History UsefulNotes / SuetoniusPaulinus

However, things would not be well for long. In 60 AD, while he was leading an assault on a rebel stronghold in Anglesey (an island in modern-day Wales), The Iceni King Prasutagus died. Soon after somebody (we don't know who, but some claimed Creator/{{Seneca}}) as he loaned The Iceni 300,000,000 sesterces that they didn't want) gave an order to invade The Iceni Lands, confiscate all their property, flog Boudica, and rape her two daughters.

In 40 AD, Suetonius was appointed Governor of Mauretania (a Roman Provence in what is modern Morocco). While there, he and Gnaeus Hosidius Geta suppressed a local rebellion (caused when [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/Caligula Caligula]] executed a local lord). In 41 AD Suetonius lead Roman Soldiers across the Atlas Mountains, becoming the first Roman Commander to do so.

However, things would not be well for long. In 60 AD, while he was leading an assault on a rebel stronghold in Anglesey (an island in modern-day Wales), The Iceni King Prasutagus died. Soon after somebody (we don't know who, but it was probably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_the_Younger Seneca the Younger]] as he loaned The Iceni 300,000,000 sesterces that they didn't want) gave an order to invade The Iceni Lands, confiscate all their property, flog Boudica, and rape her two daughters.

What followed was a RoaringRampageOfRevenge to end all rampages, where Boudica was elected leader of a massive coalition of British tribes, and first headed to Camulodunum (modern Colchester, and commonly cited candidate for [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Camelot]]). The city's defenders asked for reinforcements... [[CavalryBetrayal and got about 200 auxiliaries]]. The rebels stormed the city and [[KillEmAll methodically destroyed the entire place]]; killing every man, woman, [[WouldHurtAChild child]], and slave in the city before burning it to the ground (a large layer of ash is buried beneath the city even to this day). Other reinforcements (an entire legion, IX "Hispania") were also wiped off the face of the Earth, contributing to the legend of the "Lost Legion".

What followed was a RoaringRampageOfRevenge to end all rampages, where Boudica was elected leader of a massive coalition of British tribes, and first headed to Camulodunum (modern Colchester, and commonly cited candidate for [[Myth/KingArthur Camelot]]). The city's defenders asked for reinforcements... [[CavalryBetrayal and got about 200 auxiliaries]]. The rebels stormed the city and [[KillEmAll methodically destroyed the entire place]]; killing every man, woman, [[WouldHurtAChild child]], and slave in the city before burning it to the ground (a large layer of ash is buried beneath the city even to this day). Other reinforcements (an entire legion, IX "Hispania") were also wiped off the face of the Earth, contributing to the legend of the "Lost Legion".

Finally, Governor Suetonius formed up his men to HoldTheLine at Watling Street. Though ([[UnreliableNarrator allegedly]], most tend to assume this was exaggerated by Roman sources) outnumbered 200 to 1, the Romans formed a wedge-formation, and the Iceni [[AttackAttackAttack charged directly at them]]. They threw javelins to kill the first wave and remove any semblance of organization The Iceni had, and after that they let the rest charge directly into their waiting swords. Roman discipline won out, and the Iceni routed. Roman cavalry on the flanks then rode in and slew those trying to flee, who were stalled by the wagons that their families had set up so as to watch the expected victory. Boudica died (either DrivenToSuicide by the defeat or falling ill afterwards), and Roman Britain was restored.

However, things would not be well for long. In 60 AD, while he was leading an assault on a rebel stronghold in Anglesey (an island in modern-day Wales), The Iceni King Prasutagus died. Soon after somebody (we don't know who, but it was probably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_the_Younger Seneca the Younger]] as he loaned The Iceni 300,000,000 sesterces that they did't want) gave an order to invade The Iceni Lands, confiscate all their property, flog Boudica, and rape her two daughters.

As soon as he received news of this massacre, Governor Suetonius dropped everything and marched several miles through hostile territory to Londinium (modern London). He reached it before Boudica's Host did, but knew he did not have the men to defend the city. [[ShootTheDog He abandoned it]], [[PetTheDog but not before evaucating as many as its citizens as he could]]. When Boudica got to Londinium, she massacred every single citizen still remaining inside.

Finally, Governor Suetonius formed up his men to HoldTheLine at Watling Street. Though outnumbered 200 to 1, the Romans formed a wedge-formation, and the Iceni [[AttackAttackAttack charged directly at them]]. They threw javelins to kill the first wave and remove any semblance of organization The Iceni had, and after that they let the rest charge directly into their waiting swords. Roman Dicipline won out, and The Iceni routed. Roman Cavalry on the flanks then rode in and slew those trying to flee, who were stalled by the wagons that their families had set up so as to watch the expected victory. Boudica died (either DrivenToSuicide by the defeat or falling ill afterwards), and Roman Britain was restored.

As soon as he received news of this massacre, Governor Suetonius dropped everything and marched several miles through hostile territory to Londinium (modern London). He reached it before Boudica's Host did, but knew he did not have the men to defend the city. [[ShootTheDog He abandoned it]], [[PetTheDog but not before evaucating as many as it's citizens as he could]]. When Boudica got to Londinium, she massacred every single citizen still remaining inside.

!!Tropes related to Suetonius:

* BadassGrandpa: It is likely that he was advanced in age when he defeated Boudica's Rebellion.
* BittersweetEnding: He defeated the Iceni Rebellion, avenged the three Roman cities that the rebels massacred, ensured that Roman Rule in Britain would never again be internally threatened, and the man he mentored would finish his work (see TheMentor below). However he was still removed from his post, the civilization he fought for would still fall four centuries later, and the island he once governed would eventually [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade lionize]] Boudica[[note]]Even going so far as building statues of her in Colchester and London (both of which were cities Suetonius helped build and make prosperous, both of which Boudica's army sacked, and the latter city being one whose population Suetonius partially evacuated to safety.[[/note]] while simultaneously ''[[HistoricalVillainUpgrade demonizing]]'' him.
* BlatantLies: In The Year of Four Emperors, he supported Emperor Otho. When Otho was defeated, Suetonius avoided punishment by claiming he lost an important battle on purpose. This is almost assuredly a lie, but it worked because he was pardoned. See IMeantToDoThat below.
* BoldExplorer: He was the First Roman to explore south of the Atlas Mountains in North Africa.
* CavalryRefusal: At the Battle of Watling Street, one of the legions Suetonius called in refused to answer the call. The commander in charge of that legion committed suicide after Suetonius won, ashamed of himself for having denied his men glory.
* CycleOfRevenge: First the Iceni and Trinovantes revolted to take revenge against the Romans (because Roman soldiers raped two Iceni Princesses and flogged an Iceni Queen during a debt collection, and because Roman Soldiers took the city of Camulodunum from the Trinovantes) and took revenge by massacring three Roman Cities. So the Romans rallied to take revenge against the rebels (because of the massacres) by defeating them in in Watling Street, killing all the rebels present, and launching unspecified punative actions against the two rebellious tribes. This trope was defied before the Iceni and Trinovantes could take revenge, as Emperor Nero installed a more diplomatic governor.
* FinalBattle: The Battle of Watling Street, in which he finally defeated Boudica's Uprising.
* FutureImperfect: As you can see, large chunks of his life are lost to history. What is known about him was written by Cassius Dio and Tacitus, two people who never met him personally. The actual location of the Battle of Watling Street isn't even certain either.
* GeoEffects: It's stated Suetonius' troops took position in a gorge with a forest behind them and open plains in front of them, which would have doubtlessly protected them from flanking or ambush and did a lot to dilute their Britons' numerical advantage.
* HereWeGoAgain: Boudica's Rebellion is actually the second time Suetonius suppressed a native uprising against Roman Rule caused by Roman abuse of power. The first time was in Mauritania, resulting from Caligula executing a nobleman from the region.
* HoldTheLine: The Battle of Watling Street, when he finally defeated Boudica and ended her rebellion once and for all.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: We know very little about him, and one of the few acts of his recorded was his [[PetTheDog evacuating the citizens of Londinium]], but because he opposed [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade Boudica]] he is often painted as a monster. It's highly unlikely that he was involved in the [[RapeAsDrama rape of her daughters]] and it's unknown if he ordered the slaughter of all those women and children at Watling Street. How he felt about it after the fact is also unknown.
* IMeantToDoThat: In the Year of Four Emperors, Suetonius supported Emperor Otho and lost the Battle of Bedriacum. Despite supporting the wrong person, Emperor Vitellius pardoned him because he claimed to have lost the battle on purpose.
* TheMentor: Was a mentor to [[UsefulNotes/JuliusAgricola Gnaeus Julius Agricola]], who would later follow in Suetonius's footsteps by becoming Governor of Britannia, defeating several more local tribes, further Romanizing the locals by making them adopt Roman Customs, and even invading Scotland.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: Inverted. He shares his name with the far more famous Roman Historian Gaius Suetonius ''Tranquillus'', but lived before him.
* NoodleIncident: While Suetonius was relieved of his post because the Emperor feared his reprisals would provoke more uprisings, the official reason was that he lost some Roman navy ships. How, or even if, he lost entire ships is unknown.
* NotSoDifferent: According to Cassius Dio, the speech he gave to the third division of his army before the Battle of Watling Street was a condemnation of the Iceni and Trinovante rebels for murdering Roman civilians. After the battle, the Roman soldiers murdered the Iceni and Trinovante Civilians who came to watch the battle. See ObligatoryWarCrimeScene below.
* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: At the Battle of Watling Street, the Iceni brought their families in wagons along to watch the expected victory. When the Iceni lost, the Roman soldiers killed said families in a fit of rage. It is unknown whether or not he ordered this, or even if he approved of it.
* PetTheDog: Before leaving Londinium, he evacuated as many civilians as he could. Because of this there were civilians who survived Boudica's Rebellion who would otherwise have been murdered.
* RememberTheAlamo: According to Dio this was the crux of the speech he gave to one of the three divisions of his army before the Battle of Watling Street, calling upon his soldiers to avenge the civilians massacred in Camulodunum.
* RevengeBeforeReason: How the Roman higher-ups back home viewed the punitive measures he implemented against the Iceni and their allies after he defeated Boudica. It prompted them to recall him to Rome and replace him with a more conciliatory governor.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: After defeating Boudica's Rebellion, he launched punitive actions against the tribes that rebelled. What those actions were is never specified, so we don't know if it was a case of KickTheDog or PayEvilUntoEvil. What we ''do'' know is that the full measure of his plan was never realized, as he was dismissed from his position before he could go through with it.
* RousingSpeech: According to Dio, he gave three of these, one to each division of his army. According to Tacitus, however, he only gives one blunt (yet no less rousing) speech to his army. Because Tacitus' father-in-law [[UsefulNotes/JuliusAgricola Gnaeus Julius Agricola]] was among Suetonius' staff at the time, historians have some reason to believe that Tacitus' account of Suetonius' speech might even have been fairly accurate.
* SmallNameBigEgo: A downplayed example. According to Tacitus, "Britain was in the hands of Suetonius Paulinus, who in military knowledge and in popular favour, which allows no one to be without a rival, vied with Corbulo, and aspired to equal the glory of the recovery of Armenia by the subjugation of Rome's enemies. He therefore prepared to attack the island of Mona which had a powerful population and was a refuge for fugitives." In other words, he thought conquering a small island on the cold northern frontier would be equal to conquering a wealthy eastern kingdom.
* SoldierVsWarrior: Boudica and her Iceni and Trinovante Tribal Warriors vs Suetonius and his Roman Legionary Soldiers. The soldiers won.
* UngratefulBastard: Zig-zagged. On one hand, he was dismissed from his position following Boudica's revolt. On the other hand, Nero's reason for firing him was entirely pragmatic: while Suetonius had nothing to do with the rape and flogging of Boudica and her daughters, he had certainly stepped on a few toes here and there prior to the revolt[[note]]such as kicking a native tribe out of their capital city and turning it into a rest stop for Roman veterans without bothering to relocate said natives[[/note]], and both the circumstances behind and his response to said revolt had probably soured general native opinion of the Romans, so it's entirely possible (if not likely) that he would have provoked a revolt sooner or later. Replacing him with nicer governors kept an even more destructive conflict from occurring. This is somewhat subverted though as a lead tessera found in Rome features both his and Nero's names and symbols of victory, suggesting that the Emperor at least commemorated his victory.
* WarRefugees: See PetTheDog above.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We have no idea what happened to Suetonius after The Year of Four Emperors. He utterly vanishes from The Historical Records.

* TheCaligula: Suetonius himself probably wasn't one, but he served under at least two of these. One of them was even the TropeNamer.

What followed was a RoaringRampageOfRevenge to end all rampages, where Boudica was elected leader of a massive coalition of British tribes, and first headed to Camulodunum (modern Colchester, and commonly cited candidate for [[Myth/KingArthur Camelot]]). The city's defenders asked for reinforcements...[[CavalryBetrayal and got about 200 auxiliaries]]. The rebels stormed the city and [[KillEmAll methodically destroyed the entire place]]; killing every man, woman, [[WouldHurtAChild child]], and slave in the city before burning it to the ground (a large layer of ash is buried beneath the city even to this day). Other reinforcements (an entire legion, IX "Hispania") were also wiped off the face of the Earth, contributing to the legend of the "Lost Legion".

-->-- '''Gaius Suetonius Paulinus''' at The Battle of Watling Street (according to Tacticus)

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: We know very little about him, and one of the few acts of his recorded was his [[PetTheDog evacuating the citizens of Londinium]], but because he opposed [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade Boudica]] he is often painted as a monster. It's highly unlikely that he was involved in the [[RapeAsDrama rape of her daughters]] or that he ordered the slaughter of all those women and children at Watling Street. How he felt about it after the fact is also unknown.

* TheMentor: Was a mentor to [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/JuliusAgricola Gnaeus Julius Agricola]], who would later follow in Suetonius's footsteps by becoming Governor of Britannia, defeating several more local tribes, further Romanizing the locals by making them adopt Roman Customs, and even invading Scotland.

* RousingSpeech: According to Dio, he gave three of these. One to each division of his army. According to Tacitus, however, he only gives one blunt (yet no less rousing) speech to his army.
* SmallNameBigEgo: A downplayed example. According to Tacitus,"Britain was in the hands of Suetonius Paulinus, who in military knowledge and in popular favour, which allows no one to be without a rival, vied with Corbulo, and aspired to equal the glory of the recovery of Armenia by the subjugation of Rome's enemies. He therefore prepared to attack the island of Mona which had a powerful population and was a refuge for fugitives." In other words, he thought conquering a small island on the cold northern frontier would be equal to conquering a wealthy eastern kingdom.

* FutureImperfect: As you can see, large chunks of his life are lost to history. What is known about him was written by Cassius Dio and Tacitus, two people who never met him personally.

* BittersweetEnding: He defeated the Iceni Rebellion, avenged the three Roman cities that the rebels massacred, ensured that Roman Rule in Britain would never again be internally threatened, and the man he mentored would finish his work (see TheMentor below). However he was still removed from his post, the civilization he fought for would still fall four centuries later, and the island he once governed would eventually [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade lionize]] Boudica[[note]]Even going so far as building statues of her in Colchester and London (both of which were cities Suetonius helped build and make prosperous, both of which Boudica's army sacked,
and the latter city being one whose population Suetonius partially evacuated to safety.[[/note]] while simultaneously ''[[HistoricalVillainUpgrade demonizing]]'' him.

* BittersweetEnding: He defeated the Iceni Rebellion, avenged the three Roman cities that the rebels massacred, ensured that Roman Rule in Britain would never again be internally threatened, and the man he mentored would finish his work (see TheMentor below). However he was still removed from his post, the civilization he fought for would still fall four centuries later, and the island he once governed would eventually [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade lionize]] Boudica while simultaneously ''[[HistoricalVillainUpgrade demonizing]]'' him.

* BittersweetEnding: He defeated the Iceni Rebellion, avenged the three roman cities that the rebels massacred, ensured that Roman Rule in Britain would never again be internally threatened, and the man he mentored would finish his work (see TheMentor below). However he was still removed from his post and the civilization he fought for would still fall four centuries later.

* NotSoDifferent: According to Cassius Dio, the speech he gave to the third division of his army before the Battle of Watling Street was a condemnation of the Iceni and Trinovante Rebels for murdering Roman Civilians. After the battle, the Roman Soldiers murdered the Iceni and Trinovante Civilians who came to watch the battle. See ObligatoryWarCrimeScene below.
* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: At the Battle of Watling Street, the Iceni brought their families in wagons along to watch the expected victory. When the Iceni lost, the Roman Soldiers killed said families in a fit of rage. It is unknown whether or not he ordered this, or even if he approved of it.

* TheMentor: Was a mentor to Gnaeus Julius Agricola, who would later follow in Suetonius's footsteps by becoming Governor of Britannia, defeating several more local tribes, further Romanizing the locals by making them adopt Roman Customs, and even invading Scotland.

* BlatantLies: In The Year of Four Emperors, he supported Emperor Otho. When Otho was defeated, Suetonius avoided punishment by claiming he lost an important battle on purpose. This is almost certainly a lie, but it worked because he wasn't prosecuted.

Before he could finish his campaign, however, Suetonius and the Roman politicians involved were recalled to Rome. Gaius Julius Alpinus Classicianus, the new Procurator of Britain (Catus Decianus was removed from his office after fleeing to Gaul) was concerned that Suetonius's [[RevengeBeforeReason punitive actions against the Iceni] would provoke further hostilities. So Nero's freedman, Polyclitus, found a pretext to remove him from his position (Suetonius lost track of some ships). In Britian he was replaced by Publius Petronius Turpilianus who quickly undid all of the punitive measures he had installed and restored good relations with the natives (including the remaining Iceni) by [[PetTheDog treating them better]]. The only reward Suetonius is known to have received is a lead tessera in Rome, seemingly to commemorate his victory.

Before he could finish his campaign, however, Suetonius and the Roman politicians involved were recalled to Rome. If they were expecting a reward for their efforts, they were sorely mistaken: Emperor Nero found a pretext to remove Suetonius from his position (he had lost some ships) and replaced him. Suetonius's successors quickly undid all of the punitive measures he had installed and restored good relations with the natives (including the remaining Iceni) by [[PetTheDog treating them better]].

In 69 AD, in the Year of Four Emperors, he supported Emperor Otho. He took a more cautious approach in this war, but his opinion was overruled and Otho was defeated and ultimately killed. Suetonius avoided being punished for his role in the war [[BlatantLies by claiming he lost the battle on purpose]].

* BittersweetEnding: He defeated the Iceni Rebellion, avenged the three roman cities that the rebels massacred, ensured that Roman Rule in Britain would never again be internally threatened, and left behind a successor who would finish his work (see TheMentor below). However he was still removed from his post and the civilization he fought for would still fall four centuries later.

* NotSoDifferent: According to Cassius Dio, the speech he gave to the third division of his army before the Battle of Watling Street was a condemnation of the Iceni and Trinovante Rebels for murdering Roman Civilians. After the battle, the Roman Soldiers murdered the Iceni and Trinovante Civilians who came to watch the battle.

* NeverMyFault: In one of his supposed speeches to his men at Watling Street, he declared that the gods always sided with those who had been wronged. While Boudica's forces did massacre three cities, it was Suetonius's side that threw the first punch - namely, flogging her and then raping and flogging her daughters while forcing her to watch - out of [[EvilIsPetty petty sadism.]] Sure, ''he'' had nothing to do with that, but his side [[CreateYourOwnVillain wronged hers first.]] Of course, even recognizing these wrongs he could have seen his side as the just one because of [[RevengeByProxy Boudica's]] [[DisproportionateRetribution actions]], as the last time a Roman City was massacred in such a manner was when Hannibal sacke Saguntum in The Punic Wars.

* NeverMyFault: In one of his supposed speeches to his men at Watling Street, he declared that the gods always sided with those who had been wronged. While Boudica's forces did massacre three cities, it was Suetonius's side that threw the first punch - namely, flogging her and then raping and flogging her daughters while forcing her to watch - out of [[EvilIsPetty petty sadism.]] Sure, ''he'' had nothing to do with that, but his side [[CreateYourOwnVillain wronged hers first.]] Of course, even recognizing these wrongs he could have seen his side as the just one because of [[RevengeByProxy Boudica's]] [[DisproportionateRetribution actions]], as the last time a Roman City was massacred in such a manner was in the Punic Wars.