"The Hammer" or Arminius in Latin, 18 BC-19 AD, was a German
who served in the Roman Army successfully for six years and gained
respected Roman citizenship. After he returned home to his native
people, the Teutonic tribe of the Cherusci, he found them straining
under the yoke of a petty Roman governor, Publius Varus, whose high
taxes and inept leadership were becoming intolerable. Arminius decided
to do act. Arminius made himself chieftain and organized a revolt using
the skills of warfare he had learned from the Romans.
who served in the Roman Army successfully for six years and gained
respected Roman citizenship. After he returned home to his native
people, the Teutonic tribe of the Cherusci, he found them straining
under the yoke of a petty Roman governor, Publius Varus, whose high
taxes and inept leadership were becoming intolerable. Arminius decided
to do act. Arminius made himself chieftain and organized a revolt using
the skills of warfare he had learned from the Romans.
His jealous father-in-law Segestes betrayed his plans in advance to Varus, who arrogantly dismissed
the report as not credible. But, in the summer of 9 AD, Arminius led his forces in an ambush of the
Romans that Varus had led across the Rhine and into the Teutoburger Wald, near today's Hanover.
Vastly outnumbered by the three Roman legions which included three cavalry squadrons and six
cohorts of about 20,000 men, Arminius tricked the Romans into believing it was they who were
outnumbered by having his men clang their shields and dart through the woods echoing war cries.
the report as not credible. But, in the summer of 9 AD, Arminius led his forces in an ambush of the
Romans that Varus had led across the Rhine and into the Teutoburger Wald, near today's Hanover.
Vastly outnumbered by the three Roman legions which included three cavalry squadrons and six
cohorts of about 20,000 men, Arminius tricked the Romans into believing it was they who were
outnumbered by having his men clang their shields and dart through the woods echoing war cries.
Among the previously feuding Cheruscans, the faction that favored the
treacherous Segestes, who had sought to curry favor from the Romans, turned
against him and he begged Germanicus for help. Germanicus, who was
already departing from Germania, turned back and rescued him, abducting
Arminius's wife, Thusnelda, in the process. She was taken to Rome and
Germanicus boldly put her on display in his victory parade; she never saw her
homeland again and Tacitus, who described these events, never mentions her
again. Thumelicus, the son she bore Arminius while in captivity, was said to
have been treated poorly, then trained by the Romans as a gladiator in
Ravenna and was probably killed in the arena. Arminius was later attacked
and murdered by his own relatives.
treacherous Segestes, who had sought to curry favor from the Romans, turned
against him and he begged Germanicus for help. Germanicus, who was
already departing from Germania, turned back and rescued him, abducting
Arminius's wife, Thusnelda, in the process. She was taken to Rome and
Germanicus boldly put her on display in his victory parade; she never saw her
homeland again and Tacitus, who described these events, never mentions her
again. Thumelicus, the son she bore Arminius while in captivity, was said to
have been treated poorly, then trained by the Romans as a gladiator in
Ravenna and was probably killed in the arena. Arminius was later attacked
and murdered by his own relatives.
The dark sandstone rocks rise 300 feet high on the northern slopes of the Teutoburg
Forest and are located near an ancient trade route. Tall oak trees and numerous mineral
springs are located in the Weserbergland. This is where the Romans were defeated by the
Germanic tribes. From early times the "Externsteine" was a place of worship, by the
Celts, the Germans and the Romans. Tacitus wrote of an upper sanctuary where only
women, who were the prophetesses, could enter. Only one of the rocks has retained its
original peak, and may have once been the interior of such a cave.
Forest and are located near an ancient trade route. Tall oak trees and numerous mineral
springs are located in the Weserbergland. This is where the Romans were defeated by the
Germanic tribes. From early times the "Externsteine" was a place of worship, by the
Celts, the Germans and the Romans. Tacitus wrote of an upper sanctuary where only
women, who were the prophetesses, could enter. Only one of the rocks has retained its
original peak, and may have once been the interior of such a cave.
The roof of this rock-chamber was possibly destroyed by Charlemagne in his quest to Christianize the heathen
Saxons and destroy their holy places of pagan worship. The rocks were also used by hermits and, in Medieval
times, Benedictine monks transformed the area into a place of Christian pilgrimage and it therefore also contains
early Christian carvings.
Saxons and destroy their holy places of pagan worship. The rocks were also used by hermits and, in Medieval
times, Benedictine monks transformed the area into a place of Christian pilgrimage and it therefore also contains
early Christian carvings.
There are two great statues of Hermann today, one in the Teutoberger Wald and the other in the
American town of New Ulm, Minnesota, dating originally from the late 19th century.
American town of New Ulm, Minnesota, dating originally from the late 19th century.
"Undoubtedly the liberator of Germany; a man who, not in its infancy as captains
and kings before him, but in the high noon of its sovereignty, threw down the
challenge to the Roman nation in battle with ambiguous results, in war without
defeat; he completed thirty-seven years of life, twelve of power, and to this day is
sung in tribal lays, though he is an unknown being to the Greek historians, who
admire only the glory of Greece, and receives less than his due from us of Rome, who
glorify the ancient days and show little concern for our own." Tacitus
and kings before him, but in the high noon of its sovereignty, threw down the
challenge to the Roman nation in battle with ambiguous results, in war without
defeat; he completed thirty-seven years of life, twelve of power, and to this day is
sung in tribal lays, though he is an unknown being to the Greek historians, who
admire only the glory of Greece, and receives less than his due from us of Rome, who
glorify the ancient days and show little concern for our own." Tacitus
Virtually all of the old Teutonic tribes, unlike other ancient peoples, regarded each other as brethren
and equals, including the sexes. German tribespeople enjoyed personal freedom, esteemed liberty and
had a legal right over their own property, yet at the same time had a high regard for community. The
value they placed on individual liberty was alien and shocking to the Romans, and even the ancient
Greeks had a dim view of such liberties. Roman likeness of an early German, below right
and equals, including the sexes. German tribespeople enjoyed personal freedom, esteemed liberty and
had a legal right over their own property, yet at the same time had a high regard for community. The
value they placed on individual liberty was alien and shocking to the Romans, and even the ancient
Greeks had a dim view of such liberties. Roman likeness of an early German, below right
The Germanic tribes had ceremonies where warriors took an oath
of the sword and pledged their brotherhood, honor and loyalty to
kinsmen and community. The Cimbri, Teutones and Istavones, who
later became the Franks, and the Chauci, who became the Saxons,
and others all practiced this ritual where a special oneness was felt
for the sword, and swords occur in practically all Germanic
legends and were even exchanged at weddings. Roman historian
Tacitus descibes unique sword dances among the tribes as well.
of the sword and pledged their brotherhood, honor and loyalty to
kinsmen and community. The Cimbri, Teutones and Istavones, who
later became the Franks, and the Chauci, who became the Saxons,
and others all practiced this ritual where a special oneness was felt
for the sword, and swords occur in practically all Germanic
legends and were even exchanged at weddings. Roman historian
Tacitus descibes unique sword dances among the tribes as well.
| “Who,” asks Seneca, “is braver than the German?” Sidonius replies, “Death alone subdues them.” |
Seven years after Varus' loss at Teutoberg Wald, the Emperor Tiberius sought to restore Rome's
power by dispatching his nephew Claudius Drusus Germanicus to invade Germania in 16 AD. The
army of 29,000 legionaries, 30,000 auxiliaries, 7,500 cavalry and 5,000 Batavians made their way by
water from the Rhine to the River Ems, where they disembarked and marched into Germania. They
were met near the River Weser by a confederation of Cherusi, Semnones and Langobardi tribes lead
by Arminius. Germanicus' army went forward onto the Idistaviso plain and defeated the 55,000
Germans, but they took enough losses that Germanicus was suddenly recalled to Rome. While some
Romans had been fighting, other Roman forces raided the Cherusci villages while the men were
absent and murdered the women and old folks.
power by dispatching his nephew Claudius Drusus Germanicus to invade Germania in 16 AD. The
army of 29,000 legionaries, 30,000 auxiliaries, 7,500 cavalry and 5,000 Batavians made their way by
water from the Rhine to the River Ems, where they disembarked and marched into Germania. They
were met near the River Weser by a confederation of Cherusi, Semnones and Langobardi tribes lead
by Arminius. Germanicus' army went forward onto the Idistaviso plain and defeated the 55,000
Germans, but they took enough losses that Germanicus was suddenly recalled to Rome. While some
Romans had been fighting, other Roman forces raided the Cherusci villages while the men were
absent and murdered the women and old folks.
Sixty nine barbarian clans or tribes, such as the Chatti, Cimbrians and the Batavians, located in 95
Germanic regions have been documented as battling on other Roman frontiers during this era, and
the Teutoburger Forest region, home to German tribes such as the Cheruscii, represented the
'barbarian- fringe' of Europe around the first century. Outstanding sons of their citizens were often
hired by the Romans as warriors and some, like Arminius, were immersed in Roman culture as
Stirps Regia or 'Royal Clansmen,' and they passed their leadership on down to the next male
generation. These German clansmen lived within a 40 mile diameter area with up to 25,000
inhabitants per clan. Each clan consisted of numerous villages of about 100 families governed by a
leader. Important decisions were made in public meetings by a full or new moon. When the speaker
was good, they clashed their weapons, and if not, they shouted him down..while they drank beer.
Germanic regions have been documented as battling on other Roman frontiers during this era, and
the Teutoburger Forest region, home to German tribes such as the Cheruscii, represented the
'barbarian- fringe' of Europe around the first century. Outstanding sons of their citizens were often
hired by the Romans as warriors and some, like Arminius, were immersed in Roman culture as
Stirps Regia or 'Royal Clansmen,' and they passed their leadership on down to the next male
generation. These German clansmen lived within a 40 mile diameter area with up to 25,000
inhabitants per clan. Each clan consisted of numerous villages of about 100 families governed by a
leader. Important decisions were made in public meetings by a full or new moon. When the speaker
was good, they clashed their weapons, and if not, they shouted him down..while they drank beer.
There were at least 12 principal gods named after days of the week and spirits of the forest, air,
water and more. They also worshipped wood figures within oak groves. Charlemagne once destroyed
an enormous tree trunk called the 'Irminsul' in 772 AD while trying to convert these early Germans
to Christianity. Germans living along the Roman frontier in the 4th and 5th centuries AD were the
first to convert to Christianity, but pagan tribes could still be found well into the 12th and 13th
centuries and those living in northern German forests were not converted until generations later.
water and more. They also worshipped wood figures within oak groves. Charlemagne once destroyed
an enormous tree trunk called the 'Irminsul' in 772 AD while trying to convert these early Germans
to Christianity. Germans living along the Roman frontier in the 4th and 5th centuries AD were the
first to convert to Christianity, but pagan tribes could still be found well into the 12th and 13th
centuries and those living in northern German forests were not converted until generations later.
After three days of battle, his enemies were scattered. The remaining
Romans saw their fellow soldiers' skulls nailed to trees. Arminius had
succeeded in destroying one tenth of the legionary military of the entire
Roman Empire. Unable to face the humility of defeat at the hands of
barbarians, Varus committed suicide. While the battle of Teutoberger Wald
threw the Romans momentarily out of Germania beyond the Rhine, there
was more in store. Sculpture of Arminius, right
Romans saw their fellow soldiers' skulls nailed to trees. Arminius had
succeeded in destroying one tenth of the legionary military of the entire
Roman Empire. Unable to face the humility of defeat at the hands of
barbarians, Varus committed suicide. While the battle of Teutoberger Wald
threw the Romans momentarily out of Germania beyond the Rhine, there
was more in store. Sculpture of Arminius, right
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The Romans were amazed at the size and strength of the Germans and even more surprised that they
could produce such strong and healthy children given their climate and tendency not to bathe much.
could produce such strong and healthy children given their climate and tendency not to bathe much.