[500] Ventidius and Sosius were Antony's officers. The former was famous as having begun life as a mule-driver and risen to be a consul and to hold the first triumph over the Parthians. [501] Herod the Great, who on the return of Antigonus had fled to Rome and chosen the winning side. [502] One of Herod's slaves. [503] Archelaus, Herod Antipas, and Philip. [504] A.D. 40. [505] A freedman, Procurator of Judaea, A.D. 52-60 (cp. Acts xxiv). [506] Claudius' mother, Antonia, was the daughter of Antony's first marriage. [507] A.D. 64-66. [508] A.D. 67 and 68. [509] A.D. 69. [510] Chap. 1. [511] Jerusalem stands on a rock which rises into three main hills, Zion (south), Acra (north), and Moriah (east). It is not clear to which two of these Tacitus alludes; probably Zion and Moriah. [512] Of this no traces remain, and the tradition may have been based on the metaphorical prophecy that a fount of living water would issue from the Sanctuary. [513] i.e. the Galilean towns captured by Vespasian in A.D. 67 and 68. [514] Simon was a bandit from the east of Jordan; John of Gischala headed a party of refugees from Galilee; Eleazar was the leader of the Jewish war-party, and related to the high priests. [515] They submitted to John's authority and were not killed. [516] 'Ye shall not ... use enchantments, nor practise augury' (Lev. xix. 26). [517] e.g. 'And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms' (Dan. ii. 44). The Jews were looking for Messiah: the Romans thought of Vespasian. THE END OF THE GERMAN REVOLT After the severe reverse at Trier[518] Civilis recruited his army 14 in Germany, and pitched his camp near Vetera. The position was a safe one, and he hoped to inspirit his native troops with the memory of their former victories there.[519] Cerialis followed in his footsteps, with forces now doubled by the arrival of the Second,[520] Thirteenth, and Fourteenth legions, besides auxiliary troops, both horse and foot,[521] who had long received their summons and came hurrying on the news of victory. Neither general was dilatory, but a vast plain lay between them. It was by nature swampy, and Civilis had built a dam projecting into the Rhine, which stemmed the current and flooded the adjacent fields. The treacherous nature of the ground, where the shallows were hard to find, told against our men, who were heavily armed and afraid of swimming. The Germans, on the other hand, were used to rivers, lightly armed, and tall enough to keep their heads above water.