Arminius and the Cherusci

[Harjaz]

I was looking at a beautifully painted minature of Arminius on Thorsberg Minatures, and I was examining the clothing he was wearing. It was a very accurate mix of Germanic cloathing and Roman armour. Then I realized that he was light blonde, and I thought 'oh, how stereotypical'. But then I realized how appropriate it was. We have no idea what Arminius looked like, or even what his orginal Germanic name was. However, it is very likely that he was blonde, as his brother, Flavus, is described as being blonde. I've read the Flavus means 'blonde' in latin. If Flavus was blonde, Arminius could have been blonde as well. I've also heard a theory that Arminius's Germanic name was 'Erminaz' or some form of that name. 'Erminaz' is a word from the proto-Germanic language that means 'great' or 'tall'. This name could have easily been latinized to Arminius. Also, the root word 'Ermin' sounds awfully a lot like 'Hermann', which is what the German nationalists of the 19th century called him. Or is this just a coincidence? Another theory I had about him was that he had short hair in Rome, according to the Roman fashion, but grew it long again in Germania to appeal to his fellow tribesman. Also, his helmet. We often see romaticized paintings of him from the 19th cen. wearing the rediculous winged helmet. A more likely helmet for him to be wearing would be a Roman auxilaury's helmet, perhaps with the fur and feathers like the Batavian find at Krefeld? Or was this just a practice unique to the Batavians?
The Cherusci seem to be a rather unimporant tribe until the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where they rose to enternal fame. I know that their tribal totem was the stag or deer, and that their name in Germanic was 'Heruskoz'. Linguists believe that the root word 'Heru' or 'Herut' means 'deer'. Others say that it means sword. However, 'herut' meaning 'deer' seems more likely, as their tribal totem was a deer. Some of you may have heard about the game 'Europa Barbarorum', a modification of Rome Total War (Rome Total War was a good idea, but form a historical perspective, executed extreamly poorly). This is what they say about the Cherusci. Remember, I don't know how accurate this is, but the game seems very accurate, so I will include it in this post. This is describing the Cherusci BEFORE the battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

{Sweboz_Heruskingaz} Heriskōm

{Sweboz_Heruskingaz_desc}
Heriskōm\\n(her-isk-OHM, "Of the Heriskōzez")\\nThis man is a member of the Heriskōzez (possibly “‘Sword-ish’ Ones,” more commonly known as the ‘Cherusci’), a tribe living between the German rivers Weser and Elbe. The Heriskōzez, who have the Deer/Stag as a tribe totem, are a numerous people, who are known for their honest dealings and diplomatic skill with other tribes. Their inactivity and slow response to the aggressive actions of others have however earned them a reputation for laziness. Whilst some believe this, others less naive, know that they are gathering their forces in order to one day rise up as a mighty power and rally leadership of the Germanic tribes away from the Swēbōzez. Nevertheless this cunning man will be a good addition to our ranks as war-leader and administrator, but should be watched carefully.

This is the 'unit information' on the Cherusci Swordsmen in the game:

{germanic_infantry_cheruscii_swordsmen} Druhtiz Heriskā (Cherusci Swordsmen)

{germanic_infantry_cheruscii_swordsmen_descr}
Impetuous\\nExpert at Hiding in Woods\\n\\nDruhtiz Heriskā\\n(DRUHT-iz HER-isk-aa, “Cherusci Warband”)\\n\\nThe Druhtiz Heriskā are fierce and hardy Cherusci warriors who can form a very dense formation and are exceptional in defense. Many of their people possess swords from trade and warfare against their West Celt neighbors and are rightly feared for their ability in melee combat and skirmishing.\\n\\nHistorically, the Heriskōzez, whose name can mean “Sword-ish Ones” in their own language, were a Germanic tribe who inhabited the Rhine valley and the plains and forests of northwestern Germania. They were frequently at odds or allied with the Romans, as their individual political situation warranted, and made most famous by the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, whence an army of allied Germanic tribes under the Cherusci war-leader Ermenoz ("Tall" or "Great" One, more commonly known in Latin as Arminius) who annihilated three Roman legions commanded by Publius Quinctilius Varus.\\n\\nThis crushing Roman defeat stopped Rome's advance and compelled the empire, after a few more years of generally indecisive campaigning by Germanicus, to withdraw permanently behind the Limes fortification which was built as a consequence of the loss at Teutoburg Forest, to reinforce the German frontier.

I have alot more Germanic info from the game, but the setting of the game is 3 cen. BC to 1st cen. AD, so it does cover a large time span, in which lots of changes took place.

Here is the official website of Europa Barbarorum:
http://www.europabarbarorum.com/

Other reenactors have told me not to use this as hard evidence, but I'm putting it out here anyway to see what you all think of it.

[arminius]

We don’t know for sure what the hairstyle sported by Arminius was. For sure it was the style common for the nobility of his tribe whatever it was. There is no reason for him having had a Roman hairstyle. The whole tale about Arminius growing up in Rome and starting a career in the Roman army is a myth created by Prof. Ernst Hohl based on no evidence and has been debunked by more serious scholars since. Despite the fact that the current state of research gives no credit to Hohl’s theory it is has been parroted even in most recent publications. The most likely scenario is, that Arminius was a Germanic warlord who commanded an allied contingent of his tribesmen serving under Tiberius in Pannonia. Since 4 AD the Cherusci had been in an alliance (foedus) with Rome and had therefore to supply troops in the case of war. Several references of Roman historians lead to this conclusion.

[Harjaz]

Do you think the Cherusci nobles wore Suebian knots? I heard that that perticular hairstyle spread from the Suebi to their nighbours. However, those could have just been other Suebic tribes (such as the Marcomanni). About Arminius being raised in Rome: every book and documentary I've watched on him says he was raised in Rome. How long ago was this theory proposed, or is it relatively new? Then again, it makes a more interesting story for a documentary or book. Do we also know how the Cherusci were viewed among their nighbours, and how well they got along with them? I know that in the decades after the wars against Rome they fought some wars against the Marcomanni and the Chatti. According to Wikipedia (which may or may not be accurate), Arminius's nephew, Italicus, was sent by Rome to the Cherusci because civil war had destroyed their nobility (i think this was around 47AD). However, he fell out of favour and was disposed. It seems that after Tacitus writes about them in his Germania, they seem to disapear from history. I've heard some theories that they were absorbed into the Saxons confederations, and another that some joined the Franks. Is their evidence for any of this, or is it just speculation? Also, is there evidence that the Cherusci used a large number of swords (as suggested by the Europa Barbaorum people)?

[arminius]

The tale of Arminius being raised in Rome was created by German historian Prof. Ernst Hohl who died in 1957 (Ernst Hohl: Zur Lebensgeschichte des Siegers im Teutoburger Wald. In: Historische Zeitschrift. Bd. 167, 1943).
1943 - so the theory is not new. Documentaries and books are made for entertainment value, and Hohl’s story is quite entertaining. The problem is that it does not hold up to critical review. In general historians specialized in this field agree today, that the theory is debunked.
Like Dr. Jahn in his PhD-thesis about the Roman-German war (JAHN, Ralf G.: Der Römisch - Germanische Krieg (9 - 16 n. Chr.), Dissertation Bonn 2001.).
Also the German Wikipedia entry about Arminius: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arminius#cite_note-2
The story is just a myth and it lies in the nature of a myth that does not need to be based on facts or evidence.

The Suebian knot was not limited to the Suebian tribes, but there is no way of knowing if the Cherusci adopted it or not. It is possible, though.

The Cherusci were quite hostile to their neighbors like the other Germanic tribes were. With the Chatti they were engaged in a blood feud but the nobility of both tribes was intermarried.

The long lasting bloody power struggle among the leading noble clans of the Cherusci resulted in the complete annihilation of the nobility. Italicus, the son of Arminius’ brother Flavus grew up in Italy because Flavus, loyal to Rome, had served as a Centurion in the Roman army and was not welcome in Germania anymore after the victory over Rome. This is how Italicus survived the feud by being absent. As the last remaining nobleman he became then the leader of the Cherusci. Later the Cherusci were conquered and absorbed by the Chatti. But at the end all Western Germanic peoples had sized to exist as tribes due to constant wars among them. The surviving bands lacking a tribal identity formed then the confederations known as “Francs” and “Alemanni”.

There is no evidence that the Cherusci used more swords than other tribes.

[Harjaz]

However, I read that Italicus was deposed, as he fell out of favor with the Cherusci (perhaps because he was too 'Roman'). Do we know who took over after Italicus was deposed? I've also heard that some tribes had a 'god of the tribe' (the Saxons had Saxnot for example). Did the Cherusci have a god like this, or any other common Germanic diety that they honoured above all others? The Cherusci had the stag/deer totem, but did they have a tribal colour? I've heard that the Saxons painted their shields red, the Frisii brown, the Cimbri white, and the Harii black (though the black was probably used more for camouflage when fighting at night). The Germanic tribes also had 'warrior cults' such as 'wolf warriors' (i believe some are depicted on Trajan's Column), perhaps similar to the later Norse Ulfhednar, and possibly berserkers. I also read a theory about wolf warriors that they were outcasts from regular society, sometimes for crimes, but sometimes by choice in order to prove themselves as warriors by an extreamly ancient custom. I've found evidence that the wolf warriors did indeed exist, and that they somtimes were outcasts or mercenaries, but not so much that they lived in the forest entirely self suficient. Have you heard anything else about these fascinating warriors (both wolf warriors and berserkers)? However, the whole 'berserker warrior' may live only in video games and movies and not be historically accurate for the Germanic tribes at all (though we do know that the Vikings had them). Also, do you know any other practices and customs unique to the Cherusci? I also read about a custom unique to the Chatti that they would not cut their hair or beards until they had killed an enemy in battle. After this, they could cut their hair (or at least shave). Supposedly, the younger warrior didn't cut their beards because they had to hide their faces in shame as they had not killed an enemy. Also, there was some Chatti belief I heard about that goes "life comes from blood, blood must be shed to become a man, and blood must be spilled for life to end." Any evidence for any of this stuff?

[Ron Andrea]

Dan,

I like that last quote. Do you have a source for it?

[Harjaz]

I actually got that quote from the Europa Barbarorum (a historically accurate modification of Rome Total War) information file on the Chatti. I'm not sure where they got it from, but it's very possible it could be from Tacitus's Germania.

[arminius]

When Italicus became the leader of the Cherusci he was not accepted by all factions of the tribe resulting in another internal power struggle. Only with the assistance of the neighboring Langobardi was Italicus able to maintain his position. In 90 AD his last successor Chariomerus was driven off by the Chatti because of his friendship with the Romans. The Cherusci seized to exist as a tribe afterwards.

Not much is known about the Cherusci regarding tribal gods, totems, shield colours etc. It is not too far fetched to assume that the deer might have had a special meaning since their tribal name supposedly derives from the Germanic word for “deer”.

There is no real evidence for warrior cults like berserkirs and ullfhednar for this time period. The Chatti had a warrior society. The members had no families or farmsteads and distinguished themselves by sporting an iron ring around the neck and uncut beard and hair. It is also reported that young warriors kept their hair and beard uncut until they killed an enemy in combat. The source is of course: Tacitus’ Germania!

[Harjaz]

How accurate is Tacitus's Germania? I often see a lot of people quoting it and using it as a reference? I've heard some people say that we have to question it sometimes (as we do all books!), because he was writing from mostly second hand accounts, and was writing with a bias to shame the Roman public. At least that's the story I heard. Personally, I haven't actually read it yet. I'm not all that good with latin anway. That would explain why the Cherusci suddenly dissapeared, and the Chatti seem to live on through the migration period. What happened to the Chatti though? I know that they joined the Frankish confederation, but did they end up settling in Gaul?

[ghandi]

Hi Dan,

you should really take the time to read it :

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2995/2995-h/2995-h.htm