#Tencteri

[va-lentine]

Veleda’s name seems to have Celtic roots and is related to the title of an ancient Celtic prophet. She belonged to an old tradition found in many different civilizations - women who were actively connected to deities and known for their prophetic skills. However, in the case of this specific woman, she lived in a tower close to the Lippe River and was very respected by the inhabitants of those lands. Before she became an icon of the Batavian revolt, she helped the society of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, now the city Cologne, in Germany. She was an arbitrator in a conflict among them and another German tribe, called Tencteri. Descriptions of Veleda and her story are rare, so it is hard to create a full-bodied image of her.

[germanicseidr]

Cologne During The Batavi Revolt

In the year 70AD, during the Batavi revolt, Civilis managed to capture Castra Vetera, a Roman fort in modern day Xanten. He promised the Roman soldiers free passage out but the Germanics attacked them only a few kilometers outside of the fort and destroyed the Roman garrison. The most important Roman officers were captured and gifted to Veleda, the unmarried and deeply respected seeress, for she predicted that the Batavi would win this revolt. 

Civilis was spurred on by his success to move towards Agrippina, (Rome already lost two legions by now because of this revolt) but he was hesitant to let the Germanics plunder the Roman city of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (modern day Cologne, Germany). 

Plundering the city would not be good for Civilis' reputation and at the start of the Batavi rebellion, his son was captured and treated with honour in Agrippinensium. But this Roman city was however hated by the tribes above the Rhine. The Tencteri sent envoys into Agrippina in order to let their demands be known. The fiercest of the Tencteri spoke and delivered one hell of a speech:

"You belong to the greater part once more, you are Germanic again! We therefore thank all of our  Gods and Tyr, our main God, and congratulate you. Finally you shall be free amongst the free. Until today the Romans closed off the rivers, land and in a certain way the sky, to stop all contact and traffic with us. Or it was to humiliate, us men born for weapons, further. Unarmed, practically naked, we would live under supervision and meet for a fee.

But so that our friendship and alliance may be everlasting, we demand that you tear down the walls of your colony, the bulwark of your slavery (even wild animals forget their virtue when locked up), that you slaughter all Romans within your bounderies. Freedom and slave masters do not easily mix. Let the goods of those killed be coded into a common store, so that no one hides anything or separates his own interest.

We and you must have the right to settle on either bank of the Rhine, as our forefathers did in the past. Nature has granted every man the privilege of light and day, not less has she given brave warriors access to every land.

Take back the traditions and customs of your own land again and cast out this luxery. This comfort gives the Romans more power over their subjects than their weapons! In this way you become a pure and unspoiled people, you forget slavery and become equally entitled, if not more powerful than others."

The inhabitants of Agrippina however couldn't accept or refuse these demands. They replied as follow:

"When the first opportunity for freedom was given, we took it up more eagerly than cautiously, so that we would be joined to you and all other Germanics, our kinsmen.

This is the fatherland for those colonists who at one time came and united with us by marriage and for those who were the offspring soon after. We do not judge you to be so prejudiced that you would wish our fathers, brothers and sons to be killed by us."

The citizens of Agrippina exclaimed to be supportive of the Germanic cause but refused to kill the Roman colonists for they already married and had families with Germanic people, they couldn't possibly kill their own families. 

They allowed the Germanics free entrance through the city but only when they were unarmed. Further they wanted to confirm the agreements with Civilis and Veleda. This is how the citizens of Agrippina managed to calm the Tencteri down and prevent the plunder of the city. In return the city would join Civilis and his Batavi revolt.

This speech and the recorded events were written down by Tacitus. Pictures of: Colonia Agrippina, Statue of Civilis, Embroidered depiction of Civilis from the 1800s, Map that shows the location of Agrippina in 70AD,

[paganimagevault]

Veleda, prophet of the Germans by Juan Scherr 1882. Illustrations from the work: Germania: two thousand years of German history by Juan Scherr. - Barcelona: Montaner and Simón, 1882.

"We now suppress the duties and all charges that are burdens on trade: let there be free intercourse between us, but by day and without arms until by lapse of time we shall become accustomed to our new and unfamiliar rights. We will have as arbiters Civilis and Veleda, before whom all our agreements shall be ratified." With these proposals they first calmed the Tencteri and then sent a delegation to Civilis and Veleda with gifts which obtained from them everything that the people of Cologne desired; yet the embassy was not allowed to approach Veleda herself and address her directly: they were kept from seeing her to inspire them with more respect. She herself lived in a high tower; one of her relatives, chosen for the purpose, carried to her the questions and brought back her answers, as if he were the messenger of a God." -Tacitus, The Histories: Book 4, Chapter 65

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/05/veleda-prophet-of-germans-by-juan.html

[tiffbaxter]

 Witch Wednesday 5. VELEDA

Dates active: Latter half of the 1st century AD, most prominent in AD 69-70

Location: A tower by the Lippe River, Germany

Powers: Clairvoyance, potentially able to kill remotely via magic (unconfirmed)

Notable acts: Viewed as a living goddess by most tribes in central Germany. Arbitrated the conflict between the Romans at Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium & the Germanic Tencteri tribe. Prophesied & potentially incited the rebellion of the Batavi tribe against the Romans who with her knowledge were able to be well prepared & secure several victories against the superior Roman forces.

In 70 AD Roman commander Munius Lupercus was sent to Veleda to secure her abilities for the Romans but he mysteriously died en route.

She continue her work as seer past the Romans’ eventual victory against the Batavians, her date of death remains unknown but a 77AD Greek epigram suggests by that point she had travelled to Adrea near Rome.

[cargopantsman]

On the Topic of Tribes, Part II

Disclaimer and Table of Contents

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So in covering Tacitus' naming of the three major tribes, or at least geographic groupings; the Ingaevones, Istaevones, and Herminones, I have better generalized grasp of the distribution of the Germans that Rome was primarily concerned with in the first century BCE. Exploring the mentioned names of the Gambrivii and the Marsi turned into a bit of a disappointment since the Gambrivii appear to have gained no major notority and the Marsi were brutally exterminated in their sleep by Germanicus Caesar around 15 CE.

In his listing of tribes descended from Mannus, he does mention the Vandali, which should seem familiar to most due to their famous sacking of Rome itself in 455 CE (granted they took the long way around both geographically and temporally to do it).

Pliny the Elder includes the Vandali (or Vandili) as one of five main groups of the Germans. "There are five German races; the Vandili, parts of whom are the Burgundiones, the Varini, the Carini, and the Gutones ... [Ingaevones, Irminones, and Istaevones] ... the fifth race is that of the Peucini, who are also the Basternæ, adjoining the Daci previously mentioned." Natural History (4.28)

Now granted, this is the same Pliny the Elder that claims "Male corpses float on their backs but female corpses float on their faces as though nature were preserving their modesty even in death." Natural History (7.77)

Aaaaaanyway. Including the Vandals as a major subgroup of the Germanic peoples is sensible enough because it allows me to nicely fill in a big empty spot on my map. 

The Vandals contribute to an important linguistic division among Germanic peoples in that Scandinavia and the Ingaevones will branch into the North Germanic languages, the Istaevones and Herminones the West Germanic, and the Vandali the East Germanic/Gothic languages. The Vandalic/Gothic migration hit the shores of Northern Europe between the Oder and Vistula rivers prior to 200 BCE and had settlements in Silesia (the southern end of the Oder) by 120 BCE.

As concerns Rome, the Vandals were relatively quiet until the 2nd century CE. A footnote aptly summarizes their eventful future history: 22 [ The Vandals are said to have derived their name from the German word wendeln, "to wander." They began to be troublesome to the Romans A.D. 160, in the reigns of Aurelius and Verus. In A.D. 410 they made themselves masters of Spain in conjunction with the Alans and Suevi, and received for their share what from them was termed Vandalusia (Andalusia). In A.D. 429 they crossed into Africa under Genseric, who not only made himself master of Byzacium, Gaetulia, and part of Numidia, but also crossed over into Italy, A.D. 455, and plundered Rome. After the death of Genseric the Vandal power declined.]

As early as 200 BCE though, the Basternae enter the Greco-Roman historical record in the Balkans. Conflict followed in the first century BCE when the Basternae and other Sarmatian tribes resisted a Roman campaign to subjugate the Dardani and Moesi tribes north of Macedonia around 75 BCE. Gaius Scribonius Curio became the first Roman general to reach the river Danube with his army. Resistance from the Dacian area tribes persisted for decades under the command of Burebista, a Thracian king. Julius Caesar had plans set to fight on this eastern front, but was repeatedly punctured and was unable to attend. The Dacian/Thracian front collapsed anyway in that same year (44 BCE) upon the overthrow and death of Burebista. The Basternae, or Peucini, are debated to be of Germanic, Sarmatian, or Celtic origin, if not a mixture of all. Taking it on faith (read as: adding to my library list), Roger Batty in "Rome and the Nomads: the Pontic-Danubian region in Antiquity" argues that assigning an "ethnicity" to the Bastarnae is meaningless, as in the context of the Iron Age Pontic-Danubian region, with its multiple overlapping peoples and languages, ethnicity was a very fluid concept: it could and did change rapidly and frequently, according to socio-political vicissitudes. This was especially true of the Bastarnae, who are attested over a relatively vast area.

Tacitus relates "46. I am in doubt whether to reckon the Peucini, Venedi, and Fenni among the Germans or Sarmatians; although the Peucini, who are by some called Bastarnae, agree with the Germans in language, apparel, and habitations. All of them live in filth and laziness. The intermarriages of their chiefs with the Sarmatians have debased them by a mixture of the manners of that people." In this it clear that Tacitus would disagree with Pliny on the Basternae/Peucini counting as a fifth "race" of Germanic people due to this inter-nationality intermingling. The important point to draw from his mentioning of them at all is to highlight the extent of Germanic migration throughout central Europe. Not just along the Rhine border as stressed in the Gallic Wars and later Romano-Germanic skirmishes in the west, but also along the Roman provinces of Rhaetia, Noricum and Pannonia in the south and plunging deep into the eastern Black Sea regions where so many diverse ancient cultures collided.

All that remains to parse out of Tacitus' one line list of introductory tribes are the Suevi. . .

Let me tell you, this was, and still is a bit of a rabbit hole.

The Suevi, or Suebi, are mentioned often, to the extent that I'm not even sure what anyone is referring to. Julius Caesar describes them as "by far the largest and the most warlike nation of all the Germans." (Gallic War, 4.1) Strabo writes: "The country next the whole [eastern] bank [of the Rhine] is inhabited by the Suevi, who are also named Germans, but are superior both in power and number to the others, whom they drove out, and who have now taken refuge on this [western] side the Rhine." (Strabo, Geographica 4.3)

Later on within "Germania," Tacitus relates that "38. We have now to speak of the Suevi; who do not compose a single state, like the Catti or Tencteri, but occupy the greatest part of Germany, and are still distributed into different names and nations, although all hearing the common appellation of Suevi." A footnote for this paragraph continues; "207 [ The Suevi possessed that extensive tract of country lying between the Elbe, the Vistula, the Baltic Sea, and the Danube. They formerly had spread still further, reaching even to the Rhine. ...]"

The Suebi appear to take up the whole of Germania. To a point where Suebi might well be synonymous with German in its vague definition. At most it is handy to consider that mention of Suevi will encompass events in the south-west of Germania.

Beyond the expanse of space that the Suebi claim, there is a vast expanse of time between Caesar noting them during the Gallic wars up at least until the Third Council of Toledo, Spain where the Visigoth Kingdom of Toledo converted officially from Arianism to Catholicism, king Reccared I stated in its minutes that also "an infinite number of Suebi have converted" in 589 CE. It is from this "tribe" that we get the modern name of a region in Germany "Swabia."

Within the constraints of Latin, Suēbī is the nominative plural of Suēbus. According to the "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) William Smith, LLD, Ed." "SUE´BUS (Σούηβος), {is} a river on the north coast of Germany, between the Albis {Elbe} and Viadus {Oder}, which flows into the Baltic at a distance of 850 stadia to the west of the mouth of the Viadus, and which, according to Ptolemy (2.11.1), divided at its mouth into several branches. Notwithstanding these explicit statements, it is extremely difficult to identify the river, whence some regard it as the Peene, others as the Warne, and others again as the Viadus or Oder itself, or rather the central branch of it, which is called the Swine or Schweene {Świna in modern Poland}."

Within Germanic language considerations, the name Suebi stems from the Proto-Germanic *swēbaz. The Proto-Indo-European root *swé is a reflexive pronoun "self" leading *swēbaz to form "our own" as a sort of cultural identifier. This leads me to think that the use of Suebi might well be the formation of a larger cultural identity to delineate themselves from their Celtic/Gallic and Roman neighbors.

Tacitus later names a "Suevic Sea" in paragraph 45 that is equated with the modern Baltic Sea into which the Suebus river flows. This is as much evidence as I have at the moment for the claims that the Suevi originated in the Baltic region and migrated southwest. But to take a moment to hop north of the Baltic into Swe-den, where we see the PIE root *swé again shifting into Proto-Norse *Swihoniz, Proto-Germanic *Sweoniz and, as Tacitus calls them in Latin, Suiones.

Short of losing myself in a whirlwind of linguistics at this point I think I will settle on chalking Suebi to be a name brought about by a particular migration from Sweden to the mouth of the Oder/Suebus river and spreading westwards and south while arbitrarily considering the eastward migrating tribes will be the forerunners of our future Goths. (Yes, subsequent migrations from Scandivania will follow and displace the Gotlandic pioneers, but let's keep this simple for now.)

[archaeologicalnews]

Location of Caesar’s genocidal slaughter announced

Archaeologist Nico Roymans from VU University Amsterdam, announced the probable location where Julius Caesar in 55 BC annihilated two Germanic tribes. Caesar wrote at length in Book IV of his De Bello Gallico of the events surrounding the slaughter. The conclusions reached by the archaeologists are based on a combination of historical, archaeological and geochemical data.

The Tencteri and Usipetes were two Germanic tribes who came from an area east of the Rhine. Their request for asylum in new territory was refused, and Caesar with his full force of eight legions and cavalry went to war against them. After the conquest the fleeing remaining population was pursued by Roman troops. Read more.

[germanicseidr]

Massacre at the river Maas

When the Germanic people invaded Gaul in 55BC, Caesar saw this as an opportunity to present himself as the 'protector' of the Gauls. He sent eight legions and the upcoming battle would result in the biggest slaughter of the entire Gallic war which I briefly wrote about in my post about the Tencteri last September.

The Tencteri and the Usipetes crossed the Rhine in 55BC searching for new lands to settle. The tribes appealed to Caesar for asylum but it was refused. The two parties met for negotiations during which the Germanics asked for three days time in order to send envoys to the nearby Ubii. Caesar however believed that the Germanics were only buying time to regroup their cavalry.

Caesar decided to attack the Germanic camp instead to the great surprise of the Germanics. Chaos ruled in the camp as the Romans attacked the unaware Germanics, they stood no chance to win so many started to flee towards the river. The Romans chased them down and killed as many as they could.

Caesar even seemed proud in his work when he described how his men killed every woman and child that they could find. Some fled into the river Maas but the current was strong so they got either killed by the river or by Roman troops.

The exact amount of people killed is unknown but we do know that Caesar's numbers are way too exaggerated. He claimed that he destroyed a population of 430,000 people. This however seems unlikely since there weren't that many people living in the low countries around 55BC. An estimated guess of the amount of people killed now lies around 150,000 people. A true genocide that took place in the Netherlands.

Napoleon III wrote a book about Julius Caesar in 1865 and mentioned that this particular battle must have taken place around fort Sint Andries near Heerewaarden, the Netherlands. This fort was strategically placed between the rivers Maas and the Waal which agrees with Caesar's comment on how the battle took place on the spot where the Maas and the Waal flow together.

In 1975, during dredging work, several artifacts were found at this spot which date from Caesar's time. This only seemed to confirm the suspicion that the battle took place here. But because not all found objects date from this time period, many archeologists had their doubts.

Another more possible location is the Dutch place of Kessel. Several belt hooks, swords, spearheads, a helmet and human remains were dredged out of the river Maas that belong in the same time period as the battle took place. According to Roman sources, Kessel lies 80 Roman miles away from the North sea, the same distance that is also mentioned by Caesar.

The human remains found at Kessel belonged to 70 individuals, 8 of these bones show signs of trauma, per example a skull with a hole near the left eye socket caused by a spear, this skull belonged to a 40-60 year old woman. Another skull shows an axe injury and a third skull has a sword injury. Many of the remains belonged to women and children which fits the narration of Caesar.

Here are photos of: Human remains found Drawings of the found helmet and Germanic cavalry swords A depiction of the battle by an unknown artist Kessel in the 21st century

[germanicseidr]

Tencteri

The Tencteri were a Germanic tribe who lived East around the lower Rhine river. Archeologists found Tencteri remains in the Netherlands. Their location is probably modern day south-Germany and East Netherlands.

The Tencteri were first described by Julius Caesar. In 55BC, they were searching for a new homeland and crossed the Rhine river. Celtic tribes who lived in these territories fled. Menapii lands were occupied by the Germanics causing quite some unrest. Julius Caesar feared this unrest because it might provoke other Gauls. He hurried to the area with his army. The Tencteri and Usipetes, sent ambassadors to Julius offering an alliance with the Romans. Caesar refused as long as these two Germanic tribes remained in Gaul.

The negotiations didn't lead to any outcome and eventually the Germanics attacked the Romans, forcing them to retreat. This of course did not sit well with Caesar and he took his revenge. Even after the Tencteri asked for asylum, Caesar with his 8 legions absolutely massacred the tribes in what you can describe as a genocide.

Archeological evidence of this mass slaughter has been found in the Netherlands in 2015. This is also the first concrete evidence that we have of Caesar actually setting foot in the Netherlands. An estimated 150,000 people were killed. In the Dutch village of Kessel, skeletons, swords, spearheads and armour has been found dated to this era.

The tribes however survived this genocide and in 16BC the Tencteri once again crossed the rhine. They battled the Romans who were under command of Marcus Lollius. The Tencteri together with the Sicambri and Usipetes managed to defeat this Roman army and even took a standard of the 5th legion as prize.

The Tencteri have also been mentioned around the time of the Batavian revolt. Veleda, the wise woman, of the Bructeri was called upon to provide arbitration in an argument between the Tencteri and a Roman settlement called Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (which is now modern Cologne). The Veleda's solution was accepted by both sides. This shows how much influence these wise women had.

Not much later in 69AD the Tencteri joined the Batavian revolt, two Roman legions were lost in the conflict which lasted until a peace had been accepted by Civilis.

Around 150AD Ptolemy, an Egyptian born mathematician, astronomer and geographer, mentioned the Tencteri tribe as well. He placed the tribe's location in the same location as Tacitus did, to the east of the Rhine river. He also mentions a fortress called Asciburgium which is located between the Bructeri and Tencteri. Tacitus has also described this fort and stated that it had been originally built by the God Thor.

Eventually the Tencteri were absorbed into the Franks around the third century. During the great migration period, they did not move from their homeland.

photo of the map by Karwansaray Publishers

[paganimagevault]

The Batavians Defeating the Romans on the Rhine by Otto van Veen 1613.

In 1613, the Dutch parliament (States General) commissioned Otto van Veen to paint twelve paintings depicting the revolt of the Batavians against the Romans in AD 69 and 70. These were displayed in Binnenhof, the central government building in The Hague. In the early years of the Dutch Republic, many compared their own revolt against Spain to the Batavian uprising.

"Civilis and Classicus, elated by their success, debated whether they should not turn Cologne over to their armies to plunder. Their natural cruelty and their greed for booty inclined them to favour the destruction of the city: in opposition were the interests of the war and the advantage of a reputation for clemency at this time when they were establishing a new empire; Civilis, moreover, was influenced also by the memory of the service done him, when at the beginning of the revolt his son had been arrested in Cologne, but had been treated with honour while in custody. Yet the tribes across the Rhine hated the city for its wealth and rapid growth; and they believed that there could be no end to the war unless this place should be a common home for all the Germans without distinction, or else the city destroyed and the Ubii scattered like the other peoples. So the Tencteri, a tribe separated from the colony by the Rhine, sent an embassy with orders to present their demands in an assembly of the people of Cologne. These demands the most violent of the delegates set forth thus: "We give thanks to our common Gods and to Mars before all others that you have returned to the body of the German peoples and to the German name, and we congratulate you that at last you are going to be free men among free men; for until to‑day the Romans have closed rivers and lands, and in a fashion heaven itself, to keep us from meeting and conferring together, or else — and this is a severer insult to men born to arms — to make us meet unarmed and almost naked, under guard and paying a price for the privilege." -Tacitus, The Histories: Book 4, Chapter 63-64

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-batavians-defeating-romans-on-rhine.html

[germanicseidr]

Germanic Seeresses

The seeress played an important role in the society of the Germanic people. A few of these powerful women have been recorded by the Romans and their descriptions show how the seeresses were almost worshiped like Goddesses and had an influential role in the politics of the Germanic and Roman people.

The most famous Germanic seeress mentioned by name is Veleda. It's however still not 100% clear if Veleda was her actual name or if Veleda was the title of a seeress or both. The seeress Veleda lived during the first century AD, she was born in the Bructeri tribe but her early life is completely unknown. What is known however is that Veleda doesn't seemed to have been important for just the Bructeri people but for virtually every Germanic tribe.

Veleda lived in a tower and settled disputes between people. One such example is the dispute between the Roman citizens of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium and the people of the Tencteri tribe. Her influence must have been great because she managed to solve the dispute without violent conflicts between the Romans and the Germanics.

Her most famous act was a prophecy that she made. This prophecy foretold how the Germanic people would be greatly succesfull in a revolt against the Romans. In 69AD the Batavi did revolt against the Roman empire and they were initially successfull until the revolt sadly failed a year later. It is however unknown if the Batavi heard about this prophecy and used it as a 'Casus Bellum' to start their revolt.

Here is a small description on Veleda written by Tacitus: "Veleda was an unmarried woman who enjoyed wide influence over the tribe of the Bructeri. The Germans traditionally regard many of the female sex as prophetic, and indeed, by an excess of superstition, as divine. This was a case in point. Veleda's prestige stood high, for she had foretold the German successes and the extermination of the legions."

The Romans understood the power that a Germanic seeress could have over the Germanic people so in 77AD the Romans captured Veleda. It is unknown what happened to her, we do not know when she died or how she died. We do know that the Greeks criticized her powers in an epigram which was found near Rome.

After Veleda disappeared, the Germanic people found a new seeress. Her name was Ganna and she belonged to the Semnones tribe. Just like her predecessor Veleda, Ganna held political and religious power over the Germanic people. The Roman emperor Domitianus travelled to Gaul in 82AD in order to attend a census. The king of the Semnones was also present together with Ganna. Just like Veleda, Ganna managed to keep the peace between the Roman and Germanic people.

Another notable Germanic seeress is Waluberg, she was also born in the Semnones tribe but somehow she ended up in service of the Roman governour who ruled over Egypt. Her name has been discovered on a 'ostrakon' shard on a small island in the river Nile. The inscription described her as following: Waluberg, seeress of the Semnones. She was most likely hired by the Romans in order to read signs and predict the future. This shows that even the Romans respected the powers of a Germanic seeress.

Waluberg's life would make for an excellent film. How did a Germanic seeress end up in Egypt? How did she meet the Roman governour of Egypt? How was she hired? Did she get paid? Was she a hostage? Sadly we will never be able to answer these questions but it is clear that the Romans were happy to cooperate with the powerful seeresses of Germania. Perhaps the Romans truly believed in their magical capabilities or they viewed the seeress as an excellent diplomat.

Even though the Germanic society was a patriarchy, several women became quite powerful and managed to even influence the Romans. Women with magical abilities were greatly respected by virtually any polytheistic culture and it is clear that the Germanic people viewed these women almost as gifted as their Goddesses. They also played an important role in conserving the peace by settling disputes between tribes and even between empires.

The title of Veleda can be compared to the later Völva of the viking age. These were also powerful women who were able to see into the future, just like the Veleda, they used sticks carved with symbols in order to make prophecies and carefully observed nature for any important signs of the Gods. The Völva were only a bit more influenced by the Sami culture than the Veleda.

Here are pictures of: Ganna in Gaul/Gallia, Veleda of the Bructeri tribe, A modern day artwork of a Germanic seeress by mepol, here is a link https://mepolart.com/proyectos/ilustracion-words-from-the-dead

[germanicseidr]

Chatti

 The Chatti were a Germanic tribe located in modern day Hesse and southern Saxony, Germany. They were one of the largest and most powerful tribes of Germania, only the Cherusci were as large as the Chatti tribe. I have written a post about this tribe last year but I wanted to add more information and of course this group has gained so many new members since last year, that most probably missed my previous post on this tribe. Also thanks to Netflix’ new show ‘the Barbarians’ the Chatti has gained more attention. Somewhere around 100BC, there was a huge internal conflict in the Chatti tribe, this conflict resulted in the split of the tribe. Two groups of Chatti tribesmen/women migrated towards the lower Rhine area in modern day Netherlands, this is how the Batavi and Cananefates were born.

The meaning of the tribe’s name isn’t 100% certain but most theories lead to the following meaning: ‘the angry’ or ‘the haters’ from the Proto-Germanic word Hataz. If this is the correct meaning of their name, it is quite a curious one. Why would a tribe call themselves like that? It might have something to do with a conflict that they experienced with another tribe or the conflict that caused the tribe to split back in 100BC. Perhaps the tribe’s name isn’t Germanic in origin at all. Another theory suggests that the word Chatti comes from the Proto-Celtic word Cat which means ‘battle’ or ‘fight’. If this is the case, the pronunciation is also different ‘Khatti’. Yet again these are just theories and nothing is 100% certain. The modern day region of Hesse, where the Chatti once lived, has most likely been named after the tribe.

The first written records about this tribe came from Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, the stepson of emperor Augustus. After Germanicus was appointed as the governour of Gaul, he launched a series of campaigns into Germania in an attempt to conquer Germania just like how Gaul was conquered and added to the Roman empire. The first of his campaigns started in 12BC and was very succesful for Germanicus. He crossed the Rhine with his army and subjugated the Sicambri tribe. Germanicus was also the first Roman to reach the Weser river in northern Germany, close to modern day Denmark.

During a later campaign in the same year, he also subjugated the Batavi and the Frisii and defeated the Chauci at the river Weser. In the following year, 11BC, Germanicus defeated the Marsii, Bructeri and the Usipetes. From 10-9BC Germanicus also defeated the Chatti, Cherusci and Marcomanni. It seems as though nothing could stop him from conquering all of Germania, he almost succeeded at this until a fall from his horse during his fourth campaign killed him. It is likely that Germania would have become a Roman province if Germanicus didn’t fell off his horse.

It was during Drusus Germanicus’ campaigns that the famous Arminius of the Cherusci was sent to Rome as tribute by his father, together with his brother Flavus. Relationships between the Cherusci and the Romans continued to sour in the following years after their defeat by the Romans during Germanicus’ campaigns. This eventually led to Arminius revolting against the Romans in 9AD. The king of the Chatti, Adgandestrius, was quick to join Arminius. The Chatti also haven’t forgotten Germanicus’ campaigns in Germania. The revolt led to the famous Teutoburgerwald battle during which three Roman legions were completely destroyed

This battle would be the biggest military defeat for Rome. While Germanicus almost succeeded at conquering Germania, this battle led to the abandonment of all plans to expand the Roman empire into Germania. Permanent borders were established along the Rhine river which kept Germania free. Interestingly enough, Adgandestrius turned against Arminius in 19AD. He even went as far as to ask Rome for help in assassinating Arminius with poison. This request was denied by the Romans as they saw this as a dishonourable way to defeat Arminius, the Romans prefered to meet him in battle. Arminius died two years later, betrayed and murdered by his own people who thought that Arminius was getting way too powerful. (Hope I didn’t just spoil the show for you guys, I still haven’t watched it)

Almost half a century later, another conflict broke out, this time between the Chatti and the Hermunduri in 58AD. Both tribes fought for control over a river that was rich in salt that flowed between the two tribes. This whole conflict has been recorded by Tacitus who described that this river was also very religiously important to the Germanic people. It is not certain which river is mentioned by Tacitus, it is either the Rhine or Main (a river connected to the Rhine). The Germanic people believed that this river was closely connected to the realm of the Gods. If you would make a prayer at the banks of the river Rhine, it would be directly received by the Gods. Both tribes also vowed their enemies to Tyr and Wodan before the battle started. This vow meant that the defeated party was sacrificed to Tyr and Wodan, unfortunately for the Chatti, they lost this battle.

Another revolt broke out in 69AD, this time the Batavi revolted against the Roman empire. The Chatti also joined this rebellion, even though the Batavi were once part of the Chatti and left due to a conflict. The Batavi were able to destroy two Roman legions and several Roman fortifications before the revolt was put down. The Chatti laid siege to Mogontiacum, modern day city of Mainz. Even though the Romans lost their trust in the Batavi, they recognized their strong fighting power and are named the strongest of all the Germanic tribes, not in number but in skills.

20 years later in 89AD, the Chatti joined another revolt. This time two Roman legions under Antoninus Saturninus revolted against emperor Dominitan. Unfortunately all documents describing this event are lost or destroyed so we can sadly never know what event led to two Roman legions revolting against their emperor. There is a theory that the revolt was caused by Dominitan’s strict moral policies for the officers of the army. The revolt however failed before it could really begin. It would have been interesting to observe this revolt if it had succeeded, a curious sight Romans and Chatti warriors fighting side by side.

In 98AD Tacitus published his famous work the Germania, in this work he describes the Chatti as following: “Beyond these dwell the Chatti, whose settlements, beginning from the Hercynian forest, are in a tract of country less open and marshy than those which overspread the other states of Germany, for it consists of a continued range of hills, which gradually become more scattered and the Hercynian forest both accompanies and leaves behind, its Chatti.

This nation is distinguished by hardier frames,  compactness of limb, fierceness of countenance, and superior vigor of mind. For Germanics, they have a considerable share of understanding and sagacity, they choose able persons to command, and obey them when chosen, keep their ranks, seize opportunities, restrain impetuous motions, distribute properly the business of the day, intrench themselves against the night, account fortune dubious, and valor only certain, and, what is extremely rare, and only a consequence of discipline, depend more upon the general than the army.

Their force consists entirely in infantry who, besides their arms, are obliged to carry tools and provisions. Other nations appear to go to a battle, the Chatti, to war. Excursions and casual encounters are rare amongst them. It is, indeed, peculiar to cavalry soon to obtain, and soon to yield, the victory. Speed borders upon timidity slow movements are more akin to steady valor.

A custom followed among the other Germanic nations only by a few individuals, of more daring spirit than the rest, is adopted by general consent among the Chatti. From the time they arrive at years of maturity they let their hair and beard grow and do not divest themselves of this votive badge, the promise of valor, till they have slain an enemy. Over blood and spoils they unveil the countenance, and proclaim that they have at length paid the debt of existence, and have proved themselves worthy of their country and parents. The cowardly and effeminate continue in their squalid disguise.

The bravest among them wear also an iron ring (a mark of ignominy in that nation) as a kind of chain, till they have released themselves by the slaughter of a foe. Many of the Chatti assume this distinction, and grow hoary under the mark, conspicuous both to foes and friends. By these, in every engagement, the attack is begun: they compose the front line, presenting a new spectacle of terror. Even in peace they do not relax the sternness of their aspect. They have no house, land, or domestic cares, they are maintained by whomsoever they visit, lavish of another's property, regardless of their own till the debility of age renders them unequal to such a rigid course of military virtue.” – Tacitus

 Not much is further known about the Chatti besides the fact that they raided Roman territory between 160-170AD. Eventually elements of the Chatti, together with the Batavi, Cherusci, Tencteri, Tubantes, Chamavi, Bructeri, Sicambri and the Ampsivarii formed together in a confederation called the Franks. They settled in modern day southern Netherlands and Belgium around 300AD and were first of the Franks who eventually founded modern day France. The remaining Chatti remained in their original location and continued raiding the Romans wherever they could, by 300AD the Roman western borders were severely weakened by internal conflicts.

Eventually the remaining Chatti became the Hessi during the early medieval ages, this was first recorded in 782AD. Hesse itself has a long and rich history but that is not a topic for this group, feel free to explore this topic further if you are interested in Hesse’s history.

Here is a map which shows the location of the Chatti, a map showing Roman campaigns into Germania before the Teutoburgerwald battle and a depiction of Germanic warriors from the game Rome 2 total war.

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Plate 21: Envoys from Cologne Bring Presents to Civilis by Antonio Tempesta & Otto van Veen 1611, from The War of the Romans Against the Batavians (Romanorvm et Batavorvm societas). 6 5/16 × 8 1/8 in. (16.1 × 20.6 cm). Current location: MET Museum. Antonio Tempesta in collaboration with Otto van Veen published in 1612 in Antwerp a series of thirty-six etchings on the Batavians and the Romans in a book entitled Batavorum cum Romanis bellum.

"The people of Cologne first took some time to consider the matter, and then, since fear for the future did not allow them to submit to the terms proposed and present circumstances made it impossible to reject them openly, they made the following reply: "The first opportunity of freedom we seized with more eagerness than caution that we might join ourselves with you and the other Germans who are of our own blood. But it is safer to build the walls of the town higher rather than to pull them down at the moment when the Roman armies are concentrating. All the foreigners of Italian or provincial origin within our lands have been destroyed by war or have fled each to his own home. The first settlers, established here long ago, have become allied with us by marriage, and to them as well as to their children this is their native city; nor can we think that you are so unjust as to wish us to kill our own parents, brothers, and children. We now suppress the duties and all charges that are burdens on trade: let there be free intercourse between us, but by day and without arms until by lapse of time we shall become accustomed to our new and unfamiliar rights. We will have as arbiters Civilis and Veleda, before whom all our agreements shall be ratified." With these proposals they first calmed the Tencteri and then sent a delegation to Civilis and Veleda with gifts which obtained from them everything that the people of Cologne desired; yet the embassy was not allowed to approach Veleda herself and address her directly: they were kept from seeing her to inspire them with more respect. She herself lived in a high tower; one of her relatives, chosen for the purpose, carried to her the questions and brought back her answers, as if he were the messenger of a God." -Tacitus, The Histories: Book 4, Chapter 65

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/05/plate-21-envoys-from-cologne-bring.html

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Eburones

The Eburones were a Celtic tribe but with Germanic influences, although Julius Caesar described them as being Germanic. They lived between the river Rhine and the Maas in modern day southern Netherlands and northern Belgium. Their name, if it is Celtic, means yew. Yew trees and wood was seen as sacred by the Germanic tribes of modern day Netherlands, almost all runic inscriptions have been found on yew wood.

Despite Caesar claiming they were Germanic, all evidence leads to them being Celtic in origin. Their close location to the Germanic tribes may have led to Germanic influences but judging by their name and archeological finds, they are Celtic. It is often hard to define which Belgic tribes are Celtic or Germanic since most of them have mixed ethnicities.

Not much is known about the Eburones except for what Caesar described. We do know they had a sacred place at Empel which I described before in a post about the Empel temple. During Caesar's invasion of Gaul, the Belgic tribes allied themselves against the Romans, this included the Eburones.

In 55BC, the Germanic tribes of the Usipetes and the Tencteri tried to settle on new land after being driven away by the Suebi. These two tribes eventually bumped into the Belgic Menapii tribe and attacked them. Not only do they attack the Menapii, they also attack the Eburones and the neighbouring Condrusi. Caesar moved north to deal with this Germanic threat on Celtic lands and manages to free the leader of the Eburones, Ambiorix.

However in 53BC, Ambiorix and Cativolcus instigate a revolt. The Eburones with the help of the Treveri manage to destroy a Roman legion under Quintus Titurius Sabinus and Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta, both Roman generals die in this conflict as well. The surviving Roman forces committed suicide in order to avoid capture by the Celts. In all about 8000 Romans were killed.

Ambiorix proudly marched towards the Atuatuci after this victory, a tribe about whom I wrote a post a few weeks ago, and encouraged them and the Nervii to join the Eburones against the Romans. This alliance attacked a legion of Cicero. Julius Caesar makes his way to Cicero with 7,000 of his men when they are attacked by 60,000 Gauls.

Unfortunately the battle turned sour for the Eburones and they are defeated by Caesar. Ambiorix flees and Cativolcus commits suicide. Caesar then burned down every village of the Eburones, killed countless of people, stole their crops and so eventually destroyed the tribe. Surviving members most likely joined neighbouring tribes. The land itself was resettled by the Germanic Tungri.

Here are photos of: A statue of Ambiorix in Tongeren, Belgium A map which shows the location of the tribe And a reconstruction of how an Eburonus warrior would have looked like

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Veleda

Veleda is a name of a seeress who lived in the first century AD. Her name also seems to be a title for those who can see into the future. These women might have practiced something similar to seidr or witchcraft.

The woman Veleda belonged to the Bructeri tribe. She was viewed as an important person amongst the Germanic people. She lived in a tower and was also asked upon to settle disputes. An example of this is the dispute between the Roman citizens of the Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium and the Germanic tribe Tencteri. She managed to solve the dispute without violent conflicts.

Her most famous act was a prophecy that she made. in this prophecy she foretold how the Batavians would be succesful in a rebellion. In 69AD, this rebellion did indeed break out. It is however completely unclear if this prophecy was made before, during or after the revolt and if she was specifically talking about the Batavi.

In 77AD she was either captured or granted asylum by the Romans. Statius, a Roman poet, has described this and also mentioned that Rutilius Gallicus was her captor. A Greek epigram has also been found near Rome. An epigram is a short poem often used for inscriptions on monuments, altars or grave stones. This epigram criticized the powers of Veleda.

Nothing further is known about her. We do not know when she died. We do know because of her that wise women who were gifted with powers to see into the future were almost worshiped as Goddessess amongst the Germanic people. She held great authority in her tribe. There might have been more of such women. Tacitus described how many women were viewed as prophetic but we do not know how many were as important as Veleda was.  

This is the description written by tacitus: "Veleda was an unmarried woman who enjoyed wide influence over the tribe of the Bructeri. The Germans traditionally regard many of the female sex as prophetic, and indeed, by an excess of superstition, as divine. This was a case in point. Veleda's prestige stood high, for she had foretold the German successes and the extermination of the legions."

A question that (at least I have) about her is, were her powers somehow connected to other forms of witchcraft known in the Germanic culture?

The Völuspá is written from the perspective of a seeress who was able to see the past and the future just like a Veleda could. The seeress in the poem was a Völva, a seidr practitioner. Are Völvas and Veledas the same? Maybe the Veledas are older than the Völvas. Did both their practices originate from the same source?

These questions can probably never be answered with trustworthy sources like written evidence and archeological finds.

Artist illustration: Hermann Hirsch Pinhas, 1823

[germanicseidr]

The First Crossing Of The Rhine (55BC)

This small piece from Caesar's work 'De Bello Gallico', describes how Caesar crossed the Rhine, the first Roman to do so, he didn't spend a long time in Germania, he left after 18 days when he heard the Suebi were gathering a large army. Yet in these 18 days, Caesar managed to commit several war crimes like burning down villages and destroying crops.

"On the conclusion of the Germanic war, Caesar thought it advisable for several reasons to cross the Rhine. His strongest motive was to make the Germanics less inclined to come over into Gaul by giving them reason to be alarmed on their own account, and showing them that Roman armies could and would advance across the river.

Another consideration was that the cavalry division which, as mentioned above, the Usipetes and Tencteri sent across the Meuse in quest of plunder and corn, having taken no part in the battle and retired over the Rhine after the rout of their fellow countrymen, entered the territory of the Sugambri and joined forces with them.

And when Caesar sent an embassy to the Sugambri to demand the surrender of men who had made war on him and Gaul, they answered that the Rhine was the limit of Roman sovereignty. If Caesar held that the Germanics had no right to cross into Gaul against his wishes, how could he claim any dominion or authority beyond the Rhine?

A third reason was that the Ubii, the only people in Germania who had sent envoys to Caesar, entered into alliance with him, and given hostages, were earnestly entreating him to come and defend them from the oppression of the Suebi or merely to bring his army across the river, which would suffice to deliver them from immediate danger and assure their security for the future. For these reasons Caesar had determined to cross the Rhine, but a crossing by means of boats seemed to him both too risky and beneath his dignity as a Roman commander.

Ten days after the collection of timber had begun, the work was completed and the army crossed over. Leaving a strong guard at each end of the bridge, Caesar marched into the territory of the Sugambri. Meanwhile a number of tribes sent envoys with requests for peace and friendship, which Caesar graciously granted, bidding them bring hostages.

But the Sugambri, who as soon as the construction of the bridge was begun had been advised by the fugitive Usipetes and Tencteri to prepare for a flight, had left their country with all their belongings and hidden themselves in forests and uninhabited districts.

Caesar remained for a few days in their territory, burning all the villages and farm buildings and cutting down the crops, and then returned to the Ubii, to whom he promised help if they were molested by the Suebi. They informed him that the Suebi, on learning from their scouts that a bridge was under construction, had convened a council, their usual procedure in such cases, and sent out word in all directions that the people should abandon their towns and hide their wives and children and property in the forests.

All men capable of bearing arms had been ordered to assemble in one place, almost exactly in the middle of their territory. There they were awaiting the Romans, and had determined to fight a decisive battle on the spot. On receiving this news, Caesar recrossed the bridge into Gaul and destroyed it behind him.

He had achieved all the objects for which he had come, to overawe the Germanics, punish the Sugambri, and relieve the Ubii from the harassing pressure of the Suebi, and after spending a total of eighteen days across the Rhine, he considered that he had done all that honour or interest required."

- Julius Caesar, De Bello Gallico

(And yes, Caesar wrote about himself in the third person in his book on the conquest of Gaul. It might have been the custom to do so centuries ago but nowadays it looks quite awkward.)

Here is a depiction of Julius Caesar crossing the Rhine, on his self made bridge, with his army by John Soane (1814).

[germanicseidr]

Here is another piece of Tacitus's Germania on the Suebi.

"We must now speak of the Suebi, who do not, like the Chatti or Tencteri, constitute a single nation. They occupy more than half of Germania and are divided into distinct peoples with distinct names, although all alike are called Suebi.

It is the special characteristic of this nation to comb the hair sideways and fasten it tight with a knot. This distinquishes the Suebi from the other Germani, this among the Suebi, distinquishes the free man from the slave. In other nations, either through some kinship with the Suebi or, as it often happens, through imitation, the practice exists but is uncommon and confined to youth.

But among the Suebi the bristling hair, even until it turns white, is twisted back and often knotted on the very crown of the head. The leading men use an even more elaborate style. Such attention do they pay to their personal appearance and yet in all innocence. It is not to seduce or attract seduction that they arrange their hair to such a height, they are adorned for the eyes of their enemies, to cause terror when they go into battle.

The Semnones claim that they are the oldest and noblest of the Suebi, and confidence in their antiquity is bolstered by a religious rite. At a set time all the peoples who share that name and bloodline assemble through envoys in a wood hallowed by the auguries of their ancestors and awe of the ages.

The public sacrifice of a human victim marks the grisly opening of their savage ritual. In another way, too, reverence is paid to the grove. No one may enter unless bound with a cord, as an inferior who acknowledges the might of the deity, should he chance to fall, he must not get up on his feet again but roll out over the ground.

All this complex of superstition reflects the belief that in that grove the nation had its birth, and that there the god is ruler of all, while everything else is subject to his sway. The prosperity of the Semnones has increased their authority, they inhabit a hundred country districts and, by virtue of their magnitude, count themselves chief of all the Suebi."

- Tacitus, Germania

Here is a depiction of a Suebi mounted warrior by an unknown artist (let me know if one of you knows the artist) and a skull found in Osterby, Germany with the classic Suebi knot still intact, proving Tacitus correct on the hair style. The skull once belonged to a man living around 75-130AD.