
Germania
'Germania' Summary
The Germania begins with a description of the lands, laws, and customs of the Germanic people (chapters 1–27); it then describes individual peoples, beginning with those dwelling closest to Roman lands and ending on the uttermost shores of the Baltic, among the amber-gathering Aesti, the Fenni, and the unknown peoples beyond them.
Tacitus says (chapter 2) that physically, the Germanic peoples appear to be a distinct nation, not an admixture of their neighbors, since nobody would desire to migrate to a climate as horrid as that of Germania. They are divided into three large branches, the Ingaevones, the Irminones, and the Istaevones, deriving their ancestry from three sons of Mannus, son of Tuisto, their common forefather.
In chapter 4, he mentions that they all have common physical characteristics, blue eyes (truces et caerulei oculi = "sky-coloured, azure, dark blue, dark green"), reddish hair (rutilae comae = "red, golden-red, reddish yellow"), and large bodies, vigorous at the first onset but not tolerant of exhausting labour, tolerant of hunger and cold, but not of heat or thirst.
In chapter 7, Tacitus describes their government and leadership as somewhat merit-based and egalitarian, with leadership by example rather than authority, and punishments are carried out by the priests. He mentions (chapter 8) that the opinions of women are given respect. In chapter 11, Tacitus describes a form of folk assembly rather similar to the public Things recorded in later Germanic sources: in these public deliberations, the final decision rests with the men of the group as a whole.
Tacitus further discusses the role of women in chapters 7 and 8, mentioning that they often accompany the men to battle and offer encouragement. He says that the men are often motivated to fight for the women because of an extreme fear of losing them to captivity. Tacitus says (chapter 18) that the Germanic peoples are mainly content with one wife, except for a few political marriages, and specifically and explicitly compares this practice favorably to other cultures. He also records (chapter 19) that adultery is very rare, and that an adulterous woman is shunned afterward by the community regardless of her beauty. In chapter 45, Tacitus mentions that the people to the north of the Germanic peoples, the Sitones, "resemble [the Suevi Scandinavians] in all respects but one - woman is the ruling sex." "This," Tacitus comments, "is the measure of their decline, I will not say below freedom, but even below decent slavery."
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
LatinPublished In
98 ADAuthors

Cornelius Tacitus
Roman Empire
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. He lived in what has been called the Silver Age o...
Books by Cornelius TacitusDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Schetsen uit Amerika by Charles Dickens
Schetsen uit Amerika, een Nederlandse vertaling van Charles Dickens' 'American Notes', is een reisverslag van de schrijver tijdens zijn eerste bezoek...

China by Frank G. Carpenter
It explores the country of China. It offers a comprehensive overview of China's culture, history, geography, and people, providing insights into the w...

Selection from Poems by Alexander Pushkin
This book is a selection of poems by Alexander Pushkin, one of the most important figures in Russian literature. Pushkin's poetry is known for its bea...

In Harmony with Nature by Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold's *In Harmony with Nature* reflects the poet's engagement with the natural world and its role in human life. This collection of poems d...

The Book of Halloween by Ruth Edna Kelley
This book is intended to give the reader an account of the origin and history of Hallowe'en, how it absorbed some customs belonging to other days in t...

The Moors in Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole
The Moors in Spain: A fascinating and sweeping tale of the Muslim conquest of Spain and its legacy. The Moors in Spain is a classic history book by S...

Station Amusements in New Zealand by Mary Anne Barker
It offers a glimpse into the author's experiences as she travels through various stations (ranches) in New Zealand. Through her vivid descriptions of...

Story of Coventry by Mary Dormer Harris
This book delves into the past of Coventry, a city in England. It focuses on the prominent individuals, organizations, and events that shaped the city...

Romance of Mining by Archibald Williams
This book, 'Romance of Mining' by Archibald Williams, explores the history of mining around the world. It delves into the discovery and extraction of...

A Thousand Miles up the Nile by Amelia B. Edwards
Known as the Godmother of Egyptology, Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards traveled through Egypt at a time when archeology was in its infancy in that country...
Reviews for Germania
No reviews posted or approved, yet...