The idea of ethnography and conducting full scale studies of neighboring areas, began with Alexander the Great. This tradition continued and was eventually adopted by the Romans. Not only did governors have to write commentaries of their provincial management, but many historians conducted studies of the neighboring peoples. The Gauls and the Germans were no exception to that rule. The Romans were able to conquer the Gauls because Caesar had a large understating of their manner, while the Romans failed to conquer the Germans because there was a strong ignorance between the two people. Ever since the Gaul’s sacked Rome in 390 BC the Romans have obsessed over them. There is a strong interest in the entirety of their culture, politics, war, class system, and religions. The first person to create a major study of Gaul is Posidonius. He laid down the …show more content…
Arminius decided to attack the Romans while they were on the road going north to quell a rebellion. Arminius split off from Varus, in order to gather his troops and kill the Roman soldiers left in the towns. Arminius displayed hit and run attacks over the next four days. Each attack was devastating, because the legionaries were spread thin, because they were in a formation that would have looked similar to a legion marching home, not marching to war.
After the destruction of the legions, Germanicus was sent to avenge the Empire. While Germanicus was eventually recalled after several successful victories against Arminius it should be note that the Romans pulled back to the Rhine fortifications, and would scarcely venture into Germanic territory again. It is interesting that Arminius, while German at heart, still had Roman influence. He wanted a united Germania, and tried to conquer other tribes in an attempt to create this. He failed to unite Germania, because he failed to fully understand his own people as