The Romans - Timelines

 

AD 40	Gnaeus Julius Agricola born at Forum Julii, Transalpine Gaul, son of Julius Graecinus, a senator who is shortly afterwards executed by Caligula for refusing to prosecute one of the emperor’s personal enemies, and Julia Procilla.
41	Assassination of Caligula, who is succeeded by Claudius.
c.52	Agricola moves with his mother to Marseilles for his education.
c.59-c.61	Serves in Britain as a senior military tribune under the governorship of Suetonius Paulinus.
61	Revolt of Boudica and her defeat by Paulinus.
c.62	Agricola marries Domitia Decidiana, of an illustrious family from Transalpine Gaul.
c.63	Birth of a son who dies in infancy.
64	Quaestor.
64/65	Birth of his daughter Julia.
66	Tribune of the people.
68	Praetor. Death of Nero. Galba commissions Agricola to investigate malpractices in regard to gifts to temples.
69	Year of the Four Emperors. Early in the year Agricola’s mother is murdered on her country estate by rampaging sailors. He decides to throw in his lot with Vespasian. After the death of Vitellius, Licinius Mucianus, Vespasian’s representative in Rome, assigns Agricola to command the difficult Twentieth Legion in Britain, under the governorship of Vettius Bolanus, Vitellius’s appointee.
70-74	Serves mainly on the north-west frontier in Britain, latterly under Petillius Cerialis (governor 71-73/4).
74	Elevated to the nobility by Vespasian and appointed governor of Aquitania.
77	Marriage of his daughter Julia to Cornelius Tacitus.
*78	Is suffect consul and appointed by Vespasian governor of Britain, with four legions under his command. He completes the conquest of Wales.
79	Exploratory expedition into Scotland. Death of Vespasian and accession of Titus. Agricola spends the winter on administrative matters, probably from London.
80	Agricola crosses the Forth and campaigns as far as the Tay estuary.
81	He consolidates the gains made so far, and establishes military installations along the line between the Clyde and Forth estuaries. Death of Titus.
82	Agricola in Galloway. He contemplates the practicalities of invading Ireland. Conjectural visit to Rome during the winter.
83	Domitian commandeers 500 men from each of Agricola’s legions plus an additional 1000 from the Ninth for his German campaign. In return, Agricola is authorized to raise auxiliary companies in southern Britain. He makes a combined land and sea push beyond the Tay. Mutiny of the Usipi, who set sail from the west of Scotland, and are finally wrecked off the north German coast.
84	Death in infancy of a son, born the previous year. Agricola defeats the Caledonian confederacy at Mons Graupius, using only his auxiliary troops. Before marching south again, he penetrates as far as the Moray coast, and orders a unit of his fleet to circumnavigate Britain. He is recalled home by Domitian.
c.85	Awarded the ornamenta triumphalia.
93	Death of Agricola (23 August), without having served in another post. His will divides his estate between his widow, his daughter, and the emperor.
96	Death of Domitian.
98	Publication of Agricola, Tacitus’s biography of his father-in-law.
*The military actions of Agricola in Britain, and their sequence, are based on Tacitus's account. There is some controversy as to whether the campaign took place in 78-84 or 77-83.