Editing Marcomanni (section)

==Marcomannic Wars==
{{main article|Marcomannic Wars}}
[[File:Miracolo della Pioggia.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Miracle of the Rain|The "[[Marcomannic Wars#First Marcomannic War#The Roman counter-offensive and defeat of the Marcomanni|Miracle of the Rain]]" depicted on the [[Column of Marcus Aurelius]] in [[Rome]]]]
[[File:Trencin-Roman2.JPG|thumb|A monument found in Trenčín. "To the victory of emperor dedicated by 855 soldiers of II. Legion of an army stationed in Laugaricio. Made to order of Marcus Valerius Maximianus, a legate of the Second Auxiliary legion."]]
[[File:Marcomannia e Sarmatia 178-179 dC.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The light pink area north of the Danube was temporarily occupied by the Romans in 178–179 AD and was meant to become the new Roman province of Marcomannia]]
The relationship between the Romans and the Quadi and their neighbours was far more seriously and permanently disrupted during the long series of conflicts called the Marcomannic or Germanic wars, which were fought mainly during the rule of emperor [[Marcus Aurelius]] (reigned 161-180 AD). 

In the 150s or 160s AD, 6000 Langobardi ([[Lombards]] originally from present-day north Germany) and Obii (whose identity is uncertain{{sfn|Dobesch|2002}}) crossed the Lower Danube into Roman territory where they were quickly defeated. Dio Cassius reports that these events worried several of the barbarian nations. A group of them selected Ballomarius, king of the Marcomanni, and ten other representatives of the other nations, in a peace mission to the governor of Roman Pannonia. Oaths were sworn and the envoys returned home.<ref>{{harvtxt|Kehne|2001b|p=310}} citing Dio Cassius [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/72*.html 72.3]. Kehne remarks that the normal dating of 166/7 is based upon the fact that Iallius Bassus Fabius Valerianus was governor in upper Pannonia governorship between 166 and 168/69 AD. However he was also governor of lower Pannonia around 156-159 AD.</ref> Some scholars think the Quadi may have been involved in this raid, or at least allowed it to happen. However the Quadi and their neighbours were facing their own problems with raiders from further north, and had been trying for some time to get more support from the empire. On their side, the Romans were apparently planning for a Germania campaign, and knew that Italy itself was threatened by these pressures, but were deliberately diplomatic while they were occupied with the [[Roman–Parthian War of 161–166|Parthian campaign]] in the Middle East, and badly affected by the [[Antonine plague]]. However, the ''[[Historia Augusta]]'' especially blames the Marcomanni and [[Victohali]] for throwing everything into confusion while other tribes had been driven on by the more distant barbarians.<ref name=dob1>{{harvnb|Dobesch|2002}} citing the ''[[Historia Augusta]]'', under Marcus Aurelius [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Marcus_Aurelius/1*.html 13-14].</ref>

Although a Roman offensive could not start in 167 AD, two new legions were raised and in 168 AD the two emperors, [[Lucius Verus]] and Marcus Aurelius, set out to cross the alps. Either in 167 AD, ''before'' the Romans setting, or in 169 AD, ''after'' the Romans came to a stop when Verus died, the Marcomanni and Quadi led a crossing of the Danube, and an attack into Italy itself. They destroyed Opitergium (present-day [[Oderzo]]) and put the important town of [[Aquileia]] under siege. Whatever the exact sequence of events, the ''Historia Augusta'' says that with the Romans in action several kings of the barbarians retreated, and some of the barbarians put anti-Roman leaders to death. In particular, the Quadi, having lost their king, announced they would not confirm an elected successor without approval from the emperors.{{sfn|Kehne|2001b|pp=310-311}}

Marcus Aurelius returned to Rome but headed north again in the autumn of 169. He established a Danubian headquarters in [[Carnuntum]] between present-day Vienna and Bratislava. From here he could receive embassies from the different peoples north of the Danube. Some were given the possibility to settle in the empire, others were recruited to fight on the Roman side. The Quadi were pacified, and in 171 AD they agreed to leave their coalition, and returned deserters, and 13,000 prisoners of war. They supplied horses and cattle as war contributions, and promised not to allow Marcomanni or Iazyges passage through their territory. By 173 AD the Quadi had rebelled again, and they expelled their Roman-approved king [[Furtius]], replacing with Ariogaisos.{{sfn|Kehne|2001b|pp=311-312}}{{sfn|Kolník|2003|p=633}} In a major battle between 172 and 174 AD, a Roman force was almost defeated, until a sudden rainstorm allowed them to defeat the Quadi.{{sfn|Kehne|2001b|pp=311-312}}<ref>Further reading. Dio, 72(71).3.2., 8.1.; Rubin, Z. H. (1979) "Weather Miracles under Marcus Aurelius,"  ''Athenaeum'' 57: 362–80;  Guey, J. (1948) "Encore la 'pluie miraculeuse',"  ''Rev. Phil.'' 22: 16–62; Olli, S. (1990) "A Note on the Establishment of the Date of the Rain Miracle under Marcus Aurelius," ''Arctos'' 24: 107; Israelowich, I. (2008) "The Rain Miracle of Marcus Aurelius: (Re-)Construction of Consensus,"  ''Greece & Rome'' 55 (1): 85.</ref> The incident is well-known because of the account given by [[Dio Cassius]], and on the [[Column of Marcus Aurelius]] in Rome.{{sfn|Kolník|2003|p=633}} By 175 AD the cavalry from the Marcomanni, Naristae, and Quadi were forced to travel to the Middle East, and in 176 AD Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus held a triumph as victors over [[Germania]] and [[Sarmatia]].{{sfn|Kehne|2001b|pp=311-312}}

The situation remained disturbed in subsequent years. The Romans declared a new war in 177 AD and set off in 178 AD, naming the Marcomanni, Hermunduri, Sarmatians, and Quadi as specific enemies.{{sfn|Kehne|2001b|p=314}} Rome executed a successful and decisive battle against them in 179 AD at [[Laugaricio]] (present-day Trenčín in Slovakia) under the command of legate and procurator [[Marcus Valerius Maximianus]].{{sfn|Kolník|2003|p=633}} By 180 AD the Quadi and Marcomanni were in a state of occupation, with Roman garrisons of 20,000 men each permanently stationed in both countries. The Romans even blocked the mountain passes so that they could not migrate north to live with the [[Semnones]]. Marcus Aurelius was considering the creation of a new imperial province called Marcomannia when he died in 180.{{sfn|Kehne|2001b|p=313}}{{sfn|Kolník|2003|pp=633-634}}

[[Commodus]] the son of Marcus Aurelius made peace soon after the death of his father in 180 AD, but he did not go ahead with plans to create a new Roman province. Some Marcomanni were subsequently settled in Italy and other parts of the empire, while others were forced to serve in the military.{{sfn|Kehne|2001a|p=298}}