Agricola, C.NÆUS JULIUS

Agricola, C.NÆUS JULIUS, a Roman of the imperial times, distinguished not less by his great abilities as a statesman and a soldier than by the beauty of his private character, was born at Forum Julii (now Fréjus in Provence), 37 A.D. Having served with distinction in Britain, Asia, and Aquitania, and gone through the round of civil offices, he was in 77 A.D. elected consul, and in the following year proceeded as governor to Britain—the scene of his military and civil administration during the next seven years. He was the first Roman general who effectually subdued the island, and the only one who displayed as much genius and success in training the inhabitants to the amenities of civilisation as in breaking their rude force in war. In his last campaign (86 A.D.), his decisive victory over the Caledonians under Galgacus, in the battle of the Grampians (q.v.), established the Roman dominion in Britain to some distance north of the Forth. After this campaign, his fleet circumnavigated the coast, for the first time discovering Britain to be an island. Among the works executed by Agricola during his administration, was a chain of forts between the Clyde and Forth. The news of Agricola's successes inflamed the jealousy of Domitian, and in 87 A.D. he was recalled. Thenceforth he lived in retirement; and when the vacant proconsulships of Asia and Africa lay within his choice, he prudently declined promotion. The jealousy of the emperor, however, is supposed to have hastened his death (93 A.D.). His Life by his son-in-law Tacitus has always been regarded as one of the choicest specimens of biography in literature.