(1) Is prīmā mīlitum cōntiōne iūrāvit Numeriānum nūllō suō dolō interfectum, et cum iūxtā eum Aper, quī Numeriānō īnsidiās fēcerat, cōnstitisset, in cōnspectū exercitūs manū Dioclētiānī gladiō percussus est.
(2) Posteā Carīnum omnium odiō et dētestātiōne vīventem apud Margum ingentī proeliō vīcit prōditum ab exercitū suō, quem fortiōrem habēbat, certē dēsertum, inter Viminācium atque Aureum montem.
(3) Ita rērum Rōmānārum potītus, cum tumultum rūsticānī in Galliā concitāssent et factiōnī suae Bacaudārum nōmen inpōnerent, ducēs autem habērent Amandum et Aeliānum, ad subigendōs eōs Maximiānum Herculium Caesarem mīsit, quī levibus proeliīs agrestēs domuit et pācem Galliae refōrmāvit.
notes
Battle of Margum, July 285 CE
(1) Is: Diocletian
prīma mīlitum cōntiōne: "a contio was an assembly of the Roman people convened regularly...by a magistrate or a sacerdos publicus." See Smith, s.v. contio
Aper, quī Numeriānō īnsidiās fēcerat: for Aper's murder of Numerian, see Eutropius, Brev. 9.18
(2) Carīnum: for Carinus' bad reputation, see Eutropius, Brev. 9.19
dētestātiōne: "loathing"
apud Margum: Margus was fortress, port, and customs station in the province Moesia Superior near Viminacium, modern Orašje in Serbia. Carinus was defeated near there by Diocletian in 285 CE. Carinus’ army was larger, but some of his officers were disaffected. Carinus was assassinated by one of his own men, which left Diocletian victorious.
quem fortiōrem habēbat: "although he had a stronger (army)."
certē dēsertum: "in fact (he was) deserted," expanding on prōditum.
inter Viminācium atque Aureum montem: see Viminacium, Aureus Mons
(3) rērum Rōmānārum potītus: "having gained control over the Roman empire" < potior, deponent verb (AG 190)
concitāssent: concitāvissent
Bacaudārum nōmen: a class of peasants in Gaul, who rebelled under the emperor Diocletian, and were finally conquered by Maximian (LS bagaudae)
ad subigendōs eōs: "to conquer them," gerundive denoting purpose (AG 500.4)
Māximiānum Herculium Caesarem: see Maximian
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
cōntiō, ōnis [contr. from conventiō, assembling], f. |
assembly; an address (to the assembly) |
|
Numeriānus, ī, m. |
the younger of the two sons of the emperor Carus |
|
iūxtā, adv. and prep. with acc. |
near |
|
Aper, prī, m. |
Arrius Aper, praetorian praefect. He was put to death by Diocletian, 284 A.D. |
|
īnsidiae, ārum [īnsideō, to sit upon], pl. f. |
ambush; treachery |
|
cōnspectus, ūs [cōnspiciō], m. |
sight, presence |
|
Dioclētiānus, ī, m. |
(Valerius) Dioclētiānus, emperor 284–305 A.D. |
|
percutiō, ere, cussī, cussus [per + quatiō, to shake] |
to thrust through, strike, kill |
|
Carīnus, ī, m. |
the son of the emperor Carus. He was associated with his father in the government. 2 |
|
dētestātiō, ōnis [dētestor], f. |
the invocation of a curse; deprecation |
|
Margum, ī, n. |
a town in Upper Moesia |
|
Viminācium, ī, n. |
a town in Upper Moesia |
|
Aureus, ī, m. |
a mountain in Thrace |
|
potior, īrī, ītus sum [potis, able] |
to get possession, acquire 3 |
|
tumultus, ūs, m. |
a disturbance, uproar; rebellion, riot |
|
rūsticānī, ōrum, pl. m. |
countrymen |
|
Gallia, ae, f. |
the country of the Gauls; modern France and the territories on the west bank of the Rhine. The northern part of Italy was settled by Gauls, and was called Gallia Cisalpina; hence the pl. Galliae. |
|
concitō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to arouse, urge, excite |
|
factiō, ōnis [faciō], f. |
a party, political party, faction |
|
Bacaudae, ārum, pl. m. |
the name of the revolting peasants in Gaul in the reign of Diocletian |
|
Amandus, ī, m. |
Amandus, a leader of an insurrection during the reign of Diocletian |
|
Aeliānus, ī, m. |
a leader of an insurrection during the reign of Diocletian |
|
subigō, ere, ēgī, āctus |
to drive under, put down, conquer |
|
Māximiānus, ī, m. |
(1) Gālerius (Valerius) Māximiānus, Roman emperor, 305–311 A.D.; (2) (M. Aurēlius Valerius) Māximiānus, surnamed Herculius, Roman emperor 286–305 A.D. |
|
Herculius, ī, m. |
a cognomen of Maximianus |
|
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 |
|
agrestis, e [ager], adj. |
of the fields, rustic; as subst., countryman |
|
domō, āre, uī, itus |
to tame, conquer |
|
refōrmō, āre, —, ātus [re + fōrma] |
to shape again, reform, change |