Editing Germanicus (section)

===Interim===
[[File:Otto Albert Koch Varusschlacht 1909.jpg|upright=0.8|thumb|''Battle of Teutoburg Forest'', by Otto Albert Koch (1909)<ref>{{harvnb|Chrystal|2015|p=153}}.</ref>]]
After a distinguished start to his military career, Germanicus returned to Rome in late AD 9 to personally announce his victory. He was honored with a triumphal insignia (without an actual triumph) and the rank (not the actual title) of [[praetor]]. He was also given permission to be a candidate for [[Roman consul|consul]] before the regular time and the right to speak first in the Senate after the consuls.<ref>{{harvnb|Bowman|Champlin|Lintott|1996|p=110}}.</ref><ref name=Swan249/> According to Cassius Dio, Germanicus was a popular quaestor because he acted as an advocate as much in capital jurisdiction cases before Augustus as he did before lesser judges in standard ''quaestiones'' (trials). He successfully defended, for example, a quaestor accused of murder in AD 10 in which the prosecutor, fearing the jurors would find in favor of the defense out of deference for Germanicus, demanded a trial before Augustus.<ref>{{harvnb|Swan|2004|p=276}}.</ref>

In AD 9, three Roman legions commanded by [[Publius Quinctilius Varus|Varus]] were destroyed by a coalition of German tribes led by [[Arminius]] in the [[Battle of the Teutoburg Forest]]. As [[proconsul]], Germanicus was dispatched with Tiberius to defend the empire against the Germans in AD 11. The two generals crossed the [[Rhine]], made various excursions into enemy territory and, in the beginning of autumn, recrossed the river. The campaigns of Tiberius and Germanicus in Germania in the years AD 11–12, combined with an alliance with the [[Marcomanni|Marcomannic federation]] of [[Marbod]], prevented the German coalition from crossing the Rhine and invading [[Gaul]] and Italy. In winter, Germanicus returned to Rome, where he was, after five mandates as quaestor and despite never having been [[aedile]] or praetor, appointed consul for the year AD 12. He shared the consulship with [[Gaius Fonteius Capito (consul AD 12)|Gaius Fonteius Capito]].<ref>{{harvnb|Wells|2003|pp=202–203}}.</ref><ref name="Seager37">{{harvnb|Seager|2008|p=37}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Gibson|2013|pp=80–82}}.</ref><ref name="Swan285">{{harvnb|Swan|2004|p=285}}.</ref> He continued to advocate for defendants in court during his consulship, a popular move reminiscent of his previous work defending the accused in front of Augustus. He also courted popularity by ministering the ''Ludi Martiales'' (games of Mars), as mentioned by [[Pliny the Elder]] in his ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Historia Naturalis]]'', in which he released two hundred lions in the [[Circus Maximus]].<ref name=Swan285/><ref name="Gibson82">{{harvnb|Gibson|2013|p=82}}.</ref>

On 23 October AD 12, Tiberius held a triumph for his victory over the Pannonians and Dalmatians, which he had postponed on account of the defeat of Varus at Teutoburg Forest. He was accompanied, among his other generals, by Germanicus, for whom he had obtained the triumphal regalia. Unlike his adoptive brother [[Drusus Julius Caesar|Drusus]], who received no recognition beyond being the son of a triumphator, Germanicus played a distinguished part in the celebration and was given the opportunity to display his consular insignia and triumphal ornaments.<ref name=Seager37/><ref name=Gibson82/>