(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.
notes
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: see 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," (Hazzard, 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 first time," i.e., during the original auction.
vocabulary
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 |