atae were ravaging it, and while
Tiberius and Messalinus were tarrying in Siscia the Dalmatians overran
their allied territory and likewise caused many to revolt. Although
Tiberius approached them, they would engage in no open battle with him
but kept moving from one place to another, devastating a great deal of
ground. Owing to their knowledge of the country and the lightness of
their equipment they could easily go wherever they pleased. When winter
set in, they did much greater damage by invading Macedonia again.
Rhoemetalces and his brother Rhascuporis got the better of this force in
battle.

[A.D. 7 (_a. u._ 760)]

The rest did not stay in their territory while it was being ravaged
(this was principally later, in the consulship of Caecilius Metellus and
Lincinius Silanus), but took refuge on the heights, from which they made
descents whenever they saw a chance.

[-31-] When Augustus learned this he began to be suspicious of Tiberius,
for he thought the latter might have overcome them soon but was delaying
purposely so that he might be under arms as long as possible, with war
for an excuse. The emperor therefore sent Germanicus, though he was then
quaestor, and gave him soldiers not only from the free born citizens but
from the freedmen, some of whom were slaves that he had taken from both
men and women, in return for their value, with food for six months,
and had set free. This was not the only measure he took in view of the
necessities of the war: he also postponed the review of the knights,
which was wont to occur in the Forum. And he vowed to conduct the Great
Games [18] because a woman had cut some letters on her arm and had
practiced some kind of divination. He knew well, to be sure, that she had
not been possessed by some divine power, but had done it intentionally.
Inasmuch, however, as the populace were terribly wrought up over the wars
and the famine (which had now set in once more), he, too, affected
to believe what was said and did anything that would lead to the
encouragement of the multitude as a matter of course. In view of the
stringency in the grain supply he again appointed two grain commissioners
from among the ex-consuls, together with lictors. As there was need
of further money for operations against the enemy and the support of
night-watchmen, he introduced the tax of two per cent. on the sale of
slaves, and he ordered that the money delivered from the public treasury
to the praetors who gave