Petilius Cerialis The commander of Legio IX Hispana was Petillius Cerialis Caesius Rufus. Although his force was massacred, Cerialis managed to return safely to camp with the cavalry. In fact, Salway characterizes the legate as "a man whose career is remarkable for the number of times he escaped from the brink of military disaster." Certainly, Tacitus is critical and regards him as bungling and ineffectual.
A decade later, Cerialis was sent by Vespasian, to whom he may have been related by marriage, to suppress a provincial revolt on the Rhine. Afterwards, he returned to Britain as its governor (AD 71-73/74) to renew a policy of military campaigns in the west and north of Britain.
What is intriguing are his words to the Roman provincials in Gaul, which Tacitus records in his "Histories."
"The occupation of your land and that of the other Gauls by Roman generals and emperors was not prompted by self-interest, but happened at the invitation of your forefathers, whose quarrels had exhausted them to the point of collapse.... We planted ourselves on the Rhine not to protect Italy but to stop a second Ariovistus [whom Caesar had defeated a dozen years before] dominating Gaul.... Throughout the whole of Gaul there were always despots and wars until you passed under our control. We ourselves, despite many provocations, imposed upon you by right of conquest only such additional burdens as were necessary for preserving peace. Stability between nations cannot be maintained without armies, nor armies without pay, nor pay without taxation. Everything else is shared equally between us. You often command our legions in person, and in person govern these and other provinces. There is no question of segregation or exclusion. Again, those emperors who are well spoken of benefit you as much as they do us, though you live far away, whereas tyrants wreak their will upon such as are nearest to them.... At present, victors and vanquished enjoy peace and imperial citizenship on an equal footing, and it is upon these blessings that you must lavish your affection and respect. Learn from your experience of the two alternatives not to choose insubordination and ruin in preference to obedience and security."
And so Rome justifies its conquests.