CHAPTERFNE THE DANUBIAN PROVINCES

Raetia

1) Short Historical Survey

The combined military operations of and Drusus in 16 and 5 BCE led to the conquest of the Alpine tribes, among them the Raeti and the Celtic Uindelid, and the territorial annexation of the central Alpine region and the Swabian-Bavarian plateau2• At the northernmost point of the conquered area, at the end of a valley, about 30km south of the at the confluence of the Wertach and the , the Romans established a legionary camp on a natural elevation3• SchOn argued that this campaign had neither a military nor an economic reason. The primary consideration was to fasten the western and eastern halves of the empire closer together. This was done with the purpose of improving traffic and supply lines between the two spheres and to facilitate a speedy recognition of a possible German offensive4. If we recall, however, the geographical position of and that a Germanic tribe had defeated the troops under the command of M.

1 The names of these Alpine peoples are recorded on an inscription, the tropaeum Alpium (P. Casimir Le trophee d'Auguste ii La Turbie (Marseille, 1932), and in Pl. Nat. 3.136. 2 During the Principate the province of Raetia included Tyrolia, the Vorarl­ berg, northeastern , southwestern , and parts of Baden­ Wiirttemberg. On the borders of the province see F. Schon Der Beginn der romischen Herrschaft in Raetien (Sigmaringen, 1986), 9. 3 -Oberhausen. 4 Schon (1986), 29: "(... ) der Alpenfeldzug von 15 v. Chr. weder aus wirt­ schaftlichen Erwiigungen unternommen wurde noch dazu diente, eine unmittelbare Bedrohung ltaliens abzuwenden oder eine GroBoffensive zur Unterwerfung von Magna einzuleiten. Das Ziel war vielmehr, die ostlichen und westlichen Reichsteile starker miteinander zu verklammern, die verkehrsgeographische Lage dieser Gebiete durch die Offnung neuer Passe und Nachschubwege zu verbessern und einen eventuellen Angriff germanischer Stiimme schon rechtzeitig zu erkennen; zugleich ergab sich nun fiir die Romer eine giinstigere Position, auch in Germanien romischen EinfluB verstiirkt geltend zu machen." 146 CHAPTER FIVE Lollius, legate of Gallia comatd, and that Pannonian tribes caused problems in lllyricum, then the annexation of Raetia could also have been, like the peaceful appropriation of , part of a military strategy born of the necessity to secure and stabilize unstable parts of the empire. This, however, should not be equated with a long term strategic offensive plan with the final goal of subjugating all of Germania6• With the exception of C. Julius Caesar, who went out to conquer new areas, Rome's subsequent territorial expansion was in actuality a chain of successful reactions to conditions that were thought to jeopardize the status quo. Even ' expansionist foreign policy followed this pattern. M. Lollius' defeat by a Germanic tribe necessitated Augustus' presence in in 16 BCE, where he stayed until 13 BCE. While in Gaul, he rearranged the administration of this province and prepared the various military campaigns of Drusus and Tiberius. The presence of originally three legions, the XIII gemina, the XVI, and the XXI rapax, highlights the temporary strategic significance of the province for the securing of Germania and lllyricum based on its central geographical position. The commander of the three legions stationed in Raetia was also governor of the province with the title legatus pro praetore in Uindelicis7• Between 15 BCE and 9 CE, the legio XXI rapax was the only legion remaining in Raetia, while the legio XIII gemina was moved to lllyricum and the legio XVI to . The Varian debacle necessitated the move of the XXI rapax to Germany while the XIII gemina returned to Raetia. Germanicus' offensive against the Germans brought the transfer of the last legion stationed in Raetia, the XIII gemina, to Germany. From this point on, auxiliary forces protected Raetia and a praefectus administered the province. replaced the praefectus with a procurator. This administrative system was maintained until stationed a legion in Raetia, the newly created legio III Italica, and its commander, a legatus Augusti pro praetore, held the governorship of Raetia. Although the legion was stationed in Regina (), the administra-

5 Veil. 2.97. 6 K. Kraft, "Zu den Schlagmarken des Tiberius und Germanicus. Ein Beitrag zur Datierung des Legionslager Vindonissa und Oberhausen," Jahrbuch.filr Numis­ matik und Geldgeschichte 2 (1950-1), 21-35, especially p. 34, formulated the idea of a comprehensive offensive policy. 7 G. Winkler, "Die Statthalter der romischen Provinz Raetien unter dem Prinzi­ pat," Bayrische Vorgeschichtsbliitter 36 (1971), 50-101.