[3] Classicus, along with Sabinus and Tutor, were leaders of the Treviri and Lingones, both Gallic tribes, and had separate ideals from Civilis and his Batavian revolt.
The Batavians were seeking little more than tribal independence, while Sabinus and his allies were looking to start a new Roman Empire in Gaul, an Imperium Galliarum.
[4] After killing a deserter named Vocula, who had tried to escape after seeing the treachery of Classicus and the rest, Julius Classicus read an oath of allegiance (dressed as a Roman general) to Legio I Germanica and Legio XVI Gallica stationed in Germany, commanding them to swear allegiance to their new emperor, Julius Sabinus[5] (who would have been the 5th Emperor in just a little over a year).
Soon after, the army left for Trier and Sabinus went on to lose a battle to the Sequani after squandering his troop resources, mainly because he didn't trust his new legions.
As Cerialis advanced on Augusta Treverorum, capital of the Treviri, Classicus and Civilis tried to sow panic in the Roman army by alleging Vespasian had died.