Claudius Civilis

The Roman historian Tacitus describes Civilis’s role as the leader of the Batavian Rebellion in 69 CE . The Batavians and other indigenous peoples initially allied themselves with the Romans, but later rebelled under the leadership of Civilis. The rebellion failed, and Romans and indigenous peoples went on to live in some degree of harmony with each other. In the centuries that followed they worked together, building roads and waterworks to shape the landscape to their needs. Much later, during the 80 Years’ War in the Netherlands, Dutch writers drew inspiration from this early struggle for freedom. They drew comparisons between the uprising led by Civilis against the mighty Roman Empire and this Dutch revolt against the Spanish king in their own time. Rembrandt and other artists also painted this subject.