Editing Germanicus (section)

====Third campaign against the Germanic tribes====
[[File:Idistaviso.png|thumb|Photograph of the field of Idistaviso by Dr. Paul Knötel ({{Circa|1895}})]]
In preparations for his next campaign, Germanicus sent [[Publius Vitellius the Younger|Publius Vitellius]] and Gaius Antius to collect taxes in Gaul, and instructed Silius, Anteius, and Caecina to build a fleet. A fort on the Lippe called ''[[Aliso (Roman camp)|Castra Aliso]]'' was besieged, but the attackers dispersed on sight of Roman reinforcements. The Germans destroyed the nearby mound and altar dedicated to his father Drusus, but he had them both restored and celebrated funerary games with his legions in honor of his father. New barriers and earthworks were put in place, securing the area between Fort Aliso and the Rhine.<ref>{{harvnb|Tacitus|Barrett|2008|pp=52–53}}.</ref>

Germanicus commanded eight legions with Gallic and Germanic auxiliary units overland across the Rhine, up the Ems and [[Weser River|Weser]] rivers as part of his last major campaign against Arminius in AD 16. His forces met those of Arminius on the plains of [[Idistaviso]], by the Weser River near modern [[Rinteln]], in an engagement called the [[Battle of the Weser River]]. Tacitus says that the battle was a Roman victory:<ref name="Wells2">{{harvnb|Wells|2003|p=206}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Tacitus|Barrett|2008|p=57}}.</ref> {{blockquote|the enemy were slaughtered from the fifth hour of daylight to nightfall, and for ten miles the ground was littered with corpses and weapons.}}

Arminius and his uncle [[Inguiomer]] were both wounded in the battle but evaded capture. The Roman soldiers involved on the battlefield honored Tiberius as [[Imperator]], and raised a pile of arms as a trophy with the names of the defeated tribes inscribed beneath them.<ref>{{harvnb|Tacitus|Barrett|2008|p=58}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Seager|2008|p=70}}.</ref>

The sight of the Roman trophy constructed on the battlefield enraged the Germans who were preparing to retreat beyond the [[Elbe]], and they launched an attack on the Roman positions at the [[Angrivarian Wall]], thus beginning a [[Battle of the Angrivarian Wall|second battle]]. The Romans had anticipated the attack and again routed the Germans. Germanicus stated that he did not want any prisoners, as the [[genocide|extermination]] of the Germanic tribes was the only conclusion he saw for the war. The victorious Romans then raised a mound with the inscription: "The army of Tiberius Caesar, after thoroughly conquering the tribes between the Rhine and the Elbe, has dedicated this monument to [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]], [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]], and [[Augustus]]."<ref>{{harvnb|Tacitus|Barrett|2008|pp=58–60}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Dyck|2015|p=154}}.</ref>

Germanicus sent some troops back to the Rhine, with some of them taking the land route, but most of them took the fast route and traveled by boat. They went down the Ems toward the North Sea, but as they reached the sea, a storm struck, sinking many of the boats and killing many men and horses.<ref name=Wells2/>

Then Germanicus ordered [[Gaius Silius (consul)|Gaius Silius]] to march against the Chatti with a mixed force of 3,000 cavalry and 33,000 infantry and lay waste to their territory, while he himself, with a larger army, invaded the Marsi for the third time and devastated their land. He forced [[Mallovendus]], the defeated leader of the Marsi, to reveal the location of another of the three legion's eagles lost in AD 9. Immediately Germanicus despatched troops to recover it. The Romans advanced into the country, defeating any foe they encountered.<ref>{{harvnb|Tacitus|Barrett|2008|p=61}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Seager|2008|p=72}}.</ref>

Germanicus's successes in Germany had made him popular with the soldiers. He had dealt a significant blow to Rome's enemies, quelled an uprising of troops, and returned lost standards to Rome. His actions had increased his fame, and he had become very popular with the Roman people. Tiberius took notice, and had Germanicus recalled to Rome and informed him that he would be given a triumph and reassigned to a different command.<ref name="Shotter">{{harvnb|Shotter|2004|pp=35–37}}.</ref>