Hic rerum urbanarum status erat, cum Pannonicas legiones seditio incessit, nullis novis causis nisi quod mutatus princeps licentiam turbarum et ex civili bello spem praemiorum ostendebat. castris aestivis tres simul legiones habebantur, praesidente Iunio Blaeso, qui fine Augusti et initiis Tiberii auditis ob iustitium aut gaudium intermiserat solita munia. eo principio lascivire miles, discordare, pessimi cuiusque sermonibus praebere aures, denique luxum et otium cupere, disciplinam et laborem aspernari. erat in castris Percennius quidam, dux olim theatralium operarum, dein gregarius miles, procax lingua et miscere coetus histrionali studio doctus. is imperitos animos et quaenam post Augustum militiae condicio ambigentes inpellere paulatim nocturnis conloquiis aut flexo in vesperam die et dilapsis melioribus deterrimum quemque congregare.

Pannonicas legiones – Pannonia was a Roman province situated south of the River Danube, where modern Hungary is now. At the time of the death of Augustus in 14 AD, a Roman legion comprised around 5,000 soldiers, with an equal number of auxiliary troops.

This was the state of affairs in the city, when mutiny came upon the legions in Pannonia, due to no new reasons except for the fact that the change of emperor offered the licence for upheavals and hope for the profits from a civil war. Three legions were stationed together in the summer camp, under the command of Junius Blaesus, who, on hearing of the end of Augustus and the beginnings of Tiberius, had suspended the customary duties for a period of mourning or celebration. With this as the starting point, the soldiery began to run riot, they quarrelled, they lent their ears to the talk of all the worst men, lastly they desired luxury and leisure, they spurned their discipline and toil. There was in the camp one Percennius, once the leader of a theatrical claque, then a common soldier, insolent with his tongue and taught by his theatrical zeal to stir up gatherings. He gradually incited minds which were inexperienced and uncertain what the terms of soldiering would be after Augustus, in night-time discussions or when day had turned to evening and, when the better men had dispersed, he herded together all the very worst.

Hic rerum urbanarum status erat, cum Pannonicas legiones seditio incessit, nullis novis causis nisi quod mutatus princeps licentiam turbarum et ex civili bello spem praemiorum ostendebat.

This was the state of affairs in the city, when mutiny came upon the legions in Pannonia, due to no new reasons except for the fact that the change of emperor offered the licence for upheavals and hope for the profits from a civil war.

castris aestivis tres simul legiones habebantur, praesidente Iunio Blaeso, qui fine Augusti et initiis Tiberii auditis ob iustitium aut gaudium intermiserat solita munia.

Three legions were stationed together in the summer camp, under the command of Junius Blaesus, who, on hearing of the end of Augustus and the beginnings of Tiberius, had suspended the customary duties for a period of mourning or celebration.

eo principio lascivire miles, discordare, pessimi cuiusque sermonibus praebere aures, denique luxum et otium cupere, disciplinam et laborem aspernari.

With this as the starting point, the soldiery began to run riot, they quarrelled, they lent their ears to the talk of all the worst men, lastly they desired luxury and leisure, they spurned their discipline and toil.

erat in castris Percennius quidam, dux olim theatralium operarum, dein gregarius miles, procax lingua et miscere coetus histrionali studio doctus.

There was in the camp one Percennius, once the leader of a theatrical claque, then a common soldier, insolent with his tongue and taught by his theatrical zeal to stir up gatherings.

is imperitos animos et quaenam post Augustum militiae condicio ambigentes inpellere paulatim nocturnis conloquiis aut flexo in vesperam die et dilapsis melioribus deterrimum quemque congregare.

He gradually incited minds which were inexperienced and uncertain what the terms of soldiering would be after Augustus, in night-time discussions or when day had turned to evening and, when the better men had dispersed, he herded together all the very worst.