Batavi

The action began with distant fighting.

The Britons, with equal steadiness and skill, used their huge swords and small shields, to avoid or to parry the missiles of our soldiers, while they themselves poured on us a dense shower of darts, till Agricola encouraged three Batavian and two Tungrian cohorts to bring matters to the decision of close fighting with swords.

Such tactics were familiar to these veteran soldiers, but were embarrassing to an enemy armed with small bucklers and unwieldy weapons.

The swords of the Britons are not pointed, and do not allow them to close with the foe, or to fight in the open field.

No sooner did the Batavians begin to close with the enemy, to strike them with their shields, to disfigure their faces, and, overthrowing the force on the plain, to advance their line up the hill, than the other auxiliary cohorts joined with eager rivalry in cutting down all the nearest of the foe.

Many were left behind half dead.

some even unwounded in the hurry of victory.

that highest authority the great julius informs us that gaul was once more powerful than germany consequently we may believe that gauls even crossed over into germany for what a trifling obstacle would a river be to the various tribes as they grew in strength and wished to possess in exchange settlements which were still open to all and not partitioned among powerful monarchies accordingly the country between the hircinian forest and the rivers rhine and manuse and that which lies beyond was occupied respectively by the helvetii and boii both tribes of gaul the name boiamum still survives marking the old tradition of the place though the population has been changed Whether, however, the Aravischi migrated into Pannonia from the Aussie, a German race, or whether the Aussie came from the Aravischi into Germany, as both nations still retain the same language, institutions, and customs, is a doubtful matter, for as they were once equally poor and equally free, either bank had the same attractions, the same drawbacks.

the treveri and nervi are even eager in their claims of a german origin thinking that the glory of this descent distinguishes them from the uniform level of gallic effeminacy the rhine bank itself is occupied by tribes unquestionably german the vangiones the tribozi and the nemetes nor do even the upii though they have earned the distinction of being a roman colony and prefer to be called agrippinensis from the name of their founder blush to own their origin having crossed the sea in former days and given proof of their allegiance they were settled on the rhine bank itself as those who might guard it but need not be watched Foremost among all these nations in Vela, the Batavi occupy an island within the Rhine, and but a small portion of the bank.

Formerly a tribe of the Ciati, they were forced by internal dissension to migrate to their present settlements, and there become a part of the Roman Empire.

They yet retain the honourable badge of an ancient alliance, for they are not insulted by tribute, nor ground down by the tax-gatherer.

yes the fort has uh an ability to rebuild itself every time there's a new deployment and this is cohort back to uh batata rorum which means these are not from italy these are not romans by this time in the roman empire at the end of the first century The Romans have, remember, they're very good at making you work for yourself and paying them.

The Batavians have been trouble.

These are Batavian soldiers, auxiliaries for the Roman army, led by a Batavian commander who is Lepidina's husband.

His name is Serrales.

And back home where they came from, The Batavians are obedient because their sons and brothers and heirs are off guarding Britain, taking it very seriously.

What I liked especially about this is the Roman army didn't allow you to marry.

But the fort is filled with women and families.

The Britons, with equal steadiness and skill, used their huge swords and small shields to avoid or to parry the missiles of our soldiers, while they themselves poured on us a dense shower of dark.

till Agricola encouraged three Batavian and two Tungrian cohorts to bring matters to the decision of close fighting with swords.

Such tactics were familiar to these veteran soldiers, but were embarrassing to an enemy armed with small bucklers and unwieldy weapons.

The swords of the Britons are not pointed, and do not allow them to close with the foe, or to fight in the open field.

No sooner did the Batavians begin to close with the enemy, to strike them with their shields, to disfigure their faces, and, overthrowing the force on the plain, to advance their line up the hill, than the other auxiliary cohorts joined with eager rivalry in cutting down all the nearest of the foe.

Many were left behind half dead, some even unwounded in the hurry of victory.

Meantime the enemy's cavalry had fled, and the charioteers had mingled in the engagement of the infantry.

When we come back to it with Ammianus, he gives us names of units which could be a legion, Primarine, for instance, or Jovi, Herculane, or he mentions...

Batavians, Cornuti.

So he's naming auxiliary units.

He doesn't give us strengths or numbers.

like, oh, okay, so you've got Roman citizens of the race from whom the auxiliaries are drawn commanding that unit.

And so that's really interesting.

Going on epigraphically, the Batavians continue to be commanded by Batavians.

They do, however, become commanded by others too.

So now they guard the west bank not as prisoners, but as defenders against intruders.

The bravest tribe in Gaul, the Batavi, don't hold much riverbank, but they do own an island in the Rhine.

They were part of the Chatti tribe, but moved during a civil war and ended up being part of the Roman Empire.

They still have some special privileges, like not having to pay tribute or deal with tax collectors.

The Mattiaci tribe are under the same Roman control.

Even though they are geographically on the German side, they're loyal to Rome.

They're just like the Batavi, only their environment makes them even tougher.

I wouldn't include the people living in the Agri Decumates among the Germans.

Do you, brethren, take in good part this Dutch candor, and despise not the sincere labor of a foreigner, following truth with charity.

Besides enjoying the common name of Christians and Protestants, we have the same celestial depositum committed to our care, and we Batavians and Britons are now connected by a straighter bond, living under the pious and happy government of the same best of princes, your king and our stadtholder, William III, to whom we know there is nothing more desirable than that the monuments of faction being erased as well in Britain as in the Netherlands, right hands should join in the perpetual confederation of brethren.

But there is abundance of preface.

Let us come to the subject, the translator's preface.

Do you, brethren, take in good part this Dutch candor, and despise not the sincere labor of a foreigner, following truth with charity.

Besides enjoying the common name of Christians and Protestants, we have the same celestial depositum committed to our care, and we Batavians and Britons are now connected by a straighter bond, living under the pious and happy government of the same best of princes, your king and our stadtholder, William III, to whom we know there is nothing more desirable than that the monuments of faction being erased as well in Britain as in the Netherlands, right hands should join in the perpetual confederation of brethren.

But there is abundance of preface.

Let us come to the subject, the translator's preface.