēnditiō, ōnis [vēndō], f.

    an auction sale, auction

    redigō, ere, ēgī, āctus

    to drive back; reduce; render, bring

    ēmptor, ōris [emō], m.

    a buyer, purchaser

    restituō, ere, Ī, ūtus

    to set up again, replace, restore, reinstate; repair, remedy, save

    molestus, a, um [mōlēs, mass], adj.

    troublesome, annoying, vexatious

    emō, ere, ēmī, ēmptus

    to take; buy, purchase; gain, acquire

     

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