Blesus

Family: Roman army · Role: General · First appears: Annals I (7)

Life events

Blesus interrupts the tribunal’s construction, causing the mutinous soldiers to desist.(Annals I (7))
- “For all this, turfs were accumulated, and the work was already breast high, when, at last, overcome by his spirit and perseverance, they forbore.”
Blesus orders heavily laden plunderers to be whipped and imprisoned.(Annals I (7))
- “Blesus, for an example of terror to the rest, commanded those who were most laden with plunder, to be punished with stripes and cast into prison:”
The mutinous soldiers burst open the prison and rescue the punished prisoners.(Annals I (7))
- “Hence the whole body rushed to their relief, burst open the prison, unbound and rescued the prisoners:”
Vibulenus falsely accused Blesus of murdering his brother, inflaming the soldiers against their general.(Annals I (8))
- With: Vibulenus
- “they had gone nigh to have sacrificed the General.”
The soldiers expelled Blesus's camp officials and plundered their baggage during the mutiny.(Annals I (8))
- “As it was, they expulsed the Camp-Marshal and Tribunes; and as they fled, plundered their baggage”

servant: Aufidienus Rufus (Blesus is identified as the General, while Aufidienus Rufus is identified as the Camp-Marshal and therefore an officer under the army command.) “Blesus, for an example of terror to the rest, commanded those who were most laden with plunder, to be punished with stripes and cast into prison: for the General was still dutifully obeyed by the Centurions, and by all the soldiers of any merit; but the criminals refused to submit, and even struggled with the guard who were carrying them off; they clasped the knees of the bystanders, implored help from their fellows, now calling upon every individual, and conjuring them by their particular names; then appealed to them in a body, and supplicated the company, the cohort, the legion to which they belonged; warning and proclaiming that the same ignominy and chastisement hung over them all. With the same breath they heaped invectives without measure upon their General, and called upon heaven and all the Gods to be their witnesses and avengers; nor left they aught unattempted to raise effectual hatred, compassion, terror, and every species of fury. Hence the whole body rushed to their relief, burst open the prison, unbound and rescued the prisoners: thus they owned for their brethren, and incorporated with themselves, infamous revolters, and traitors convict and condemned.”

enemies with Vibulenus (Vibulenus publicly accused Blesus of murdering his brother; the accusation was subsequently revealed to be fabricated.) “He was sent hither by the German armies, with propositions for our common good; and for this, was last night butchered by that same Blesus, who in the murder employed his gladiators, bloody men, whom he purposely entertains and arms for our common execution.”

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