Sextus Cerealis
Also known as: Cerealis · Family: Roman · Role: commander of the fifth legion · First appears: Book III, Chapter 7
In Book III, Chapter 7, Vespasian sent Sextus Cerealis, commander of the fifth legion, to Mount Gerizzim with six hundred horsemen and three thousand footmen to counter the gathered forces there. Cerealis did not consider it safe to attack because many of the enemy held the higher ground.
In Book VI, Chapter 2, Titus made Cerealis commander-in-chief of a selected force and ordered him to attack the temple guards that night. On the next day, when Titus rejected burning the holy house and ordered chosen troops to quench the fire, Cerealis agreed with his decision.
Relationship record
Life events
- Titus appoints Cerealis commander-in-chief and orders an attack on the temple guards.(Book VI, Chapter 2 · 📍 temple)
- With: Titus
- “choosing thirty soldiers of the most valiant out of every hundred, and committing a thousand to each tribune, and making Cerealis their commander-in-chief, he gave orders that they should attack the guards of the temple about the ninth hour of that night.”
- Titus rejects burning the holy house and orders selected troops to quench the fire.(Book VI, Chapter 4)
- With: Titus Tiberius Alexander Larcius Lepidus Titus Frigius Eternius Marcus Antonius Julianus
- “So he commanded that the chosen men that were taken out of the cohorts should make their way through the ruins, and quench the fire.”
Book III, Chapter 7
- with Vespasian (Vespasian assigned Cerealis a military operation.) “he therefore sent thither Cerealis, the commander of the fifth legion, with six hundred horsemen, and three thousand footmen, who did not think it safe to go up to the mountain, and give them battle, because many of the enemy were on the higher part of the ground;”
- employer: Vespasian “Vespasian therefore thought it best to prevent their motions, and to cut off the foundation of their attempts. For although all Samaria had ever garrisons settled among them, yet did the number of those that were come to Mount Gerizzim, and their conspiracy together, give ground for fear what they would be at; he therefore sent thither Cerealis, the commander of the fifth legion, with six hundred horsemen, and three thousand footmen,”
Book IV, Chapter 9
- employer: Vespasian (Cerealis is identified as one of Vespasian's commanders.) “But Cerealis, one of his commanders, took a body of horsemen and footmen, and laid waste that part of Idumea which was called the Upper Idumea,”
- with Vespasian (Cerealis was one of Vespasian's commanders.) “but Cerealis, one of his commanders, took a body of horsemen and footmen”
Book VI, Chapter 2
- with Titus (Titus appointed Cerealis commander-in-chief.) “but choosing thirty soldiers of the most valiant out of every hundred, and committing a thousand to each tribune, and making Cerealis their commander-in-chief, he gave orders that they should attack the guards of the temple about the ninth hour of that night.”
Book VI, Chapter 4
- with Titus (Titus assembled Sextus Cerealis for a council of commanders.) “Of those there were assembled the six principal persons: Tiberius Alexander, the commander [under the general] of the whole army; with Sextus Cerealis, the commander of the fifth legion; and Larcius Lepidus, the commander of the tenth legion; and Titus Frigius, the commander of the fifteenth legion: there was also with them Eternius, the leader of the two legions that came from Alexandria; and Marcus Antonius Julianus, procurator of Judea: after these came together all the rest of the procurators and tribunes.”
- with Titus (Cerealis refers to Sextus Cerealis.) “So Fronto, and Alexander, and Cerealis grew bold upon that declaration, and agreed to the opinion of Titus.”
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Extracted from the original text of The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem. Made with Rho MD.