Editing Gnaeus Julius Agricola (section)

==Political career==
He began his career in Roman public life as a military [[tribune]], and served in Britain under [[Gaius Suetonius Paulinus]] from 58 to 62. He was probably attached to the ''[[Legio II Augusta]]'', but was chosen to serve on Suetonius's staff<ref>''Agricola'' [[Wikisource:Agricola#5|5]]</ref> and thus almost certainly participated in the suppression of [[Boudica]]'s uprising in 61.

Returning from Britain to [[Rome]] in 62, he married [[Domitia Decidiana]], a woman of noble birth. Their first child was a son. Agricola was appointed as ''[[quaestor]]'' in 64, which he served in the [[Asia (Roman province)|province of Asia]] under the corrupt proconsul [[Titianus|Lucius Salvius Otho Titianus]]. While he was there, his daughter, Julia Agricola, was born, but his son died shortly afterwards. He was [[tribune]] of the plebs in 66 and ''[[praetor]]'' in June 68, during which time he was ordered by the Governor of Spain [[Galba]] to take an inventory of the temple treasures.

During that time, the emperor [[Nero]] was declared a public enemy by the Senate and committed suicide, and the period of civil war known as the [[Year of the Four Emperors]] began. Galba succeeded Nero, but was murdered in early 69 by [[Otho]], who took the throne. Agricola's mother was murdered on her estate in [[Liguria]] by Otho's marauding fleet. Hearing of [[Vespasian]]'s bid for the empire, Agricola immediately gave him his support. Otho meanwhile committed suicide after being defeated by [[Vitellius]].

After Vespasian had established himself as emperor, Agricola was appointed to the command of the ''[[Legio XX Valeria Victrix]]'', stationed in Britain, in place of [[Marcus Roscius Coelius]], who had stirred up a mutiny against the governor, [[Marcus Vettius Bolanus]]. Britain had revolted during the year of civil war, and Bolanus was a mild governor. Agricola reimposed discipline on the legion and helped to consolidate Roman rule. In 71, Bolanus was replaced by a more aggressive governor, [[Quintus Petillius Cerialis]], and Agricola was able to display his talents as a commander in campaigns against the [[Brigantes]] in northern England.

When his command ended in 73, Agricola was enrolled as a [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]] and appointed to govern [[Gallia Aquitania]]. There he stayed for almost three years. In 76 or 77, he was recalled to Rome and appointed suffect [[consul]],<ref>Duncan B. Campbell, "The consulship of Agricola", ''[[Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik]]'' 63 (1986), pp. 197-200, for the possible dates. {{JSTOR|20186374}}</ref> and betrothed his daughter to [[Tacitus]]. The following year, Tacitus and Julia married; Agricola was appointed to the [[College of Pontiffs]], and returned to Britain for a third time, as its [[Governor of Roman Britain|governor]] (''[[Legatus Augusti pro praetore]]'').