Editing Veleda (section)

=== Batavian Uprising ===
The Batavian leader Civilis originally raised his force as an ally of [[Vespasian]] during the Roman power struggle in AD 69, but when he saw the weakened condition of the legions in Romanized Germany he openly revolted. It is not clear whether Veleda merely prophesied the rebellion or actively incited it; given the Germans' adoration of her as a goddess, remote in her tower, the distinction may not have been clear at the time. Early in AD 70 the revolt was joined by Julius Classicus and Julius Tutor, leaders of the Treviri who like Civilis were Roman citizens. The Roman garrison at Novaesium (now [[Neuss]]) surrendered without a fight, as did the one at Castra Vetera (near modern [[Xanten]] in [[Lower Rhine region|Niederrhein]], Germany).<ref name="Grant">Michael Grant, ''The Army of the Caesars'', pp. 207-208. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1974. {{ISBN|0-684-13821-2}}</ref> The commander of the Roman garrison, Munius Lupercus, was sent to Veleda, though he was killed en route, evidently in an ambush. Later, when the praetorian [[trireme]] was captured, it was rowed upriver on the Lippe as a gift to Veleda.<ref name="Lendering">{{cite web | url = https://www.livius.org/articles/person/veleda/ | title = Veleda | access-date = December 2, 2006 | last = Lendering | first = Jona | author-link = Jona Lendering | work = Livius}}</ref>

A strong show of force by nine Roman legions under [[Mucianus|Gaius Licinius Mucianus]] caused the rebellion to collapse. Civilis was cornered on his home island of [[Batavia (region)|Batavia]] on the lower Rhine by a force commanded by [[Quintus Petillius Cerialis]]; his fate is unknown, but in general Cerialis treated the rebels with surprising lenience, so as to reconcile them to Roman rule and military service.<ref name="Grant"/> In Veleda's case, she was left at liberty for several years.

In AD 77 the Romans either captured her, perhaps as a hostage, or offered her asylum. According to [[Statius]], her captor was then-Governor of [[Germania Inferior]] [[Quintus Julius Cordinus Gaius Rutilius Gallicus|Rutilius Gallicus]].<ref>Statius, ''[[Silvae]]'' 1.4, line 90; J.G.W. Henderson, ''A Roman Life: Rutilius Gallicus On Paper and In Stone''. Exeter, UK: University of Exeter Press, 1998.</ref> A Greek epigram has been found at [[Ardea (RM)|Ardea]], a few kilometres south of [[Rome]], that satirizes her prophetic powers.<ref>''Année Épigraphique'' 1953, 25.</ref> Veleda may have acted in the interest of Rome by negotiating the acceptance of a pro-Roman king by the Bructeri in AD 83 or 84.<ref name="Lendering"/> She was evidently long since deceased by the time [[Tacitus]] wrote his ''Germania'' in AD 98.<ref>Tacitus, ''Germany'', 8.2. Translation with Commentary by Herbert W. Benario. Warminster, UK: Aris & Phillips Ltd., 1999. {{ISBN|0-85668-716-2}}</ref>