A Follower Of The Old Ways
( Formerly An Independent Asatru )         
Live With Odin's Wisdom, Freyja' s love, and Thor's protection !
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Ravensheart's Poems
  • Ravensheart' s Fiction
  • Articles of interest
  • Mead Of Wisdom
  • Picture Gallery
  • Links

Arminius : The Great Germanic Warrior ( Part 2 )

9/26/2011

 
Publius Quinctilius Varus, better known to history as just Varus, was in command of three Roman Legions; The 17th, 18th, and the 19th. With him he also had 3 cavalry, and 6 infantry auxillary units. As they marched on that September day in 9 C.E. each carried a tall staff topped with the imperial eagle, the legion's name, and number. As he rode tall and proud upon his horse, Varus was confident that his elite Roman troops could handle any barbarian Germanic force that they encountered. What he did not realize was that he and his men were marching into infamy.    

Arminius had actually served with Varus as the commander of a small unit , and had distinguished himself in battle. Varus had come to trust Arminius, so when Arminius told him of an uprising, started by a small tribe that was just a day or two march away from the Roman camp on the Weser River, Varus believed him and jumped at the chance to crush this revolt. Ironically, Arminius' father - in - law, Segestes, tried to warn Varus, but he trusted Arminius more. 

Varus thought that Arminius was going to go ahead and rally some of his own people to join the Roman Army in putting down the rebellion, but Arminius had something much more sinister planned. Arminius had planned an elaborate ambush in what is now known as the Teutoberg Forest. And what an ambush it was ! Though the path that the Romans marched on had been worn down over the years, the Roman Army could not march in their normal formation which was six  men across. As they moved along this forest lane they had to fill in holes of mud, and remove fallen trees that blocked the way of their supply carts. They would emerge occasionally out of the dense forest into fields of grain bathed in sunlight, but mainly they were funnelled , by Arminius, into as confined a space as was possible. 

The arrogant Roman Army was so confident and arrogant that they carried with them their baggage train, which would have made so much noise that they could never have surprised anyone along the way. The local Germanic people would have had more than enough time to evacuate themselves, and their valuable livestock long before the Romans passed by. The Romans probably did not see a soul as they marched along their way into history. However the Roman Army was more than likely being tacked by Arminius' spies, which would not have been difficult with all that noise, all the way to the spot where the Germanic tribesman were waiting to ambush the Roman Legions.

At the Kalkrieser Berg, Varus had to detour around this small hill, and through a bog. Because it was swampy on both sides the Roman troops were confined to a path only about a 100 yards wide. It was here that Arminius and his brave Germanic troops were waiting. It was here that thousands of nervous eyes searched the horizon for the first glint of Roman armor. It was here that thousands of ears listened for the first sounds of an army on the move. And it was here where the Germanic tribesman would change the course of history and stop the spread of Roman civilization. The trap was about to be sprung !   

End Part 2

Next : The Greatest of Victories

The Skillful Warrior
Does not rely on the enemy's 
Not coming, 
But on his own 
Preparedness.

- Sun - tzu : The Art Of War      

Glenn Bergen

Go with Odin's wisdom, Freyja's love, and Thor's protection !        

Comments are closed.

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by
✕