Anicetus

Family: Pontic · Role: freedman and rebel commander · First appears: Histories III.44-48

Life events

• Anicetus incited a general Pontic rebellion and enlisted its maritime tribes for Vitellius.(Histories III.44-48 · 📍 Pontus)
  • With: Polemo Vitellius
  • “Pontus had suddenly risen in a general rebellion at the instigation of a foreign menial, who was in command of what had once been the royal fleet. He was one of Polemo's freedmen, by name Anicetus, who had formerly been influential and resented the change which had converted the kingdom into a province of the Roman empire. He accordingly enlisted the maritime tribes of Pontus in Vitellius' service, attracting all the neediest ruffians with promises of plunder.”
• Anicetus attacked Trapezus and destroyed its auxiliary garrison.(Histories III.44-48 · 📍 Trapezus)
  • “At the head of no mean force he suddenly fell upon Trapezus, an ancient and famous city, founded by Greek settlers on the frontier of the Pontic kingdom. There he cut to pieces the auxiliaries, who had once formed the king's Body Guard, and, after receiving the Roman franchise, had adopted our ensigns and equipment, while still retaining all the inefficiency and insubordination of Greek troops.”
• Virdius Geminus defeated Anicetus and forced his surrender, ending the slaves' war.(Histories III.44-48 · 📍 river Chobus)
  • With: Virdius Geminus
  • “He then had some Liburnian cruisers hurriedly constructed and ran Anicetus to ground in the mouth of the river Chobus, where he had taken refuge with the King of the Sedochezi tribe, whose alliance he had purchased by bribes. At first, indeed, the king endeavoured to protect his petitioner by using threats of violence, but he soon saw that it was a choice between making war or being paid for his treachery. The barbarian's sense of honour was unequal to this strain. He came to terms, surrendered Anicetus and the other fugitives, and thus put an end to 'the slaves' war'.”

Histories III.44-48

• enemies with Mucianus “Anicetus also set fire to the fleet and thus enjoyed complete mastery of the sea, since Mucianus had moved the pick of his cruisers and all his troops to Byzantium.”
• employer: Polemo “He was one of Polemo's freedmen, by name Anicetus, who had formerly been influential and resented the change which had converted the kingdom into a province of the Roman empire.”
• enemies with Virdius Geminus “He attacked the enemy while they were dispersed in all directions in quest of plunder, and drove them back to their ships.”
• enemies with Vespasian “This state of things attracting Vespasian's attention, he was obliged to send out a picked force of detachments from the legions under Virdius Geminus, a soldier of tried experience.”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Tacitus — The Histories & The Annals (Books I-VI) & Agricola. Made with Rho MD.