Marcus Trebellius Maximus facts for kids
Marcus Trebellius Maximus was a Roman senator during the time of Emperor Nero. He served as a Roman leader called a consul in 55 AD, working with Seneca the Younger.
Early Career and Gaul
In 61 AD, Trebellius was part of a special group. This group's job was to check how many people lived in Gaul (modern-day France) and how much tax they should pay. He worked with two other important Romans, Quintus Volusius Saturninus and Titus Sextius Africanus. These two were rivals, and Trebellius used their disagreements to his advantage.
Governor of Britain
In 63 AD, Trebellius became the governor of Britain. He continued the work of the governor before him. His main goal was to make the Roman areas in Britain strong and stable. He did not try to conquer new lands.
Trebellius also helped make Britain more Roman. He helped rebuild Camulodunum (modern-day Colchester) after it was destroyed in a big rebellion led by Boudica. During his time, London also grew richer from trade.
Challenges and Mutiny
By 67 AD, Britain was peaceful enough for one Roman army group, Legio XIV Gemina, to leave. But the soldiers who stayed got bored because there wasn't much fighting. They also didn't have chances to get treasure. This led to some of the remaining soldiers rebelling.
Trebellius wasn't a military leader, so he struggled to control the soldiers. He also had a big disagreement with Marcus Roscius Coelius, a commander of another army group, Legio XX Valeria Victrix. This made his job even harder and weakened his power.
End of Governorship
In 69 AD, a time known as the "Year of the Four Emperors," many parts of the Roman Empire chose new leaders. However, Britain did not choose its own candidate to replace Emperor Nero.
Instead, Roscius led a rebellion that forced Trebellius to run away. Roscius then supported a new emperor, Vitellius, and sent soldiers from his army group to fight for him. When Vitellius became emperor, he sent a new governor, Marcus Vettius Bolanus, to Britain. Vitellius also sent Legio XIV back to Britain, even though they had supported his enemy, Otho.
