(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: 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)