Expensive Skin

There is a page from Roman history by Lucius Cassius Dio and Latin Inscriptions discovered in the Western Balkan about the Illyrian rebel known as Bato Daesitiate.

According to legend, the Marcomannic Kingdom was the last independent region east of the Rhine, and the Roman plan called for the conquest, but the Illyrian revolt in 6 AD prevented forces and exposed weaknesses of the Augustus government.

Tiberius conquered Pannonia and returned to Rome. At that time, the situation starts to change significantly.

Roads connecting the Pannonian to the Dinaric Belt were unoccupied zones. Bato Daesitiate estimates the next offensive will be in the hills and mountains south of the Pannonian Basin. With the forces and resources, the strategic defence of deceleration and exhaustion of Roman troops started.

Augustus permitted Tiberius to return from the front lines, so Germanicus could accomplish his military goals. The Germanicus strategy involved breaking through the northwest front and reaching Salona. That was likewise the aim of every Roman commander from northern Italy's Dinaric areas. In the first half of 9 AD, Germanicus anti-insurgency soldiers were deployed at Siscia in the first months of 9 AD.

Germanicus transformed the approach of exhaustion and desolation into the strategy of occupation and pacification of territory in the Una River Valley, known as "Pounje." Splonum, Raetinum, and Seretion were the three primary rebel strongholds.

Splonum and Raetinum were inhabited zones in the suburbs, with an acropolis as a seat. The defensive fortification is one double ring around the suburbs and another around the acropolis. They have located in the hills fortified stronghold with walls and nature.

After the occupation of Splonum, Germanicus set out to conquer Raetinum. Severe destructions of settlements in a battle for Raetinum have been described. Illyrians sought safety in the "underground rooms" and "tunnels" that connected the acropolis to areas outside the double ring. Such "tunnels" existed not only in Raetinum but also in Andetrium, which was under Roman siege and got supplies from the surrounding area.

During the siege, Bato Daesitiate exited the city using tunnels, using them to contact rebels in unoccupied territory. That link likely resulted in a successful defence of Seretion under Tiberius' command.

Considering inscriptions and maps, the Raetinum is located in the zone around Bihać (inscription CIL XIII 7023).

In 9 AD Germanicus was twenty-four years old. His lack of experience took him to the walls of Raetinum, where the Roman army experienced one of the greatest tragedies during the war. Changing Tiberius' strategy, which included diplomacy, Germanicus wanted to crush the insurgents on the northwestern battlefield and occupy the areas, regardless of losses. His goal was to bring a quick victory. Germanicus' strategic failure in the war with the Illyrians brought famine to Italy.

Despite the Seretion's conquest, more insurgent forces followed, extending the fight. Then Augustus sent Tiberius back to finish the unpopular war.

Despite capturing significant settlements, Germanicus' plan was a failure. Germanicus's aspirations for the Una River Valley are over at that point. He did not crush the insurgent opposition and became known as the conqueror of Dalmatia with his uncle Tiberius, who conquered Pannonia. The opposition demonstrated to Rome that Illyrian "skin is expensive" and that Germanicus' offensive was overly ambitious.

Tactically, the operation in Pounje was a failure, but the Romans achieved the goal.

In fact, Germanicus broke through the defensive line where suppressing Tiberius' strategy could not. The question was whether the Romans had sovereignty and provincial authority in Illyricum even before suppressing the insurrection.

Tiberius often had to clash with the independent people south of the Danube because they protested high taxes.