The Background
Sixty years after Cesar defeated the Gaul tribes and conquered all of Gaul for Rome (all of Gaul? Yes, all of Gaul), Rome was changed beyond recognition. Following a civil war, the republic became an empire. The senate was deprived of its former power and under Emperor Augustus, Rome's rule reached from the European Atlantic coast all the way to the Black Sea, and from the Channel and the North Sea to Africa, north of the Sahara Desert and down the River Nile to what is today called Sudan.
In the north, the Roman sphere of influence extended across northern Germania, from the River Rhine to the mouth of the Elbe. While Augustus viewed the land as a Roman province, many Teutonic tribes in the area only succumbed to the Roman claim of power reluctantly. Some tribes defied Roman rule, while others, like the Cherusci, accepted Rome's claim and sent children of their aristocracy to Rome as hostages.
This allowed the conquered territories to become familiar with the Roman way of life, to demonstrate Rome's power and eventually, to integrate the new land into the empire. The hostages received training and jobs in the Roman army, and were able to attain glory and status. Young Arminius, son of Seginer, a chieftain of the Cherusci, who lived in the middle reaches of the River Weser, also followed this path.
To enhance Rome's influence in Germania, assert the empire's claim over the territory, and of course to fill the Roman state's coffers, Emperor Augustus sent his experienced public administrator Publius Quintillius Varus. By his side, Arminius was tasked with advising the commander, patrolling the area, and negotiating with the native population.
Already during his previous posts in what are today Egypt and Syria, Varus proved himself to be an efficient, yet cruel administrator of the regions under his management. His job now was to turn Germania Magna into a real Roman province and he pursued that task with an iron fist. Arminius accompanied him as an adviser familiar with the territory. He was raised in the Roman way and had made a career for himself in the legion. He was a cavalier (eques) and led a troop of riders; this meant he had the highest rank in the Roman military that a non-Roman could achieve. Varus seemed to have trusted the Teuton – a mistake that eventually would cost his head.
Treason
The Commanders
The Troops
Teutons
The Teutonic tribal warriors were mostly simple peasants who joined the fight with their chieftains and noblemen for raids and war campaigns.
Their weapons were mostly spears, clubs, and axes. Swords were rare among the simple warriors, as only few could afford an expensive weapon made almost entirely from metal.
Their clothing were usually everyday clothes and only basic wooden shields and possibly leather armor offered some protection.
Only the Teutonic aristocracy could afford elaborate metal armor such as helmets, chain mail, and metal shields. Swords, too, were mostly reserved for the aristocratic leaders of the tribes. They usually had a long sword and wore a shirt of chain mail.
Roman Legions
The core of the Roman troops were the empire's legionnaires. The heavy infantry consisted of highly trained and well-equipped Roman citizens.
Their weaponry included the gladius, a short sword, as well as a large shield, the scutum. Additionally, they carried a light throwing spear and a heavier striking spear with them in battle.
Their thorough training and battle experience as professional soldiers made the legionnaires the most powerful army of the time.
Equipped with a spear, shield, and long sword (the spatha), the Roman cavalry was equal to the legionnaires in both training and fighting strength.
Non-Romans were also accepted as auxiliary troops. They were usually made up of members of subjugated tribes traditionally trained in fighting on horseback, like the Thracians, Iberians, Gauls, and Teutons.
Non-Romans, former slaves, and criminals could only serve as auxiliary troops. The Roman legions were regularly supported by these kinds of infantry units, the cohorts.
These supporting troops had the same military structure as the legions themselves, were armed equally well but usually carried less armor.
