Tacitus on Germany

I finished reading this today on my kindle. It’s free. And it’s awesome. 

Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus wrote about the Germans around 100 AD. germane (german) was the term used for the germane cisrhenani. The original Germani Cisrhenani include the Eburones, the Condrusi, the Caeraesi, the Segni and the Paemani, which is the same group who apparently later came to be collectively referred to as Tungri.

That’s alotta tribes, man! And that’s not even the half of it. Tacitus mentioned so many I lost count. So what I was reading about the early Germans varied widely. Some were very war hungry, in fact their whole social order depended on war and pillaging, and some were peaceful and did not seek war. For instance,

"They cannot otherwise than by violence and war support their huge train of retainers." 

"For maintaining such liberality and munificence, a fund is furnished by continual wars and plunder."  

"This is their principal state, this their chief force, to be at all times surrounded with a huge band of chosen young men, for ornament and glory in peace, for security and defense in war."

and some tribes had rituals where the young men would grow out their beards and hair and never cut it until they killed another man in battle:

"As soon as they arrive to maturity of years, they let their hair and beards continue to grow, nor till they have slain an enemy do they ever lay aside this form of countenance by vow sacred to valor.” 

"Over the blood and spoil of a foe they make bare their face." 

"They allege, that they have now acquitted themselves of the debt and duty contracted by their birth, and rendered themselves worthy of their country, worthy of their parents.”

Seems a bit melodramatic, but whateves. And on the other hand of maintaining your tribal order through war and pillage, there was the Chaucians. They were above all that. They relied on justice, not violence. 

"a people of all the Germans the most noble, such as would rather maintain their grandeur by justice than violence. They live in repose, retired from broils abroad, void of avidity to possess more, free from a spirit of domineering over others. They provoke no wars, they ravage no countries, they pursue no plunder. Of their bravery and power, the chief evidence arises from hence, that, without wronging or oppressing others, they are come to be superior to all." 

What did the ancient Germanic people eat: 

He commented on what they ate: 

"Their food is very simple; wild fruit, fresh venison, or coagulated milk,” and "For their drink, they draw a liquor from barley or other grain; and ferment the same so as to make it resemble wine,” and 'They are all nourished with the milk of their own mothers, and never surrendered to handmaids and nurses.”

Tacitus commented on the blonde hair and blue eyes of the early Germanic peoples: 

"I concur in opinion with such as suppose the people of Germany never to have mingled by inter-marriages with other nations, but to have remained a people pure, and independent, and resembling none but themselves. Hence amongst such a mighty multitude of men, the same make and form is found in all, eyes stern and blue, yellow hair, huge bodies, but vigorous only in the first onset. Of pains and labour they are not equally patient, nor can they at all endure thrift and heat. To bear hunger and cold they are hardened by their climate and soil."

Rare amongst them is the use of weapons of iron, but frequent that of clubs. - Tacitus

Their wives:

For some of the tribes, they were monogamous their whole lives: 

"for they are almost the only Barbarians contented with one wife, excepting a very few amongst them; men of dignity who marry divers wives, from no wantonness or lubricity, but courted for the lustre of their family into many alliances.”

And their wives were not spared from fighting. Once they were married, the wives would follow the husbands into battle and cry to them if they were being overrun to give the men strength:

"Moreover, close to the field of battle are lodged all the nearest and most interesting pledges of nature. Hence they hear the doleful howlings of their wives, hence the cries of their tender infants."

"That the woman may not suppose herself free from the considerations of fortitude and fighting, or exempt from the casualties of war, the very first solemnities of her wedding serve to warn her, that she comes to her husband as a partner in his hazards and fatigues, that she is to suffer alike with him, to adventure alike, during peace or during war."

Their religion:

This was pretty interesting. Tacitcus said that the early Germans worshipped Hercules, 

"They have a tradition that Hercules also had been in their country, and him above all other heroes they extol in their songs when they advance to battle."

and that many of the Germanic tribes that they decrescend from Uylsses, from the Ancient Greeks! 

"Besides there are some of opinion, that Ulysses, whilst he wandered about in his long and fabulous voyages, was carried into this ocean and entered Germany, and that by him Asciburgium was founded and named, a city at this day standing and inhabited upon the bank of the Rhine"

That some of their ancient tombs were inscribed with greek letters:

"upon the confines of Germany and Rhoetia are still extant certain monuments and tombs inscribed with Greek characters."

WTF! I’ve not heard of the Greek ancestors of the germanic tribes before, so that’s a very interesting side note to reading Tacitus’ writings on the subject. 

There’s many more interesting things he talks about in his writings, which I could write on all day, but it’s only 30 pages long, and you can download it free on the kindle! 

If anyone has ancestors that come from the ancient Germania, this is definitely a must read. It's also a good read for anyone interested in the historical waring between the Germanic tribes and the Romans, this would be a great addition to their library.