More info on Germania

As they visit the Batavii, the Heruskoz (Cherusci) erloz (Earl/magnate); Gêbáhárjáz will arrive with his following of 50 impressive Karloz (Free Men/Warriors). Accompanying him is his oldest son; Ingihárjáz a promising youth at 14.

The day after the feast, Gêbáhárjáz will want to talk with the Roman guests. He is curious about the political situation in Rome and what brings the Romans here. Basically he wants to keep up to date and if possible, make friends in Rome. The Heruskoz does not have a King, instead four families are the leading ones in the tribe and consists nine of the leading 13 chieftains in the tribe. Other magnates are usually allied to the leading four families in shifting alliances, but even within the family there are power struggles as its leading men strive to surpass one another in splendour, feats of arms and power so as to become the leader of the entire family and alliance. As you can probably deduce, this leads to a society with little peace and tranquillity, but also to a society of magnates and their warriors being combat-ready veterans.

The Swêboz (Suebi), is currently the mightiest confederation amongst the Germans, but there are ties between subtribes as well, across the confederations. Gebáhárjáz is here to try and create such a one, further, he wishes you to take Ingihárjáz with you to Kêmbroz (Cimbrii Chersonesos /Jutland, “On The Edge” i.e. of the world) to see if the youth can forge bonds there. In exchange he will gladly share his information on Kêmbroz and the tribes there.



The seven tribes of Kêmbroz are all allied as a subconfederation of the Swêboz, and is recognised by all to be a very powerful element. The militarily strongest part and core of the alliance is the Kêmbroz and Hárdároz (Charudes/Harudes/ Charoudes) and these two tribes have almost merged with neighbours (the Þeudanōz/Teutons and Eudoses/Jutes respectively), while economically the Eudoses dominate from their fertile lands in eastern Kémbroz and later give their name to the confederation and land.



The leader of the Kêmbroz until five years ago was Háuház, he survived supporting Hárjáweith (Ariovistus) as much of the Haerudi army survived intact and got home with their loot. What made his power vane is unknown amongst the Hêruskoz, but rumours of a failed alliance with the Suinoes and Hêrulii has been heard. Currently the tribe is being led by its former Hárjánáz (Warlord/War-leader); Hrothulf, a renowned warrior from but with few alliances outside Kêmbroz- which is why Gêbáhárjáz wishes to send his son there and form bonds. The current Hárjánáz of the Kêmbroz is Hrothulf’s nephew; Háriáwulf who is not well-known in the western Germanic tribes. What Gêbáhárjáz knows is that he is reputedly a warrior and leader of no little skill who has visited and fought with the Gutoni (Goths). Norica (whose King Voccio’s sister was married to Hárjáweith), Scordisci, Bastarnae and Getai (king Burebista) tribes and peoples.



Hrothulf is half Haerudii, half Eudosii and married to a Eudosii, Háriáwulf is half Haerudii half Kêmbroz and unmarried.



Just as amongst the Hêruskoz, power shifts in changing alliances amongst the tribes, families and within the confederation. Háuház was half Haerudii half Anglii (another significant tribe) and the Anglii is still almost as strongly allied to the Frisii as to the other tribes of Kêmbroz.



* Each subtribe is lead by its elected chief (Duginthiz- King)- except the Haerudii-Eudosii who is lead by a common chief for a generation now, currently Hrothulf.
* These are supported by 20- 35 erloz/subchiefs (the number varies as they kill some off, and others rise from the next level of power) who elect them by their support and who are tied to them by blood, marriage and alliances in an ever-shifting web.
* These again are supported by approximately 150 Herthaganautoz /Thegnoz on horseback, again tied by blood and marriage to their Erláz, but some of whom have direct ties to the top level.
* The standing force of all these powerful men are Hirds/followings/comitatus consisting a total of approximately 1500 full time warriors (Karloz) fighting on foot or as light horsemen. They either serve at the “noble’s” household or muster at his call. These too can change allegiance and the most successful warlords and politicians will attract the most followers locally just as regionally and even from other tribes. Hárjáweith had followers from all the Germanic tribes and many Celtic ones rallying to his call.
* Theoretically the Kêmbroz can call up approximately 25000 armed men as the tribal levy is about that size. This has never happened, but significant parts chose to follow their Erloz’ to Hárjáweith of their own volition.



The Dugunthiz and their nearest kinsmen and allies wear very fine, embroidered clothing and good quality armour and weapons imported from Celticum. Their armrings, finger-rings, neck-rings (Torque-like yet not) and spurs are heavy, numerous and of gold, their weapons, shield-bosses and helmets gold-inlaid or gilded. They cut a fine picture of barbarian splendour.



The Erloz is much the same, but less fine, less embroidered, less gold and gilt, more silver.



The Thegnoz again is a toned-down version of the above, but with only the rare one carrying anything of gold. Silver is the rule here.



The Karloz too try to look fine, but for them iron, silver and bronze inlays and jewellery must suffice, and their large number makes them vary much in quality and only few can afford a proper sword and armour.



Levy fighters wear what they have, usually their most sturdy clothing and whatever armour they can improvise from skins or leather. Their weapons are spears, axes, clubs and bows as all these uses little or no metal, for indeed some of these warriors must do with bone arrow-spearpoints and wooden shieldbosses. They are still a hard and hardy people and to underestimate their effectiveness could be lethal…



1. The Suebi comprise the Semnones, who are "the oldest and noblest of the Suebi"; the Langobardi; the seven tribes of Jutland and Holstein: Reudigni, Aviones, Anglii, Varini, Eudoses, Suarini, Nuitones; the Hermunduri on the Elbe; three tribes along the Danube: Naristi, Marcomanni, Quadi; the Marsigni and Buri. Then there is a mountain range, and beyond that, in the drainage system of the Vistula, Tacitus places five tribes of the Lugii including the Harii, Helvecones, Manimi, Helsii and Naharvali; the Gothones, Rugii, Lemovii along the Baltic Sea; all the states of the Suiones, located in peninsular Scandinavia; and finally the non-Germanic Aestii, and the Sitones, beyond the Aestii along the Baltic yet "continuous with the Suiones". Says Tacitus then: "Here Suebia ends."
2. For Tacitus, a second criterion for being Suebian is residence in a territory recognized as Suebia, not identified by any linguistic coherence, apparently: Tacitus' modern editor Arthur J. Pomeroy concludes "it is clear that there is no monolithic 'Suebic' group, but a series of tribes who may share some customs (for instance, warrior burials) but also vary considerably." The Suebia of Tacitus comprises the entire periphery of the Baltic Sea, including within it tribes not identified as Suebi by modern historians: the Sitones, for instance, who must have resided where Lapland and Finland are now, where Finno-Ugrian has been spoken since Antiquity. In addition, on the south shore of the Baltic are the Aestii, in the territory of modern-day Baltic language speakers, or where they have been (Prussia), again equally as ancient as the Germanic-speakers.
3. The Suebi of Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico live in 100 cantons of arable land, of which each canton retains ownership, parceling farm lots to individuals to use for up to one year. They wear animal skins, bathe in rivers, and prohibit wine. They allow trade only to dispose of their booty and otherwise have no goods to export. They are of a military disposition, drafting yearly 1000 men per canton for service of one year. With these troops they raid Gaul on the other side of the Rhine river frequently, thus involving Gaul's protector, the Roman Republic, whose agent in the field is one of its greatest generals, Julius Caesar. Lacking a central government and disrespecting all authority, they rely on the services of war chiefs. As to their location, they live next to the Cherusci, which places them between the Rhine river and the middle Elbe river. Their innermost refuge is Silva Bacenis, "Beech Wood", which various authors take to be some section of the Hercynian Forest, such as the Thuringian Forest, the Harz Mountains or the Black Forest. In ancient times Germany was heavily forested and these three forests were more or less continuous. They could not have farmed the forests, however, leaving the Main River bottom and the upper Elbe as the only possibilities.



The Batavii that you are currently at is not in the Suebi coalition. They were part of the Chatii until internal strife drove them out. In alliance with the Ubii, Tencterii, the Romans and the Heruskoz/Cheruscii, and under the protection of Rome.



The Heruskoz are seeking to further their relations with the tribes of Jutland though (as is hinted in archelogical evidence from early 1st Century BC to have succeeded) and allied to the Chatii, so the situation is complicated and fluid here. In the Cherusci fights with the Romans two generations after these events, the Chattii are on their side while the Batavians form the main local Auxilia element of the Roman armies.



Frisii are allied to the Chauci and loosely to the Anglii, but both are part of a larger and older Germanic group including the peoples of modern day Denmark and Sweden; the Ingaevones (“People/Friends of Ingwaz/Yngve/Yngve-Frey). These old tribal “families” have been broken up by population pressure, strife over land, the sudden close threat of Rome and the ascendency of the swēboz/swēbaz/Suebi. There are thus ties between them and they all share in raiding neighbours’ shores (later when trade grows they will all be infamous pirates).