At this point, or earlier, our MSS break off. It is clear, however, that the Roman position in the Rhineland was fully restored in A.D. 70, and the frontier defences reformed and reorganised. Tacitus' reference to the Batavians in the 'Germania' (published in A.D. 98) suggests that they suffered no reprisals and retained their status as untaxed subjects of the empire supplying only military levies. The troubles of A.D. 69/70 were never repeated here, and this in itself is a vindication of Roman imperialism.