CHAPTER I THE GERMANIC INVASION Wars with the Germans—Beyond the Rhine and the Danube, in the country now known as Germany, lived peoples who were still barbarians, called by the Romans "Germans/* Like the Hindoos, the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, they were peoples of Aryan race, once dwelling* in Asia, a race of shepherds, later becoming peasants and warriors. They were divided into about forty tribes, which governed themselves independently and often made war on one another. When the Ger- mans of the frontier found themselves confronted by the Roman armies (which came to pass in the second century) they engaged in war with them. This was the beginning of that long series of petty frontier wars that were interrupted by treaties of peace. Great battles were few, invasions were many, villages were burned and their inhabitants led into captivit)". At remote intervals a great massacre would occur In 9 A.D. three Roman legions commanded by Varus, trapped in the marshes and the forests of the Teuto- tmrgerwald, were slain to the last man.1 But most * It has often been said, especially in Germany, that this was a national uprising of Germans against Romans; the victorious chief, Araiinius, has been called the liberator of Germany and statues have been raised to him. But Arminius was the leader of a single tribe, the Cherusci. For the rest, what had aroused this people was, in reality, the Ronaan Jaws which Varus tried to Impose upon them. It is related that the barbarian warriors, having talcen prisoner one of the Roman lawyers in the escort of Varus, haol cut out his tongue, saying to him, "Hiss now, vota viper/' 3