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Herodian
(late second, first half third century): Greek historian, author of a History
of the Roman Empire since the Death of Marcus Aurelius (table
of contents) in which he describes the reign of
Commodus (180-192), the Year of the Five Emperors (193), the age of the
Severan dynasty (211-235),
and the Year of the Six Emperors (238).
The translation was made by Edward C. Echols (Herodian of Antioch's History of
the Roman Empire, 1961 Berkeley and Los Angeles) and was
put online for the
first time by Roger Pearse (Tertullian.Org).
The version offered on these pages is hyperlinked and contains notes by
Jona Lendering. |
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4.7: Caracalla's Germanic War
[213]  After committing such crimes as these,
hounded by his conscience and finding life in Rome intolerable, the
emperor decided to leave the city to see to matters in the garrison
camps and visit the provinces.
 Leaving Italy, he journeyed to the
banks of the Danube, where he concerned himself with the northern part
of his empire; at the same time he exercised by driving in chariot
races and by fighting at close quarters with wild animals of every
kind.[1] Only occasionally did he sit as judge, although he was quick to
grasp the essentials of a case in court and quick to pass judgment on
the basis of the arguments presented.
 He grew especially
fond of the Germans in those regions; after gaining their friendship,
he entered into alliances with them, and selected for his personal
bodyguard the strongest and most handsome young men. He frequently put
off the Roman cloak and donned German dress, appearing in the short,
silver-embroidered cloaks which they customarily wear, augmented by a
yellow wig with the locks arranged in the German style.
 Delighted with the
emperor's antics, the barbarians became very fond of him, as did the
Roman soldiers also, particularly because of his lavish gifts of money
but also because he always played the soldier's part. If a ditch had to
be dug anywhere, the emperor was the first man to dig; if it were
necessary to bridge a stream or pile up a high rampart, it was the
same; in every task involving labor of hand or body, the emperor was
first man to the job.
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Destruction of a Germanic village by Roman soldiers. Column of Marcus Aurelius (©!!!) |
 He set a frugal table
and even went so far as to use wooden dishes at his meals. He ate the
bread that was available; grinding with his own hands his personal
ration of grain, he made a loaf, baked it in the ashes, and ate it.
 Scorning
luxuries, he used whatever was cheapest and issued to the poorest
soldier. He pretended to be delighted when they called him fellow
soldier instead of emperor. For the most part he marched with the
troops, carrying his own arms and rarely using a chariot or a horse.
 Occasionally he even
placed the standards of the legions on his shoulders and bore them
along; these standards, tall and decorated with many gold ornaments,
were a heavy burden for even the strongest soldiers. For these actions
Caracalla won the affection of the soldiers by his military prowess and
gained their admiration by his feats of strength. And it is certainly
true that the performance of such strenuous tasks by a man of small
stature was worthy of admiration.
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