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[[File:Limes2.png|thumb|{{center|Map of the [[Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes]], theatre of military operations.}}]]

[[File:Limes2.png|thumb|{{center|Map of the [[Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes]], theatre of military operations.}}]]

Little is known for the campaign itself, as almost all the primary sources were lost.{{sfn|Henderson|1969|p=98}} Frontinus records that, when the [[Chatti]] repeatedly fled into the forests and avoided the cavalry battle, Domitian ordered his horsemen to dismount and fight on foot once they reached their wagons.{{sfn|Turner|2007|p=430}}{{sfn|Malloch|2015|p=91}}{{efn|{{harvnb|Front., ”Strat.”|loc=II.3.23 (transl., p. 92)}}: “the Emperor ”Caesar Augustus Germanicus” <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Domitian]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, when the Chatti were now and then engaged in cavalry battle by retreating into the woods, ordered his cavalry, as soon as they reached the obstacles, to dismount from their horses and engage in foot combat; and he succeeded in this manner, so that no place could now delay his victory”.}} The Roman armies were thus able to penetrate and occupy Germanic territory for about {{convert|75|km|mi}} north-east of ”Mogontiacum”, now including the allied people of the [[Mattiaci]].{{sfn|Henderson|1969|p=101}}{{sfn|Malloch|2015|pp=90–91}}{{sfn|Jones|1992|p=130}}{{efn|{{harvnb|Front., ”Strat.”|loc=I.3.10 (transl., p. 46)}}: “when the Germans <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Chatti]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, in accordance with their usual custom, kept emerging from woodland-pastures and unsuspected hiding-places to attack our men, and then finding a safe refuge in the depths of the forest, the Emperor ”Caesar Domitianus Augustus” <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Domitian]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, by advancing the frontier of the empire along a stretch of one hundred and twenty [[Mille passus|miles]] [c. 75 km], not only changed the nature of the war, but brought his enemies beneath his sway, by uncovering their hiding-places”.}} Henderson hypothesizes that, since Domitian received four acclamations as ”Imperator” by his soldiers between June 83 and September [[84]], the war ended with a peace treaty and the subjugation of the Chatti, and this would correspond to the last acclamation.{{sfn|Henderson|1969|p=103}}

Little is known for the campaign itself, as almost all the primary sources were lost.{{sfn|Henderson|1969|p=98}} Frontinus records that, when the [[Chatti]] repeatedly fled into the forests and avoided the cavalry battle, Domitian ordered his horsemen to dismount and fight on foot once they reached their wagons.{{sfn|Turner|2007|p=430}}{{sfn|Malloch|2015|p=91}}{{efn|{{harvnb|Front., ”Strat.”|loc=II.3.23 (transl., p. 92)}}: “the Emperor ”Caesar Augustus Germanicus” <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Domitian]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, when the Chatti were now and then engaged in cavalry battle by retreating into the woods, ordered his cavalry, as soon as they reached the obstacles, to dismount from their horses and engage in foot combat; and he succeeded in this manner, so that no place could now delay his victory”.}} The Roman armies were thus able to penetrate and occupy Germanic territory for about {{convert|75|km|mi}} north-east of ”Mogontiacum”, now including the allied people of the [[Mattiaci]].{{sfn|Henderson|1969|p=101}}{{sfn|Malloch|2015|pp=90–91}}{{sfn|Jones|1992|p=130}}{{efn|{{harvnb|Front., ”Strat.”|loc=I.3.10 (transl., p. 46)}}: “when the Germans <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Chatti]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, in accordance with their usual custom, kept emerging from woodland-pastures and unsuspected hiding-places to attack our men, and then finding a safe refuge in the depths of the forest, the Emperor ”Caesar Domitianus Augustus” <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Domitian]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>, by advancing the frontier of the empire along a stretch of one hundred and twenty [[Mille passus|miles]] [. 75 km], not only changed the nature of the war, but brought his enemies beneath his sway, by uncovering their hiding-places”.}} Henderson hypothesizes that, since Domitian received four acclamations as ”Imperator” by his soldiers between June 83 and September [[84]], the war ended with a peace treaty and the subjugation of the Chatti, and this would correspond to the last acclamation.{{sfn|Henderson|1969|p=103}}

==== Dating and results ====

==== Dating and results ====

Emperor Domitian’s campaigns against the Germanic tribe of the Chatti.

Domitian’s War against the Chatti was a Roman military campaign carried out between AD 83 and 85, against the German tribesmen of the Chatti, who later supporterd an army revolt by the Roman renegade Lucius Antonius Saturninus. Firstly, in 83, Roman Emperor Domitian and his 10 legions defeated the Chatti and pursued them, and even managed to capture some lands beyond the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes. In the following years, many forts (“castra“) were built along the Rhine, so that future invasions from the Chatti would remain in check. Then, in January 89, Saturninus revolted with 2 legions, but this uprising was quickly put down.

The completion of the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes would only arrive with the reign of Antoninus Pius, but Domitian’s campaigns enstablished the foundation. The subjugation of the Chatti kept the Roman boundaries secure from Barbarian invasions for the next century, and until a period of crisis that’s known as the Crisis of the Third Century.

In 82/83, Domitian led the bulk of the army from Mogontiacum (modern-day Mainz) to campaign against the Germanic tribe of the Chatti, north of the Taunus Mountains. Domitian’s force consisted of vexillationes (cavalry units) from 9 legions: I Adiutrix, II Adiutrix, II Augusta, VIII Augusta, IX Hispana, XI Claudia, XIV Gemina, XX Valeria Victrix and XXI Rapax, aswell as the newly founded I Minervia.

The Roman expeditionary force numbered around 50–55,000 legionaries,^[a] with the addition of an unknown number of auxiliaries. IX Hispania was commanded by Maecius Celer, while the other units were led by a centurion, Gaius Velius Rufus.^[9] Alongside the Emperor were Sextus Julius Frontinus, Catullus Messalinus, Aulus Didius Gallus, Fabricius Veiento, Vibius Crispus and Manius Acilius Glabrio. Veiento possibly held the rank of comes during the campaign. Domitian could have also obtained military alliances with neighbouring populations, such as the Cherusci (led by King Chariomerus) and the Hermunduri.

Little is known for the campaign itself, as almost all the primary sources were lost. Frontinus records that, when the Chatti repeatedly fled into the forests and avoided the cavalry battle, Domitian ordered his horsemen to dismount and fight on foot once they reached their wagons.^[c] The Roman armies were thus able to penetrate and occupy Germanic territory for about 75 kilometres (47 mi) north-east of Mogontiacum, now including the allied people of the Mattiaci.^[d] Henderson hypothesizes that, since Domitian received four acclamations as Imperator by his soldiers between June 83 and September 84, the war ended with a peace treaty and the subjugation of the Chatti, and this would correspond to the last acclamation.

Frontinus‘s works place the starting date of the war in 82. Some historians accept this theory, whereas others state that it started in the first half of 83. Other historians, such as Southern, have reached a compromise: while preparations may have occurred starting in 82, the war actually took place in 83. Domitian received the title of Germanicus for his victories in 83. Jones, relying on coins and papyri, suggests that a triumph was awarded to the Emperor in bewteen June 9 and August 28, whereas Southern states autumn of 83. Syme also suggests late 83, as the cognomen “Germanicus” appears on hardly any of the coins of 83, but upon most of 84. Some other sources place the triumph as far as in the beginning of 84.

The campaign ended with light losses on the Roman side, as only some veterans and three auxiliary units were lost, thus between 1,650 and 1,800 soldiers.^[e] Some ancient authors describe it as a “stale gibe”, as there was no pitched battle against the Chatti. Henderson draws a connection between Domitian’s and Caligula‘s campaigns.^[f]

While almost all the sources agree on 85 as the ending year of the war, Syme argues the war had started and ended in 83. Southern agrees and states that the coins minted in 84 and early 85 are probably related to the creation of new provinces. Nevertheless, in the region between the Taunus Mountains and the Main, forts were established at Wiesbaden, Hofheim, Heddernheim, Okarben, and Friedberg. These forts were connected by newly built roads to facilitate legionary movements. In the event of an attack by the Chatti, their advance would be checked. Thus, Domitian created a new frontier on the eastern side of the Rhine. This territory had not originally belonged to the Chatti, but to the Mattiaci and Usipetes tribes, who were friendly toward the Roman Empire, the annexation provided protection against them. Furthermore, Frontinus claims that the Ubii received compensation in gold from Domitian when he erected forts in their territory.^[g]