Thread by @DrJEBall

It has been 1 month & 1 week since I saw my book about Publius Quinctilius Varus. Last week, I posted a 🧵 about his career as a trusted figure within the #Roman Imperial regime.

This week, a (long!) 🧵on his time in Germany, up to the brink of the Teutoburg disaster in AD 9...

(If you want to catch up on Varus' career before his appointment to Germany, you can read it here)

https://twitter.com/DrJEBall/status/1710322034956226633

Varus was appointed to Germany in AD 7, when he was in his early/mid-50s, & experienced in both administration & military command. In Germany, he may have been just commander of the Rhine legions - or the first governor of the new province, Cassius Dio suggests.

German territories immediately east of the Rhine had been considered mostly pacified since AD 6 after a long series of campaigns under Marcus Agrippa, Drusus the Elder (who died there in 9 BC), & Tiberius. German tribal leaders remained in position, if they were friendly to Rome.

The introduction of Roman ways of life to Germany east of the Rhine was well underway by the time Varus arrived. At Waldgirmes, 150+km beyond the Rhine, a new town had been built in Roman style, including a Forum, complete with a above-life-size equestrian statue (📷Gotibald86)

Varus was probably appointed by Augustus to oversee the continued civic development of Germany, using his excellent administrative & financial skills, but also as someone who could keep an eye on the military situation there & respond if necessary (as he had in Judaea).

Germany being in a safe & capable pair of hands was vital at this time as Rome’s military attention & resources were urgently needed in Illyricum, where a large-scale revolt against Roman rule had broken out in AD 6; Varus would have little manpower support beyond his 5 legions.

For the first two years, all was well. Varus probably took two or three legions out on a light campaign east every summer, to remind the population of Roman power & presence, but not to try & increase the extent of Roman-controlled Germany at this time.

He also saw to the civic administration of Germany, particularly the use of Roman law to settle disputes among the native population – something he was later criticised for, facing accusations that he spent too much time in the law courts & not at war (📷Leanne Bablitz).

He had several members of the German elite in his inner circle – including Arminius, chieftain of the Cherusci. Arminius had grown up in Rome from a young age, as had his younger brother Flavus, hostages sent there to ensure their tribe remained loyal to Rome.

They were educated there, spoke Latin, were made Roman citizens, & joined the Roman army as auxiliary commanders. When Arminius’ father died, he was sent back to Germany to rule the Cherusci as a friend of Rome. He became a trusted aide to Varus, & a key local ally.

Exactly why Arminius & some Germans became unhappy with Varus & Rome is unclear. Possibly a spark point like a move to start introducing taxation of the population, an unwise legal judgement, or even just the realisation among the people of how much they were changing.

Varus was later said to have tried to change too much too fast (but he wasn’t in charge of what to introduce when, Augustus was). By AD 9, Arminius began to plot an attack on Varus, recruiting just a few trusted allies to start with – but over time, the conspiracy grew.

The attack had to take place in AD 9 as Varus might be replaced over the coming winter, having served three full years on the Rhine, a standard term of service – and taking advantage of Varus’ trust in him was a key part of Arminius’ plan.

It was decided to attack on a certain day, probably in September AD 9, as Varus led his 3 legion army from their summer campaign quarters, likely somewhere around Minden on the river Weser, back to Xanten on the Rhine - luring them to the area around Kalkriese.

Varus did have one major warning of the imminent attack, when Arminius’ father-in-law Segestes told him about it. Varus dismissed the warning as a family squabble, seemingly thinking Segestes was just trying to create trouble for Arminius, whom he strongly disliked.

Before setting out to the Rhine, Varus was told there was an uprising in a distant territory, & persuaded to go deal with it on the way home, so it would not fester & grow over the winter. Arminius guided the Roman marching column through unfamiliar territory (📷 HistoryNet)

Varus & his men (& their families, who accompanied the marching column) had no idea they were walking straight into an ambush. The attack would come soon, & it would be devastating when it did. 10,000 Romans would march into the Teutoburg - few would come out again.

The battle in the Teutoburg, when it came, would be devastating, fought over four days, many Romans fighting until the very end to escape. Like many of his men, Varus would not survive the battle (📷 Osprey)

Varus' time in Germany is explored in detail in my book about him, which can be bought from @penswordbooks & other bookshops (now worldwide!), as is the Battle of the Teutoburg.

A 🧵on the battle & its archaeology will follow in the near future!

pen-and-sword.co.uk/Publius-Quinct…