Drusus, Tiberius and Varus' disaster (part 1).

 

Octavius. Vatican Museum, Rome.
Photo: Till Niermann.

Through history, it can be seen, that some trivial happenings, have had a great impact for many people. An alliance or a family conflict. Perhaps a divorce or an early widowhood; a belated message, a sudden or accidental fatality... Betrayals, premonitions, missed coups. Even a simple product of chance, as a broken vase! have become the trigger factor for events of major significance, with undeniable consequences.

Roman dominions, in times of Octavius (27 BC.-14AC.)

In the year 20  B.C. Rome expansion was overwhelming. Many time had passed, since they could name the Mediterranean Sea, as Mare Nostrum. But, by then, they had almost a century of conflicts and frictions with the fierce barbarian tribes from the north. They called those people, as germani (German). Their lands were very far from Rome, to the east of Gaul. The Rhine river provided a natural eastern-western limit to those territories. But that frontier allowed both rivals to pass from one side to the other. 

Caesar's bridge over the Rhine, by John Seoane, 1814.

When Octavius (in practice, the first Roman emperor), they also controlled all the lands to the south of the Danube river. Though, it created a complex situation, because the northern tribes were uneasy about the Roman progress. So they were always not only ready to fight... at the same time, they planned to take on the Gaul territories, for many reasons.

Commemorative coin of Drusus. By CNG Group, Inc.

Between the Roman, there was a strong criterion about the necessity to attack and invade Germania (13 B.C.). They counted on two high skilled commanders. Both generals were also stepsons of the emperor: Tiberius (who would succeed Octavius) and his brother Drusus (the elder). The latter was in charge of the Rin´s border; after many skirmishes, he finally invaded the lands to the east of the river. But there were great challenges. In spite of the hard seasonal changes and the permanent risk of being wiped out, he stayed there, for three years, trying to set the Roman dominance. In 9 BC. he got to arrive victorius to another delimiting river, the Elbe. Nothing less than four hundred kilometers to the east of the Rhine.

Roman soldiers.

Everything showed that Germania would fall into Roman´s hands. By implanting their culture, would have meant the Romanization of those tribes. It is not easy to imagine the course of history, if this would had been the case. The consequences for sure would be unpredictable... maybe everything would be quite different now! The fact is, that Drusus passed away at the age of thirty three years, as a result of a riding accident. For his capacity and charisma, he turned out to be a very difficult man to replace. 

Tiberius.
Louvre Museum.

But Octavius still counted on Tiberius, who was deffending the Danube frontiers. He attended the calling and kept the territories conquered by his brother, Drusus, under control. Once again, seemed that Germania would finally become a province of Rome. Then, something quite unusual would occur, when the campaign was over. The chief commander of the Roman forces, the succesful general Tiberius, asked to resign. He planned to retire to the far island of Rhode. Why would he take such a strange decision? 

Supossed image of Julia, the elder.

Incredible as it may seem, his reason to quit to the command of the troops placed in Germania and his self-imposed exile, were some emotional issues. Maybe were the kind of problems, we now associate with depression. Octavius had compelled him, to divorce his beloved wife. Then, he had to marry Julia, daughter of the same emperor, well known for her dissolute life. It all was too much, for a man like Tiberius, by that time, a moralistic person. Obviously, in this case, the palace affairs resulted the key factor.

The Roman Forum.

For better or worse, Germania fell into the hands of much less able persons, than Drusus and Tiberius. An accident and a forced marriage had unleashed such a great importance happenings. As the conquer and settlement of those territories, remained unfinished, the seed of the future collapse stayed alive. At the end, the fall of the Roman Empire or its transformation into another entity, came from those lands. There is no question about how different the world as we know it would be, if these events would have taken another course.

German warriors.

In the year 7 D.C. Octavius considered that the time had come, to formalise the Roman dominion over Germania. For that, he designated Publius Quinctilius Varus as the governor. He was a former consul, and governor from Syria. Although his supposed experience, over him were hanging strong suspicions of corruption. And his excesses at the new province, caused a great damage to the imperial authority. Instead of bringing progress, to accomplish the romanisation of the people, he only got to ignite the spark of rebellion among them.

Arminius fighting against Roman.

We will turn back to that time, in our virtual travels, to contemplate such an influent events in history. Also, to become witnesses of the origin of nations, at first considered as barbarians...  but chosen by destiny, as some of the heights of the modern civilization.