Full transcript
0:00The ancient Romans always exerted great
0:02effort to subjugate the countless
0:04tribes that inhabited Europe . The Celts
0:08were formidable enemies who forced even
0:10the great Julius Caesar to spend many
0:12years warring in Gaul until they were
0:14finally defeated . But there existed a
0:19people so cruel and savage in battle
0:21that they were considered barbarians
0:23even by the Celts . These were the
0:26Germanic peoples . Just as it was with
0:29the Celts , the Germanic peoples were
0:31not exactly a single people . They were
0:34divided into many different tribes that
0:36shared the same language , religious
0:38beliefs , and culture in general . They
0:41inhabited Germania , a large region
0:44classified by the Romans , where
0:46present-day Germany , Austria , Holland ,
0:48Belgium , and part of France are located
0:51. Germania is a land filled with hills
0:54and occupied predominantly by dense
0:56forests and some swamps , with trees so
0:59tall and close to one another that they
1:01end up creating a nearly constant
1:03mantle of shadows and mist on the
1:05ground . One of their main natural
1:08borders was the Rhine River , which
1:10separated Germania from Gaul . Another
1:14was the steppes that separated Germania
1:16from Scythia , the land of the fearsome
1:18nomadic horsemen . And it was in this
1:21somber and hostile environment that the
1:23Germanic peoples lived . The
1:26Proto-Germanic culture originated
1:28around the year 1800 B. C. The tribes
1:31that gave rise to this culture came
1:33from Scandinavia and , due to climate
1:35changes , migrated south , entering and
1:38occupying territories that previously
1:40belonged to the Celts . Since then ,
1:44Celts and Germanic peoples spent many
1:47generations sharing a mutual hatred ,
1:49waging bloody battles over territories .
1:53At the time of the Roman conquests , the
1:55main Germanic tribes were the Suebi ,
1:58Frisians , Cimbri , Teutons , and
2:00Marcomanni . The tribes were formed by
2:04different clans with warrior traditions
2:06. In fact , the warrior caste was the
2:10one that led Germanic society , with the
2:12leaders of each clan organizing an
2:14assembly of warriors who decided on
2:16matters of war or peace and conducted
2:19trials for crimes and punishments . In
2:22first place in society were the members
2:25of the nobility ; in second , the free
2:27men , who could bear arms and
2:29participate in the warriors ' assembly .
2:32In third were the servants , such as
2:35farmers , fishermen , and blacksmiths ,
2:37and lastly , the slaves . Women were
2:41highly respected and had roles in
2:43society , such as making clothing ,
2:45ceramics , and tending to the crops . Men
2:49recognized the women's abilities to
2:51foresee events and did not hesitate to
2:53ask them for advice . Marriage was
2:57something taken very seriously . Both
3:00men and women married only once in
3:02their lives . In rare cases , members of
3:06the nobility took more than one wife ,
3:08if necessary , to bear children or to
3:10create political alliances . Agriculture
3:14was the main source of food , along with
3:17cattle breeding and hunting wild
3:18animals . Unlike the Celts , the Germanic
3:22peoples were not very inclined toward
3:25the arts , according to the Roman
3:27historian Tacitus , and they placed
3:29little importance on silver and gold ;
3:31each tribe had a supreme chief or king ,
3:33as many proclaimed themselves . These
3:38kings were elected in the assembly of
3:39warriors and could also be deposed
3:41through election . They were responsible
3:45for commanding the warriors during
3:47battles , being accompanied by a group
3:49of elite warriors . Free men were
3:54trained from childhood by their fathers
3:56, uncles , or older brothers and were
3:58considered fit for combat at 16 years
4:00old , when they were presented with a
4:02shield and spear by the tribal chief .
4:07This training created large , strong
4:09warriors who wore long beards or
4:11mustaches . Julius Caesar described the
4:14Germanic people in the following way .
4:16The Germanic people are incredibly tall
4:19, courageous , and skillful with their
4:21weapons . Even their very gaze is
4:24unbearable . The Germanic people of the
4:28Suebi tribe were considered the most
4:30fearsome , and their warriors were
4:31characterized by wearing long hair tied
4:33to the side of the head . In 1948 , a
4:38male skull was discovered in Osterby
4:41that still preserved the hair and the
4:43traditional Suebi knot . The Germanic
4:48warrior's primary weapon was the spear ,
4:51but they also used axes , javelins ,
4:53slings , long knives , swords , and a
4:55somewhat uncommon weapon for the time ,
4:58the wooden club . Despite being a
5:02somewhat primitive weapon for the era ,
5:05the club allowed for great impact ,
5:07breaking shields and bones and causing
5:09injuries , even to soldiers wearing
5:11armor and helmets . The Germanic people
5:16were experts in guerrilla tactics and
5:18psychological terror , using the forests
5:20to stage ambushes and fighting even at
5:22night . Some warriors painted their
5:28weapons and bodies with black paint ,
5:30using charcoal mixed with a little
5:32water , creating camouflage and leaving
5:34only their eyes visible to terrorize
5:36their enemies . They were called the
5:41Hari , the ghost warriors . Even in the
5:46harsh environment in which they lived ,
5:48the Germanic people managed to develop
5:50a respectable cavalry and employed an
5:52impressive tactic , where young warriors
5:55advanced running alongside their horses
5:57during the assault , creating a combined
5:59cavalry and infantry attack . Dropping
6:03weapons and fleeing from battle was
6:05something unacceptable for the Germanic
6:07people . And Tacitus describes that some
6:11warriors would commit suicide by
6:13hanging when they committed such a
6:14shameful act . Another unusual custom of
6:20the Germanic people was to bring their
6:21families close to the battlefield so
6:23that during the fight , the men could
6:25hear the cries of encouragement from
6:27their wives and children . After all ,
6:31most of the time , it was for them that
6:33they were fighting . They also
6:36ritualistically wore the skins of
6:38animals such as bears , wolves , and
6:41boars . This custom can be traced back
6:44to prehistory , as they believed wearing
6:46these animals ' skins granted them
6:48strength and courage in battle . The
6:52famous berserkers of the Viking sagas
6:54have their origins in the Germanic
6:56peoples , as do most of the deities and
6:58stories of Norse mythology . Little is
7:01known about the early days of the
7:03proto-Germanic religion , with its
7:05origins traced back to the Neolithic
7:07period . In some aspects , it resembles
7:10the Celtic religion , with the
7:12veneration of nature's forces and
7:14animals . However , the proto-Germanic
7:18religion had unique traits , in a way
7:20more primitive and which today would be
7:22considered dark . Priestesses were the
7:27main figures in this religion , acting
7:29as healers , midwives , and seers , and
7:31they consulted the gods through
7:33divination and omens . The priestesses
7:37were feared by the Romans , as even
7:39tribal chiefs obeyed their judgments .
7:42Human sacrifices were not rare among
7:45the Germanic peoples . Hanging the
7:48bodies of enemies from trees was a way
7:50to perform the sacrifice and send a
7:52warning to their foes . There are
7:54reports of Roman soldiers who would
7:56panic . Such was the fear they felt upon
7:59entering the Germanic forests . Many
8:03gods of Norse mythology had their
8:05origins in proto-Germanic religions ,
8:07such as Odin , Thor , and Frigg , who
8:10originally had different names . Odin
8:14was called Wodanaz , the father of the
8:16gods , lord of wisdom , death , and trade .
8:21Thor was called Thunraz , the god of
8:23rain and the closest to humans , in the
8:25sense of protecting our world and
8:27helping with harvests . Frigg had the
8:32name Frijjo , the wife of Wodanaz and
8:34protector goddess of the family , women ,
8:37and marriage . Tyr had the name Tiwaz ,
8:41god of war , courage , and loyalty . And
8:45it was to him that most of the blood
8:47sacrifices were made . The diversity and
8:51strength of the Germanic peoples caused
8:54many difficulties for the Roman
8:55Empire's expansion plans , and a
8:57conflict between the two cultures was
8:59inevitable . The reputation as
9:05bloodthirsty barbarians that the
9:07Germanic peoples carried was more than
9:09justified , since even the Romans
9:11avoided entering the dense , dark
9:13forests of Germania . The first contacts
9:16between the Germanic peoples and Rome
9:18occurred around the year 110 BC . But it
9:22was during Julius Caesar's campaigns in
9:24Gaul that the conflicts between the two
9:26peoples intensified . The Germanic Suebi
9:30tribe had invaded the territory of Gaul
9:32and had been expanding their borders
9:34more and more . The Suebi were commanded
9:37by the chieftain Ariovistus , an
9:39impetuous warrior who had already
9:41managed to accumulate victories against
9:43the Celtic tribes . One of these
9:46victories was against the Edwards tribe
9:48, Rome's newest allies . Taking
9:51advantage of the military power of the
9:53legions in Gaul , the Roman Senate
9:55incited Julius Caesar to fight the
9:57Germanic tribes , claiming they would be
9:59an even greater threat in the future if
10:01other tribes crossed the Rhine River .
10:04With the arrival of Caesar and his
10:07legions in his territory , Ariovistus
10:09organized 120,000 of his warriors on
10:11top of a hill , and during a meeting
10:13with Caesar , declared that he would
10:15neither surrender nor leave Gallic
10:18territory . Accounts state that Germanic
10:21priestesses had warned Ariovistus not
10:23to engage in combat against the Romans
10:26before the passing of the New Moon , as
10:28according to their religion , it was
10:30forbidden to shed blood during the
10:32changing of lunar phases . Ignoring the
10:35warning , Ariovistus began the combat ,
10:38confident in the numerical superiority
10:40of his army . After luring the Romans
10:44near the Rhine River , the battle began
10:46and the Germanic tribes attacked with
10:48their famous fury , which made their
10:50people so feared . Unfortunately for the
10:54Germanic tribes , Roman battle tactics
10:56proved far superior , and slowly the
10:58Germanic people were subjugated , being
11:01pushed against the riverbanks . Few were
11:04those who managed to cross the river
11:06and escape the legions . And , according
11:10to the Germanic custom of bringing
11:11families near the battle , they too
11:13would not be able to escape the
11:15slaughter that followed . And almost the
11:18entire Suebi tribe was wiped out that
11:20day . In the following years , the Romans
11:22continued to invade and conquer
11:24territories in Germania . The Germanic
11:27people paid a high price for
11:29underestimating Caesar's legions , but
11:31their revenge against Rome was yet to
11:33come . The Romans had a custom of taking
11:36in youths from the noble families of
11:38the tribes and nations they managed to
11:40conquer . This was done to train these
11:44youths as commanders for the Roman army
11:45and to win the trust of the peoples
11:47under their dominion . One of these
11:51youths was Arminius , a prince of the
11:53Germanic Cherusci tribe . Arminius was
11:56trained in the Roman style of combat to
11:58become a military officer and very
12:00early on demonstrated aptitude for the
12:02role . He earned the right to be
12:06considered a Roman citizen and reached
12:08the rank of tribune , something similar
12:10to the rank of captain in modern armies
12:12. A very impressive feat for someone
12:15coming from a barbarian tribe so
12:17despised by the Romans . During his
12:20military career , Arminius was part of
12:22the army commanded by Tiberius Claudius
12:25, a highly influential Roman general
12:27who would go on to become emperor of
12:29Rome in the following years . Arminius
12:32fought many battles , serving as a
12:34commander in the legions during the
12:36invasion of Germania , facing and
12:38defeating his own people of origin .
12:42This dedication led many members of the
12:44Roman nobility to respect and even
12:46admire Arminius . Much of the Germanic
12:50territory came to belong to the Roman
12:52Empire , and the Germanic tribes were
12:54forced to pay high taxes to live on
12:56their own land . These territories were
13:00under the responsibility of the public
13:02consul Publius Quinctilius Varus . And
13:05to maintain peace , he had at his
13:07disposal three Roman legions , totaling
13:09approximately 20,000 men . But when
13:13Arminius realized the degrading
13:15situation his own people were in , he
13:17was overcome with a great aversion for
13:19Rome and became an architect of what
13:21would go down in history . Autumn had
13:26arrived , and the Roman legions serving
13:28in Germania needed to march to a warmer
13:30region before winter set in . To do this
13:35, they needed to cross the Teutoburg
13:37Forest , a dense and dark forest filled
13:39with trees and moss . Arminius had held
13:45secret meetings with the chiefs of the
13:47Germanic tribes and planned to attack
13:49the legions during their march in the
13:51middle of the forest . He knew the power
13:55of Roman tactics very well and knew
13:57that in such uneven terrain , Roman
13:59formations would lose much of their
14:01efficiency . On a cloudy and rainy day ,
14:05the Germanic people hid in the forest
14:07and waited for the legions to pass . At
14:11the perfect moment , Arminius gave the
14:13order to attack , and the Germanic
14:15warriors struck the Roman columns from
14:17two different directions . Caught by
14:20surprise , the Romans barely had a
14:22chance to react . Their disciplined
14:25formations could not organize in time .
14:28And to make matters worse , the ground
14:30was muddy and slippery due to the rain .
14:3320,000 soldiers would lose their lives
14:35in one of the darkest days in the
14:37history of Rome . It is said that
14:40Quinctilius Varus himself , along with
14:42other Roman officers , took their own
14:45lives during the battle , fearing
14:46capture and sacrifice in the fearsome
14:49Germanic rituals . The three legionary
14:53standards were lost ; two were looted by
14:55the Germanic tribes , and the third
14:57disappeared into the forest swamps .
15:00Upon learning of the event , Roman
15:02Emperor Augustus spent days consumed by
15:05a helpless fury . And it is said that he
15:08would bang his head against the palace
15:10walls and scream at every moment : "
15:12Quinctilius Varus , give me back my
15:14legions . " The loss of three legions was
15:18a terrible blow to the pride of the
15:20Roman Empire , which seemed to have lost
15:22its air of invincibility . In the
15:25following years , Rome sent several
15:27military expeditions to punish the
15:29Germanic tribes , and many battles were
15:31fought . But the struggle had gone on
15:35for too long , and the new emperor ,
15:37Tiberius , gave up on annexing Germania
15:39to the territory of the Roman Empire .
15:42The heroic Arminius was assassinated at
15:4536 years of age , likely by his own
15:47father-in-law . Arminius received the
15:51title of The Liberator of Germania and
15:53is a symbol of the bravery and
15:55resistance of the Germanic peoples . The
15:59Germanic tribes were able to repel
16:01Rome's advance , even though it cost
16:03them a high price . During the Hun
16:07invasions of Europe , many Germanic
16:09peoples pushed even further into Roman
16:11territories during a period that would
16:13become known as the Barbarian invasions
16:16. During the migration of the Germanic
16:20peoples toward Western Europe , some of
16:22the tribes , like the Vandals ,
16:24Ostrogoths , and Visigoths , spread
16:26terror across Roman lands , pillaging
16:28and devastating many cities and
16:30villages . Little by little , the various
16:34Germanic peoples took control of
16:36different regions of the former Roman
16:38Empire and organized themselves within
16:40the conquered territories . By around
16:43the 6th century , almost all the
16:45Germanic peoples were settled in
16:47regions across Europe . The Germanic
16:51invasions brought disorder , destruction
16:53, famine , and looting to the already
16:56decaying Roman Empire , thus
16:57precipitating its extinction . Over time
17:02, Germanic culture blended with that of
17:04other peoples in the conquered
17:06territories , making the influence of
17:08the Germanic peoples an important
17:09foundation of European culture .