Naval battle on Lake Fucinus (AD 52)

According to Tacitus, nineteen thousand condemned men took part in the battle, on triremes and quadriremes (Annals 12. 56).

According to Tacitus, nineteen thousand condemned men took part in the battle, on triremes and quadriremes (Annals 12.56). Suetonius records that the condemned called out to the emperor, “Ave imperator, morituri te salutant,” and he answered “aut non,” that is, “or not” (Claudius 21). This is the only ancient testimony to these words.