Unit Levies after the Batavian Revolt and the Conquest of Northern Britannia

Abstract

In the Early Flavian Period over 30 military units were created or transferred for service in Britannia. Paul Holder maintained that these units arrived with Petillius Cerialis for Vespasian's expansionist plans and connected several new levies to the Batavian Revolt. Considering recent scholarship on Roman responses to revolts and Flavian geopolitics, however, this viewpoint requires revision. The author maintains that these units were transferred throughout the 70s c.e. as opportunities developed organically in Britannia. These newly levied units were not created in response to the Batavian Revolt, but due to the extraordinary and complex circumstances within Rome's northern frontiers after the post-Neronian civil wars. This article concludes with updated histories for the auxiliary units involved.