Germania Summary

In Germania, Publius Cornelious Tacitus analyzes the culture of the tribes in the region, in order to aid in the development of the Roman empire. Tacitus writes about both the good and bad aspects of the Germanic culture. Although he is writing about Germania in a way which makes it seem as though he favors their ways, the major purpose is to persuade the Roman empire into strengthening their culture through intimidation.

Germania was the Roman and Greek word for the region in northern Europe inhabited mainly by Teutonic Suebians or Gothic peoples. It stretches from the Danube to the Baltic Sea, and from the Rhine in the west to the Vistula. The term Germanic originated in the classical era by Roman scribes. The Roman’s were originally referring to the tribe, not a nation, but the name was later adopted as the name of the region.

Germanic tribes were

Man can only have one wife. The wife gives her husband a gift of arms upon marriage as a symbol of loyalty. Acts of adultery were taken very seriously; if the wife commits adultery, her hair is cut off, she is stripped naked and kicked out of the house and flogged throughout town by her husband. There were multiple gods praised in Germania. One of which was the deity Mercury. Often, human sacrifices were made to please Mercury. Suebians also made human sacrifices of Roman soldiers to Nerthus, Hercules and Mars, however, were more appeased with lawful offerings of animal sacrifices.

In Germania, Publius Cornelious Tacitus analyzes the culture of the tribes in the region, in order to aid in the development of the Roman empire. Although he is writing about Germania in a way which makes it seem as though he favors their ways, the major purpose is to persuade the Roman empire into strengthening their culture through intimidation. Tacitus believed their barbaric style of warfare, loyalty to their chief, and views on marriage are desirable qualities to better a