battle of Teutoburger Wald

Teutoburger Wald, battle of (ad 9). Rome's first emperor, Augustus, feared that the rich province of Gaul was too vulnerable to German attack from across the Rhine and determined upon the Elbe and Danube as the empire's northern boundaries. He sent his able son Tiberius to campaign in the region in ad 4-5, which he achieved through an effective combined operation with a fleet on the northern coast of Germany. In ad 6 Tiberius was recalled to deal with a revolt in Pannonia and the responsibility for consolidating his work fell to the legate P. Quinctilius Varus, commanding five legions and German auxiliary forces. Prominent among his auxiliary commanders was Arminius, a chief of the Cherusci tribe. In ad 9 Varus was conducting operations with three legions in central Germany, east of the Weser near modern Minden. Arminius had planned a rebellion, and, although warned of this, Varus still trusted him. Setting out to return to winter quarters, the Romans, 12, 000-15, 000 strong, with many dependants, had to march through the mountainous and heavily wooded Teutoburger Wald. Near modern Detmold, Arminius and his following deserted, and the Romans became subject to guerrilla attacks. Varus continued the march despite the problems his unwieldy column was experiencing in the terrain. The attacks grew more severe, and, although we cannot be certain of the details, the soldiers and all their families were massacred and Varus committed suicide. Tiberius stabilized the military situation and in ad 13 his younger brother Germanicus led an expedition to the Elbe again. In ad 16, he finally defeated Arminius (who was assassinated by rivals in ad 21) and recovered the legions' lost eagles (see colours) ; but Augustus, who had been shocked by the defeat, decreed that there should in future be no effort made to extend Roman authority beyond the Rhine.

Bibliography

• Keppie, L., The Making of the Roman Army (London, 1984)

— Matthew Bennett