ARMIES OF THE GERMANIC PEOPLES - 200 BC TO AD 500: History, Organization and Equipment

1-228620

Presents an overview of the military history of the Germanic peoples of this period. Examines the evolution of Germanic weapons, equipment, and tactics and includes dozens of color photos of replica equipment in use. Shows how Germanic warriors were able to crush the Roman military forces on several occasions, gradually transform the Roman Army itself from the inside and, after the fall of the Empire, create new Romano-Germanic Kingdoms across Europe.

Starts by showing how, from very early on, the Germanic communities were heavily influenced by Celtic culture and follows with the major military events, starting with the first major encounter between the Germanic tribes and the Romans: the invasion by the Cimbri and Teutones. Julius Caesar's campaigns against German groups seeking to enter Gaul are described in detail as is the pivotal Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, which effectively halted Roman expansion into Germany and for centuries fixed the Rhine as the border between the Roman and Germanic civilizations. Escalating pressure of Germanic raids and invasions was a major factor in the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.