Cerealis

• Pertaining to Ceres, devoted to her, and, meton., pertaining to the cultivation of land, grain, or agriculture: nemus, sacred to Ceres, Ov. M. 8, 741: sacrum, id. Am. 3, 10, 1: Eleusin, id. F. 4, 507; id. M. 7, 439 (cf. Mel. 2, 3, 4: Eleusin Cereri consecrata): papaver (as her symbolic attribute), Verg. G. 1, 212 Heyne; Col. 10, 314: cenae, i.e. splendid, like those at the festivals of Ceres, Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 25 (101): sulci, Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 11: munera, id. M. 11, 121; 13, 639: dona, id. ib. 11, 122; id. F. 1, 683; 6, 391 (cf.: dona Cereris, id. M. 5, 655): herbae, id. F. 4, 911: libum, id. ib. 1, 127: semina, id. M. 1, 123: culmus, Verg. G. 2, 517: arma, i.e. the implements for grinding and baking, id. A. 1, 177: solum, i.e. the cake laid on the ground, id. ib. 7, 111 (cf. id. ib. v. 109): aediles, who had the superintendence of provisions; v. aedilis fin.—Hence,
• • B Subst.: Cĕrĕālĭa, ium, n. (also in appos.: Cerealia ludi, Liv. 30, 39, 8; cf.: Megalesia ludi, al.), the festival of Ceres, celebrated on the 10th of April, Cic. Att. 2, 12, 2 and 4; Varr. L. L. 6, § 15 Müll.; Ov. F. 4, 619; cf. id. ib. 389 sq.—
• II A Roman cognomen, Mart. 4, 8; 12, 52.

a Roman general, commanded the fifth legion in the Jewish war, under Titus. (A. D. 70.) He slew a number of Samaritans on mount Gerizim; overran Idumaea, and took Hebron; made an unsuccessful night attack on the temple, and was present at the council of war held by Titus immediately before the taking of Jerusalem. (Joseph. B.J. 3.7.32, 4.9. § 9, 6.2. §§ 5,6; 100.4.3.) [P.S]

or Ceria'lis, ANI'CIUS, was consul designatus in A. D. 65, and proposed in the senate, after the detection of Piso's conspiracy, that a temple should be built to Nero as quickly as possible at the public expense. (Tac. Ann. 15.74.) In the following year, he, in common with several other noble Romans, fell under Nero's suspicions, was condemned, and anticipated his fate by putting himself to death. He was but little pitied, for it was remembered that he had betrayed the conspiracy of Lepidus and Lentulus. (A. D. 39.) The alleged ground of his condemnation was a mention of him as an enemy to the emperor in a paper left by Mella, who had been condemned a little before; but the paper was generally believed to be a forgery. (Tac. Ann. 16.17.) [P.S]

a Roman senator who, while proconsul of Asia, was put to death by Domitian, shortly before A. D. 90. (Suet. Dom. 10 ; Tac. Agric. 42.) [P.S]

a Roman poet, contemporary with Pliny the Younger and Martial, by both of whom he is addressed as an intimate friend. He wrote a poem on the war of the giants. (Plin. Ep. 2.19; Martial, Epig.11.52.) [P.S]

or Ceria'lis, PETI'LIUS, a Roman general, and a near relative of the emperor Vespasian, is first mentioned as legate of the 9th legion, under Vettius Bolanus, in Britain, when he was defeated by the British insurgents under Boadicea, A. D. 61. (Tac.Ann. 14.32.) When Vespasian set up his claim to the empire (A. D. 69), Petilius Cerealis escaped from Rome and joined his army in Italy under Antonius, and was made one of his generals. He commanded an advanced party of cavalry, and is charged, in common with the other generals, with not advancing upon Rome quickly enough. He suffered a defeat in a skirmish beneath the walls of Rome. In the following year, he was sent to the Rhine, to suppress the revolt of Civilis, in which he was completely successful. [Civilis.] While holding this command, he was solicited by Domitian to give up to him his army. Domitian's object was partly to gain reputation by finishing the victory which Cerealis had secured, but chiefly to seize the empire. Cerealis, however, laughed off the request, as being the foolish fancy of a boy. (Tac. Hist. 3.59, 78, 79, 4.86.)

In the following year (A. D. 71), he was sent as consular legate to the government of Britain, in which he was active and successful. He conquered a great part of the Brigantes, and called out the talents of Agricola. (Tac. Agr. 8, 17.) As a commander he was energetic, but rash. (See especially Tac. Hist. 4.71.) [P.S]

• Ceres, of Ceres: nemus, sacred to Ceres, O.: papaver, V.—Of grain, cereal, agricultural: munera, O.: herbae, O.: culmus, V.: arma, i. e. implements for grinding and baking, V.: solum, i. e. the cake laid on the ground, V.—Plur.nas subst.: Cereālia, the festival of Ceres, C., O., L.