▁a ▁Roman ▁det achment . ▁A ulus ▁Ca ec ina ▁Ali en us , ▁a ▁former ▁supp orter ▁of ▁Gal ba ▁who ▁was ▁now ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁Vit elli an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Italy , ▁launched ▁a ▁massive ▁pun itive ▁campaign , ▁cr ushing ▁the ▁Hel vet ii ▁under ▁their ▁commander ▁Claud ius ▁Sever us ▁and ▁routing ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁their ▁forces ▁at ▁Mount ▁V oc et ius , ▁killing ▁and ▁ens la ving ▁thousands . ▁The ▁capital ▁A vent icum ▁surrender ed , ▁and ▁Julius ▁Al pin us , ▁head ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁now ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁Hel vet ian ▁u pr ising , ▁was ▁executed . ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁extensive ▁damage ▁and ▁dev ast ations ▁the ▁civ itas ▁had ▁already ▁sust ained , ▁according ▁to ▁T ac it us ▁the ▁Hel vet ii ▁were ▁saved ▁from ▁total ▁anni h ilation ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁ple as ▁of ▁one ▁Claud ius ▁C oss us , ▁a ▁Hel vet ian ▁en voy ▁to ▁Vit elli us , ▁and , ▁as ▁T ac it us ▁puts ▁it , ▁“ of ▁well - known ▁el o quence ”. ▁▁ ▁Leg acy ▁▁ ▁Roman ▁occupation ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁Gall ic ▁Wars ▁had ▁pac ified ▁the ▁C elt ic - G erman ic ▁contact ▁zone ▁along ▁the ▁Rh ine . ▁The ▁Sue bi ▁and ▁Mar com anni ▁who ▁under ▁Ari ov ist us ▁had ▁planned ▁to ▁in va de ▁Ga ul ▁were ▁pushed ▁back ▁beyond ▁the ▁Black ▁Forest , ▁where