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Osprey Campaign #228
Teutoburg Forest AD 9: The destruction of Varus and his legions
Osprey's study of one of the most important battles of the long-elasting Germanic Wars (113 BC - 439 AD). Arminius, a young member of the Cheruscan tribe under the Roman Empire felt that Rome could be beaten in battle and that such a victory would guarantee the freedom of the Germans as a confederation of independent tribes, led by the Cheruscans, who would - in turn - be led by him.
Throughout AD 8 and the early part of AD 9, Arminius used his position under the governor of Germania Inferior well, ostensibly promoting Rome whilst in reality welding the tribes together in an anti-Roman alliance, agreeing with his confederates that they would wait until the Roman garrison had moved to their summer quarters and then rise up against the invaders. With the arrival of September, the time soon came for the Roman troops to return to their stations along the Rhine and as they marched westwards through the almost impenetrable Teutoburg Forest, Arminius sprang his trap. In a series of running battles in the forest, Varus' army, consisting of three Roman Legions (XVII, XVIII and XIX) and several thousand auxiliaries - a total of roughly 20,000 men - was destroyed.
The consequences for Rome were enormous - the province of Germania was now virtually undefended and Gaul was open to a German invasion which although it never materialized, led a traumatized Augustus to decree that, henceforth, the Rhine would remain the demarcation line between the Roman world and the German tribes, in addition to which the destroyed legions were never re-formed or their numbers reused in the Roman Army: after AD 9, the sequence of numbers would run from I to XVI and then from XX onwards, it was as if the three legions had never existed.
Throughout AD 8 and the early part of AD 9, Arminius used his position under the governor of Germania Inferior well, ostensibly promoting Rome whilst in reality welding the tribes together in an anti-Roman alliance, agreeing with his confederates that they would wait until the Roman garrison had moved to their summer quarters and then rise up against the invaders. With the arrival of September, the time soon came for the Roman troops to return to their stations along the Rhine and as they marched westwards through the almost impenetrable Teutoburg Forest, Arminius sprang his trap. In a series of running battles in the forest, Varus' army, consisting of three Roman Legions (XVII, XVIII and XIX) and several thousand auxiliaries - a total of roughly 20,000 men - was destroyed.
The consequences for Rome were enormous - the province of Germania was now virtually undefended and Gaul was open to a German invasion which although it never materialized, led a traumatized Augustus to decree that, henceforth, the Rhine would remain the demarcation line between the Roman world and the German tribes, in addition to which the destroyed legions were never re-formed or their numbers reused in the Roman Army: after AD 9, the sequence of numbers would run from I to XVI and then from XX onwards, it was as if the three legions had never existed.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 4, 2013
First of all, the cover art on the book that I read differs from the one pictured here. There was evidently an earlier Osprey edition of the book that used a classic painting. No problem doing that, except that this book also contains the excellent illustrations of Peter Dennis, and my edition has cover art taken from one of the wonderful pictures contained in the book (pp. 54-55).
There has been a continuing fascination, over the past two thousand years, over the loss of Emperor Augustus' 17th, 18th and 19th Legions, led by Imperial Legate Publius Quinctilius Varus in the German wilderness in AD9. A good part of the fascination derives from the feared complete loss to posterity of where the famous battle between Cherusci Chieftan Arminius and his forces occurred. Since ancient times, no one was able to ascertain accurately where the battlefield was located. Not until the late 1980's, that is, when Tony Clunn, at the time a Lieutenant in the British Army stationed in Osnabruck, did some archaeological digging that pinpointed the actual location at Kalkriese.
Michael McNally provides interesting commentary about the political and military events of the last century B.C. which directly impacted on the fate of Varus. Rome of course had always had an interest in protecting itself from dangers occurring across its northern border, and Germania had witnessed the incursions of Roman legions on numerous occasions. The most ambitious of these, in terms of distance covered, was the expedition of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus which involved an army march from Moguntiacum to the Elbe in 3 B.C., making him possibly the only Roman general to pass that waterway (p. 13). For the most part, however, by the time of Ahenorbarbus, Roman practice was to maintain forward bases such as Moguntiacum on the eastern bank of the Rhine, crossing the river only to maintain the Roman rule of law, to subdue perceived threats to order in Gaul and to maintain ties with friends, such as the Frisii.
A thriving economy was built across the Rhine between the Romans stationed on the east bank and the tribes on both sides of the river. Rome had far-reaching economic control which was bolstered by a strong, mobile army, augmented by the heavy reliance on Germanis auxiliary units. McNally notes that this apparent pacification of the region created a dangerous complacency among the Romans which would cause serious trouble by AD 9.
What the Romans had trouble perceiving was the deep resentment building among the Germanic tribes which were thought to be under Roman military control. Varus himself allegedly ignored warnings prior to the fateful attack that his supposed friends were poised to turn on him. It was easy for Arminius to keep Varus believing in the value of their comradeship. Like other chieftans' sons, Arminius was sent to Rome to receive an education which would allow him to return to his homeland as a cultured German young man who was capable of interacting among the highest-ranked Romans. The cost of this culture was the safety of the young man, which depended on the loyalty of his relatives back in Germania toward the Romans. It's hard to tell how much this gilded hostage taking added to Arminius's grievances, but he bided his time as an effective Cheruscan leader of auxiliary soldiers in the service of the Romans. By AD 9, Varus's trust in Arminius seemed complete while he worked secretly with members of his and possibly other tribes to plan luring the Romans into a deadly trap.
McNally provides a detailed picture of Roman-Germanic relations leading up to the assignment of Varus over Roman affairs in Germania. The reader is given an almost blow-by-blow of the several days of running battles that caused fatal attrition of the Romans; as told by McNally, there was not one cataclysmic attack by the Germans on the Roman column strung out impossibly long and thin in the Teutoburg Forest but several days of blood-letting attacks by Cherusci, Angrivarii and Bucteri warriors culminating at a defensive pallisade which stopped the Romans from escaping and became a trap which led to their destruction.
No one knows for certain what the exact details of 9 through 11 September AD 9 transpired because the Germans didn't keep written records and apparently no Romans survived to provide a written account of the battle for future generations. As McNally says, it is probable that some Romans fled into the forest to escape the mayhem. If any survived apprehension or the dangers of the wilds and returned alive to a Roman outpost, they wouldn't be treated as heroes. We're informed by the book how the Romans hated losers, especially among their own legions. Augustus was said to have banged his head against the wall upon hearing the news of Varus' fate, and he had the 17, 18 and 19th legions stricken from the army rolls; any units belonging to these legions which survived by being assigned to maintaining garrisons elsewhere would have been ignominiously absorbed into other legions.
The Germanic peoples did maintain a permanent oral record of this battle. The site itself was kept intact as it ended the last day of battle, complete with the unburied bodies of Romans killed in battle or during ritualistic sacrifices later; as such, it was a religiously pagan sacred ground for generations, probably, until nature eventually hid the evidence of what happened there. Now that the place has been rediscovered, excavations are providing new information about the battle. Among the book's illustrations are pictures of school children and others enjoying reconstructed battle sites, particularly where the palisade existed. Indoor museum displays are at the Varusschlacht Museum at Kalkriese, showing reconstructed clothing and equipment of the first century, as well as artifacts unearthed from the area. Parts of the grounds are excavated and sown with plants prevalent in the first century. The amount of detail and care shown at this location are testimony to the continuing impact this place has on the German national conscience.
There has been a continuing fascination, over the past two thousand years, over the loss of Emperor Augustus' 17th, 18th and 19th Legions, led by Imperial Legate Publius Quinctilius Varus in the German wilderness in AD9. A good part of the fascination derives from the feared complete loss to posterity of where the famous battle between Cherusci Chieftan Arminius and his forces occurred. Since ancient times, no one was able to ascertain accurately where the battlefield was located. Not until the late 1980's, that is, when Tony Clunn, at the time a Lieutenant in the British Army stationed in Osnabruck, did some archaeological digging that pinpointed the actual location at Kalkriese.
Michael McNally provides interesting commentary about the political and military events of the last century B.C. which directly impacted on the fate of Varus. Rome of course had always had an interest in protecting itself from dangers occurring across its northern border, and Germania had witnessed the incursions of Roman legions on numerous occasions. The most ambitious of these, in terms of distance covered, was the expedition of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus which involved an army march from Moguntiacum to the Elbe in 3 B.C., making him possibly the only Roman general to pass that waterway (p. 13). For the most part, however, by the time of Ahenorbarbus, Roman practice was to maintain forward bases such as Moguntiacum on the eastern bank of the Rhine, crossing the river only to maintain the Roman rule of law, to subdue perceived threats to order in Gaul and to maintain ties with friends, such as the Frisii.
A thriving economy was built across the Rhine between the Romans stationed on the east bank and the tribes on both sides of the river. Rome had far-reaching economic control which was bolstered by a strong, mobile army, augmented by the heavy reliance on Germanis auxiliary units. McNally notes that this apparent pacification of the region created a dangerous complacency among the Romans which would cause serious trouble by AD 9.
What the Romans had trouble perceiving was the deep resentment building among the Germanic tribes which were thought to be under Roman military control. Varus himself allegedly ignored warnings prior to the fateful attack that his supposed friends were poised to turn on him. It was easy for Arminius to keep Varus believing in the value of their comradeship. Like other chieftans' sons, Arminius was sent to Rome to receive an education which would allow him to return to his homeland as a cultured German young man who was capable of interacting among the highest-ranked Romans. The cost of this culture was the safety of the young man, which depended on the loyalty of his relatives back in Germania toward the Romans. It's hard to tell how much this gilded hostage taking added to Arminius's grievances, but he bided his time as an effective Cheruscan leader of auxiliary soldiers in the service of the Romans. By AD 9, Varus's trust in Arminius seemed complete while he worked secretly with members of his and possibly other tribes to plan luring the Romans into a deadly trap.
McNally provides a detailed picture of Roman-Germanic relations leading up to the assignment of Varus over Roman affairs in Germania. The reader is given an almost blow-by-blow of the several days of running battles that caused fatal attrition of the Romans; as told by McNally, there was not one cataclysmic attack by the Germans on the Roman column strung out impossibly long and thin in the Teutoburg Forest but several days of blood-letting attacks by Cherusci, Angrivarii and Bucteri warriors culminating at a defensive pallisade which stopped the Romans from escaping and became a trap which led to their destruction.
No one knows for certain what the exact details of 9 through 11 September AD 9 transpired because the Germans didn't keep written records and apparently no Romans survived to provide a written account of the battle for future generations. As McNally says, it is probable that some Romans fled into the forest to escape the mayhem. If any survived apprehension or the dangers of the wilds and returned alive to a Roman outpost, they wouldn't be treated as heroes. We're informed by the book how the Romans hated losers, especially among their own legions. Augustus was said to have banged his head against the wall upon hearing the news of Varus' fate, and he had the 17, 18 and 19th legions stricken from the army rolls; any units belonging to these legions which survived by being assigned to maintaining garrisons elsewhere would have been ignominiously absorbed into other legions.
The Germanic peoples did maintain a permanent oral record of this battle. The site itself was kept intact as it ended the last day of battle, complete with the unburied bodies of Romans killed in battle or during ritualistic sacrifices later; as such, it was a religiously pagan sacred ground for generations, probably, until nature eventually hid the evidence of what happened there. Now that the place has been rediscovered, excavations are providing new information about the battle. Among the book's illustrations are pictures of school children and others enjoying reconstructed battle sites, particularly where the palisade existed. Indoor museum displays are at the Varusschlacht Museum at Kalkriese, showing reconstructed clothing and equipment of the first century, as well as artifacts unearthed from the area. Parts of the grounds are excavated and sown with plants prevalent in the first century. The amount of detail and care shown at this location are testimony to the continuing impact this place has on the German national conscience.
June 3, 2018
My six-year-old loved this book and especially loves this battle. Even I, as someone who has never been interested in war-history, think that this particular battle makes for fantastic story-telling. I wouldn't recommend starting with McNally's books on certain battles as they are super dry, but as a way to finish learning about a certain battle, I appreciate them for the recap and the clarity.
For what this book is, it's a three-star book. This is a perfect version of what it is. You know exactly what you are getting and it delivers exactly what it promises.
For what this book is, it's a three-star book. This is a perfect version of what it is. You know exactly what you are getting and it delivers exactly what it promises.
December 20, 2020
Besides from this being as complete and theoretic as it gets and it being 'just' 96 pages, of which many are filled with page filling battlefield plans and photographs, i couldn't help but think about textbooks in school. That is also just maybe because it is a textbook (probably) used for studies on what went down on 11 september 9 ad and what lead to Rome's biggest defeat.
January 20, 2018
Excellent insight into Varus' disaster drawing on archeological evidence. The account is often riveting. The only thing I would have liked to see in the epilogue was a bit about the ultimate fate of Arminius.
August 11, 2017
Great starting point and invaluable reference for my research into the Varian Disaster.
February 17, 2011
A well rendered slender volume in the Osprey "Campaign" series. Here, author Michael McNally describes the defeat in detail, as three Roman legions were destroyed in the Forest in AD 9.
As with other Osprey volumes, the book is richly illustrated, printed on nice slick paper. The early pages in the book provide context--the Roman movement into Gaul and then meeting with Germanic people further north. We read of Julius Caesar's campaigns against German forces. Pages 14 and 15 give us a chronology, from early encounters between Romans and Germanic people (113 BC at the earliest) to the destruction of Roman forces in AD 9 to the aftereffects, including retrieving the battle eagles of the legions by AD 41. In this volume, one of the more interesting issues to me was the struggle to determine exactly where the battle took place. The author's conclusion surely makes sense to me, but it adds a nice element of solving a mystery.
The two commanders are described, Varus (Rome) and Arminius (Germanic tribes). The armies and their equipment and their structures, too, are described. There is an incomplete "order of battle" on page 26. It is incomplete, given lack of specific information. There follows discussion of the opposing plans (including a nice map on page 28 that illustrates the "pacification" of greater Germany). Then, the specific campaign here that ended in disaster for Roman forces in Teutoburg Forest (and note the map on page 38, outlining Varus' forces' movement). Maps suggest the flow of events at the battle and are very helpful in making sense of things.
The book ends by discussing the aftermath of this bloody fight and notes the status of the battlefield today.
A fine work on a sanguinary campaign and battle.
As with other Osprey volumes, the book is richly illustrated, printed on nice slick paper. The early pages in the book provide context--the Roman movement into Gaul and then meeting with Germanic people further north. We read of Julius Caesar's campaigns against German forces. Pages 14 and 15 give us a chronology, from early encounters between Romans and Germanic people (113 BC at the earliest) to the destruction of Roman forces in AD 9 to the aftereffects, including retrieving the battle eagles of the legions by AD 41. In this volume, one of the more interesting issues to me was the struggle to determine exactly where the battle took place. The author's conclusion surely makes sense to me, but it adds a nice element of solving a mystery.
The two commanders are described, Varus (Rome) and Arminius (Germanic tribes). The armies and their equipment and their structures, too, are described. There is an incomplete "order of battle" on page 26. It is incomplete, given lack of specific information. There follows discussion of the opposing plans (including a nice map on page 28 that illustrates the "pacification" of greater Germany). Then, the specific campaign here that ended in disaster for Roman forces in Teutoburg Forest (and note the map on page 38, outlining Varus' forces' movement). Maps suggest the flow of events at the battle and are very helpful in making sense of things.
The book ends by discussing the aftermath of this bloody fight and notes the status of the battlefield today.
A fine work on a sanguinary campaign and battle.
October 11, 2013
If you have any interest in Roman military history and would like to know about an incident that surpasses anything portrayed in modern day stories or horror films then I would highly recommend this book. The only reason I haven't given it five stars is because its short, just less than a hundred pages.
The book based on finds and what historians say about the incident concerns the complete destruction of three Roman legions estimated by some to be over twenty five thousand men, including baggage carts etc by Germainc tribes in the Forest of Teutoburg.
General Varus led his army into what he believed was relatively friendly terrority with the aid of Arminius a Germanic Prince who had been incarcerated in Rome from an early age and brought up on their traditions, education and even served in the legions.
Arminius however, obviously haboured a deep hatred for Rome and led Varus into a trap in the forest. The book tells the story of how the army was trapped in an isolated area and initially attacked by skirmishers and forced to stop and fortify their positions.
Varus realising that being cut off and isolated, he and his men couldn't survive, tried to march his army out of the forest but was slowly but surely cut and worn down. What followed was the complete destruction of three legions and their attempts to survive, that failed.
An excellent but small book on the story which is beautifully illustrated with artist impressions, photographs of the parties involved and finds from the site, highly recommended!
The book based on finds and what historians say about the incident concerns the complete destruction of three Roman legions estimated by some to be over twenty five thousand men, including baggage carts etc by Germainc tribes in the Forest of Teutoburg.
General Varus led his army into what he believed was relatively friendly terrority with the aid of Arminius a Germanic Prince who had been incarcerated in Rome from an early age and brought up on their traditions, education and even served in the legions.
Arminius however, obviously haboured a deep hatred for Rome and led Varus into a trap in the forest. The book tells the story of how the army was trapped in an isolated area and initially attacked by skirmishers and forced to stop and fortify their positions.
Varus realising that being cut off and isolated, he and his men couldn't survive, tried to march his army out of the forest but was slowly but surely cut and worn down. What followed was the complete destruction of three legions and their attempts to survive, that failed.
An excellent but small book on the story which is beautifully illustrated with artist impressions, photographs of the parties involved and finds from the site, highly recommended!
August 28, 2019
Well written account of the Varusslacht. Due to the lack of sources, a little more narrative interpretation of the evidence than in McNally's earlier Osprey books.
The maps are an excellent part of the book, giving a lot more sense of the space in which the events of 9 AD took place, but even more so in setting it in the context of Roman expansion into Germany in the years before and after.
McNally is not as dismissive of Varus' capabilities as former historians.
The maps are an excellent part of the book, giving a lot more sense of the space in which the events of 9 AD took place, but even more so in setting it in the context of Roman expansion into Germany in the years before and after.
McNally is not as dismissive of Varus' capabilities as former historians.
February 2, 2012
As is usual with Ospreys in the Campaign series, and indeed all Ospreys, this book gives a relatively complete overview of the subject. Writing about a battle with so few primary sources remaining can be a difficult task, but it is well-handled here. For those who are vaguely interested in one of Rome's worst ever defeats, or for those who want a starting point in a more detailed study, this is recommended.
January 15, 2014
An enjoyable and exciting read with great artwork and supporting material. There are also several very useful maps that enhance the description of the battle. However, at £14-99 this volume is very expensive. All Osprey prices are over-the-top, varying from roughly £12-£15, for what are just paperbacks, often slim at that. Nevertheless, this particular book was amongst the best Osprey books I have ever read.
March 27, 2017
Very well written campaign book on the fates of Varus and Legions XVII, XIIX, and XIX. I enjoyed the authors writing style more so than others in the campaign series, will have to keep an eye out for other books he's written in areas of my interest.
February 15, 2016
A very clear review of how and why three Roman legions were annihilated in the Germanic forests during Augustus' reign. It is very readable, very clear and has good maps. The look at the consequences is a bit abbreviated but still good.
September 20, 2014
Interesting; obviously noone knows exactly what happened, what decisions where takens and so on
October 1, 2012
The great lesson to be learned from this event (and this book) is to never send a politician to do a soldier's work - "Quintili Vare, legiones redde!“
November 9, 2015
Certainty an interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews