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The Height of the Roman Empire: Rome's Imperialistic Values The birth of the Roman Empire marked the beginning of one of the largest and most powerful civilizations the world had seen. Rome’s practices of expansion dominated the world during this epoch. Despite the end of Rome’s republic, the Roman Empire was just beginning to form. In 27 B.C.E., the Roman Senate granted Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian the title “Augustus”, meaning “the exalted.” Thus, giving him the legal potency to control Rome’s “religious, civil, and military affairs” (“Augustus”). The first emperor was named and the prosperous and ingenious empire was to commence its journey as a renowned historical artifact (“Augustus”).In 9 C.E., the Roman Empire was at its height. The empire continued to pick up where the republic left off, being the largest imperialistic power in the world. Rome controlled a majority of Europe and held provinces in Africa and Asia. Augustus Caesar has been in power for nearly thirty-six years, in which Rome reformed and honed in on its military arts in order to expand its empire towards Germania (Eidsmoe). During his reign, Augustus would also bring the Roman legions under his sole command, creating a unified army, willing to destroy any adversary (“Battle of Teutoburg Forest”). Augustus aspired to protect the Roman Empire from any external attacks. Augustus found pride in his conquered lands, especially once these provincial tribes reformed and colonized, infusing Roman culture into their own (“Battle of Teutoburg Forest”). This so called organization and support of their “new mother” was particularly relevant in one of the most barbaric regions of all of Europe, Germania. Here, tribes west of the River Rhine, cities of Germanic clans, stationing Roman garrisons, quickly sprang up (“Teutoburg Forest”). However, the region in between the River Rhine and the River Elle was a vast territory of curiosity and uncertainty. Rome wished to conquer this land of peril, which Augustus believed that this was inevitable.
The Battle of Teutoberg Forest (Teutoberger Wald)
Presented By: ALEX S. and Josh L.
Varus' Occupation of Germania During his reign, Augustus befriended a prominent quaestor, named Publius Quinctilius Varus (Gill). This significant friendship was solely depicted when Augustus nominated Varus and Tiberius for consulship in 13 B.C.E. ("Publius Quinctilius Varus Biography”). During his consulship and even after, Varus developed his militaristic skills and eventually would become a “seasoned general” of the Roman war machine. This high status and military progression was not left unnoticed by Augustus. In fact, the emperor even granted Varus a proconsulship, in which Varus would become the governor of Roman provinces. In 7 C.E., Varus was appointed governor of Germania (Lendering). Cassius Dio goes into great depth of the treatment of the Germanic tribes while the Romans occupied their land. “Besides issuing orders to them as if they were actually slaves of the Romans, he exacted money as he would from subject nations. To this they were in no mood to submit, for the leaders longed for their former ascendancy and the masses preferred their accustomed condition to foreign domination” (Cary). Cassius Dio’s analysis portrays that the Germanic tribes were outraged by the Roman threat to drastically manipulate their culture, as well as lead them into slavery. Despite their intense anger toward Varus, the tribes of Germania submitted to the Roman demands. However, according to Cassius Dio, the tribes did not “openly revolt” upon the Romans, for they saw many garrison’s near the River Rhine (Cary). Instead, the Germania population acted friendly to the governor in hopes that Varus would enter the core of the province with a smaller infantry of troops accompanying him (Gill). This tactic was proven to be successful, as Varus believed that he was secure in this land of friendliness and spread out his troops (Eidsmoe). According to Cassius Dio, “Varus did not keep his legions together, as was proper in a hostile country, but distributed many of the soldiers to helpless communities, which asked for them for the alleged purpose of guarding various points, arresting robbers, or escorting provision trains” (Cary).
The Conspiracy In Germania, the leaders of this conspiracy were Arminius (a member of the Cheruscan tribe and honored with the equestrian rank) and Segestes (“Arminius”). These two connivers followed Varus and upheld this illusive scheme of a stable nation. Arminius and Segestes led Varus away from the Roman command posts near the River Rhine, leading Varus his lone garrison into the interior of Germania. Varus began to see this once treacherous nation has adapted a new style of benevolence and stability (Gill). In Cassius Dio’s perspective, “He [Varus] accordingly became confident, and expecting no harm, not only refused to believe all those who suspected what was going on and advised him to be on his guard, but actually rebuked them for being needlessly excited and slandering his friends”(Cary). This utmost hubris and supercilious characteristic would eventually influence his undoing. Meanwhile, there was an uprising of Germanic tribes against a Roman legion in proximity to the location where Arminius had taken Varus. Abiding by his proconsul duties, Varus set off to suppress the disturbance in order to maintain “peace.” Upon doing this, Arminius and Segestes permitted the governor to “do his job,” while the two men would gather their army and align themselves with the Roman force (Gill). However, this was not the case. Arminius had concocted a conspiracy in order to destroy the Roman rule of Germania and push Varus’ forces back to the River Rhine (Eidsmoe). In Velleius Paterculus; perception: “The Romans could be crushed, added execution to resolve, and named a day for carrying out the plot. This was disclosed to Varus through Segestes, a loyal man of that race and of illustrious name, who also demanded that the conspirators be put in chains. But fate now dominated the plans of Varus and had blindfolded the eyes of his mind” (Shipley). According to Paterculus, the destruction of Varus’ forces where inevitable. This day named by Arminius is estimated to had been September 9, 9 C.E (Eidsmoe). While Varus’ and his legion were away ending the skirmish at the Teutoburg Wald (Forest), Arminius and his army had come to destroy the Roman forces.
A video portraying the great conflict of Germania known as the Battle of Teutoburg Forest.
The statue depicts Publius Quinctilius Varus, the outstanding proconsul and Roman general.
