Domestic Revolts 680-690 AUC
Cinna’s civil war and the political struggle in the Senate tend to dominate discussion of domestic events in the Republic in this era.
However, revolt by provinces or by slaves remained an ongoing threat. Few offered a serious challenge to the Republic but all required the expenditure of men and money to bring them to an end. Equally if revolt was a common feature, the response of the Republic varied.
In late 680, yet another major revolt broke out in Ager Bruttius only again to be brutally crushed.
This time Lucius Cotta was ordered to end the threat once and for all. The legions moved into the small towns and villages, confiscating livestock and selling into slavery all who were suspected of brigandage. By 682, peasants were resettled to the region with the promise of land grants as the province became Romanised.[1]
However, as ever it was the spectre of Slave revolt that most frightened the ruling classes. The memory of Spartacus ran deep, as did the fear of being murdered if an uprising happened on their estates. Worse, every slave revolt saw the loss of property that they had paid for
In consequence such outbreaks were crushed with the utmost brutality. Those who survived slaughter on the battlefield met their end soon after. The corpses were left to hang as a warning to any other who considered revolt as Cotta added to his fearsome reputation.
More typical was the Greek revolt of 684 centred on Thessaly. Fuelled by the usual mix of grievance with Roman rule and conflict between local cities a major revolt broke out
That required two legions to be withdrawn from the Danubian frontier.
Battle was joined in late 684
With the rebels quickly dispersed.
However, the type of harsh measures used to end a slave revolt were not acceptable to free citizens. Excessive brutality spawned a new, even more desperate revolt.
And the 10th Legion was all but destroyed. The remnants joined up with the 11th and by mid-march 685 the province was again pacified.
This time there were no retaliations, now the Republic was looking for peace, not vengeance.
A similar outcome happened when the next slave revolt occurred on Corsica in late 685
This time, victory came easily and the local landowners petitioned for the return of their property. Stretched by the demands of the Syrian wars, for once, the Senate agreed to show a relative degree of mercy.
[1] – I had the event that changed the culture to Roman at this period but can’t find back the screenshot. Not only did it end the revolt risk, it also improved my overall manpower situation.