Best Books on the Teutoburg Forest?

[benglish05]

Hello.

Looking for suggestions on the best book on the Teutoberg Forest? There seems to be at least four books readily available, just wondering which is the best volume as a starting point for someone new to reading about the period.

Appreciate the help.

--brian

[Jona Lendering]

I would recommend Adrian Murdoch, Rome's Greatest Defeat. Massacre in the Teutoburg Forest (2006) (review). The Battle That Stopped Rome (2003) by Peter Wells, on the other hand, is to be avoided: many, many errors, including a non-existing XXIVth legion.

And there's of course J. Oorthuys (ed.), "The Varian Disaster. The battle of the Teutoburg Forest", special issue of Ancient Warfare (2009)!

[benglish05]

Thanks, Jona. Was wondering if the Ancient Warfare Varian Disaster special issue was worth picking up -- I could almost buy two full books for the cost of what that issue costs (about $25 US). I'll have to keep an eye out for an affordable, used copy.

[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Brian,

Odd, isn't it, that these titles still include the name 'Teutoburg Forest' while that place is known to be no longer the battle site... Old legends die hard.;-)

[arminius]

The best one and one of the very few books about the subject worth the money:
Wolters, Reinhard: Die Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald – Arminius, Varus und das römische Germanien, München 2009.

I don’t know if there ist an English version availlable, though.

… and not to forget … the Ancient Warfare special!

@ Robert:
Ancient sources - not old legends are dieing hard in this case!
The only ancient source referring to the location of the Varian Disaster (Tacitus) names the “Saltus Teutoburgensis”- Teutoburg Forest! Without telling us exactly were it is, though! And this was the name of the battle site for more than 1500 years before a mountain ridge in Westphalia previously called “Osning” was renamed “Teutoburger Wald” by the local ruler.
So the battle indeed happened at the ancient “Saltus Teutoburgensis” but not at the modern day “Teutoburger Wald”.

[Marcus Tineius Valens]

There is a book of Michael McNally "Teutoburg Forest AD 9: The Destruction of Varus and His Legions" recently published by Osprey.
I've just began to read it and already faced with some errors to be noted:
1) Legions I Germanica and V Alaudae are placed at Mainz(!) before the disaster of AD 9. On what ground author places these legions there remains unknown.
2) The Imperial Italic helmet from Hebron on the photo is dated to the fist half of AD I and called Imperial Gallic.
What is really nice in that book - an artwork of Peter Dennis. Very impressive!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Funny i don't seem to recall any mention of a XXIVth legion in Wells book, and it was my first introduction to the subject!

[Jona Lendering]

My mistake - it's XXVI: page 204.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I just didn't pick upon that! It was the magnitude of the loss and the story itself
that grabbed me! It was some time ago, I will have to dig it out to see for myself!

[Marcus Tineius Valens]

Have anyone read the book of Tony Clunn "The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions". Spellmount: Savas Beatie, 2005. ?
Is it worthful to spend money on it?

[Praefectusclassis]

That's a republication of his earlier book, basically a mixed narrative of the 'quest' and his discovery of the Kalkriese site and a fictionalized story of the battle from a German perspective. It's certainly interesting, but if you have the previous edition, I don't think you'll find much new in there.