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ThisbookisdedicatedtothepeopleofKalkrieseforthepeaceandtranquilityoftheirhomes,fortheirfriendship,andfortheir

invaluableassistanceovertheyears.

TomydearfriendandcolleagueProfessorDrWolfgangSchluter

TogoodfriendsPaulandUrsula,Bissendorf,KarlandMaria,Berlin,WillyDräger,Hannover,DennyWarta,USA,

WolfgangPrauss,Berlin.Ron&Margaret,UK

AndtoSean,Tanya,andErika

AlsoinspecialmemoryofGisela,whowalkedovertheKalkriesefieldssomanytimesandwhopassedaway

togreenerfieldsinFebruary1997.

WithmuchlovetoAnnaandourchildren,Jana,MarkAnthony,andJosephineLouise.

TheMask.Originallycoveredinsilver,thisironfacewaspartofasoldier’shelmet.Itwasexcavatedfromthecentralbattlefield

atKalkriese.

Photocourtesyoftheauthor

Contents

PrefaceandAcknowledgements

ForewordbyProf.Dr.WolfgangSchulhter

IntroductionbyDerekWilliams

RomansandGermans

TheHistoryoftheTimes

PARTI

1.1987:TheFirstFind

2.July1987:AltBarenau

3.1987-1988:TheSearchContinues

4.EarlyApril,9AD:RegroupingatHaltern,

5.ALumpofGold

6.TheMask

7.1990:TheSummerMonths

8.May,9AD:TheLostReconnaissancePatrol

9.9AD—SummerCampatMinden

10.HannoverandtheWeserSilverBullion,1990

11.TiltingatWindmills

12.1991-1992:ImpasseandBreakthrough

13.Summer,9AD:TheGatheringoftheTribes

PARTII

14.9AD:AspirationsandJudgmentsatMinden

15.SummerCamp,9AD:ANewDay

16.EarlyAutumn,9AD:DeparturefromMinden

17.September,9AD:TheSackingoftheOutposts

18.IntotheTeutoburgerForest:TheVarusschlachtBegins

19.Varus’LastLageratFelsenfeld

20.Kalkriese:TheLastEagle

Aftermath:FromtheMistsofTimetothePresent

PostscriptbyChristianJaletzke

AfterwordbyArnoldJ.Koelpin

KeywordGlossary

GeographicReferences

TheHistorians

SequenceofEvents

RomanFortsandLagers

Bibliography

MapsandPhotographs

Map1:KalkrieseandVicinity

Map2:TheGermanTribes

Map3:TheMarchBacktoWinterQuarters

Map4:TheBreakoutfromtheFinalBattleLager

Map5:TheKalkrieseBottleneck

Map6:TheRomanLagers

Preface

Inadditiontomanyothersources, thisbookisprimarilybaseduponthe records and diaries I kept of nine years of involvement with thearchaeologicalexcavations inKalkriese,nearOsnabrück, inGermany. Itwasthere,in9AD,thatthreeRomanlegions(theSeventeenth,EighteenthandNineteenth)under commandofQuinctiliusVarus,ConsulofRome,andGovernoroftheprovinceofGermania,sometwentythousandmeninall,wereslaughtered ina runningbattlebyGerman tribesmenunder thecommandofArminius.Thestunningdefeatwasoneofthemostimportantmilitary engagements inWestern civilization’s history, though where ittookplaceremainedamysteryforalmost2,000years.

My good friend and Osnabrück archaeologist, Professor WolfgangSchluter, and I spent many years searching for the truth about thedisappearance of theVarus legions in the highlands of the TeutoburgerWald,andthebloodybattlethatfinallydestroyedthematKalkriese.Therecordskeptthroughoutallowedmetoprovideanaccurateaccountofthelong, exhilaring, andoften frustrating journey todocumentwhereVarusandhismenmettheirend.Thismodern-dayarchaeologicaldetectivestorycomprises one of the two primary storylines in The Quest for the LostRomanLegions.

In order tomore fully and completely appreciate and come to gripswithwhathappenedin9AD,Idecided to includeaparallelstorybasedupon my understanding of Rome and its army, the terrain of northernGermany,andartifactsuncoveredduringmyquestforthebattlefieldandthetruthofVarus’demise.WhatwashappeninginsidetheRomancolumn

duringthemarchtowardtheRhine?WhatwasitliketobeamemberofaRoman legionstationed inGermanyduring the reignofAugustus?HowdidArminiusplanandexecuteoneof themostdevastatingambushes inmilitaryhistory?HowdidtheRomansreactwhentheyrealizedtheywereunder attack and how did the battle unfold from that point to the finalbloody confrontation? Although this portion of the book is historicalfiction,it isfirmlygroundedonacceptedhistoricalsources,amongthemTacitus, Cassius Dio, and Florus, archaeological evidence, and a firmgrasp of the topography in this portion ofGermany.Of course,wewillnever know exactlywhatwas said andwho didwhat, but I believe theliberties taken help provide readerswith a richer understanding ofwhatthese peoplewere experiencing as the book alternates between the 20thCenturyandthetimeofAugustus.Forexample,weknowaRomansoldernamed Marcus Aius was present with Varus and killed in the bloodymelee, because a bronze clasp bearing his name has been unearthed.Although his exact rank is unknown, I elevatedAius to Senior Tribuneand Second-in-Command of the legions under Varus, and use him in ahistorically accurate sense to convey to readers the responsibilities andactions expected from an officer of such high rank. Virtually everyoneelse—Varus, Arminius, Segestes, his daughter Thusnelda, and manyothers—actually lived and died during this early period of Germany’shistory.

The Varusschlacht (Varus Battle) spun history, and thus Westerncivilization,inadifferentdirection.TheQuestfortheLostRomanLegionsis not the finalwordon thatwatershed event.Out in the fields, there ismuchmorewaitingtobediscovered.

Acknowledgements

Iwouldliketothankallthosewhohavehelpedmeinthewritingofthis book, thosewhohave encouragedme, and thosewhohavebecomefriendsandcolleagues.

For editing the original diaries: Greg Payne, Treasure HuntingMonthly,andmydaughterTanya.

For professional advice and guidance: Professor Dr. WolfgangSchluter, Osnabrück; Professor Dr. Siegmar von Schnurbein, Frankfurt;ProfessorMüller,Hamburg;Dr.FrankBerger,formerlyofHannoverandnow Frankfurt; Dr. Susanne Wilbers-Rost, Osnabrück; Dr. Gebers,

DenkmalpflegeHannover;Dr. Johann-SebastianKuhlborn,Munster;Dr.Erhard Cosack, Hannover; Dr. Joachim Harnecker, Osnabrück; Dr.GeorgiaFranzius,Osnabrück;Dr.AchimRost,Osnabrück;Dr.HermannQueckenstedt, formerly Landschaftsverband Osnabrück; Lt-Col. KenMartin,RoyalArmyMedicalCorps.

For friendship and assistance in Kalkriese: Herr Christian Jaletske,(DirectorMuseumandParkKalkriese);Dr.HeidrunDerks,(CuratorandManager Kalkriese Museum); Dr. Sabine During, Frau Gisela Soeger,KatharinavonKurzynski,MA;HerrBaronandChristophvonBar;FrauFisse-Niewedde; Herr and Frau Sommerfruchte; Herr and Frau MeyerHoltkampand family;Herr andFrauDroge;HerrSonderman;Herr andFrauWilfried Fisse;Herr and FrauWischmeyer;HerrDusterberg;HerrFinke; Herr Eberhard Niewedde; Frau Barbara Bigalke; Herr JurgenConze;HerrSchumacher;HerrMacke;HerrEggemann;HerrBrunning;HerrMügge;KlausFehrs;andthelateGiselaHornung.

Iwouldalso like that thankLandratManfredHugo,Presidentof theLandshaftsverband Osnabrück; Herr Heinz-Eberhard Holl, Oberkreis-director Osnabrück; Kreisrat Dr. Joseph Rottman, GeschaftsfuhrerOsnabrück; The Burgermeisters of Bramsche and Kalkriese; HerrWilhelm Held and Herr Peter Wilmering, Schwagstorf; Herr MathiasBrorman,Felsenfeld;

Frau Yankofski, Barkhausen; Frau Beckmann, Borgwedde; HerrHorst Bruggeman and Frau Henpel-Stuve, Engter; Herr Sigurd Hauff,BurgermeisterofSpandau,Berlin;ErikChristensen,Connecticut (USA);my publisher and editor, Theodore P. Savas of Savas Beatie LLC,CaliforniaandNewYork (USA),andSarahStephan,marketingdirectoratSavasBeatie;JimLewellen,California(USA);JimCorless,NewJersey(USA);BillWhitman,USA; JohnCastle-“JoanAllen”BigginHill,UK;AlanGolbourn,UK;RolfBökemeier,Germany.

Andavery special thankyou for someonewhoactivelyencouragedAnglo-German friendship, and immense support for Kalkriese from thebeginning:HerrHans-JürgenFip

Oberbürgermeister of Osnabrück, Vice-President of theLandschaftsverbandOsnabrück.

TonyClunnDecember2004

Foreword

WhenLieutenantClunn,aBritisharmyofficerwiththeRhineArmystationed inOsnabrück,calledonmeat theDepartment forPreservationofArchaeologicalMonuments(DPAM)inMarch1987,Ihadnoideaofthe consequences of the meeting. Consequences not only for scientificresearchofRoman-GermanconflictinthedecadesaroundChrist’sbirth,butforculturalunderstandingandtourismintheOsnabrückareaandforallthosepersonswhoaretodayassociatedwiththeKalkrieseproject.

Iwasnot reallyopposed toLieutenantClunn’s request tosearch forRoman artifacts in theOsnabrück areawith theuse of ametal detector.The fact he had actually asked permission before conducting the workspoke for him. However, I was very skeptical regarding the success ofsuchamission.Itwashisinspirationandoptimismthatcompelledmetocertify Lieutenant Clunn as an honorary member of the DPAM and tohand him notes on the discovery of Roman findings in the Osnabrückarea.Iwasconvincedifhefoundanything,itwouldbeonlyRomancoinsrelating to the so-calledWiehengebirgshorizon dating from the secondhalf of the fourth century and the early part of the fifth century. Thealleged findings of Roman coins from Barenau, Venne, Kalkriese andEngter,which led TheodorMommsen to conclude in 1885 that the gapbetween the Kalkriese Berg and the Great Moor must have been thelocation of theVarus battle in 9AD,wasmetwith deepmisgivings bymyself and the rest of the archaeologicalworld.Apparently,many goldandsilvercoinsfromtheRomanrepublicandthetimeofAugustuswerefound here between the end of the seventeenth and early nineteenth

century,butthesecoinsnolongerexisted,andexceptforthediscoveryofa denarius in 1963, no further findshadbeen reported for nearly eightyyears.

However,Ididnotreckonwiththepersistence,ingenuity,andnaturalcuriosityofTonyClunn.Inordertoplotapossibletargetareaforcoinsinthe Kalkriese-Niewedde Bowl, he first traced—unbeknownst to theDPAM—themanwhodiscovered the1963denarius.Hewas shown thesite,anditwasthere,neartheLuttercrossroadsontheedgeoftheGreatMoor, that Tony Clunn found one hundred and five additional denarii,partofaploughedhoard,onthe5thand12thofJuly,1987.

These coins (and an additional fifty denarii unearthed during otherexcavations organized by the DPAM), were not the beginning of theKalkrieseproject;thesefindswerenotofanymoreimportancethanthosethat led Mommsen to express his thesis. The main criticism ofMommsen’s theory was that there was no real evidence, bar aninsignificant number of gold and silver coins, to suggest a sizeableconflictliketheVarusbattlehadtakenplaceinthearea.

In thefollowingmonths,TonyClunnwasessentially left tohisowndevices in his search for Roman treasures in the Kalkriese-NieweddeBowl,andhispersistencepaiddividends.Moredenariiwerefoundontheperimeterof theGreatMoorandon the footof theKalkrieseBerg.Thesignificant breakthrough occurred in the summer of 1988: on a singleweekendhe found lead slingshot (fromcatapult slings) in three separatelocations. Supporting forces commonly used such weapons and weremostly recruited by the Romans in the Mediterranean region. Thediscoveryof theseslingshots in theKalkriese-NieweddeBowl led to theconclusion that Roman troops—in whatever shape or form—must havebeenin thearea,andthat thecoinsfoundtodatewereconnectedto thatevent and not a result of some Roman-German trading or Germanicsacrificialceremony.

TonyClunn’spersistenceandhistirelessdedicationborerealfruitinthe autumn of 1988,when theDPAMbegan a systematic search of thebowl.Theresultsafteroneyearofinvestigationformedthebasisforthefirst successful excavation on the Oberesch field (the center of thebattlefield). The Landschaftsverband (Land Council Association) thenagreedtosponsortheprojectinNovember1989.

Today, after some seventeen years of intensive archaeologicalresearch in theKalkriese-NieweddeBowl, thesoutheastareaand towardSchwagstorf and Ostercappeln, there is no longer any doubt that three

Roman legions, the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth, mountedsquadrons,andsixregimentsoftheRomanforcesunderthecommandofP.QuinctiliusVarus,weredefeatedbyWesternGermanicclansundertheleadershipoftheCheruscianArminius.MuchinformationexiststodayontheVarus battle, the battle tactics of theGermans, the composition andequipmentoftheRomanarmy,andindeedthelandscapeoftheareaintheperiodaroundChrist’sbirth.Butseveralquestionsremainunanswered.Itwill probably take years, and perhaps decades, until the outstandingquestionsonthebattleareresolved.

From the beginning, TonyClunn has supported the project from itsearly days of scientific research in the Kalkriese-Niewedde Bowl, andcontinued to do so while stationed in Hannover, London, Berlin, andRheindahlen.He is directly accountable formany finds on the Felsenerfield near Schwagstorf, others close to Ostercappeln, and all of thediscoveries on the northwest slope of theKalkrieseBerg.He is directlyresponsible for increasing the size of the excavation area within thisperiod.

Tony Clunn has since left military service and settled in theOsnabrückarea—whereelsebutonthebattlefield!In1996,MajorClunnwas appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the BritishEmpirebyHerMajesty,QueenElizabethII,inrecognitionofhisservicesto Anglo-German relations. In 1997, he became the first recipient of aspecial award from theLandschaftsverbandOsnabrück in recognitionofhis honorary services and dedication to date. In June 1999, he waspresented with the Landkreis Medal of Honor, the highest award forservicestothecommunity.

In The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions: Discovering the VarusBattlefield, Major Clunn describes in his own words his experiences,deliberations,discoveries, contactwith the locals, andhisworkwith thearchaeologists.Theresearchvalueofhisbookcannotbepraisedenough.He also describes the events in 9AD as theymight have occurred.AnattempttodescribethehistoryleadinguptoandincludingtheVarusbattleto readers is nothing new. What is new and unique, however, is thecombination of historically-based fiction and facts: facts relating to thepreciselocationoftheGermanvictory,factsonartifactslostandfoundonthebattlefield,andfactsaboutthebattleitselfbasedonevidencerevealedtodate.

Prof.Dr.WolfgangSchluter

Prof.Dr.WolfgangSchluterResidentArchaeologistforOsnabrückerLand

Introduction

TheLostLegionsFound

Thisisabookaboutthediscoveryofabattlefield.It isanimportantandanenthrallingbookfortworeasons.First,theeventitself.KnowninEnglishastheBattleoftheTeutoburgForest—andtotheRomansastheVarian Disaster—it was fought in northwestern Germany during theautumnof9AD.Threelegionsandsupportingunitsunderthecommandof P. Quintillius Varus were ambushed and destroyed by GermanicresistancefightersledbyArminius,aGermanprinceandrenegadeofficerin the Roman auxiliary army. The defeat ended Augustus’ dream ofconqueringGermany, andall attempts to add that country to the empirepermanentlyceased.

The significance for Europe’s future is beyond reckoning.Henceforward theRhinebecame the imperial frontierandwould remainsoforfourcenturies.Westofit theprovinceswereRomanizedandtheirspeechLatinized.Eastofit,theGermansstayeddefiantlyGerman.Andsoan existing division was perpetuated, with Europe growing from tworacialrootsandbranchingintotwolinguisticgroups.Likemostwhowriteabout history’s fatal encounters,Maj. Gen. J. F. C. Fuller included theTeutoburgBattleinhis“DecisiveBattlesoftheWesternWorld.”HereisGeneralFuller’sattempttocalculatetheincalculable:“HadGermanybeenforfourcenturiesthoroughlyRomanized,oneculture,nottwowouldhavedominatedthewesternworld.TherewouldhavebeennoFranco-Germanproblem, no Charlemagne, no Louis XIV, no Napoleon, no Kaiser

WilhelmIIandnoHitler.”TheTeutoburgBattlestillholdstheGermansinthrall.Itwasthefirst

greatexpressionoftheirnationalityandbirthplaceoftheirnation—muchlike Bannockburn is to the Scots or a combination of Hastings andRunnymede is to theEnglish.But theseBritish locationsareknownandprovideafocusforpatrioticsentiment.

Whichbringsustothesecondreasonforthisbook’simportance.AlltraceoftheTeutoburgbattlefieldhadbeenlost,forgotteneveninfolklore.Small wonder the urge to return it to the nation became an obsession.Duringthelate19thcentury,itseemedeveryschoolmaster,everycountryclergyman, and every retired general was poking among pinewoods,Tacitus in hand. Theories swarmed like bees: almost 700 of them,withperhaps thirty of them deserving serious attention. The searchconcentrated around the areas through which the route from Varus’summerheadquarterswaslikelytohavepassed.Indeed,duringthe1870sagiantmonument toHermann (Arminius)waserectedonahilltopnearDetmold. It stands there still, eighty-eight feet to the topof the upliftedsword,anationalshrine.

With hindsight, the most promising theory was that of TheodorMommsen,greatestofallRomanists.ByplottingAugustancoinfinds,heconcluded they radiated fromapointnearly fiftymilesnorthwestof thestatue beyond today’s Osnabrück. However, his critics pointed to otherreasonsforthepresenceofRomancoins,suchastrade.Intheabsenceofmilitaryevidence,Mommsen’sproposallanguished.

Almost a century passed. Then, in 1987, a British officer of theOsnabrückgarrison,armedonlywithametaldetector,thesuppositionsofMommsen,andtheaccountsofRomanhistorians,setoutonweekendstoexplore the ground just north of the forest some ten miles north bynortheast of the city. Clunn was rewarded by coin discoveries onagricultural landatKalkriese,beneaththenorthernslopesof theWiehenRidge,finaloutlieroftheTeutoburgForestregion.

Once again, however, coins alone were not enough. But the nextseason began to yield objects of unmistakable military provenance.Intensiveexcavationsfollowed,andtodaythesefieldsarethesettingforamulti-milliondollarparkandmuseumwitha120footviewingtower.

The Quest For the Lost Roman Legions: Discovering the VarusBattlefield is written by that officer, Tony Clunn MBE, Royal ArmyMedical Corps. He tells his story in two parallel strands. First anarchaeologicaldiaryandpersonalnarrative,recountingthesolitarysearch

leadingtothecrucialfinds,followedbytheextensivedigsthatwouldwinamplecorroborationfromthesoil.Theotherstrandtakes theformofanimaginative reconstruction, in dramatic and semi-fictional terms, of thesinistereventsoftheninthyearofourera.

Kalkriese was made for ambush. Where hills meet plain, a sandycorridorhadprovidedaprehistorictrackbetweenforestandthenotoriousmarshesthatcoveredmuchoftheflatlands.Thedifficultyoflocatingthebattle outside the forest had always been the insistence of classicalhistorians, especiallyCassiusDio, that the fighting had been in denselywoodedupland.

Thishasbeenprovedbothtrueanduntrue.MajorClunn’sproposalisthat Varus, returning to the Rhine with his army before the onset ofwinter, was duped by German treachery into a more northerly course,acrossacorneroftheforest.WhatfollowedwasathreedayrunningfightinexactlythecircumstancesDiodescribed.However,itisnowevidenttheRomans, though badly mauled, broke out onto the plain, then swungwestward along the sandy strip. At its narrowest point, where theKalkriese Hill meets the plain, a mighty ambush awaited. Here manythousandswoulddieandwiththemRomanhopesforCentralEurope.

Thisisabookfromanamateurpen—inthebestsenseofsincerityandenthusiasm. Clunn’s discovery and remarkable book remind us thatantiquity does not belong to professional archaeologists and lifetimeacademics. The discovery it describes is as meaningful for NorthernEuropeasthedisclosureofolderculturesindistant lands,announcedbypioneers likePetrie,Evans, andWooley.Yet its abiding image, for thisreaderatleast,ishumanandpersonal:asoldier,aloneinafield,listeningtotheclickofsometinymetallicobject,droppedbyanothersoldierinthelast moments of life, trampled in the struggle of desperate men, whenJesuswasstillaboyinNazareth.

DerekWilliams

TheRomansandtheGermans

HistoricalRomanCharacters

NeroClaudiusDrusus,stepsonofAugustus,wasbornJanuary13,38BC.YoungestsonofTiberiusClaudiusNeroandLiviaDrusilla,brotherofEmperorTiberius,andfatherofEmperorClaudius. In13BC,DrususbecametheGovernorof theProvinceofGalileeandwaslaterappointedtheGovernoroftheupperRhine.HelaunchedoffensivesintotheGermanheartlandfromVechtandIjsselinHolland,wherehehadbuilttheDrususCanal, and fromHerven, where he built the Drusus Dam. Hewas alsoinvolvedinNeus,Basel,andZurich.In12BC,heforagedforwardtotheWeser,andthefollowingyearcrossedtheWeserandengagedtheChattiand Sugambrer tribes.Drusus re-crossed theRhine in 9BC and foughtfouradditionalcampaignsinGermany.HeerectedthelineoffortressesontheLippeandestablishedaGermanprovincefromtheRhinetotheElbe.Hediedin9BCaftersufferingaridinginjuryduringhisreturnfromtheElbetotheRhine.

Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus was born on May 24, 15 BC, inRome. Son of Drusus, and adopted by Augustus in AD 4. MarriedAgrippina. Accompanied Tiberius in seven campaigns in Pannonien.Fought inGermany from 11-14AD, and led theArmy of theRhine inGermany from 14-16 AD. With eight legions, he fought against theChatten,Brukterer,Marser,andCherusker,untilTiberiusorderedthatnofurther incursions be made into Germany, essentially establishing theRhine as the eastern flank of the Roman Empire in Northern Europe.

Germanicus returned to Rome in triumph in 17 AD. He remained Pro-ConsuloftheEasternBorderuntilhisearlydeathonOctober10,19ADat Antichia. Germanicus may have been poisoned by Piso, the RomanGovernorofSyria(seeTiberius,below).

Tiberius Julius Caesar was born November 16, 42 BC, in Rome.SecondstepsonofAugustusfrom38BC.SonofLiviaDrusilla.In13BCand7BCheactedasConsul,andfrom6BCappointedasTribuneforfiveyears.Between12and9BC,TiberiusmountedexpeditionstoPannonia,andDalmaterandDakerfrom8to7BC,andanexpeditiontotheElbeinGermany from 6 to 2BC.On his return, he remained in private life inRhodesuntilthedeathofthegrandsonofAugustusin4AD,afterwhichhe was adopted by the Emperor. Tiberius fought in Germany from 4-6AD,andthenwagedextensivecampaignsinPannonia,afterwhichhewasappointedImperiumProconsularMaiusfrom6-9AD.Thefollowingyear,Tiberiuswasagain involved incampaigns inGermany,particularlyafterthe defeat of the Varus Legions in 9 AD. He succeeded Augustus asEmperorin14AD.TiberiuscurtailedtheemergenceofGermanicusasafavoriteinRomeandmaintainedtheRomanpositionontheRhineastheeasternflankoftheRomanEmpireinEurope.HediedMarch16,37AD,inMisenum.

AugustusCaesarwasbornGaiusOctaviusonSeptember23,63BC.Known asGaius Julius Caesar after his adoption by Julius Caesar. ThesecondarynameofOctaviuswaslaterdiscarded.HisrecognizednameofAugustuswasbestowedonhimin27BCbytheSenate.AfterthedeathofJuliusCaesarin44BC,OctaviusfoughtagainstMarkAntony(Antonius),but in 43 BC formed a second Triumvirate with Antony and Lepidus.WithAntony, he then fought against Brutus andCassius at Phillippi inMacedonia.In40BC,OctaviusassumedcontroloftheWesternportionoftheRomanEmpire,andAntonytheEast.AfterhisdefeatofAntonyandCleopatraattheBattleofAktiumin31BC,OctaviuseffectivelyinstalledhimselfasEmperor.HeoutlinedhisideasforthedefinitivebordersoftheRoman Empire and ordered the establishment of a Roman province inGermanyfromtheRhinetotheElbe.HewasbothadmiredandrespectedasEmperor.AugustusdiedonAugust19,14AD,inNola.

PubliusQuinctiliusVaruswasbornin46BC.HewasthehusbandofAugustus’ grandniece. In 13 BC, Varus was appointed Pro-Consul forAfrica, 4-6 AD as Governor of Syria, and then appointed Consul forGermaniaeastof theRhinein7AD.Withthreelegions, threealen,andsix cohorts, he was defeated by Arminius at the Varusschlacht in

Septemberof9AD.Gaius and Lucius Caesar were the sons of Marcus Agrippa, a

commoner and first-rate soldier chosen by Augustus as his son-in-law.Adopted into the imperial family as nephews to Augustus Caesar, bothdiedearlyunderseparatebutsuspiciouscircumstances.

Gaius Numonius Vala was one of the legion commanders at theVarusschlacht.

FabriciuswasacenturycommanderinoneofVarus’legions.Marcus Aius was a soldier whose bronze shoulder clasps were

excavated at the site of the battle.His clasps (engravedwith his name)identifiedhimasalegionaryinthefirstcohortinthecenturycommandedbyFabricius.IhavetakenhimfromhistoryandmadehimVarus’secondincommand.(SeealsotheseparateentryinAppendixXX).

AiusCaecinaSeveruswasaRomancommanderunderGermanicus.LuciusAproniuswasaRomancommanderunderGermanicus.

FictionalRomanCharacters

Gaius Claudius Suebus was created to help explain the role ofCenturionduringthedaysofthelegionsofVarus.

BrutusMaximuswasastandard-bearer(Signifier),andlaterbeareroftheSeventeenthEagle.

TheGermans

Arminiuswasborn in18or16BC.Hewas the sonof theCheruscichieftain Segimer and became chief of the Cherusci tribe. He is alsoknownasHermantheCherusker.In8BC,ArminiuswastakentoRomewithhisbrother,Flavius,wherehewasmadeaRomanknightbyTiberiusin4AD.HeaccompaniedTiberiusbacktoGermanyforhiscampaignsto6 AD, and the following year joined Varus during his Consulship ofGermany.WiththeGermantribesoftheChatten,Brukterer,Marser,andCherusker,hedefeatedVarus at theVarusschlacht inSeptember,9AD.Thereafter,Arminius fought theGermanWars againstGermanicus from14-16 AD. He was never defeated in the field. He died circa 21 AD,possiblypoisonedbymembersofhisownfamily.

ThusneldawasArminius’wife.Shewasoriginallyengagedtoafriendofherfather.

Segestes was Thusnelda’s father. He looked upon the Romans asfriends.AsaseniorchieftainoftheCherusci,SegestesopposedArminius.

SegimeruswasthebrotherofSegestes.Segimundus was the son of Segimerus. He was present at the

VarusschlachtandassistedinthedefilingofVarus’corpse.Marobodus was a leading German chieftain who initially fought

against Roman imperialism in Bohemia. He established a defence ofSaxony and Silesia before coming to terms with the Romans andbecomingtheirally.

FlavuswasArminius’sbrother.HeservedwiththeRomanlegionsatthebattleofIdistavisoin16AD,whereArminiusfoughtGermanicus.

FictionalGermanCharacters

DaganisthefiancéofThusnelda.RodenisWodenicus’brother.WodenicusisArminius’lifelongfriend.

GermanTribes

Cherusci:The tribe that producedArminius held territory extendingfromtheWeseralmosttotheElbe.In4AD,theCherusciweregiventheprivilegedpositionofafederatedstatewithintheRomanEmpire.

Chatten:ThistribewassituatedontheUpperWeser.Marser:ThistribewassituatedbetweentheLippe-Ruhrarea.Brukterer:ThistribewassituatedbetweentheLippeandtheEms.Marcomanni: Led by Marobodus, this tribe was situated in the

Bohemia-CzechRepublic-Slovakiaarea.In5AD,MarobodusledhistribeonamigrationfromGermanyintofreeBohemiaandestablishedauthorityover theGerman tribes of Saxony and Silesia. The Roman governmentdecidedtoputastop to thisexpansionismandlauncheda three-prongedinvasionwitha trioof legionsunder thecommandofTiberius in6AD.When a large revolt in what was the former Yugoslavia broke out, theRomanswereforcedtoleavetheMarcomanniunderMarobodusandputdown the uprising. The Romans and Marcomanni came to terms, andMarobodusandhistribebecameRomanallies.

TheHistoryoftheTimes

Throughthedank,swirlingearlymorningmist,alonewarriorstrodeslowlythroughtheforest.Hislegsbrushedasidethesoddenundergrowthas he moved purposely towards the smoking fires scattered about thesmallhill. Inhis lefthandhecarriedashortbloodiedsword,andinhisright a human head. As the warrior neared the knoll where sacrificialaltarshadbeenerected,heheardthegroansandsobsofthevanquishedinvaders of his land. They were now being punished terribly for theirdefeat.

ThechiefoftheCherusci,Arminius,gazeddowndispassionatelyataRoman legionary tied down before him on a rack. Roden, brother ofWodenicus, brother inarms toArminius frommanyyearsof campaignsandbattles,stoodcloseby.TheprostratedRoman,thestandard-beareroftheSeventeenthLegionofRome,laygrievouslywoundedabouttheheadand face from close-quarter battle.He had been unable or unwilling torevealtheinformationArminiussought:thewhereaboutsofMarcusAius,Senior Tribune and second in command of Varus’ legion. He was fastslippingawayintodeath.

Arminiusfeltthepresenceoftheapproachingwarriorandlookedup.He recognized the tribesman as Segimundus, the son of Segimerus,another of his close allies and compatriots in the struggle against theRomans.Segimundusraisedhisswordinsaluteandheldthebloodyheadhighinhisotherhand.

“Arminius,here is theheadofVarus, thegreatRomancommander.He was dead, killed by his own hand! He was no warrior—he was a

coward!Hismenwere trying toburnhisremainswhenwecameacrossthemandsentthemtotheirgods.Wehavethrownhisbodytothecarrioncrows,sothespiritofVarushasdiedwithhim.Whatwouldyouhavemedowithhishead?”

Arminiusconsideredthequestionforafewseconds.“LetussendittoMarobodus.Lethimseethemightofourwarriors.Whenheseestheheadof thegreatVarus,hewill joinus inbattleagainst theRomaninvaders,these cowardswho take their own lives rather than fight us in battle. Ishould throwhisheadto thedogs, forhe isnotworthyofourattention.Thisoneatleastfoughtusbravely.Nowhejoinshisfalsegods.”Withapowerful sweep of his sword,Arminius slew the legionary stretched outbeforehim.

Withagrimlookonhisfacehelookedabouthimandshouted,“Thiswas Brutus Maximus of Rome, Signifer of the Seventeenth Legion. HisEagleismissing!LetthisplacebemarkedforalltoknowthatRomeandherEaglesarenomorethancarrionagainsttheCherusci.LetthisplaceberememberedastheplaceofRome’sdefeat.LetitberememberedastheplacewhereherEaglesdied!Hercenturionsandsoldierswerewarriors,buthergeneralsandtribuneswerenot.Romewillforeverbevanquishedintheselands,foritisourland,andRomansshallnevertakeitfromus!Marktheplacewell!Leavethebodieswheretheylie,andhangtheheadshigh.Allmenmustknowthisplace.Markitwell!”

Rodenbentdownandrecoveredthelongredcloakthathadbeentiedaroundtheneckofthedeadlegionaryandraiseditaloft,saying,“Ithinkthisafittingblanketformywomantolieontonightwhenwecelebratethisgreatbattle.Whatdoyousay,Arminius?”

“No,”repliedArminius,ashepickedupandstudiedoneofthebronzeclaspsthathadfallenfromthecloakontotherack.“Ithinknot,myfriend.There is something strange here. I know this cloak clasp belonged toMarcusAius.Ithadbeenhisfather’s,andyetitwaswornbythisSignifer,Brutus Maximus, who was the standard-bearer and carrier of theSeventeenthEagle.WhyshouldhebewearingMarcusAius’cloak?Andwhere is thecursedMarcusAius?Ihaveseennothingof theremainsofVarus’ second in command. I sawhim sorelywounded not so long agoduringthisday’sbattle.Hisheadwouldbeafittingtributetoourvictory.Asforhiscloak,wrapuptheheadofVaruswithinitsfoldsandsendittoMarobodus.” Arminius paused before continuing. “Bring up anotherprisoner,Roden—onewithasuitablecloak, ifyousochoose,and letussee if anyone can remember thewhereabouts ofMarcusAius. Send out

morementolookforthemissingEagleoftheSeventeenth.WehavefoundtheEighteenthandNineteenthgoldenbirds,andIwantthegloryoftakingallthreefromthemightyAugustus!”

Arminius presided over his great victory during late summer,September, of the year 9 AD in the upper reaches of the TeutoburgerrangeofhillsandforestsofnorthernGermanyataplacecalledKalkriese.There,some20,000legionariesandperhaps2,000auxiliarieswereeitherslaughteredorcapturedandexecutedbytheGermantribesmen.ItwasthegreatestdefeateversufferedbyRome.ButwhenMarobodus,apowerfulprincewiththeMarcomannitribe,receivedtheheadofVarus,herefusedtosupportArminius,believinginsteaditwisertostandbyhisrecenttreatywithRome.TheheadwasforwardedtoAugustusCaesar,whoperformedthefuneralritesforhisdefeatedgeneral.

Augustusunwrappedfromthesoiledredcloaktheputridheadofhisformercommanderandplaced itonanaltar illuminatedbycandles.Hiswordsstillechotwocenturieslater:“QuinctiliusVarus,givemebackmylegions!”

Thesoilwasblack,peat-like,andstillverymoistconsideringthetimeofyear.ImovedmymetaldetectoroverthesmallholeIhaddug.AgainIheard the sharp, double-toned signal ringing inmy headset indicating around solid object. There appeared nothing obvious in the hole, so Icarefully lifted a small amountof soil inmyhandandagainmoved themachineoverthehole.Nothing.Whateveritwaslayintheearthgatheredinthepalmofmyhand.Withaquickeningpulse,Igentlysiftedthroughthe dark peat. I caught a quick impression of dark glints shining—theblackenedsilverofapristineRomandenarius.Ifreeditfromthesoil:theproudaquilinefeaturesoftheemperor,AugustusCaesar,couldclearlybeseenononeside.IgentlyturnedthecoinoverandsawCaiusandLuciusCaesar standingbehindbattle shields andcrossed spears, signifying thatAugustus Caesar had pushed out the frontiers of Roman dominion inalmosteverydirection.ThefrontierbetweenthesubjectprovinceofGauland barbarian Germany was to prove especially troublesome, and thewholemightofRomewaseventually tobechallengedbyonebarbarianleader, Arminius, of the Cherusci tribe. But Arminius, whom Tacituscalled the liberator of Germany, was not the first German to threaten

Rome.Earlier,afterpushingtheRomanarmiesasfarsouthasOrange,inthe Gallo-Roman province of Narbonensis, the Germans had movedtoward Italy itself. They were stopped, however, by Marius, one ofRome’soutstandinggenerals.MariusdefeatedthematAix-en-Provencein102BCandobliteratedthematVercellithefollowingyear.

Germanic pugnacity engraved itself upon the Roman mind andtongue.Amanofferociouscharacterwascalled“Cimber,”andthefurorTeutonicuswasspokenoflongafter thetribehaddisappeared.AlthoughtherewasnothingyetapproachingaGermannation,Romewaspainfullyawareof themassofGermanicpeoples inhabitingnorthernEurope.ThelineofdemarcationbetweentheCeltsinGaulandtheGermanictribestotheeastwasvague,andthoughtheCeltstendedtoconcentratewestoftheRhine,therewasstillalotofGermanbloodandinfluenceinthatregion.

In 58 BC, Julius Caesar strode across Gaul like a colossus. TheterritoryhegovernedincludednotonlytheAdriaticcoastandwhatisnownorthernItaly,butalsotheprovinceofGalliaNarbonensis.Afterpickingaquarrel with Ariovistus, a German leader influential in Gaul, CaesarproceededtoannexallofGaul.TheRhinewasestablishedasthefrontierbetweenRomanandnon-Romanland.AndsoCaesarcrystallizedtheideaofasubjectGaulwestoftheRhineandafreeGermanytotheeast.

Half a century later, Augustus gradually pushed Rome’s easternEuropean frontier to theDanube.But a frontier consisting of theRhineandtheDanubeofferedalonganddeviouslinethatincludedarightanglealongtheiruppercourses.AnElbe-Danubeline,however,offeredamuchshorter front and better and easier communications, while potentiallyhostiletribesmenwouldbesafelyenclosedwithintheEmpire.Asaresult,Augustus’ younger stepson Drusus crossed the Rhine to fight foursuccessivecampaignsinGermany.HereachedtheWeserandfinally,in9BC,theElbe.Roman-builtfortressesstuddedthelandscape,andtheentireareafromtheRhinetotheElbewasregardedasanewRomanprovince

TheGermanswerefor themostpartsemi-civilizedpastoralnomads.Tacitus, inhisGermania, vividlydescribed thesepeoplewith theirwildblue eyes, reddish hair, and hulking bodies—politically unstabletribesmenwho loveda fightbutdisdainedwork.TheRomanshated thenew province “bristling with woods or festering with swamps,” butRoman influencegraduallyseeped inandmodernexcavationsshow thatsubstantial trade was conducted between the Romans and the Germantribes. One Roman governor after another fought difficult and bloodycampaigns toconsolidate thenewconquestsandfrontiers.Unfortunately

fortheRomans,theshorterElbe-Danubefrontiercouldnotbecompleteduntil Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) was also conquered. ThisbecameobviouswhenanastuteGermanchief,Marobodus,ledhisentireMarcomannictribeonamigrationfromoccupiedsouthwesternGermanyintofreeBohemia,andthereestablishedauthorityovertheGermantribesofSaxonyandSilesia.TheRomangovernmentdecideditwasimperativetoputastoptoMarobodus’expansion.In6AD,therefore,twelvelegionswere launched in a massive three-pronged invasion under the supremecommandofAugustus’elderstepsonandheirapparent,Tiberius.Ahugerevolt brokeout in northernYugoslavia, however, putting an end to thecampaignagainstMarobodus.Still,thewilytribalchieftainsensiblycametotermswithRomeandwasrecognizedasakingandasafriendof theRomanpeople.Meanwhile,theYugoslavianrevolt,describedbysomeasRome’s gravest foreign threat since Hannibal, took three long years tosuppress.

People in the new province of Germanywatched these events withrising excitement. The Romans were not, after all, infallible. They hadbeencompelledtospareMarobodus.Prolongedresistancetotheirpowerwas not beyond the bounds of possibility. Suchwere the circumstanceswhen a new Roman governor, Publius Quinctilius Varus, reachedGermany. Husband of Augustus’ grand-niece, Varus was among theEmperor’sclosestfriendsandhadahard-wonreputationforfirmnessandorder.When he arrived inGermany, however, he quicklymiscalculatedthe true situation that existed there. Varus considered the countrysubjugated,andbelievedhecouldimposecivilianmethodsofcontrolsuchas were possible in the rich, well organized provinces he had hithertogoverned

CassiusDio,athird-centuryGreekhistorian,describedthesituation:

TheRomansheldportionsof thecountry,notentire regionsbut suchdistrictsashappened tohavebeen subdued…. The soldiers wintered there, and cities were being founded. Gradually the barbariansadaptedthemselvestoRomanways,gettingaccustomedtoholdingmarkets,andassemblingpeacefully.

Buttheyhadnotforgottentheirancestralways,theirinbornnature,theiroldproudwayoflife,theirfreedombasedonarms.Aslongastheywereunlearningtheirancientcustomsgraduallyandasitwerebydegrees,theydidnotprotestagainstthesechangesintheirmodeoflife,sogradual,theywerehardlyawareofthem.ButwhenQuinctiliusVaruswasappointedGovernoroftheareaandinthecourseofhisofficialdutiesattemptedtotakethesepeopleinhand,strivingtochangethem,issuingordersasthoughtheyhadalreadybeensubduedandexactingmoneyasfromasubjectnation,theirpatiencewasexhausted.

Afewyearsearlierin4AD,Tiberius(whowasatthattimegovernorofGermany)hadgiventheCherusci,animportantWestGermanic tribe,theprivilegedpositionofafederatedstatewithintheEmpire.Membersoftheir ruling class, among them a young prince named Arminius, weremadeRomancitizens.Arminiusenteredtheimperialserviceasanofficerinitsauxiliarymilitaryforces,gainingthestatusofaRomanknight.

By9BC, it looked as thoughAugustus’ ambition to extendRomanterritory to the Elbe had almost been achieved. But the Romansoverestimatedtheextenttowhichtheyhadsuccessfullyassimilatedtheirnewprovince.EncouragedbyrevoltsinotherpartsoftheEmpire,GermanaspirationsforfreedomandtheirprowessinarmsbothfoundachampioninArminius.His knowledge of the terrain and brilliant use of it helpedmaketheGermanvictorypossible.Hisannihilationofthelegionssenttomaintain order shook the Empire to its very core. Romewas forced toabandon its dreamof a province beyond theRhine.The implications ofthatdecisiononthefutureofEuropewereincalculable.

The Cherusci, whose territory reached almost to the Elbe, played aleading role in the arrangements ofVarus.Like his predecessors,VarusproposedtowinterontheRhineandspendthesummeratadvancedpostsdeep inside the recently conquered province. And thus, in 9 AD, heestablishedasummercampforhis threelegions(about6,000meneach)inCheruscianterritory.TwootherlegionswereleftbehindontheRhine.HisownadvanceheadquarterswereonthewestbankoftheWeser.VarusbefriendedtheCheruscichiefs,Segestes,andhisbrother,Segimerus,littlerealizing that Arminius and Segimerus were even then plotting againsthim.

Someofthechiefs,inparticularSegestes,triedtowarnthegovernorofthisimpendingtreachery,asCassiusDiolaterwrote:

ButVaruswaspersuadedtolendtheconspiratorslegionarydetachments,whichtheysaidtheyneededtoguardcertainpostsandescortsuppliesfortheRomanarmy.Moreover,whenthetimecameforVarustowithdrawtotheRhineforthewinter,theplotterspersuadedhimtochangehisroute.Hehadintendedtomarch back to hiswinter campatVetera by themilitary road, but the fictitious report of a local risinginducedhimtomakeanorth-westerlydetour throughdifficultwoodedcountry.TheconspiratorssawthemainarmyofffromtheirsummercampontheWeser.AsVarustookhisleave,theyaskedforandreceivedpermission to rejoin their tribes—ostensibly to recruit men to help put down the revolt that they hadinvented.

The Roman column moved slowly. It was encumbered by a heavybaggagetrainandlargenumbersofwomen,childrenandservants.Asit

proceededthroughtheroughcountry,fellingtreesandmakingpathsandcauseways,ashowerofmissilessuddenlydescended.TheGermanswereattacking.Thelegionarieswerehamperedbythewind,rain,andmudthathadalwaysmadethemdislikeGermany.Theywerealsowoefullyshortofauxiliary troops—cavalrys, archers, and slingers—to strike backeffectively.Alltheycoulddowaspressonandhopetoreachthenearestfortress.

Disciplineasserteditselfsufficientlyforacamptobepitchedforthenight on high ground.Wagons and baggage were burned or jettisonedandnextmorningthemarchwasresumed.Thelegionsstartedoffinbetterorderoveropencountry,butthisleftthemvulnerabletoGermanattacks,and theywereagain compelled to take refuge in thewoods,where theyspentamostdisagreeabledaystrugglingthroughnaturalobstacles.

Theysufferedheavylosses,someofthemself-inflictedbecauseofthedifficultyofdistinguishingenemyfromfriend.Inthenight theymanagedtohuddle together inanothermakeshift camp,witha totally inadequaterampart.

Whenmorningcame,itwasstillraining.Therewasabitingwindandthey could see that the Germans had received reinforcements. It wasreportedthatoneofthecommandersofthelegions,NumoniusVala,losthis nerve and rode off with the remains of his regiment and auxiliaryriders,inthevainhopeofreachingtheRhine.

Varuswassufferingfromwounds.HefullyrealizedwhattheGermanswould do to him if they caught him alive. To avoid this fate, he killedhimself. Some members of his staff followed his example, and the twogenerals who were left in charge did not long survive. One mistakenlyofferedcapitulation,whichturnedintoamassacre;theotherfellfightingastheGermansbrokeintothelastencampment.Justasfirstlightmadeitsfirstattemptson theday, the remnantof the three-legion force,possiblyonly a few thousand legionaries, perhaps under command of one of thefew remaining legion commanders, escaped under cover of darkness toflee towards thewest and the safety of theRiverEms. They only partlysucceeded in their bid to escape, running straight into a well plannedbackstopambushestablishedbyArminiusatthepointwherethenorthernedgeofthenearbyBerglandsfellsteeplydownintoanarrowgapbetweenthehillygroundandtheboggymoorlandsbeyond.Itwasaperfectpincermovement,andwiththeexceptionofafewhandfulsoffleeinglegionaries,all were slain. The entire Roman force, possibly up to some twentythousandmeninall,wasslaughtered.Eventhosewhowerecapturedmet

theirterrifyingendatthehandsoftheGermantribesmen,whotookgreatpleasureinslowlytorturingtheirprisonerstoagrislydeath.

TheVarusdisasterupsetAugustusmorethananythinginhislonglife,andheadoptedeverycountermeasurehecouldthinkof.Hedismissedallthe Germans and Gauls in his personal bodyguard. Determined effortswere made to replace the lost legions, but few recruits of military agewere available.A force consistingmainly of retired soldiers and formerslaves (whowerenotnormallyadmitted to the legions)wasentrusted toTiberius,whohad rushed back fromDalmatia.Tiberius led them to theRhinetojointheremainingtwolegionsthereanddefendtheentirelineoftheborder.

As had been feared, the triumphant Germans were sweeping easttoward theRhine.Every advance fort east of the river exceptAliso fellwithoutresistance.Aliso’scommanderandaforceofarcherssucceededinholdingoutuntiltheirstoreswereexhausted.Onadarknightthegarrisonslippedout—includingwomenandchildren—andmanagedtomakeittothewintercampatVeteraontheRhine.There,theyfoundtheprovince’stwo remaining legions, which Varus’ nephew and legate, LuciusAsprenas,hadhastilybroughtnorthfromMainz.

In the end, theGermans did notmake it to the Rhine. Deterred byAsprenasanddelayedbeforetherampartsofAliso, theylostanychanceof mounting a surprise attack. Moreover, an attempt by Arminius toconverthisrebellionintoanationalGermanrevoltcametonothing.SucharevoltwascontingentuponthesupportofMarobodus,whomArminiustried to intimidate inagruesomemanner.Whenhismen foundsomeoftheRomansoldierscrematingVarus’bodyintheTeutoburgerforest,theGermansseizedwhatwasleftofthecorpseandmutilatedit.Theycutoffthe head and sent it to Marobodus, appealing to him to join theinsurrection. Marobodus, however, could not see an advantage inharnessinghimselftotheambitionsofArminius.Itseemedwisertostandby his treatywith Rome.And so the head ofVarus eventually reachedAugustusinRome.

Fiveyears laterAugustusdied.Shortlybeforehisdeath, he senthisbrilliantyounggreat-nephew, later calledGermanicus, to takecommandon theRhine.WhenTiberiuscame to the throne in14AD,Germanicusfought three massive and expensive campaigns against the Cherusci. Along-standingquarrelbetweenArminiusandhispro-Romanfather-in-law,

Segestes, flaredanew,withGermanicus sidingwithSegestes.Arminius’wife fell into Roman hands, and although Arminius was urged by hisbrothertocollaboratewithRome,herefusedtodoso.

The following summer in15AD, some sixyears after thedefeatofVarus’ legions, Germanicus formed the idea—which according to hisuncleTiberiuswasaverydemoralizingone—oftakinghistroopstovisitthe site of the defeat. The occasion provided Tacitus with one of hishighlights:

Now theywerenear theTeutoburgianWoods, inwhich the remainsofVarusandhis three legionsweresaid tobe lyingunburied.Germanicusconceivedadesire topayhis lastrespects to thesemenandtheirgeneral.Everysoldierwithhimwasovercomewithpitywhenhethoughtofhisrelationsandfriends—and reflectedon thehazardsofwarandofhuman life.Caecinawas sentahead to reconnoitre thedarkwoods and build bridges and causeways on the treacherous surface of the soddenmarshland. Then thearmymadeitswayoverthetragicsites.

Thesceneliveduptoitshorribleassociations.Varus’extensivefirstcamp,withitsbroadextentandheadquartersmarkedout,testifiedtothewholearmy’slabours.Thenahalf-ruinedbreastworkandshallowditch showedwhere the last pathetic remnant hadgathered.On the opengroundwerewhiteningbones,scatteredwheremenhadfled,heapedupwheretheyhadstoodandfoughtback

Fragments of spears and of horses’ limbs lay there: also human heads, fastened to tree trunks. Ingrovesnearbywere theoutlandishaltarsatwhich theGermanshadmassacred theRomancolonelsandseniorcompanycommanders.

Survivorsofthecatastrophe,whohadescapedfromthebattleorfromcaptivity,pointedoutwherethegenerals had fallen, and where the Eagles were captured. They showed where Varus received his firstwound,andwherehediedbyhisownunhappyhand.Andtheytoldof theplatformfromwhichArminiushadspoken,andofhisarrogantinsultstotheEaglesandstandards:andofallthegibbetsandpitsfortheprisoners.

Germanicusgatheredhiscommanderstogetherandgavehisorders:“Gatheralltheremainsofourfallen brothers, from the beginning to the end here, clean the whole area, take down the gibbets andplatforms,takeallupintoaplacenearhere,anddigagravewithafuneralpyre.Lightthefiresandletuslaytheghostsofourbrotherstorest.Thereisnomeritinthisplace;itisnotaplacetohonour.Letusbesoongonefromhere,andletthemistsoftimeclouditsveryexistence…

Soon thereafter, a large battle was fought between Arminius andGermanicusatIdistaviso,southofthemainpassatMindenwhereVarushad established his summer camp. Germanicus claimed victory, despitethefacthislegionsandauxiliarieshadbeenforcedtoretreatandregroup,ashadArminius’nowmuch-diminishedforce.ButtheGermanswerefarfromsubjugated.

A few years later in 19 AD, Arminius picked a quarrel withMarobodus, theGermankingof theMarcomanniwhohadsnubbedhim.Although the outcome of a battle they fought proved indecisive,Marobodus lost much of his power and soon thereafter his Bohemiankingdom lost its independence.ButArminius’ endwas also at hand, as

Tacitusdescribes:

Ifindfromthewritingsofcontemporarysenators,thataletterwasreadintheRomansenatefromachieftainoftheChattitribe,Adgandestriusbyname,offeringtokillArminiusifpoisonweresenttohimforthejob.ThereportedanswerwasthatRomanstakevengeanceontheirenemies,notbyunderhandtricks,butbyopenforceofarms.

However,theRomanevacuationofGermanyandthefallofMarobodushadinducedArminiustoaimat kingship. But his freedom-loving compatriots forcibly resisted. The fortunes of the fight fluctuated.Arminiusfinallyfellvictimtotreacheryfromhisrelations;hewaskilled,probablypoisoned,bymembersofhisownfamily.

HewasunmistakablytheliberatorofGermany.AschallengerofRome—notinitsinfancy,likekingsandcommandersbeforehim,butattheheightofitspower—hehadfoughtundecidedbattles,butneverlosta war. He had ruled for twelve of his thirty-seven years. To this day the tribes sing of him. Yet Greekhistoriansignorehim,reservingtheiradmirationforGreece.WeRomans,too,underestimatehim,sinceinourdevotiontoantiquityweneglectmodernhistory.

Tacitus was justified in calling Arminius the man who had freedGermany.Hewasnot,however,anationalchief.“Hewasonlytheleaderof a faction even among his tribesmen,”wrote another historian, “not achampionoftheGermannation,fornosuchthingexisted.Theverynamewas of recent date, an alien appellation; therewas among theGermanslittle consciousness of a common origin, of a common interest none atall.” Still, it was thanks to his extraordinary skill and courage that theRomans were excluded from Germany east of the Rhine. With theexception of a coastal strip of land and a tract on the upper Rhine andDanube, the province was abandoned. The Romans were forced torecognize annexation was impossible or inadvisable. Thereafter theytreatedtrans-RhineGermanyasaclientstate,dependenteconomically—butnothingmore.

HadArminiusnotfrustratedAugustusinhisaimtoestablishanElbe-Bohemia-Danube frontier, almost the whole of the present FederalRepublicofGermanyandtheCzechareaofCzechoslovakiawouldhavebeen part of the Roman Empire. “Might-have-beens” are notoriouslyunprofitable,butitislikelythat,intheend,theseterritoriesunderRomanrule would have become as docile and Latinized as Gaul (modern-dayFrance).Any ideaof theRhineas a frontierwouldhavebeen irrelevantand forgotten. The whole concept of Germany would have beenunimaginably different. And so, therefore, would every subsequentcenturyofEuropean(andmuchofworld)history.

PARTI

ChapterOne

1987:TheFirstFind

Formore than six hundred years, people have searched for the sitewhere the Roman army had been annihilated. Early in the sixteenthcentury,when thestorywasbecomingwidelycelebrated, theLippischerWald was renamed the Teutoburger Wald. In 1875, a monument toArminius was erected on the supposed site of the battle near Detmold.Nearly everyone with a strong interest in the battle had a theory as towhere Varus and his legionsmet their end. In 1998, however, Germanarchaeologists made a shocking pronouncement: after ten years ofresearchandexcavations,thelocationofoneofthemostimportanteventsin Germany history—in many respects, the birthplace of the Germannation—wasnolongerindoubt.

In 1987, using the most sophisticated metal detectors available, Ilaunchedmy investigationofwhatultimately turnedout tobe theVarusbattlefield.ForthreeyearsIstudiedoldmapsanddocumentsofantiquity,walked fields and woods, surveyed the land, dug into the soil, andponderedover the artifacts Iwas turningup.Thankfully, all of thiswascarried out with the blessing, assistance, and guidance of the Germanmuseumandlocalarchaeologicalauthorities.

ThiswasnotthefirsttimetheDetmoldpositionofthebattlefieldhadbeen seriously challenged. Archaeologists and historians had previouslyofferedupsomesevenhundredandfiftyalternativesites,butneverbeforehad the evidence so strongly favored a new location. Extensive deskresearch ledme to theKalkriesearea,but theactual sitewaspinpointed

almostbyaccident.OnemonthafterarrivinginGermanyin1987tobeginatourofdutywiththeArmoredFieldAmbulanceunitinOsnabrück,Isetoff on a journey that would consume years of survey, research, andlaboriousdayswhen it seemedas if theartifacts and theanswerswouldnever come. In the beginning, all I really expected to findwas the oddRomancoinorartifact.Ithadbeenwellestablishedbytheresidentcountyarchaeologist,DrWolfgangSchlüter, thatnotoneRomancoinhadbeenrecoveredfromtheOsnabrückareaduringhisthirteenyearsinoffice.

My story began to unfold shortly after visiting the local museum,whereIfirstmetDrSchlüter.Hewasnaturallyverycautious,butdecidedto take me at face value. After learning my main interest was Romanhistoryandcoins,hesuggestedIstartmysearchinanareaabouttwelvemilesnorthofthecity,sayingsimplyitwasworthfurtherstudy.Amongthedocumentsandoldpapersconsultedaspartoftheresearchontheareawas a series of nineteenth century maps and a thesis by TheodoreMommsen,thenineteenthcenturyGermanhistorian.

LikemanyotherGermanhistorians before him,Mommsenbelievedhe had correctly identified the probable site of the “TeutoburgerWald”Varusbattlefield.Hebasedhisthesisonthefactthatresidentlandownersof the area, the (Baron) von Bar family, had accumulated a largecollectionofRomansilverandgoldcoins,agoodmajorityofwhichwerefrom the reign of Augustus Caesar. Mommsen had originally beeninformedthatthecoinshadbeenfoundbyfarmworkersinthelocalfieldsover the previous centuries and accumulated by the von Bar family(whose family tree can be traced back to the early tenth century).However,Mommsenwasalsoinformed,perhapsasanadopteddefensivestance,thatmanyofthecoinshadbeencollectedfromfindsmadeallovernorthern Germany, and not exclusively from the local parish area.Nevertheless,hemaintainedhistheorybutwasneverabletoadvanceitintheabsenceoffurtherevidence.

AftercloselystudyingMommsen’stheory,Inotedthataveryoldroadknownas the“OldMilitaryRoad”(Heerstrasse) ran through thisarea. Idecidedtocentermymainpointofreferenceonasmallcrossroadsinthemiddle of the parish area, and it was there my investigation began inearnest.

Ireadthesmallnumberofarchaeologicalpublicationsthatdescribedthe coin and artifact finds made in the area over the preceding onehundred years. Obviously, the finds made more recently over the lastthirty yearswould perhaps be easier to relocate than thosemade in the

previous century. Because the majority of the publications had beenwrittenbyDrSchlüter,Iwasabletodiscusswiththeauthorfirsthandthebasis for his writings. One of his early publications, OsnabrückerMitteilungen, Band 88–1982, contained a complete listing of many ofMommsen’s records.After careful study, I decided a “recent” find of aRoman denarius, recovered in 1963 by a young lad in a field near themilitaryroadcrossing,mightbearfurtherinvestigation.IdroveouttotheareawithDrSchlütertotalktothelocalfarmers.

Havingbeen introduced to residents living in the immediate area ofthecrossroads, Imet thefarmerwhovividlyrememberedthefind, for itwashisownyoungsonwhohadbroughtthecoinhomesometwenty-fiveyearsearlier.Ironically,thecoinwasstilllyingaroundthefarmer’shouse(regrettably theyhaveneverbeenable to find it again).The fieldwherethecoinhadbeenrecoveredwasashortdistancefromtheirhouse,andwewalkedover to lookat thegeneral area. Iwasgivenan ideaof theareawherehe thought the coinhadbeen found—some fiftymeters square—butsincetimewaspressingIdecidedtoreturnthefollowingday.

EarlynextmorningIgotupwiththebirdsandwassoonstandinginthe field, ready to proceed with my detector survey. I have alwaysbelievedeveryfieldhasadistinctivepartthatstandsoutfromtherest.Inmyexperience,itisalwaysbesttomovetothecentralpointofafieldto“get thefeel”of the land,so tospeak:nothingmagical,nothingstrange,just a straightforwardgoodspot topickup thepotential activityareas. Iwalkedafewpacesandnoticedtheearlymorningdewhighlightedaveryslightelevation runningacross the field,possiblypartofanold trackortrail.Imovedontoitandtriedtoorientateitscoursewiththeotherroadssome short distance away, but initially there appeared to be no logicallink. (Much later, in the winter months, the connection would becomeabundantlyclear,butatthisparticularpointintimeIwasalittlefoxed!)VeryoftenIfoundtheedgeoftracksmoreproductivethanthecenter,andIbegansearchingalongthesideofthegrassyelevation.

OverthenextfewhoursIcarefullymovedupthenorthernedgeofthelineof trackandoutward,meterbymeter, toward the edgeof the field.Otherthantheoddpieceofsilverpaperandbottletop,Ifoundnothing.Itookalatelunchbreakanddecidedtochangetackandcoverthesouthernedgeof the track.Fiveminutes later, as Ineared the centerpointof thetrack, I heard a familiar double-ringed tone inmy headset. Some yearsbefore I decided touseFishermetaldetectors fromAmerica. In1987, Iwas using the 1265Xmodel, which was always an infallible source of

goodfindsforme.Thisoccasionwouldprovenodifferent.Infact,itwasthe beginning of an incredible series of amazing and wonderful findswhich,tothepresentday(nowseventeenyearslater)continuetoamazeastheyareunearthedfromthesoil.

Icutawayasquareofturf,checkedthatfirstand,whenIdidnotgetasignal,continuedcarefullytoclearouttheblackpeatfromwithinthehole.Irecheckedthesignaltonethenpickedupahandfulofsoil.Nosignalinthe hole. Painstakingly, I sifted through the contents inmy hand, but Icould seenothing resemblinga solidobject as indicatedby the signal. Isifted through again and then I saw it: black, small…and round!A tinyglintofsilvercaughtmyeye.Itwasaperfectsilvercoin,blackenedwithage,with thesameblackhueas thepeatysoil:aRomandenarius.Isawthe proud aquiline features ofAugustusCaesar on one side, and on theother, two figures standing behind battle shields and crossed spears. Icould hardly believe it. I stood transfixed, savoring a combination ofdisbelief, excitement, and the pure exhilaration of finding such awonderful2,000yearoldartifactfromancientRome.

According to Dr Schlüter, no Roman coins had been found in theOsnabrückareaduringhistenure,andhereIwas,threemonthsaftermyarrival in thedistrict,holdingabeautifulRomancoin in thepalmofmyhand. Rather than put it into a plastic bag in my collecting pouch, Icarefullyplaceditontopoftheinvertedcut-awayturf,andthencheckedtheimmediateareaoftheholeandsurroundingareaforothersignals.Atfirsttherewasnothing.Then,withinafewpacesfartheralongthesideofthetrack,Ipickedupanotherclearsignal.Irepeatedtheprocess,butthistimethecoinprovedtobemuchdeeperthanthefirst.

Nevertheless, the Fisher detector gave good signals and the secondcoin, an early period denarius, was recovered and placed on top of thesecondturf.Havingcheckedtheimmediateareaofthisfindwithoutanyfurthersignal,Iagainproceededupthelineofthesideofthetrack.Fouryardshadseparatedthefirstandthesecondcoin,andsevenyardsfurtheron, another clear signal produced the third find, another early perioddenarius!

For the next few hoursmy spirits knew no bounds. I paced up anddownthetrackline,firedwithgreatenthusiasmaboutthewholearea.Themilitary road nearby, the tales from local farmers, the findsmade fromcenturies before—something was about! As I looked across the fieldstowardtherisinghillsidesome2,000yardsaway,Iaskedmyselfoverandover again, “Who lost these?” “Who was he?” “What was he doing:

running,riding,walking?”“Whocamethisway?”Looking up from my reverie, I noticed weekend walkers about,

particularlyaroundthesmallcrossroadsareaabout100yardsaway.Someseemedtobetakinganinterestinmyactivities,andIdecidedtowithdrawquietlyfromthefield.Holeswerefilled,turfswerecarefullyreplaced,andafter noting the exact locations of those three finds, I packed my kitcarefullyintothecar.

Dr Schlüter was away on a short holiday during the following twoweeks,andsoIwasunabletospeaktohimandtellhimofthefind.IwasalittleworriedaboutrevealingthelocationandfindstotheGermanpoliceatthisearlystage,notbeingfullyconversantwitheithertheirexpertiseorthe recognized procedures to be adopted in these matters. I thereforedecidedtoawaitDrSchlüter’sreturn.

Iwasfairlybusyatworkduringthefollowingweek.ItwasnotuntilsomedayslaterthatIhadpositivelyidentifiedthethreecoins.TwowerefromtheeraofAugustusandathirdwaspre-Republicanfrom100BC.AsthedoctorwasnotbackatworkuntilthefollowingMonday,Idecidedtorevisit the site on the weekend and see if I could locate any similarscatteredfinds.

Based on the position of the previous three coins, I decided toconcentrate on a 50 x 20meter rectanglewith the coin-find sites as thecenter of the survey.The earth had been very peaty and very dark, andlocating blackened silver denariiwas exceedingly difficult. Even siftingthecompressedpeatinmyhandhadfailedtorevealthemstraightaway,soIdecidedtotakeacommongardensievewithme.Forachange,Ialsotookmysonanddaughtertogivethemafewhoursoutinthecountrysidewhile I searched formore coins. They both proved to be of invaluableassistanceasthedayworeon.

WhenwearrivedattheareaofthefieldearlyonSaturdaymorning,Icarefully checked the findpositionsof the threecoins andmarked themwith three small colored stakes. Itwas interesting to see, just oneweeklater,thatthereappearedtobenovisibleevidenceoftheoldtrack;itwasasifthepathhaddisappearedaltogether.

Usingthefieldfencepostsasreferencepointsfrommylogbook,Ihadmysonanddaughterlayoutarectangleofwhitetapestraddlingthecoinfindsites,aligningitwiththegenerallineofthe“missing”path.Oncethishadbeendone, I carriedouta searchof themarkedarea. Ihavealwaysbelievedinworkingoutwardfromafindsiteandmaintainingastraight-linesearchpattern.AcrossthemarkedrectangleinthegrassyfieldIlaid

outtwowhitetapelinesrunningthroughthelineoftheleftandright-handfindsites.ThisinternalrectangleIbegantosearchfirst,mytheorybeingthat the lineof the trackmayhavebeenvery relevant to the lossof thecoinssome2,000yearsago.

Mysonanddaughterhadgoneofftoplayattheveryendofthefield.Itwasabeautifulsummermorning.Onlythebirds’gentlechattercouldbeheard,andthoughthemaincrossroadswasnotfarawayattheendofthefield,nothingmovedordisturbedthewonderfultranquilityofthesetting.Iscarcelynoticedanythinggoingonaroundmeafterthat,sointensewasmy concentration at this point. Adjusting my headset to a morecomfortable position, I turned up the gain control a little more andcarefully walked across the grass. After a fewminutes, halfway up thefirstlegofmysearchpattern,Icameuponthefirstcoinoftheday.IknewitwasacoinevenbeforeIcutawaytheturf.TheFisher1265X“loved”coins, and particularly relished Roman silver! It gave a great soundingsignal.When I heard that double ringing tone yet again, I knew it wasanothergoodfind.Cuttingawaytheturf,Icarriedoutthenormalchecksof turf first, then the hole. The ringing tones remained. I was amazed.Froma good30 centimeters down, I brought the black earth containingthecointothesurface.AgainIfounditverydifficulttolocatethecoin.Inthe end, gently sifting away the excess, I uncovered another beautifulblackeneddenarius.

It was in marvelous condition, again showing the proud aquilinefeatures of Augustus. On the reverse this time was a large bull, headlowered,asifreadytocharge.Itookoutasmallplasticbaganddroppeditin, noting the site anddepth of find inmy small logbook.Considerablyexcitedatthisfourthfind,Icontinuedwithmysweepoftheinnermarkedrectangle.

Duringthenexthouranotherfivedenariicametolight.Eachonewascarefully noted in my log.When the search of the inner rectangle wascomplete,Icalledmychildrenovertositdownforaquickcoffeeandtodiscusstheremainderoftheday.Itwasmyson’sbirthday,andIwantedtoensureanyplansofhisfortherestofthedaywerenotspoiledbymystayingatKalkriese.However,theirenthusiasmwasasgreatasmine,andtheybothdecidedtoremainwithmeaslongaswasnecessary.

I looked overmy log and themap, trying towork out any obviouspatterninthescatteredcoinfinds.Ispentsomefiveminutesattemptingtoorientatethelocation.First,Itookthelineoftheoldtrack,andthenotherobviouslinesofactivityacrossthefield.Havingnowcompletedmyfirst

good sweep of that area, I decided to move outside the inner markedrectangle and search down the side of the pathwhere I imagined it ranthroughthefield.Thiswasnowagoodtwentyyardsfromtheotherfindsites,andIhadlittlehopethatIwouldbeassuccessfulasbefore.Icouldnothavebeenmorewrong

I had only moved some five yards in this new sweep area when IheardthefamiliarFisherdoubletone.Icuttheturfawayandlaidittooneside,thensweptthedetectorovertheexposedarea.Againthedoubletone,not once, but now three distinct separate “marks.” I nearly forgot thegolden rule, but swept over the cut-away turf as well. Another doubletone!Igentlypulledattheblackearthontheundersideandasmallblackcoindroppedout.OnlythendidIstarttoimaginethatperhapsIhadfoundthecenterpointofthescatteredcoinfinds.Irecheckedtheturfagain,bothsides, andwith a slight quickening of pulsemoved the Fisher over thehole. The first coin I recoveredwas only some four or five centimetersdown, but again the black soil wasmaking recovery slow. I calledmychildrenover,gavethemaquickexplanationofwhatwashappeningandsuggestedweworkasasmallteam.Itwasnecessarytoensureeachcoinwas loggedaswewentdeeper into thehole,and Ialsowanted toavoidintrusive shovel work to ensure no damage was caused to the preciouscoins.

Alargepieceofblackplasticsheetingwasunfoldedandplacedoverthecompleteworkarea.Ihaduseditbeforeforsimilarrecoveries.Icutalargeholeoutof themiddle to fit around the excavationarea, leavingalargeareaofplasticaroundthesidestolaythesoilon.Inthisway,whenitwastimetofillintheholeattheendofthehoardrecoverytherewouldbenotraceofwherewehadbeenworking:notell-talemarkstorevealthesitetoinquisitiveeyes.

IopenedupaboxofsmallfreezerplasticbagsIcarriedwithmeandplacedinsidetheextra-specialfinds.WithmysonwieldingtheFisherandmy daughter holding the garden sieve on the other side of the hole, Ibegantopullouthandfulsoftheloosesoil,placingeach,onebyone,intothe garden sieve. My son swept the detector over the sieve after eachhandful,andaftertwoorthreehandfulscamethefirstcleardoubletone.Wecouldnotseeanycoin,andmydaughtercarefullyshookthesievetoremove as much surplus earth as possible. We got down to the bareminimum of small clods of peat but therewas no obvious “find” to beseen.Icarefullysqueezedeachclodandweweredelightedfinallytoseeyetanotherblackeneddenarius.

“That’sthefirstofthree,”Isaid,andproceededtorepeattheexerciseover again. Once we had recovered the three “signals” and logged thethreecoins,Iindicatedthatmysonshouldsweeptheholeagain.Wehaddisconnected the headphones so all three of us heard the distinct butpuzzlingsoundofagoodmetaltone,butnocleardoubletoneindicatingacoin.Ieasedasmall trowelintothesidesoftheholetoloosentheearthsome 10 centimeters from the epicenter of the signal, and proceeded topull outmore soil, depositing each handful into the sieve. Only two orthree handfuls had gone in when a detector sweep again gave a cleardouble tone:notonce,but twice!From that smallaccumulationofearthemergedtwomoredenarii,onelookingalittleworn,buttheotherinverygood condition.Another sweep, and againwe heard that solid but non-specifictone.Bynowitwasevidentthattherewasmoretothisfindthanweoriginallythought.

I decided towiden the extremities of the hole to allow the detectorroom to sweep the bottom fully, now some 30 centimeters below. I cutawaymoreofthecenteroftheplasticsheet,thenwecutmoreturfawayfromthecircumferenceofthehole,andeachtimecheckedthegrassclods.The detectorwas swept over the new exposed area. Twomore specificdouble-tone signals!The same procedurewas repeated; each handful ofearthwent into the sieve, andwe recovered twomore beautiful denarii.Theholewasnowsome50centimetersindiameter.Iplacedthedetectorcarefully into thebottom,making twoshortsweeps fromoneangle,andrepeatedatrightangles.Thecentralcoresignalwasstillthere,asstrongasever,butwasnowsurroundedbymanyotherstrongdouble-tonesignals.Ilookedupandsaid,“Ithinkwe’regoingtoneedalotoffindbagsforthis.Beforewegodown into thecenterpoint, let’s recover theoutersignals,andgetthemoutoftheway.”

Justaswewereabouttostart,Irealizedthatwithalltheexcitementofthe finds, I had not been aware how quickly themorning had passed. Itookacursorylookovertothecrossroadsarea100yardsaway,outofnomore than idlecuriosity, to see if therewereanycountrywalkers in thevicinitywhomightbetakingmorethananapassinginterestinamanandtwoyoungstersdiggingaholeinthemiddleofagrassyfield.

Icouldnotbelievemyeyes!Acompletecoachloadofpensionerdaytripperswasslowlygettingoutoftheircoach.Fourorfivewalkersweremovinguptheroadtoward thegate leadinginto thefieldand,on topofthat, thefarmerwhohadshownusthesiteinthefirstplacewasmakinghiswaytowardusacrossthefieldfromtheotherdirection!Whathadbeen

aquietpeaceful crossroads in thecountrynowhadall themakingsof acitypedestrianthroughway.

Theapproaching farmerwasneither theownernor the tenantof thefieldwewerein(Ihadobtainedpermissionfromtheprimarylandownerintheareatoprospectanddetectonthefields),andIfeltagreatneedtopreserve the secrecy of my finds. This was particularly important asneitherDrSchlüter nor the ownerwere yet aware of the treasure site. Icarefully covered the find bags and the main hole with my largewaterproof “poncho” groundsheet before standing up and telling mychildren to go to the car andget out the coffee and sandwicheswehadbrought for lunch. As they moved away, I walked slowly to meet thefarmer.Weexchangeda fewpleasantries about the layoutofmy searchpattern and the general methods involved, and I explained we werelooking at one or two more interesting signals by sieving through theloose earth.Although thisgentlemanwas latermadeawareofwhathadbeenrecoveredinthoseearlydaysinthesummerof1987,Ibelievedthatatthattime,IcouldnottrustanypersonwiththedetailsofwhatwehadfoundsaveDrSchlüter,whowasstillawayonholiday.

Itwasalongfrustratinghourofwaitinguntilallthetrippershadfadedaway,bywhichtimethedayhadslippedintooneofthoseheady,tranquilsummer afternoons. Thankfully, the farmer had left to take up hisafternoon siesta. Once again alone with our work, I removed thewaterproofsheetandbegantherecoveryoftheothersingularsignalslyingaround the central core. More denarii followed until finally, all thatremainedwastheprimaryhardsignal.Bythen,abouttwentydenariihadbeen found, logged, and bagged. In case of further interruptions, I tookanother short break to log the exact locationof the hole, pacingout thedistances from three distinctivemarkers around the sides of the field: agatepost,afencepostandalonetree.

Once completed, the hole beckonedme like amagnet. I returned topullingawayfurtherhandfulsofsoil fromthecenterof the largesignal.For the first time Iactually sawasinglecoin lying in thebottomof thehole,andasIwenttorecoverit,thenextsweepofthedetectorbymysonproducedacacophonyofdoubleandhalf-tonedsignals.Asmydaughtergentlyshookthesieve,threeorfourdenariiwererevealed.

Fromasmallamountofsoil,sevendenariiwereeventuallyputtooneside and bagged. Another handful yielded another quantity of smallblackened silver Roman coins: more logging and bagging. The coinsrecovered from the sand table, which lay at a depth of about 40

centimeters under the top bed of black peaty soil, were not in goodcondition.Threesmallpearl-coloredstoneswerealsorecoveredfromthecenterofthemass,butatnotimedidIseeanyformofpurseorcontainerforthecoins,whichatthetimeIfoundalittlesurprising.Astheafternoonbegan to draw on, we finally reached the point where no more signalscouldbefoundinthebedofthehole.

It had been a most remarkable day. Within a few hours I hadrecovered89coins,sixfromthemainrectangle,andtheothersfromtheholeitself,plusthethreepearl-coloredstones.Countingthethreedenariifrom the previous weekend, there was now a total of 92 coins bagged,readyforDrSchlüter’s return thefollowingMonday. Ithadbeena longdayandIdecidedthatweshouldrefill theholeandconcealall tracesofourwork.Beforewecommencedrefilling,Ilaidtwoblackdustbinlinersin and around the sides of the excavation to ensure I could ascertainexactlytheouteredgesoftheholewhenIreturned.

Werefilledwiththesoilstraightofftheplasticsheeting,andthenjustbeforewereplacedthegrassclumps,Istakedfourmetaltentpegsintotheground.Oncetheturfshadbeencarefullyreplacedandtheareagenerallytidied,with theexceptionof theflattenedgrass therewasnosignofourearlierexcavations.Satisfied,andwiththeexcitingprospectofbrowsingthroughSeaby’sbooksonRomancoinsthatevening,Icalleditaday.Wemadeourwaybacktothecar,andhome.

ThefollowingweekIspentmyeveningscarefullywashingthecoinstofreethemoftheblackpeat.IalsobeganperusingtheSeabycataloginanefforttoidentifythem.Byweek’sendIwasabletoidentifythegreatmajorityofthecoins.Some50percentwerepre-Republican,andtherestwere Augustan, all in very good condition. One curious aspect of myinitialdatingofthecoinswasthatnoneappearedtobemintedlaterthanSeaby 43, orAugustus 2BC–AD 14, the coin that showed the head ofAugustusCaesarononeside,andonthereversehisgrandsons,CaiusandLuciusCaesar,standingbehindbattleshieldsandcrossedspears.Almostallofthesewereinpristine,newlymintedcondition.Asparkinmymindbegan to turn into a glimmer of light. Iwas extremely impatient to getdown to themuseum and giveDr Schlüter a big surprise on his returnfromholiday!

Thatweekend,IreturnedtothefieldwithalargerdetectorheadontheFisher.Intheunsweptrectanglelyingontheothersideofthecentralfindsite,Ilocatedafurthersevendenarii.Then,fromasweepofthecompletesiteagainIfoundafurthersixcoins—allfairlydeepinthepeatysoil,and

allingoodcondition.Fromagrandtotalof105coinsrecoveredthusfar,there were only three in an advanced state of deterioration. No moresignalswerefound.

Mondayfinallyarrived.IhadalreadyphonedDr.SchlütertosaythatIhad a big surprise for him,whetting his appetite by saying I had found“oneor twoRomancoins.”WhenIcameintohisoffice thatmemorableday,Icarriedalargesee-throughplasticbagwithcountlesssmallerplasticbagsinside.Ihadsegregatedallthecoinstoprotectthemandtoassistinthedatingprocessforthephotographicprocedurestofollow.

Iplacedthebagslowlyonthetableinfrontofhimandstoodbacktoawaithis reaction. Idon’t recallhisexactwords,but Ido rememberhisincredulityandamazement,andmyremark,“Ithinkthisisjustthetipoftheiceberg.”

During those early days there was always a degree of formalitybetweenus;afterall,hehadnoknowledgeofmyaspirationsorintentionswithregards to therecoveryofarchaeologicalfinds.However,fromthattime forward, our relationship developed andbecamemore friendly andeasygoing.Webothagreedthatfortheimmediatefuture,thebestcourseofactionwouldbetokeepthewholeaffairquietforaslongaspossibletoallowhim to set up the correct line of registration operations.After all,such a major treasure trove had never been found in his area ofresponsibility during his thirteen-year tenure as Chief Archaeologist inOsnabrück.

AsDr.Schlüterremovedeachcoinpacketoutofthelargerbag,Itookoneparticularlyfineandattractivecoinandlookedatitclosely.Itwasthecoinweweretoseesomanymoretimesinmyfuturesearches:thefaceofAugustus Caesar, looking to the right, and on the reverse, Caius andLuciusCaesarstandingbehindbattleshieldsandcrossedspears.

ChapterTwo

July1987:AltBarenau

Afterthediscoveryofthefirstcoinhoard,wepreservedsecrecyaboutthefindandthesiteuntil themuseummanagedtocontactotherGermanauthoritiesinvolvedinthepreservationofantiquities.Byfar, thebiggestproblemwasthatafindofthisnaturehadnotbeenmadeformanyyearsin thisareaofnorthernGermany,and the resulting instantpublicity thatmight followcouldhave far-reachingeffectson themuseum’splans fortheimmediatefuture.Therewerealsootherlandownersinthedistrictwhowould not be so enthusiastic at the thought of hundreds of curioussightseers traipsing across their fields. The local farmerwho owned thesitefield,andmuchofthesurroundingarea,camefromafamilythathadhistorical links with the region dating back more than 1,000 years.Although he approved of my surveys of the area, he made it clear hepreferred they not be accompanied by other interested individuals andfreelancehobbyistsarmedwithdetectorsfromotherdistrictsinGermany.Naturally,hestronglysupportedourrequestforstrictsecrecy.

Once the coins had been repackaged by themuseum assistants, Dr.SchlüteropenedupthefirstlineofcommunicationwiththeMünzkabinett(Coin Room), a department of the KestnerMuseum in Hannover. Thisdepartment was managed by Frank Berger, one of the world’s leadingexpertsonRomanandearlycoinage.Hewasarelativelyyoungbutvastlyexperienced scholar, and the resident official at the coin museum. Dr.Berger had always had an avid interest in recovered coins, particularlythose discovered from theOsnabrück area during the 1700s and 1800s.

His thesis was dedicated to those early finds. During those earliercenturies,manyofthosecoinshadbeencollectedbythevonBarfamily,theoldest landowning family in theKalkriese area.ThevonBars couldtracetheirlineageasfarbackas900AD,andtheystillmaintainedlargetracks of land in the district. Strangely enough,my first large findwasfromlandstheyowned.

It had always been assumed that the greater part of the coinsrecovered during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries had beenaccumulatedoveralongperiod,eitherbythefamilybuyingupindividualsmalllotsofcoinsfromalloverGermany,ortheacquisitionofoddcoinsfromtheirownfarmsthatfarmworkersfoundduringtheharvestingandploughing seasons. By 1939, the von Bar Roman coin collection wasrather impressive—certainly for the northern regions of Germany—andcomprisedmanysilverandcoppercoins,aswellassomegoldaureii.Upuntil1945, thecollectionwasmaintainedinthenewerofthetwofamilySchlösser(castles)inKalkrieseknownasGutBarenau,(theolderoriginalfamily Schloss at Alt (old) Barenau, a little over one kilometer away,datedbackto1305).Regrettably,however,theentirecollectionwasstolenduringthefinalmonthsofWorldWarII,apparentlybyoccupyingAlliedforces.Notatraceofthecollectionwasfounduntilforty-fiveyearslaterin1990,whenDr.Bergeruncoveredsomestartlingrevelationsconcerningsomeofthemissingcoins(seeChapterTen).Thankfully,beforeitstheft,theentirecollectionhadbeencarefullylistedandcross-referenced,whichenabledexpertslikeTheodoreMommsentodebatetherealsourceofthecoinsandthereasonfortheirdepositioninKalkriese.

Asaresultoftheselists,thereemergedthefirstremarkablecluethatsomethingfargreaterwasafootthanjustthediscoveryofasingularcoincache.InHannover,Dr.BergerexaminedhisreferencebookstorechecktheoriginallistsofthevonBarcollection.HefoundanuncannysimilaritybetweenthataccumulationandthecacheIhadjustrecovered.Itwasnotsomuchthecomparisonbetweensimilarcoins,buttheclearproximityinthe spread of the age of theminting eras, particularly evidenced by themassofsilverdenarii.Themorehelookedatthegraphsoftheage-spreadofthiscoinage,themoreconvincedhebecamethatthevonBarcollectioncouldneverhavebeenanaccumulationmadeovermanyyearsfrommanydistrictsinGermany.Indeed,itwasnowobviousthecollectionhadbeenputtogetherfromcoinsfoundintheimmediateareaofthevonBarestatesinKalkriese.

Now, twovery similar cacheshadbeen registered in the same area,

andbothfromthesameera.Inneithercollectionweretherecoinsmintedlater than14AD.Furthermore, the greatmajority of thoseminted1–14ADwereinpristinecondition—asiftheyhadbeenissuedandlostaveryshort time after they were minted. According to the mint marks, thesecoins were made between 2 BC and 1 AD in Lyons (Lugdunum) andissuedimmediatelyafter2BC.

Dr.Bergerquicklydivertedhisattentiontoanotherinterestingsourceof information on themovement ofRoman troops during their invasionandoccupationofGermany.Hestudiedanewtheothercoinfindsthathadbeenmadeover thepreceding centuries.Oneof themainRomanLager(forts) that had been positively identified and excavated during the latenineteenthcenturywasthekeyfortofHaltern.ItwasoneofmanymainLagerfortsestablishedbytheRomansontheeast–westaxis throughtheGermanheartland,centeredontheRiverLippe.Afewthousandcoinshadbeen recovered during archaeological excavations of Haltern. Althoughtherewas amarked ratio increase in the number of copper coins foundthereincomparisonwiththeoriginalvonBarcollectionandmyownfind,itwouldbenaturalforaLagercamptouseandretainmorebasecoppercoinage.Still,thedenariuscoingraphsshowedaremarkablesimilarityintheera,age-spread,andconditionofallthreeaccumulations:intheLagerinHaltern,intheoriginalvonBarcollection,andnowinthenewcacheIhaduncovered.

OnceDr.Bergercompleted the initialandabsorbingstudies into theremarkable coincidence of age and condition between all threeaccumulations, he found himself confronted with an unassailable fact:some of the Roman troops occupying Haltern during that period hadsomehow—andpossiblyforsomegoodreason—movedthroughtheareaofKalkrieseduringthesameyear.BaseduponthecomparableconditionoftheAugustancoins,theydidsoduringthesameseasonaswell.

The very clear and conciseRoman historical archives aswritten byTacitus,theRomanhistorian,andCassiusDio,notedthatVarusspenttheearlypartof9ADinHaltern.Indeed,Varus’ownpersonalmint-markedcoinshadbeenfoundthereduringexcavationsinthe1800s.Thesesamerecords also discuss howVarus deployed to summer quarters—possiblyoutalongtheLagercampsontheLippetowardtheGermanhighlands—and ultimately to his summer camp, most likely at Minden, where heremained until the end of the season. Thereafter, little is known withcertaintybecauseVarusandhislegions(theSeventeenth,Eighteenth,andNineteenthEaglesofRome)neverreturned.

After this investigation, Dr. Berger decided it was time to visitOsnabrückandmeetwithDr.Schlüterandme,andmadearrangementstovisitusatKalkriese.

August,1987

In Osnabrück, meanwhile, Dr. Schlüter and I recovered from ourinitialfeelingofeuphoriaandbegandiscussingournextcourseofaction.HewishedtoensurethatbeforeanyfuturemovesweremadeinKalkriese,key landowners in the area were brought fully up to date, and theauthorities in Hannover were provided a good opportunity to study thefind.The legalaspectsconcerning the find itself,headvised,couldbealonganddrawn-outprocedure,but thelandownershouldneverthelessbeofficiallyapprisedofanyfuturedecisionswhentheseweremadeknown.Inallcases,however,thestate,andnottheindividual,assumespossessionofallarchaeologicalfindsorartifacts,whatevertheyturnedouttobe,andIwasthereforeallowedtocontinueadditionalunrestrictedsurveysintheKalkriesearea.

Both Dr. Schlüter and I agreed the next important step was toformulate plans for the immediate future. He requested I continue myresearch and surveys in Kalkriese, unhindered by either bureaucraticagencies or landowners, and issued me with a certificate of authorityidentifyingme as an honorarymember of themuseum’s archaeologicalresearch team. This permit allowedme access to any area of interest Imightwishtoinvestigateinthefuture.Healsodecidedtoinitiateaproperdigonthefindsiteintheautumnmonths,andaskedmeifIwouldliketobeprovidedwithanyfurtherarchivematerialthatmightproveworthyoffurther research. I readily agreed, but stressed that the most importantthingIwoulddoduringthefollowingweekswastorecheckthefindsiteitself, andmake further surveysof the fields and tracks surrounding theadjacentoldmilitaryroad.

Withregardtothearchives,IaskedDr.Schlüternotonlytoseekoutasmuchmaterial as possible on thewhole area ofOsnabrück, but alsoolder local maps, particularly those that showed both field and roadnames.Inaddition,Iaskedforcopiesofanylocalfolklorearchivesfromthesurroundingvillages.

Dr.Schlüter’sownstaffwas stillheavily involved inexcavations inthetowncenterofOsnabrückintheareaofthecathedraland,regrettably,

hewas unable to immediately providemewith any staff assistance.Hewas, however, extremely enthusiastic about going out to the site andlookingovertheareawithme,andweagreedtodosothefollowingweek.

During theweek I leftwork in the late afternoon and, after hurriedmealsof“sandwichesonthehoof,”mademywaybacktothefindareatocontinuemysearchduringtheearlyandsometimeslatesummerevenings.Theimmediateareaofthecachesiteproducedafewmorescatteredcoins,butIspentmostofthetimereconnoiteringthesurroundingfields,meetingthevariouslandowners,andgenerallyorientatingmyselfwiththewaythelandmayhavelookedsometwothousandyearsbefore.

Bymidweek I hadmoved across to the northern extremities of theinitialareaofinterest.There,forthefirsttime,ImettheolderofthevonBar brothers who ran the local estates. As the senior brother, his fullformaltitlewasBaronvonBar.Beingafarmerfirstandforemost,hewasmorethanhappyenoughtodispensewithanyrealformalities.Afterafewmomentswewerehappilyengrossedinconversationaboutthecoinfind.He spent considerable time regalingme about the collection of Romancoins the familyhadownedand subsequently lost at the endof thewarandinvitedmetojoinhiminaguidedtouroftheestatesattheendoftheweek.Hemadeitclearhewasonlytoohappytoshowmethefullextentof the family lands and property—including his two Schlösser. Hewasparticularly enthusiastic about one or two historical points he thoughtmightbeofsignificancetome,andpromisedtodigoutfamilydocumentsforourforthcomingmeetingontheweekend.

BynowIwasalreadygettingadistinct feelingaboutKalkriese,andbeganputtingtogetherideasonroutesandtracklinesrunningthroughthedistrict.Maps of centralGermany have always shown themain area ofRomaninterest tobethecampsrunningnorthandsouthalongtheRiverRhine, the camps running west and east on the River Lippe, and themovementofRomantroopsthroughthenorthGermanplainbetweentheRiverEmsand themore centralRiverWeser, bothofwhichweremainlinks to the north German coast. It has long been believed that legionsmovingbackwesttotheRiversEmsandRhinefromthecentralnorthernplains,whichwereboundedbytheRiverWeser,haddonesoonamilitaryroadormarchlinealongthenorthernedgeofthehillfeaturerunningfromMinden to the north ofOsnabrück and on to thewest. Further researchinto this theory tended to support such an idea, mainly because of therecoveryofscatteredcoinfindsandartifactsalongthelineofhillsitself.OtherGermanhistorians from the nineteenth century (Hartman and von

Altenasche, for example) strongly advocated the existence of twomainroutes between the Rivers Ems and Weser. Nevertheless, the factremained that coin finds had beenmade in fairly large quantities in theOsnabrück area and, in particular, immediately north of the city. TherecoveryofyetanothercacheonlystrengthenedthesuppositionthattherehadbeenastrongRomanmilitarymovementintoandthroughthearea—butfromwhichdirectionintoKalkrieseifnotdueeastfromtheWeser?

I met up with Dr. Schlüter on the site that weekend, where wediscussed our next move. I mentioned the enthusiasm shown by BaronvonBarandthatIwastomeethimagainshortly,andsuggesteditwasanideal opportunity for the three of us to get together and finalize theimmediateplansforthecontinuationofsurveysinthearea,includingtheplanneddigfor theautumn.Ourmeetingwassuccessful.Afterward,Dr.Schlüter returned toOsnabrück for other business and, as promised, theBaron escorted me around the estates including the new schloss, GutBarenau,which had been built during the 1800s, and nomore than onemileawaytheoldSchloss,AltBarenau.Theroadleadinguptoitfromthemainmoorlandcrossroadswaslinedwithaneeriestretchofgnarledandtwistedtrees,eachofwhichleanedawayfromtheelevatedtarmacroadatbizarre angles. Initially, it appeared theweight of the traffic had slowlydepressed theroadsubstructure into themarshlandsbeneath,causing thetreestoleanoutwardfromthecenter.Subsequentinvestigation,however,revealed a lackofproper support for the tree roots in thedeep roadsideditchesas thecauseof thiscuriousphenomenon.Oneof theoldest limetreesinGermanyalsolinedthiscauseway.Itwaspinionedbymetalstaysand uprights to keep it from falling over, its branches also gnarled andtwistedwithage.The treewasbarelyalive,and lookedas though ithadjustbeenplucked fromsomenightmarishGothichorror scene.Theareahadanominous,broodingatmosphere,andreekedofageandtimeslonggone.

The old Schloss was not nearly as awe-inspiring as its newerreplacement,butitwassurroundedwithaquietdignifiedaura.Ithadfirmbricks but crumbling plaster, and its porchways had been bricked up,never to be opened again. The doors of the old carriageway entranceacross themoatwere now shut tight. Inmodern times, access had beencreatedbyanewsmalldrivelaidintothecourtyardcomplex,anditwasfromthere theBaronpointedout themainareasof interest.Mostof theresidence had been converted into small flats, wheremany of the farmworkers in the Baron’s employment lived. The courtyards and grounds

were fairly run down. In some areas, however, large tracks ofundergrowthhadbeencleared,andatoneendofthegroundsaJCBwasparkedalonga largepartiallyexcavatedhole.TheBaronexplained theywere in the process of installing a new pond and linking it to themoatsysteminanefforttobringthegroundsuptoabetterstandardoflayoutandappearance.

AswemovedaroundtothefarendoftheSchloss,theBaronpointedoutwheretheoriginalbuildinghadbeencutshortduetoinsurmountablestructural problems. He explained that the original structure had beensomethirtymeters longer,andat theend therehadonceexistedasmallbuildingthatstoodonitsownjustashortwayfromtheendwall.Onlyapavedareaoffloorwasstillvisibleontheoriginalsite,anditwasherethetwoofusstoodforawhiletotakeinthesurroundings.TheBaronaskedwhetherIwasinterestedinlookingatsomeolddocumentsconcerningthebuildinganditsorigins.Duringtheearly1800s,heexplained,Napoleon’sarmymovedthroughtheareaofKalkrieseonitswaytoRussia,andmanytroopshadcamped inandaround thegroundsof theSchloss.Likemostarmies during most wars, they foraged and pillaged the land throughwhich theymoved to provide food for all their troops.Many buildingsalongthewaywereinvariablytakenoverfortheperiodbythecommandhierarchy of the advancing army. It was during this brief occupation,continuedtheBaron,thattheFrenchtroopshadfullyexploredtheSchlossbuildings,andhadprobablyusedthecastleasaheadquarters.

Ourmeeting remindedme of a story I had picked up in Kalkriese.During those times, French soldiers exploring the surrounding farmingcommunity stumbled upon a small but heavy cloth-wrapped bundle ofshortswordswithheavyflatbladesandlarge,ornamentalbonehandles—a description that matches well the short stabbing swords used by theRomans. These swords, so the story goes, were handed over to a localcommander, who in turn presented them to Napoleon. The Corsicandictator,ashistoryhasrecorded,wasfascinatedbytheRomansandtheirEmpire.

Asissooftenthecasewitholdwives’talesandlocalfolklore,thesestories are based upon real events that had become “foggy” with thepassing of time. Although no reliable documentation has surfaced tosupport thisparticular story, I found theassociationbetween the swordsand the Roman troop movement through this area both interesting andplausible. It also promoted a desire to carry out a survey of the areasurroundingtheSchlossassoonasIcould,andIindicatedasmuchtothe

Baron.Wewalkedbackslowlytothemainbuildingandhesuggestedwego

backtohisresidence,asmallfarmhousejustoffthemaingroundsofthenewSchlossaboutonemileaway.Here,theBaronproducedasmallsetofdocumentsthatwerepartofanoldmagazinearticleprintedinGothic-typeGerman print. Although not fully fluent in German, I had no greatdifficultyunderstandingmuchofwhatwaswritten,andavidlystudiedthesection indicating the family history andAltBarenau.However, it soonbecame clear much of the real detail of what had actually taken placeduringNapoleonic timeswas lost forever, and the final tantalizing truthbehindthestoryof theweaponswouldneverbeknown.Nevertheless, itwasanintriguingstoryfromwhathadalreadybecomeamostfascinatingarea. Before we parted, the Baron mentioned that there were otherinterestingdocuments in the familyarchives,andhewouldmakeeffortstoproducethemforournextmeetingplannedforafewweekshence.

ThefollowingweekpassedquicklyenoughandonSaturdayIarrivedback at the old Schloss to begin my survey of the grounds. I quicklyascertained that thebroaderareasurrounding thebuildingwasoriginallythewet bog area of themoor,much of it having originally been underwater. It appearedmy best chance of success for findswould lie in thegrounds on the southern and eastern edges of the moat, where it wasconsiderably drier, andwhere therewould have been greater activity inpreviousyears.ThegrasswasfairlylongbutdidnotpreventagoodclosesweepofmydetectorheadasImovedupanddownthefieldnexttothemoat.

After but a few moments the sharp Fisher ringing tones rang out.Althoughnotthedouble-barreledtoneofaclearcoinsignal,itwasagoodfirmsound. Iquicklycutaway the turf, laid itbackandgently loosenedtheblacksoil.Apatchofreddish-greymetalwaseasilyseenandIgentlypulled away the loose earth to revealwhat looked like a small pyramidwith a small eyelet at the apex. Itwasmadeof lead andwas obviouslysometypeofplumborweight,butitscuriousaspectwasthesmalleyeletattheapexofthepyramid.AsthedayprogressedIfoundafewotherleadobjects, some not so readily identifiable, and a cross section of coinagefromthe1700sand1800s.Nothingelsewasuncoveredascuriousasthesmallleadpyramid.AttheendofthedayIpackagedallthefinds,andaspart of the original agreement I hadmadewithDr. Schlüter, took themdowntothemuseumduringthecourseofthefollowingweekforhisstafftoexamine.

During thenext fewweeks Iwasheavily involvedwithmymilitaryduties, but as the end of the summer drew near,mywork and ongoingsurveys in Kalkriese continued with unmitigated enthusiasm. Manyevenings and weekends were spent crisscrossing the fields surroundingthesiteof thecoincache.Local farmerswerequicklybecomingused tothelonefigurewalkingupanddownthefieldswithmapsand“electronicmine detectors,” and were themselves an ever-increasing source of oldwives’talesandareafolklorefromtimesgoneby.

Each evening after a day’swork, I packaged the finds and droppedthemoffatregularintervalsatthemuseumstaffoffices.Nothingstartlinghad been said about the curious lead pyramid plumb, and I thought nomoreaboutitatthetime.Thatwasabouttochange,however.Ipurchasedseveral new reference books on Roman activity in Europe and wasbrowsing through one when I noticed a simulated photo of a pair ofRoman soldiers measuring lines in preparation to laying down a road.Suspendedfromeachpartofthefour-squareplumb-lineinstrumentweresmall inverted lead pyramids hanging upside down, their apex pointsbeing used as line of sight indicators!After a bitmore study it becameevident I had unearthed a Roman groma, a road-surveying device usedextensivelybytheRomanswhenbuildingmilitaryroads.

The following day I dropped into the museum and showed Dr.Schlütermybookandtherelevantphoto.Heimmediatelywentouttotherestorer’s office, where many of the artifacts were laid out forexamination, and picked up the small lead pyramid. It matched thereferencephotoexactly,butDr.Schlüterpointedout that theholeat theapex of the pyramid indicated a scalesweight. Therefore, itwas not aninvertedgroma.Althoughnotnecessarilyofa“military”nature, thefindwasofgreat interest tobothofus,andDr.Schlüteraskedtoborrowthenewreferencebook,assomeoftheothercontentsandphotoswerenewtohisexperience.

HavingnowprocessedthelegalaspectsenablingarchaeologicalworktoproceedinKalkriese,Dr.Schlüterinformedmethatexcavationswouldbeginon the coin site in the near future, and askedwhether Iwould beavailabletohelpoutonthedigitself.Regrettably,myworkscheduledidnotallowfortimeduringtheday,butIwouldbeabletodropintothedigduringlunchbreaks,andpossiblylookoverthespillsoilfromthedigintheeveningsafterwork.HewasanxiousthatIdothis,andinformedthedigteamofmyintentions.

Iarrivedat thesiteduring theMonday lunchhour,whereworkwas

already well under way and a cross-hatch method of excavation haduncoveredmuchoftheturfedarea.Iwasinitiallyamusedtoseethehugeclumsymetaldetectorthatwasbeingusedbythedigteam—aremnantoftheSecondWorldWarandatfirstsight,moresuitedforminesthansmallcoinsandartifacts.Unfortunately,theold-styleminedetectorwasmissingmanyof thesmallsilverdenariiembedded in thesoil. I suggested that Ire-sweep theexcavateddirtat theendofeachday toensurenoartifactsand coinswere beingmissed. I also requested thatmy specialist Fisher1265Xdetectorbeputtouseduringthediggingofthemainareasoftheexcavations.Attheendoftheweek,thedigteamhadrecoveredsome25coinsfromtheexcavations.MuchtotheastonishmentofthedigteamandtothedelightofDr.Schlüter,Irecoveredafurther30coinsfromthegrassturfsandthedigspillsoilattheendofeachday.

Duringtheweek,FrankBergeronceagaincamedownfromHannoverto visit with us and discuss the finds. All the coins were now beingcleanedandphotographedinthemuseum,andDr.BergeraskedthattheybesenttoHannoverforfurtherexamination.Healsorequestedthatfuturefindsbemadedirectlyavailabletohimforresearch.Dr.Schlüterreadilyagreed and confirmed that I was going to continue to surveyKalkrieseduringthecomingautumnandwintermonths,andaskedthatIkeepthemapprised of developments. To date,more than 160 coins had now beenrecoveredfrommyfirstfindsiteandthesurroundingarea.IphotographedthecompletecollectionbeforeitwentofftoHannover.

Itwas an impressive accumulation andnearly a twinof the originalvonBarcollection—afactwellrecognizedbyFrankBerger.

ChapterFour

EarlyApril,9AD:RegroupingatHaltern

Marcus Aius, Senior Tribune and the second in command underQuinctilius Varus, Legate of Rome, and Governor of the NorthernCommandinGaul,stoodatthefrontofthemainfirstaidpostofthelageratHaltern.Helookedoutacrossthesteepslopeanddowntothesouthernedgeofthefortresstothemainquayandjettiesontheriverbankbelow.TheRiverLippewas swollenwith springwaters runningdown from thehighlands to the east, and the currents weremaking hard work for theboats moving up the river from the west. Their loads includedreinforcements from the Rhine. A large number of vesselswere stackedalong the river bank downstream, impatiently waiting to disgorge theirtroopsandstoresatthemainportarea.

Essential supplies for the reinforcements were usually carriedpiecemeal from the forts along the Rhine. Because of the increasingnumberofreportsofunrestinthenortherncommandareas,thelagersontheLippewereorderedtobereinforcedwithacompletechangeofguard.This, in turn, would allow the resident legions under Varus to movefarther east up the Lippe in preparation for their annual foray into thehighlandsandbeyondtothesummercampatMinden,wheretheywouldcollecttaxesandpaymentsinkindfromGermantribes.

Regrettably,manyofVarus’ troopswere immunes,acollective termusedtodescribethemorecommonsupportelementsofthelegions.Simplyput, theywerenothighquality legionaries.Manyhadbecomeabit softduring their comparatively easy tenure in the German province, wheretheycarriedoutVarus’policingroutines.Theirdutiesmadeforabettersoldier’slife,butdidlittleinthewayofkeepingskillsrazorsharp.Indeed,themajorityofVarus’ legionariesweresoldierswhowere,by theirveryconditions of service, granted exemptions from heavier chores andfatigues. These men worked at a wide variety of tasks and included

surveyors, orderlies and dressers, ditchers, furriers, architects,shipwrights, artillerymen, glass fitters, smiths of all varieties, wagonmakers, and many more skilled and unskilled workers. Included in thesame category were butchers, huntsmen, animal keepers, workshoppersonnel,clerks,orderlyroomstaff,payclerksresponsibleformoneyleftondeposit,clerksresponsible forpayments to the troops,grooms,horsetrainers,armorySergeants,trumpetersandheralds,andmanymore.

The reason for this state of affairs was simple. Varus’ role asGovernorof theregionrequiredhim todo littlemore thangather tithesand taxes from the local tribes, and oversee an area that had notexperiencedsignificantunrestorrebellionduringhistenureinoffice.Hiscommandwasnolongerthehigh-caliberfightingforceitoncewas.By9AD, it had become a stale, apathetic collection of men, whose primaryresponsibilities consisted of littlemore than standing guard in the fortsalongtheLippeandescortingthetaxconsulonhisperiodicvisitstothelocaltribes.

Of better caliber were the German auxiliaries attached to Varus’legions.TheircommanderwasArminius,afearlesswarriorwithasharpmind and a good grasp of tactics. Marcus Aius watched as Arminiusmoved up through the camp towardVarus’ headquarters, laughing andjokingwithoneofhisunitcommanders.Bothwere inhighspiritsat thethoughtoftheforthcomingmoveupriver.

Aswashishabit,Arminiuswasgesticulatingwildlywhiledescribingtohiscompanionsometacticalmaneuverofabygoneaction.ThepairofGermans passed within a few meters of where Marcus was standing.Arminiusnoticedhimthere,watching.

“Hail,MarcusAius,SeniorTribuneoftheLegion.”Marcusnoddedinreply.“The troops are here in great numbers.We begin the move up the

riversoon,”continuedArminius.“Willthegodslookkindlyuponusandserveuswithgoodweatherforthesummerthisyear?Mymenareeagertogetoutfromthisstinkingcampandbreathesomegoodcleanairinthehighlands.Whatsayyou?”

“Donotjestwherethegodsareconcerned,Arminius,”Marcusshotback. “You may call up a mighty storm by your lack of respect, andstormswedonotwantwhenwemove into thehighlandsonourmarch.Best you make an offering this evening and make penance for yourflippancy,orthegodsmaymakeyoupayforsuchremarks.”

An amused Arminius laughed aloud. “Me, pay? I think not! The

paymaster has arrivedwith his bags of silver and gold, and the face ofmightyAugustusshinesasbrightlyaseveroneachandeverynewcoinwehave.Look,seehere.”TheGermanshookoutahandfulofcoinsfromhislargemoneypouch.“Youseehowbrightlythesenewcoinssparkleinthesun!Tonight,IshallseehowmanymoreIcanwinwhenIchallengemymanheretoagameofchance.Perhapsyouwouldjoinus,MarcusAius?”

“No!” came the Tribune’s curt reply. “I have no time for suchmatters.ImustmakepreparationsforthemoveandspeakwithVarus.Wehavenotyetreceivedourpromisedcavalryunits.Itwouldnotbewisetomove into the highlands before they have joined us.”Marcus paused amoment before adding, “Again I say to you, do not mock the gods,Arminius.Youmayruethedayyoutookthemlightly.”Withaquicknodofdismissal,MarcusAiusmovedawaytowardthegateandthedocks.

Arminius watched him for several moments before turning to hisfriendandfellowcommander,Wodenicus.“ItisnotIthatwillruethedaybutMarcusAius.HeandhisfellowRomanswillsoonenoughregret theday theyset footonGermansoil torapeandpillageour land.Wehavepaidtoomanytaxesandtithestotheseaccursedpeople,oldfriend.Soonwewillput things torightandremove themfromour landonceand forall. Mark my words,” he added bitterly, holding up a silver denariusclearlystampedwiththeEmperor’saquilinefeatures.“Thisfacewillnolonger haunt me in my dreams.” With that, he threw the coin to theground and followed it with his foot, angrily stamping it into the soilbeforemovingoffupthehillwithWodenicustoVarus’headquarters.

On theother sideof theaidpost, the chiefdoctorof the legionhadbeencleaninghis instrumentsafterperformingseveralminoroperationsduringthemorningsickparade.AGreekbybirth,hehadoverheardtheexchange between Marcus Aius and Arminius. When the Romancommanderhadmovedoff,however,thewindchangeddirectionslightly,and Arminius’ acidic commentary to Wodenicus had been lost on thebreeze.WhenhesawtheexpressionofpurehateandrageonArminius’face, however, a shiver shot up theGreek’s spine.Hewatched in quietshockastheGermanleaderthrewdownasilvercoinandstampeditwithhisboot.Oncethewarriorsleft,thedoctorcouldnotresistthetemptationto walk over to where the men had stood. He continued cleaning hisbronze gaugewhile scanning the groundwith his eyes.A small glint ofsilverinthemuddyearthcaughthiseye.TheGreeklookedfurtivelyaboutbeforebendingoverquickly topickupthecoin.Heturneditover inhishand.OnthereversesidewasstampedthepictureofthebrothersCaius

andLuciusCaesar,standingbehindbattleshieldsandcrossedspears.Thedoctorclaspedthecointightlyinhishandashewalkedbackto

hisinstruments.Theepisodewashighlyunsettling.Whatcoulditpossiblymean?

ChapterEight

May,9AD:TheLostReconnaissancePatrol

Theextendedpatrolof theeight-manreconnaissanceteamcarrieditintothemostnorthernstretchesof therollinghills.Itwasoneofahalf-dozen such groups, dispatched by Marcus Aius to move stealthily butswiftly through the highlands to reconnoiter villages and largersettlements. Their task was to glean as much information as possibleabout the lands and temperament of the highland tribes, estimate thenumberofwarriorsandvillagersineachoftheareasthelegionsweretovisit, and calculate the cattle and food stocks available in each of thevillage communities. Successful foraging was critical, for the soldierscouldnotsubsistonthefoodcarriedintheirwagonsandontheirbacks.

Although Varus’ legions were supported by Arminius’ Germanmercenaries, who provided advance scout groups and flankreconnaissance parties, the Romans also maintained an independentreconnaissance company within their own formations. This outfit,comprised of the fittest and bravest Legionares, was selected from allranks of the legions and formed into small, efficient squads. It wasseparate from the other contubernia that formed the basic unit of theRoman legions, but part of the first cohort—the senior cohort of eachlegion. Although many of the soldiers currently marching in the threelegionswerestaleandsecond-ratewarriors (andsomewereuntested inbattle),themenofthereconnaissanceunitswerethelegions’finest.Theirvast experience gathered from countless expeditions and engagementsmadethemtheenvyof theirpeers.Theaccuracyof the informationtheygleanedfromthesurroundingcountryside,andthespeedwithwhichthisinformation was communicated back to the legion commanders, was ofprimaryimportancetothehealthandsafetyofthearmy.

Asthepatrolmovedforwardupalongwoodedriseintheheartlandof theCherusci tribe, theareaknown locallyas the“TeutonHills,” the

lead legionarycaughtsightofsmallwispsofsmokedrifting into theskyfromtheothersideoftherise.Withoutasound,hishandsignalsspreadthesevenothersoldiersouttotheleftandright.Notamanspokeasthesoldiers quietly eased theirway up toward the crest of the small ridge.Justbeforetheyreachedthetop,theleadscoutgesturedforthemtogotoground.Withinafewsecondseverymanwasproneexcepttheleader,whocautiouslyedgedclosertothetoponhishandsandknees.

Though the hill held a thick undergrowth of oak, there was littleundergrowth here and his view in every direction was good. As heapproachedthefinalleveloftherise,heedgedforwardandslowlyliftedhishead.NestledinthevalleyonthefarsidewasalargeGermantribalsettlement.Heexhaledslowlyashiseyescarefullystudiedtheoutwardlypeacefulvillage.Butsomethingwaswrong.Anairofmenacehungheavyin the haze of the afternoon sunshine: the settlement was dead quiet.Althoughsmokewasdriftingfromanumberofcookingfires,notaman,woman,orchildwasinsight.

The scout edged forward to obtain a better view into the centralportionofthehuttedsettlement.Aftercrawlingthroughalargeclumpofforest ferns, he gently parted the palm-like fronds to look beyond. Thesoldier stifleda shockedgasp.Theopencentralareaof the villagewasnowwithinview,aswasagatheringofhundredsuponhundreds,perhapseventhousands,oftribesmen.Someweresitting,otherswerestanding,buttogethertheyformedahugecircle.Intherearwerehundredsofwomenand children. Every person present was listening in rapt awe to a tallpacingfigureaddressingthegathering.

TheRomanknewenoughabout theGermanstoknowameetingthislargehad toconsistofseveral tribesbesides theCherusci.Whowas thelone figurepacing,gesturing,andspeaking to thegatheredwarriors?AforceofGerman tribesmen this sizewasunheardof duringVarus’ two-yearreignasConsuloftheGermanprovince.Achilledrealizationstruckthescout.Therecouldbeonlyonereasonforpullingtogethersuchlargecollectionofarmedmen.

His curiosity to learn more was tempered by a surge of fear andadrenaline.HehadtogetthisinformationbackquicklytothelegionssothecommanderscouldtakewhateveractionswerenecessarytoquellwhatlookedtohimtobeanuprisingwithintheTeutonhilltribes.Althoughhehadnotbeenabletoclearlyseethechieftainatthecenterofthemassedtribesmen,hecouldmakeouthisstrangelyfamiliarwingedhelmet.

Thescoutwasslowlyeasinghiswaythroughthefernswhenheheard

a blood-curdling scream from one of the legionaries to his rear. Theterrifiedshriekendedabruptly,drownedoutbythebattleyellsandhowlsof at least twenty Teuton warriors who burst from the woods on theirflanksandfromtheirrear,swiftlyhackingandcuttingintotheprostratedRomans spread out and defenseless across the slope. A woundedLegionaire moaned and twisted on the bloody ground until a helmetedCheruscian standing next to him lifted his sword and, with one swiftstroke, cleanly decapitated the prostrate soldier. Another Roman a fewyards away was on his knees, his sword arm nearly severed above theelbow and hanging limply down his side. Before he could pick up hisgladiuswithhislefthand,threelargeGermanshauledhimtohisfeetandkickedanddraggedhimuptothecrestanddownthefarsidetothehuttedsettlement.Aquickdeathontheslopewouldhavebeenablessing.SeveralCherusciremainedbehindtostripthecorpsesofweaponsanduniforms.Within a few minutes they, too, were on their way back to the village,laughing and refighting the ambushwith hand gestures and fake swordandspearthrusts.

Stunnedbythesuddenlethalambush,theleadscoutforcedhimselftostay flat on the ground, surrounded by the thick bed of ferns. Theafternoonsunbeatdownonhimandhisbodydrippedwithsweat.Itwasnotthesunthatmadehimwet,butthescreamsofhiswoundedcompanionechoinguptherisefromthevillage.TheGermansweretorturinghim.Hisbody was stretched upside down on a rack of wooden slats while hiscaptors performedunspeakableacts of cruelty onhis tornandbloodiedform.Theyaskednotasinglequestion,foritwasnotanswerstheywereseeking.Theyonlywantedscreamsandsuffering.Thetorturewentonforseveral hours, and by the time the afternoon sun was nestled on thehorizon, the soldier’s tortured screams had fallen away into anguishedwhimpersofdespair.

All thewhile thescouthadremainedstill, listened,enduring,unabletorenderassistance.Thesundroppedofftheedgeoftheworld,andastheeveningshadowslengthened,hegentlyworkedhiswaybackthroughtheundergrowth.Within a fewminutes hewas on the rear slopewhere hiscompanions,strippedoftheirclothinganduniforms,laynaked,bloodied,anddead.

He rose to one knee and listened. After looking carefully in everydirection,hebeganrunningdowntheslope,hunchedoverasclosetotheground as possible. A final piercing scream, now far in the distance,chased him down the slope as a hot ironwas laid on torn flesh. As he

alternately ran and stumbled down the long hillside, he suddenlyrememberedwhere he had seen thewinged helmet of the chieftainwhohadbeenaddressingthemassedtribes.

Whilethescoutingteamwasbeingslaughtered,thethreelegionswererestingin their temporarycamp, threedays’marchfromtheriverLippeand the last permanent lager of Anreppen.Marcus Aius relaxed in thecanopied porch of Varus’ large sprawling headquarters tent. A warmgentlebreezewaftedthroughtheheatoftheearlysummerafternoonandacross the open porch, disappearing into the inner recesses of themarquee.He thought back over the three-daymarch to the highland. Ithad been a long, hot, and dusty journey. The heat of the earlyGermansummerpermeatedeveryporeofthebody.Thoughnotaneasymarch,thetroops suffered it reasonably well. Sweating and cursing under theirbreath,as troopsalwayshave, they toiledstepbystepacross theplainsaway from the upper reaches of the river and the security of the mainforts.Theunusuallyhotconditionssloweddowntherearechelonsofthecolumn.Theiroxenandcarts,donkeysandhorse-drawnpanniers,withasnail’sponderousbutdeterminedrollingmovement,madetheirlethargicway forward. Large clouds of dust rose above them and hovered lazilyoverhead. The usual five-mile spread between themain column and thesupportingechelonslengthenedasthehourspassed.

Thoughoutwardlycalm,MarcusAius’mindwasnotat rest.Oneofthe reconnaissance patrols was missing. It was to have returned thepreviouseveningwiththeothers.Thecompletesection—alleightmenandthereconnaissancecommander—haddisappeared.Itwasacapableteam,heassuredhimself.Themenwouldarrivesoon.TheTribunetookalongdrinkofcoolwaterandwatchedtheearlyeveningactivityunfoldaroundhim.

Theunendingneedfor freshwaterwasoneof thecriticalaspects inthemovementofanarmy.Onceonthemarch,Romantroopssetanormalday’spacewhich,ifnecessary,couldbedoubledtoamarch-and-runpacenoarmyintheworldcouldequal.Thefirstmarchoftheday,normallyaneight or ten mile stretch, carried them to a forward logistical pointestablished ahead of time by reconnaissance parties. Once rested andreplenished with food and water, the legions set out again on theafternoonmarch.Bythetimetheyreachedtheovernightcamp(apositionselected well in advance of arrival), the forward pioneers, guarded by

elements of the leading legion, were already well on their way tocompleting the night’s lager, establishing the security perimeter, andsettinguptheguardrosters.Onlywhenthesegruelingpreparationswerecompletedidthemenrelaxandpreparetheireveningmeals.

The commanders’ tents and accommodations were always speedilyerected. This was done so when the center guard that maintained aprotectiveshieldaroundthelittersandcarriagesofVarus’cortègemovedinside the fort, the Consul could transfer from his litter to the coolrecesses of the shaded porches of his tent. Chests of personal chattelswereopened.Tablesweresetwithgoldandsilverchalicesbrimmingwithwater and wine. Bowls of fresh fruits were spread across the tables.Marcus Aius reached for some now, grabbing a handful of green sourgrapes.Aslightcommotionatoneendof the lagercaughthisattention.Theheadofthesupportechelonwasarriving.

The rear echelons always had a much longer day, trekking behindtheircounterpartsinthemainforceasfastastheslowestox-drawncart.Thecombinationof fitfulmovementandoverpoweringheatanddust leftthemmore exhausted than their comrades in the faster-moving forwardlegions. As Marcus Aius knew only too well, the rear elements woulddribbleintotheovernightfortthroughouttheearlyevening,withthelightfromcampfiresflickeringandblazingbrightlytoguidethem.Legionariesat theheadof therearguardwerecursingtheirplightastheyarrivedinthelager,spittingoutthedustofthelongday’smarchthroughdriedandparched lips. Marcus Aius smiled to himself as he thought back to thedayswhenhemarchedattherearofsomanylong-forgottencolumns.

Theday’s laborswerenot yetatanend.Theanimalshad tobe fedandwatered,storesreplenishedanddistributed,andthecommandreportssubmittedtothelegioncommanders.Allthesedutieshadtobeperformedbeforethetroopscouldrelaxforthenight.Onlythenwouldthescatteredcursingandhottempersbereplacedwithoddshoutsofraucouslaughterechoingacrossthecompoundassomeluckysoldierwonaprofitableplayof dice. A guard reported his station manned and secure. Anotherreportedthesamething.Andanother.Therearechelonsfinallysettledforthe night, their marching comrades-in-arms already well into theirslumbersordeeplyimmersedinagameofchance.Withinafewhoursthedicewouldbestillandthelegionssoundlysleeping.

InVarus’marquee,theConsulwassurroundedbyhiscloseentourageof legioncommandersandhis second incommand.Theywereseated inaninformalgroup,sippingwineandeatingfromtheheavilyladentables

offoodlaidoutbeforethem.Varus approached and sat next toMarcus Aius at the tented porch

entrancetowatchthebuzzofactivitysurroundingthem.VarusturnedtoMarcusAiuswithacupofwineinonehandandaleg

ofgrilledchickenintheother.“Tomorrow,Iwanttochangethetacticalformationofourorderofmarch,MarcusAius.Ihavehadtowaitalongtimeforourrearechelonstocatchupwithustoday,andmysuppliesandQuartermaster’sspecialprovisionsforourownpleasureandsustenancehave been sadly missed—until now. Even my wines were not broughtforwardquicklyenough!”Hegavehalfalaughbeforeturningtofacetheecheloncommander.“Whatsayyou,CommanderFlavius?”

“Your lordship’s wishes are but my command, sire,” answeredFlavius.“Withyourpermission,sir,on themorrow the fullechelonwillmoveforwardcentrallyinthehornofthelegions’advance,andwhenwehaltagaintomorroweve,youwillhaveallyourcomfortsandsustenanceimmediately to hand. I personally guarantee it.” Flavius shot theQuartermasterameaningfulglance.

“Sire,” interjected Marcus Aius, “I have no wish to appear todisagreewithyourorder,but tohave themainechelons traveling in thehornof theadvancewill sorelyhamperany tacticaldeploymentwemayhave to make. The wagons, hod carriers, and store packets will makecontrolofallelementsnearthefrontdifficulttomaintain—particularlyifwehavetomakearadicalshort-noticechangeinourorderofbattle.”

“MarcusAius,”answeredVarus,“youarewithoutdoubtoneof thefinest commanders Rome has ever seen. Your command and control inmany campaignsandbattleswill be forever etched in theannalsof ourmightyEmpire,andyouaremytrueandvaluedadviserandfriend.ButImust disagree with your reservations. Why should we make our lifeunbearable? Here in this Teuton wasteland of Germanic tribes we areomnipotent,weareunbeatable,andweareheremerely tocontinueouroccupation and gather taxes and tithes from these uneducated, long-haired,so-calledtribes.Theyarenothreattous.”Varusfinishedhislegofchickenbeforecontinuing,wipingawaythegreasewiththebackofhishand.“Theonlythingthatconcernsmeisthatweshouldfinishthisforaythroughthehighlands tooursummercampwellbefore thenextsummerheatwavestrikesus.Bythen,Iwishusall tobetuckedupsafelyinourquartersatMinden,alongsidethepleasantwatersoftheWeser,wherewecan bathe and relax, and consider the next partition of the Germanhinterlandstotheeast.”

“Iunderstandwell,sire,”MarcusAiuscarefullyanswered,“butitismydutytowarnyouofmytacticalconcerns,andIstillhavereservationsabout the reorganization as you propose.” Marcus Aius fixed his gazesquarely on the Quartermaster. “We will make the integration of theechelonsintothehornofthelegionanorderlyandcontrolledevent.Itaskthe Quartermaster to ensure that order is maintained throughout ouradvance,particularlywhenwemovedeeperintotheTeutonHills,whereitwillbedifficulttodeployintoournormalbattleformationsunderthebestofcircumstances.”

Andsothedecisioncametobemade,afatefulonethatwoulddoomVarus’legionswhentheymovedbacktowinterquartersattheendofthelonghotsummer.

The surviving commander of the reconnaissance patrol ran throughthewoodsforthebetterpartofanhourwithoutstoppingtorest.Hisonlythoughtwasreachingthemaincolumnandwarningthementhatenemytribesweregatheringand treacherywasafoot.Outofbreath,he finallyallowedhimselftostopforafewmomentswhenhereachedthebankofafast-runningstream.Ashestood,handsonhishipsandhisbreathcomingindeepgulpsthatburnedhislungs,ajavelinfromanearbylineoftreeshissed through theairandembedded itself inhisback.He lookeddownwith shock at the bloody metal tip protruding from his chest. With astrangledcry,hethrewhisarmsintotheair,wadedafewstaggeredstepsintothequick-flowingwater,andpitchedforwardintothecurrent.

Spring1990

By the late spring of 1990, the full extent of the enormousarchaeological digs inKalkriesewasvisible for all to see.Thedigshadmovedwelloutof the lineofwoods from theknoll andwere spreadinginexorablyacrosstheopenfield.Therewerenowexcavationsmorethan200yardssquareandtwoyardsdeep.Morecutswerebeingmadeasthearchaeologistspursuedwhat theynowbelievedwas thesiteof thebattleoftheTeutoburgerWald.

Was it really here that the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and NineteenthLegions under Varus, Governor of the Germanic tribes in northern

Europe, met their end? Nobody could yet say for certain how manylegionaries had died here at the hands of the Germans. The cries ofthousands of men caught in the middle of an ambush, dying in thehundreds,couldnotactuallybeheard2,000yearslaterinthehazyspringof1990,buttheycouldcertainlybefelt,astheenormityofthemassacrebecamemore andmore apparent as the digs progressed and theRomanartifactscametolight.

I satquietlyon topofoneof thehighbanksofexcavatedearthandsand, watching the archaeological teams at work in a huge hole in theground.Sketching,drawing,measuring the lines, checking the findsandartifacts,plottingthelengthoftheambushwallasitcurvedawaytowardthe far eastern sideof the fieldwhere theyearbefore, amongmymanyother finds, I had recovered the lonedenarius. I stayedawhile atop themound,takingintheatmosphereoftheplace,mythoughtstuggingawayatthevariousquestionsthegroundinvestigationsraisednearlyeveryday.Thereweresomanyquestionswaitingforanswers.

Bythistime,therewasreallynolongermuchdoubtthatthiswasthesite of the final battle, where Varus’ legions had met their end. Still,nagging uncertainties about the full extent of the action at this point ofambush were a source of considerable debate and argument. I had re-examined much of the original archival material, including the earlyhistorians—particularly Tacitus—and was slowly but surely becomingconvincedthathisinterpretationoftheVarusbattlewasthecorrectone.

According to Tacitus, once Varus realized he was about to bedefeated,hehad takenhisown lifeon“the second”nightor “the final”nightof theengagement. If true, itwas logical toassumetheactionwassomeformofa runningbattlespreadacross twoormoredays—orevenlonger. If so, it was also likely the fighting had covered many milesthroughthewoodedhighlands.Ifso,fromwhatdirectionhadthelegionscome? What route did they take to arrive at this final place ofannihilation?

Accordingtothefewsurvivorswholivedtotellaboutthehorrorstheywitnessed, theweather had been exceedingly bad.A late summer stormhadcaughttheminwoodedhighlands,itsforcestrikingthemintheflank.AnditwasfromtheflanksthatGermantribesmenhadpickedandpulledthedisciplinedranksofthelegionstopieces.Hemmedinbythestormandthe wooded hills, the Romans had not been able to deploy into theirnormal tactical formations for battle. Their problems were furtherexacerbated by the presence of the rear echelon train in the core of the

advancingthree-legionforce.The scenario painted by the survivors, if accurate, does not support

the other favored theory: that the legions had made a normal westerlyadvance from Minden, along the northern flank of the Wiehengebirge,whichraneast-westtotheKalkriesefeature,withthewetmoorlandslyingimmediately to the north.The summer storms inGermany always blowoutofthewest,triggeredbyamixtureofwarmandhumidfrontsrushinginto the gaps created as other warm fronts rise and draw in additionalcurrents,creatingenormousdeepdepressions.Theyarenotoriousfortheirferocity,andif thelegionshadadvancedfromMinden, theywouldhavemetthestormhead-on—notfromtheflank.Ifso,forwardprogresswouldhave been nigh-on impossible. Furthermore, there are no highlandsbetween Minden and Kalkriese, as such, but just the foot of theWiehengebirge ridge line with the wetlands to the north. The Romanswould never have unnecessarily put themselves into a compressedformationbymovingalongthetopofaridgeline.Inmyestimation,theMindentheorywasheavilyflawed.

ButifVarushadnotapproachedfromMinden,hemusthavecomeupfromthehighlandsbetweentheRiverLippeandthelandstothenorth,thelongrangeofrollinghillsknownastheTeutoburgerWald,whichswingsnorthwesttotheunderbellyofOsnabrückbeforepeteringouttothenorth,whereitconvergeswiththeKalkrieseBerg.Thelegionsmusthavemovedthrough one of the passes east ofKalkriese. If so, they almost certainlywouldhavebeenattackedthereaswell,inanearlybottleneck. Another thought crossed my mind. If Varus committed suicide (asTacitus claimed) in his final overnight camp position, perhaps inside ahastilyerectedlager,theremnantsofhiscommandmusthavebrokenoutfromthelagerandmovedwestwardtowardthefriendlyoccupiedareasoftheEms andRhine rivers, perhapsduring the earlymorning, perhaps atfirst light, when the enormity of their commander’s disgrace and theirloomingdefeatbecameahorrifyingreality.

Kalkriesewas slightlymore than sixmiles from the firstmain passthatleddownandthroughtothesouthandeastandtherollinghillsoftheTeutoburgerWald.Sixmileswasnot far for theLegionaries to traverse.Even if theywere sorely tired andhadwoundedwith them, theywouldhavebeenabletocoverthatdistanceinarelativelyshorttimeandreachedthenarrowgaplyingbetweenthemorassoftheDievenwetlandsandtheKalkrieseBerg,cappedoffbyasmallwoodedknoll.WhatIneededwereextensiveaerialphotographsofthelandtotheeast,wherethemainpasses

cutthroughtotheTeutoburgerWaldandbeyond.My reverie was cut short when an excited cry rose out of the

excavations100yardsawayfromwhereIwassitting.Iquicklyroseandtrottedtothedigsite.Theexcavatingteamhadbeenorderedtopreservesomemodicumofreserveastheycarriedouttheirwork,soasnottobringparticular notice of any find to interested onlookers passing along themain highway south of the digs. On this occasion, however, theexcitementofthetwoworkerswasreadilyapparentwhentheycalledouttoattract theattentionof thearchaeologistsbusy in theworkhutsoff tothesideoftheexcavationsite.

Awholearea lyingalong thenorthernedge(theRomanside)of theambushwallwascurrentlybeingexcavated,thetwoFisher1265Xsbusilyringingouttheir“goodfind”tonesasthesearchersclearedeachsectiontoenable the diggers to take the level down a few inches more. Tuckedagainst the base of the wall, a prolific number of artifacts were nowcomingtolight.Theseincludeduniformfittings,shieldbosses,spearandjavelinheads,bronzebuckles,andmanysmalleruniformlinkplates.

When I arrived at the trench I discovered the reason for the excitedshouts. There, in the archaeologist’s palm, were two small embossedbronzeseals.TheywerefoundashortdistancefromthesitethatgaveupthecloakclaspsofMarcusAius.ThesealmatrixlookedtobeareliefofVarus’ head, as portrayed on his ownminted coins ofAchalla inNorthAfrica.

AD9—Mid-MayontheRoutetoSummerCamp

Centurion Gaius Claudius Suebus strode into the Consul’s tent,saluted Varus and, in turn, Marcus Aius, and then issued a startlingreport:“Sire,wehavefoundoneofthemissingcohortscouts.Heisbadlywounded fromaspear in theback,andwill likelynot livemuch longer.Heisdeliriousandtryingtospeak,butitisdifficulttounderstandhim.”

Marcus Aius jumped up from his chair. “Where was he found?”snappedtheTribune.

“He was clinging to a log floating down the river north of ourlocation,”answeredtheCenturion.“Hewasinthewaterforsometime.Thesurgeonisattendingtohimnow,buthesaysthereislittlehope.Doyouwishustobringhimhere?”

“‘No,”saidVarus,whowasalsostandingbythistime.“MarcusAius

andIwillaccompanyyoutothesickbay.Leadtheway,GaiusSuebus,andbringmyquarterguardwithus.”

The men made their way through the central concourse of thetemporary lager to the surgeon’s post and sickbay. The Romans hadperfected theart ofmedical care in the field, frombasic first aid to themost advanced medical treatment possible. Each legion, each auxiliaryunit,infantrybattalion(cohort),andcavalryregimentwasequippedwithits own medical team, headed by a doctor. This team included trainednursing orderlies who could be seconded to the Legion Centuries foroperationalreasons,orwhenasubunitwasondetachment.

The Praefectus Castrorum, or second in command of a legion, wasresponsibleforthesicksoldiersandthemedici(medics)wholookedafterthem. Hospital buildings were normally provided within permanentlegionary fortresses; until these were built or when a unit was on acampaign,afieldhospitalwassetupintentedaccommodation.

With Varus in the lead, the men converged on the third cohort’ssickbayandenteredthecomplex.Inthedimlightofaflickeringtorchtheycould make out the Greek doctor bending over his newest patient. Thewounded soldier had sailed with the legions in the central sea andmarchedandfoughtallacrosstheEmpire.Twentyyearsinthearmy,andnowhislifewasabouttoendontopofatrestletableeastoftheRhineinthe wilds of Germania. He was still alive but delirious, muttering andbabbling like some demented soul. Life was fast ebbing from him, hisfocus fading.Suddenly,he fellsilentandcalmasastrangebutpeacefulserenityenvelopedhisbody.Hissensesbegantofloatasthelightfromthetorches flickered lower and lower. A shadow crossed his dulled vision.Fora fewsecondshe thoughthecouldsee leaningoverhimthewingedhelmet he had seen on the head of theGermanwarrior chieftain in thecenter of the massed German tribesmen. His eyes widened for a fewseconds and hismouthmuttered a fewwords—a low but succinct oath.Andthenhiseyesglazedover.Hewasdead.

“Howstrange,”whisperedVarusashe lookedoverat hisauxiliarycommander.Arminiushadenteredthetentandgazeddownatthesoldierjustbeforehedied.“Forallhisdelirium,theonlyonethingheseemedtorecognizewasyou,Arminius.Doyouknowthisman?”

“No,mylord,”answeredArminius.“Althoughmyscoutstrainedthecohortreconnaissanceteams,Ihavenoknowledgeofthissoldier.”

“Well,wehavelearnednothingaboutthisscoutandhowhecametomeethisend.Whereis therestofhispatrol?Fromwhatdirectionflows

theriverdowntous,MarcusAius?”TheTribunepausedforamomentinresponse,whichVarususedwhenheturnedandfacedthesurgeon.“Howlongwouldyousayhewasinthewater?”

“Afewhoursperhaps,sire,”answeredtheGreekdoctor.“Probablynomorethanthat,butitisdifficulttoknowforcertain.”

“Arminius,”saidVarus,“Takealargepatrolforwardinthemorning.Rideuptheriverandseeifyoucandeterminewhathappenedtothismanand the rest of his patrol.” Varus let out a long sigh. “For now, I amgoingtoretire.Walkwithmeashortway,Arminius,andtellmeallyouhavebeendoingtoday.Ineedtotakealittleair.”

Asthemenleftthetent,theGreekdoctorturnedtoMarcusAius,whowas standing next to theCenturion. “Did you hearwhat the scout saidwhenhesawArminius?”

“No,Icouldnotreallyhearmuchofitsavethename.Somethinglike,‘Itisyou,Arminius?’orwordstothateffect.Agreetingofsomesort.”

“No,”saidthedoctor.“Hesaid,‘Itwasyou,Arminius.’Thosewerehisdyingwords.”

MarcusAiuslettheaccusationsinkinforseveralsecondsashiseyesmetthoseoftheCenturion’s.ThenhefixedhisstareattheGreek.“Whatareweabouthere?DoyoumeanwhatIthinkyoumean?”

Unsettled by Marcus Aius’ sharp look, the doctor backpedaled. “Ihopenot,Ihopenot,sire,”heansweredquickly,trippingoverhiswords.“Ihaveenoughtodowiththeillsofthelegionasitiswithoutworryingaboutpolitics,intrigue…andothermatters.”

Marcus Aius cooled his gaze and shrugged. With a short laugh heremarked,“YouGreeksarealwaysinvolvedinintrigueandpolitics.Yousee a demon around every corner!We will find out tomorrow whetherArminiuscanproduceananswertoexplainthisman’sfate.Ihaveorderstoattendto.”TheTribuneturnedand,accompaniedbytheCenturion,leftthehospital.

The doctor merely raised his hand in farewell and turned to theattendingmedics.He nodded toward the deadman and ordered, “Takehimoutandburyhimdeep.Otherwise, thepigshere in thisabominablelandwill be using his carcass for freshmeat. They can sniff blood andfleshfrommilesaway.”

Twentymilesdistant,on theslopeofawoodedhill,a familyofwildboarwere squealingand snortingas they feastedon the remains of thelostpatrol.

April1990

InApril1990,threeyearsaftermyarrivalinOsnabrückandthestartofmy involvementwithKalkriese, I established a linkwith aProfessorSchoppe from the Institute of Hamburg. He, too, was a keen amateurRoman historian interested in theVarus project. Dr. Schoppe had linkswith the German Luftwaffe and offered his assistance in securing theaerial photographs I required.The ideawas to photograph the completeregion, including the first main pass area some six miles due east ofKalkriese.Theover-flightsbeganduringtheearlysummerasIundertookotherextensive investigationsof thehighlandsof theTeutoburgerWald.Once the large photographs were taken, they were given to ProfessorSchlütertobeexaminedduringthecomingmonths.

Professor Schoppe and I continued pursuing our photographicinterests through the end of that year, as more and more artifacts andinformationwasbeingunearthedfromthedigsiteandsurroundingarea.

RomanhistorianCassiusDiowrote:

Theshapeofthehillsandmountainsinthisregionwereirregular,theirslopesbeingdeeplycleftbyravines,while the trees grew closely together to a great height. While the Romans were struggling against theelements,includingaviolentdownpourandstorm,thebarbarianssuddenlysurroundedthemonallsidesatonce,stealingthroughthedensest thickets,astheywerefamiliarwiththepaths.Atfirst theyhurledtheirspearsfromadistance,andthentheyclosedintocloserrangeasthestormraged.

A storm of another sort was rising in 1990: Desert Storm in theMiddleEast.AsamemberoftheBritishmilitary,IknewsoonerorlaterIwould have to concentrate totally on my military duties elsewhere andleave theenigmaofKalkrieseuntila laterdate.Agreatsadnesswashedovermeatthethoughtofhavingtodelaymyquesttoseekthelostlegionsof Varus and the men of the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and NineteenthImperialLegionsofRome.

ChapterTen

1990:HannoverandtheWeserSilverBullion

IwalkedintotheMünzkabinett intheKestnerMuseum,nearTrammPlatzinHannover,andaskedtoseeDr.FrankBerger.AsmycoinfindsatKalkriese increased, the number ofmeetingswe held together naturallyincreasedaswell. Ienjoyeddropping in tospendanhourdiscussing thelatestdevelopmentsunfolding,botharoundOsnabrückandintheareaofHannover.Frank’sknowledgeofRomancoinageisextensive,andeverytime I saw him there was always something different on the agenda todiscuss.

During thisperiod,hewasextremelybusywritinguphis recordsofevery Roman coin discovery made in northern Germany. His intentionwastocreateaseriesofhistoricalreferencebooksforothersinvolvedinhisprofession.Duringhisresearch,heoftencamebyinterestingsnippetsofinformationconcerningRomanfinds,althoughnotallinvolvedRomancoinage.Frank’sofficewascrammedfullofreferencebooksstackedfromfloortoceilinglikesomeprodigiouslibrary,theshelvessaggingunderthemassiveweightofthecountlesstomesandjournals.Hisdeskwasstrewnwith photo plates, slides, oldmanuscripts andmuchmore, a fascinatingaccumulationoffacts,figures,andknowledge.

Hegreetedmewarmlyonmyarrival;ourmeetingswerealwaysveryconvivial, and comprised a welcome part of the rare social activitiessurroundingmyown intensive researchandassociated free-timework. Isatdownandnoticedsomeoldreferenceworkshehadonhisdesk.BeforeI had a chance to inquire what they contained, he opened up theconversationwithoneofhis“throwaway”questions thatoftenprovokedmuch debate between us. Frank is a master of understatement, and Igreatlyenjoyedtheleadhetookinourmeetings.Thisoccasionwasabouttounfold intoaveryspecialmeeting,andprovidedan intriguing insightintosomeoftheremarkableworkFrankperformed.

“I’venowspentmanymonthsporingovertheGermanarchivesfromthe last war, about what our museums held and where the variousaccumulationsmayhavedisappearedto,”Frankbegan.“Obviously,intheEast, everything went back to Russia, and indeed much remains theretoday,lockedawaywithoutthelikelihoodofeverseeingthelightofdayagain. It is doubtful anyone will ever see much of what went back toMoscow; theyconsider itwar repaymentsofakind, I suppose;butwhoknows,onedaythatmightchange.”

Frankwasinterruptedbythesoundofacarbackfiringasitcougheditswaypasthiswindow.ThevehiclewasaTrabant,or“Trabbie”astheyare affectionately known, one of the plastic sewingmachines that weremass-producedbytheEastGermanautoindustry.TheBerlinWallwasnomore,andnowtheautobahnandstreetsinthevicinityofHannoverwerestrewnwithbroken-downTrabbies.Thosestillrunningpouredoutplumesof exhaust smoke.Dying engineswere strewn across the countryside astheEastGermans streamed out of their former prison to experience thefreedomoftheWest,withthemassexodusofotherEastEuropeansyettocome.

“Perhaps that time might come sooner than we think,” I answered.“DoorsareopeninginEasternEurope,somefasterthanothers.Anyway,let’sgetonwithyourstory,I’mfascinated.Butwhereisittakingus?”

“Well,”hebeganagain,pausingforeffect,“thecuriouspartaboutallthisisthatalargeamountofthetreasuresthatwereoriginallygatheredbymuseums and family households, well before the Third Reich and stilllying in theiroriginalplacesofstorage,werealsostolenbymembersoftheAlliedForcesastheysweptthroughGermanyattheendofthewar.”

“Tomany itmust seem a little like poetic justice, really—stolen inonehand,andremovedfromtheother.But,obviously,manywouldtodaysaydifferently.Therewas somuch theft andembezzlementonall sidesduringthosetimesthatitmustbedifficulttojudgeonewayortheother.However”—Ismiled—“areyougoingtotellmedifferent?”

“Yes,”Frankreplied.“Itispartofmyjobnotonlytorecover,throughthevariousnational and international auctions, all theknown interestingcoinsthatwerepartofouroriginal legacyfromthelastfewcenturiesofexploration,butalsototrace,ifpossible,alltheotherhoardsandsingularrarecoinsthatwentmissingattheendoftheWar.”

“Asyoumay recall,’ he continued, “the coin collection thevonBarfamilyinKalkrieseaccumulatedduringthe1700sand1800swasstolenattheendoftheWar.Webelieve,basedonbothourownandAlliedForces’

archiveskeptbytheAmericanshereinWestGermanyandinBerlin,thatitwaseitheraCanadianorBritishcontingentthatstayedatthemainvonBar Schloss of Gut Barenau, which was set up as a temporaryheadquarterswhentheypassedthroughtheareainthefinalthroesoftheWar.Itisalsobelievedthepersonresponsiblewasanofficer,butwehaveneverbeenabletoconfirmthisand,regrettably,couldnotthrowanymorelightonthematter,untiloflate.Thankfully,thecompletecollectionwasrecorded by museum authorities and local historians, including, mostnotably,TheodoreMommsenhimself.Asyouknow,hewasthemanwhooriginallysurmisedthatKalkriesewasthesiteoftheVarusbattle—basedjustonthemake-upofthatcoincollection.Mommsenknewnoneofthecoins in that collection were minted later than the Augustus denariusshowing Augustus Caesar on one side, and on the reverse, Caius andLuciusCaesar,standingbehindbattleshieldsandcrossedspears.”

Frankpaused for a fewsecondsbeforecontinuing. “Anyway,here’swhat’shappened.Asaresultofmyinquiriesonthesemisappropriations,and keeping an eye on the markets for any of the Kalkriese von Barcollectionitself,Icameacrosssomeinterestingsnippetsofinformation.”

Icouldbarelycontainmyself.“And…?”“IhavenowappliedthesamecloseobservationsontheEuropeanand

SwissauctionsandbelieveIhavefoundthreeoftheoriginalsilverdenariithatformedpartofthevonBarcollection.IamflyingtoSwitzerlandthisweek because I received exciting news from themain auction house inBasel.AnemployeeofthefirmMünzenundMedaillenAG,withwhomIstudiedhistoryandnumismaticsinMünster,Dr.LutzIlsch,acquiredthesethree coins. They were reported to have belonged to the von Barcollection.Infact,Mommsenmentionedtheminhiswritings.TheauctionhousegavethethreedenariitotheKestnerMuseumasadonation.”

I was thrilled at this information. “That’s marvelous news, Frank!Perhapsmorewillturnupinduecourse.What’snextontheagenda?”

Hepausedforamoment,and thenasked,“Canyoucomebacknextweek?IhavesomethingelseIwanttoshowyou,buthavetoresearchitfurther.ItdirectlyrelatestotheRomanoccupationofNorthGermany,andin particular the area of theWeser. I thinkyouwill enjoymynext findfromthearchives,somethingforyoutosearchfor,anothersetofcluestoput together. I knowyouenjoy that sort of thing, soperhaps if you canspare an hour next week? I promise to have it ready for you then.” IassuredhimIwouldbebackwithoutfail,andweagreedtomeetagainthefollowingWednesdayatlunchtime.

ThatnightIdreamedofallthemarveloustreasuresandartifactslyingin fields and hills waiting to be found—and the stories they could tell.And then the dreams turned into a nightmare when my visions beheldbarren fields, plowed and plowed again, the air and chemicals slowlycorrodinganddestroying theprecious treasures.Theartifacts, at least inmydream,werelostforever.

9AD—June:TheWatchtowersatMinden

Arminiussatstraightasirononhishorseontheupperreachesofthehills surrounding the gap at Minden. His eyes were fixed on Varus’summercampstretchedoutfarbelow.Throughthesummerhazehecouldseeit,lyingalongsidethewesternbanksoftheRiverWeser.HeliftedhiseyesandtookintheGermanplainssweepingawaynorthandsouthoftheMinden gap, with the Weser winding up from the southern highlands.Bothsidesof theWiehengebirge ridgegap,aboutonemileacrossat itswidestpoint,hadbeenclearedof its timberandundergrowthbyRomanpioneers.Heavilyfortressedlookoutpointsnowcrownedeachheight.Thewoods had been cut three hundred yards from the leading edge of theridgelineswherethefortshadbeenerected,andanotherfiftyyardsdowntheprecipitousslopesbelow.

Each fort was manned by a reinforced guard, which was regularlychangedwithsoldierssuppliedfromthelegionsstationedinthelagerfarbelow.Communicationsbetween the twoobservation fortsand themainfortressweremaintainedbyaheliographsystemduringdaytime;atnight,signal pyres were readied in case the urgent need for reinforcementsarose.Deep and narrow trenches linked the forts to each pyre site. Anattackonthesepositions,however,wasdeemedhighlyunlikely.Thehoursofdarknessalsowitnessedaseriesofsmallfiresalongtheouteredgeoftheclosestdefensivetrenchesencirclingeachposition.Theirglowcastalightacrosstheclearedgroundwithoutcreatingaglareintheeyesoftheguardsorrestrictingtheirlineofsight.

Arminiusrodeuptothehillfortwithhislargecontingentofcavalry.He was to check the guard on behalf of the summer camp commanderbeforesettingoutonhisreconnaissanceintotheBerglandof theTeutonHills.Thepreviousevening,ArminiustoldVarusthatrumorsof“trouble”in the lands to the west required investigation. Under this guise theGerman warrior was free to pursue affairs of his own. From this high

point, he intended to ride the ridge linealong theWiehengebirge to thewesternreaches, fiftymilesaway to theborderlandsof theBructeriandCherusci.Theopenparadegroundopposite thewesternhill fort’s frontgate was crowded with hundreds of heavily-armed cavalrymen jostlingaboutontheirmounts.TheyhadpledgedtheiroathoffealtytoVarusandtheEmperor,buttheGermanswereloyaltoArminiusalone.

Theywereessentiallyamixedforcedrawnfromthevarioustribesofthe north German plains, including the Chatti, Marcomanni, Cimbri,Bructeri,Marsi,andahandfulofthefamedTeutons.Theremnantsofthistribewerenowlittlemorethanadepletedandscatteredforce.Theyhadbeen sorelydefeatedanddecimateda century earlierbyRoman legionsledbyMariusatAix-en-Provence,andthenslaughteredagain,nearlytoaman, at Vercelli the following year. They never regained their formerstatusandstrength.

Arminiushadevenmorementodependuponfromhisowntribe,therenownedCherusci,thanjustthosewhorodewithhim.Fiveyearsearlier,in4AD,Tiberius,atthattimeGovernorofGreaterGermany,grantedthetribetheprivilegedpositionofafederatedstatewithintheRomanEmpire.Members of the Cherusci’s ruling class, among them Arminius, weremade Roman citizens. As a new citizen of Rome, Arminius entered theImperialserviceasanofficerinitsmercenaryauxiliaryforces.HisstatuswasfurtherenhancedwhenhewasgiventheprestigiousawardofRomanknighthood. Cherusci territory extended from the upper reaches of theLippe to theWeser and on to the lands bordering the mighty Elbe. Its“pacification” enhanced Roman power and prestige. But the CheruscipeoplewereunhappywithRome.Arminiusandthetribalchieftainswereangry at the manner in which the Romans under Varus occupied andadministeredtheirlandsandpeoples,issuingorderstotheGermansasifthey were slaves and not free men of a Roman federated state. Heavytithes and taxeswere extracted from the populace, further exacerbatingthesimmeringpoolofCheruscidiscontent.

Arminius knew the time for action was approaching. The Romanswere relentless and overbearing, but they were also vulnerable. If hecouldtakethebattletotheRomans—notongroundoftheirchoosing,butsomeplaceinthehighlandsoftheTeutonHills,attheendofthesummeron their return to winter quarters at Haltern—they could be beaten.Exasperated and discontented, the tribal chieftainswere angrymuch ofthe timeandvociferous in theirdebatesand tribalgatherings.Arminiusplannedtomeetwiththeseniorchieftainsagain.

His last meeting a month earlier was a rousing success. With thesupport of their gods, they would at last push the Romans from theGermanplainsforever.TheconferencewasinterruptedbyasmallRomanscouting force that was quickly eliminated. A lone Roman survivor hadescaped, but the badly wounded man had died before he could revealwhat he had seen. Still it had been close thing, and Arminius believedMarcusAiushadgrownsuspiciousofhim.Certainlyhewascoolerlately,distant,morereserved.Itwastimetofinalizeplansfortheendofsummer.Inafewmonthsthelegionswouldpackupandmovesouthwestagain.Ithadtobethen.

BeforeArminiusturnedhishorseamovementontheWesercaughthiseye.ApproachingVarus’summercampwereanumberofgalleysrowingslowly up the river from the north, pulling hard against the currentsweepingouttowardthenorthernseacoast.Arminiussoughtouthischiefauxiliary. Wodenicus was a short distance away, speaking quietly withseveralriders,waitingforhiscommandertofinishhisreverieandorderthemove.Feelingthehardgazeofhiscommander,Wodenicuslookedupto seeArminius nod in his direction, urge his horse forward, andmoveacross the open ground toward the wooded ridges beyond. Wodenicuspassed the order to the subordinate commanders. As he rode by thenorthernedgeofthefort,Arminiusofferedalazywaveofhishandtothefort’s commander, who was leaning over the battlements watching theimpressiveGermanmountedtroopsformupandrideoff.Arminiusgaveashort tap of his heels and urged his horse to a canter. The rest of theauxiliary cavalry force followed slowly in his wake. The soft breezecarriedthesoundsofthemovingcolumnbacktothefort:thesoftclatterofhoofsonthesoil,anoccasionalwhinnyofahorse,andtheoddmutedcallofanamelessriderencouraginghismountforward.

Before five minutes had passed, the three hundred riders hadcompletelydisappearedintothetimber.Ahazeofdustlingeredintheairbehindthemoverscatteredpilesofdroppings, theonlyevidenceof theirpresenceatthehillfort.

CenturionandpostcommanderGaiusClaudiusSuebusslowlyraisedhisarmandreturnedthewaveashewatchedArminius’smendisappearfrom view. He lowered his hand just as slowly as he had raised it.Somethingwasamiss.Althoughthesunwaswarmheshivered,anicycoldfeelingcoursingdownhisback.“Bythegods,”hecried,“whoiswalkingovermygravetoday?”

Aguardpacingnearby,oneofthestandard-bearersandafriendand

companionfrommanycampaignsovertheyears,laughedinreply.“Withrespect,sire,ifthestepswereheavythenitmaywellbemywife’smother.Sheisstillcursingyoufortakingmeawayfrommywife’ssideall theseyears,andyouknowwellthathertongueislongandinventive!”

“Indeed, BrutusMaximus, youmaywell be right. I remember yourmother-in-lawwell.Hervocabularyisawe-inspiring,farmoreadvancedincolorthanmanyoftheladiesofthebathhouse!Whentherunnerleavesagain for Rome, you must send a special missive to her. Explain howmuchwethinkofherandyourdearwife,forIcandowithoutthesecoldfootstepsupanddownmyspine!”

TheCenturionlookedouttowardtheblackexpanseofthedarkwoodsintowhichtheauxiliarieshaddisappeared.“Perhapsyourwife’smothermaynotberesponsibleformychills,Brutus.”Hisvoicewassofternow,justaboveawhisper.“DidyounoticehowwithdrawntheGermanswere?Far too quiet for my liking. Indeed, unnaturally silent. Except forArminius, not a one spoke or waved farewell. Strange, very strange.”Suebus leaned over the rearwall of the upperwalkway of the fort andcalledacrosstotheheliographer,“SignalthefortthatArminiushasleft,andthatalliswell.Askformorewineandfruits.IseetheboatswiththenewstoresarrivingwiththeexcellentwinesfromGaul!”

Downat thequay, the firstboatwasdrawing in, thecryof“Ship…oars!”echoingacrossthewaterasthecraftbumpedalongthesidesofthejetty. “Rest… oars!” rang out, and the oarsmen fell forward over thetransomsandthewellwornhandlesoftheiroars.

ThehorsecanteredsmoothlybeneathhimasArminius’mindworkedoverthestunningcourseofeventsspreadoutbeforehim.HehadjoinedtheRomanforcesasayoungman,andwasgratefulforhisnewstatusandthelifestylehispositionaffordedhiminVarus’command.Butnowwrathand hatred consumed him.He could no longer stand by and watch hispeoplegrowmoreoppressedwiththepassingofeachseason.Itwasallhecoulddonot todrawhisswordandcutdownVaruseach timehestoodnearhim.

Arminius’ speeches to the various German chieftains had becomemore stridentwith thepassingof time.At the last severalgatheringshehad openly called for them to take up arms and follow him to victoryagainsttheRomanjackals.Unitedtheycoulddefeattheenemyandkeepthemwest of the Rhine. Divided, he admonished, we would all become

slaves. There was only one tribal leader who was against such anuprising.Each timeArminiusurgedaction,hecalled fordiplomacyandpatience.Itwasagainstthisrhetoric—cowardiceinhiseyes—thathenowmovedwithhiscontingentofcavalry.Hewouldresolve thematteronceandforall.Beforethesunroseagainhewouldhavethefullmandateofallthetribestoconducthisplan,toremovetheloathsomelegionsunderVarus once and for all. Arminius urged his horse on faster along thewoodland trail, the drumming echo of the hooves of three hundredpoundingstallionsechoingthroughthedarkenedtimber.

1990—TheWeserSilverBullion

Bytheautumnof1990,mytime inGermanywasfastcoming toanend.IhadspentthepasttwomonthsworkingwithDr.Cosacksurveyingthe areas south of Hannover. Each day, the frustration of returning toEnglandnow,ofalltimes,welledinsideme.LeavingKalkriesebehindmewouldbepainfulindeed.

Iwould remainwith theMinistry ofDefence in early 1991, but therestofmycolleaguesat theMilitaryHospital inHannoverwerenotifiedto prepare for deployment to the Gulf in support of Operation DesertStorm.Theywerealsoinamixedstateofemotions,fortheideaoffacingbiological and chemical warfare was a much more unpleasant thoughtthanleavinganarchaeologicalsite.

That September I decided to visit Kalkriese again to see howworkwasprogressingandperhapsimprovemystateofmind.IhadheardfromWolfgangthatthedighadgoneslightly“dry”foratime,buthadpickedup again as new trenches were opened up toward the center of thebattlefield. I spent the weekend there. After meeting old friends andlookingupsomeofthelocalfarmerswhohadbeensohelpfulduringtheearlystagesofmywork,myspiritsliftedalittlemore.

EatingawayatmewasthetheinformationFrankBergerinHannoverhad waiting up his sleeve. Before leaving Kalkriese for Hannover, Idecidedtolookoversomeofthelargerollingfieldssurroundingthebattlesite.Theyhadalwaysbeenagreatsourceofpleasureovertheyears,andwerestillcoughinguptheoddfindhereandthere,althoughtheyhadbeenscouredbybothmeandthemuseumsurveyteamovermanyseasons.Thelocalfarmer,bynowadevoutenthusiastofFamousGrousewhisky,had

cuthisyellowfieldsofcornanddeeplyplowedthesoil.WhenIarrived,the field offered the best detecting surface I could remember, a grayporridge-likespongeoffinelytilledsoil,everylumplongsinceremoved.Ijusthopedthereweresomesweetenersinthemix!Thefieldwashuge.Itwas split into three separate segments, with another field at the backleadingontothebattle-campknollitself.Overtheyears,thisgroundhadgivenupmanysecretsandtreasures,andIhadagreataffinityforoneortwo special areas of my own, sites where denarii and other coins andbronze uniformpieces had revealed themselves in all their glory duringmyearlydaysinKalkriese.

Idecidedtoconcentrateontwosmallareasthathad,untilthepreviousyear, maintained a steady flow of artifacts and coins. The areas hadappeared to“dryup”at theendof the lastsummerseason,andnofreshfindsweremade after the spring plowing a fewmonths earlier.But theground looked so very inviting (a wonderfully flat tilled field and aRomanbattlefieldtoboot!)Icouldnotresisttheopportunitytomakethebestuseofawarmsunnyday.Myspiritswerealreadyraised,andIsettowithaddedvigortomarkoutthetwoquadranglesIintendedtoprospect.

Three hours were expended working the first grid—to no avail.Disappointed, I retiredfor lunchwithmyfavorite flaskofcoffeeandanapple.Feelingabittired,IdozedforafewshortminutesinthehopethatIwould awake refreshed.Recharged, I climbedout of the car andmovedoff to the secondquadrangle.The entire areawas totallyquiet and still,oneofthosesunnydaysinthecountrywhenhardlyanythinghappenstospoil the scenery: no people, no traffic, an occasional bird call, and notmuchelse.

Iwasmakingmyway along the left-hand edge of the second field,sweeping thegroundbeforeme,when Iheard the familiar sharpdoubleringingtonefrommyFisherdetectorheadset.Ihadonlybeenatitagainforafewminutes.Theshortnapalsochangedmyluck!IknewthesoundmeantIhadfoundacoin,butwasitRoman?Iwasnottobedisappointed.Icarefullymovedthesoftsoiltooneside.Thecoinwasonlyafewinchesdeep.Theblackpeatcoretothetopsoilnotonlypreservedtheoldersilverpieces,butmade itverydifficult to locate the findordeterminequicklywhat it was. This time however, it was different. The proud aquilinefeatures of the goddess Venus were quickly revealed. I gently clearedaway thecrumblingearth fromthe reversesideandmadeoutawalkingfigurecarryingwhatwaslateridentifiedashisfatheronhisshoulder,with“Caesar”clearlyembellishedalongside.JuliusCaesarhadhimselfminted

thecoininNorthAfricain47BC.Itwasabrilliantpristinedenarius!Thatsingle find would have been enough to maintain the adrenaline andinterest in the laborious process of sweeping detectors over sometimesbarrenlandsforanentiremonth.Myspiritssoaredandmyexhaustionfellaway.Iloggedandmarkedthespotofthefindandcontinuedmysearch.

Another thirty minutes passed before I heard the familiar doubleringing again. I was by now absorbed by the success of my survey. Iclearedawaythesoilwithmyhands,fornotrowelwasnecessaryinthissoft ground.This time the coinwas a little deeper andmoredifficult tolocate. It turned out to be yet another fine silver denarius, but with apictureIcouldnotinstantlyidentify.ItlookedsomewhatEgyptian,withasympulum, axe and hat.Memories of similar finds only slowly came tome. The reverse, however, revealed an old friend, a wonderful bullelephant,thesamethathadcroppeduponsomeofmyoriginalfindsthreeyears earlier. Itwas a perfectly defined elephant, huge in bulk,with itshead lowered and trunk raised. The fine coin was another from JuliusCaesar.Icarriedoutthenecessaryloggingprocedures,leftthecoinatthesite,andmovedon.

Theafternoonwasdrawingon,andIknewthatintheabsenceofanyfurtherfinds,withinthenextquarterhourIwouldhavetopackitupandcallitaday.Istoppedforashortrest,usinga“lockedin”techniqueIhadperfectedovermanyyearsoffieldworkandmilitarylifethatallowedmetostandstillandyetrest.Ilookedoutoverthelargefieldandnoticed,forthefirsttimethatday,peoplewalkingslowlyalongthenorthernfootpathaboutfivehundredyardsaway.Idoubttheyevennoticedmypresence.Idaydreamedashortwhile,thinkingofRomansandGermans,warriorsall,of runningbattlesandbloodyswords,of criesofanguishandhorror,ofpain and fear and death. These fields had witnessed many individualbloodyfights—apartfromthemaindebaclethathadunfoldedontheothersideoftheknolltotheeast.IfounditeasytoimaginethemassofRomansspillingoutfromtheambushgapashortdistanceaway,fleeingfortheirlives as they ran into the bogs and swamps. There, they would havequickly discovered they had but two options: turn and fight the vicioushordes of German warriors, or beg for mercy. In either case, theunforgivingenemywouldhavehackedthemdownwheretheystood—orfell.Arminius’planhadbeenbrilliant,effective,anddevastating…

ThedaywasendingandIdecidedtopaceoutthelasttwolegsofthesearcharea,andthenpackup.Iwalkednomorethanthreepaceswhenthewonderfulsoundonceagainechoedinmyheadset.Itwashardtobelieve

such a cleanly researched field could continue producing rare Romancoinage—particularlywhen it had failed to produce anything during theprevious year. At about a foot under the surface, this coin was muchdeeperthanmostIhadturnedup,butmypowerfulFisherstillgaveoffaclearresoundingsignal.Igentlyclearedawaythesoil.IsupposeIshouldhave guessed what it would be. I had found somany examples of thisparticularcoinduringthepreviousthreeyearsthatIcouldreaditlikeanoldbookonetakesdownfromthelibraryshelf,dustsoff,andopenstothefamiliar passage… of Augustus Caesar, facing right, and on the coinreverse, Caius and Lucius Caesar, standing behind battle shields andcrossedspears.

Theunearthingofthesilverdenariifromthekillingfieldssurroundingthemainbattlefielddidmuchtoalleviatemydownedspirits.MyfaithwasnowrestoredinmylinkwiththeprojectinKalkrieseandcapabilitiesasasearcher.Thusencouraged,IreturnedwithmyfindstoHannover.Duringa lunch hour the following week I went down again to the KestnerMuseumMünzkabinett toseeFrankBergerand todiscover justwhathehadbeenwithholdingfromme.

August1990

I was ushered into Frank’s office by the museum front attendant.Curiously, Frank was not there, but when the attendant assured me hewouldreturnshortly,Ileanedoverthedeskandbrowsedthroughsomeofthebooksinhislargelibrary.BeforetoolongFrankcameboundingintotheoffice,fullofvigorandenthusiasm.Hishandsclutchedasmallsetofpamphlets.

“Hi,Tony,”hegreetedme.“Iamsorrytokeepyouwaiting.Wehavebeenhastily lookingforsomeparticulardocumentsI thinkyouwill findextremely interesting. Last time you called, I remembered seeing themduring the writing of my last coin reference book, but I had a littledifficulty remembering where I had put them. No matter, I have themnow.Haveyouhadanymoresuccess?”

“Myturnthistime,Frank,”Ireplied.“Threeverynicedenariiforyouto see.” With that I pushed a small plastic container across his desktowardshim.

Thethreedenarii inside,recentlyremovedfromtheblackpeat,werein near-perfect condition and Frank was naturally very impressed with

them.Hepickeduphismagnifyingglassandcarefullystudiedeachoneinturn.Heleanedforwardandopeneduponeofhisreferencebooks.

“Noneed.”IsmiledwhenFranklookedupatme.“Theleft-handoneisJuliusCaesar,47–46BC.”ThisisthecoinIdidnotinitiallyrecognize.“The next coin is Julius Caesar, 49– 48 BC, and the right-hand one isAugustus, our old friend, from 9 AD, Caius and Lucius Caesar on thereverse.”Bynow,Iwasbecomingabitofanexpertmyself.

“Onehundredpercentcorrect,”repliedarathersurprisedFrank.“Buttheconditionisincredible—evenJuliusCaesar’scoinsareinaveryfinestate. Iwill have themphotographed and catalogued, and thenget themdowntoProfessorSchlüter.Doesheknowyouhavefoundthem?”

“No. Wolfgang is away this week and I won’t see him until nextMonday,sothesewillbeanothernicelittlesurpriseforhim.”

“Well then,here isa fairexchange,asyousay inEnglish—mynextofferingtoyourRomanresearch.”Withthat,hepassedoverthesheafofdocumentshehadbroughtwithhimintotheoffice.“Therearesomephotoprintsonthelasttwopagesofthesepapers.Havealook.Oneshowssomemen standing in a field, with long farming shovels in their hands, allposingforthephotographer.Behindthem”—Frankleanedoveranddeftlyturnedthepagestotheappropriateprint—“youcanseea largewindmillonthefieldrise.IknowtheareaisnearoneofthesmallvillagesliningtheWesernorthofMinden,but theexact locationofwhere thesemenwerestanding is not known tome, and I cannot find a reference to it, either.Theimportantthingaboutthissceneiswhatfollows…”

Andwith that,hesettledback intohis favoritepositionandbeganamostfascinatingdiscourse.

DenariusofAugustusCaesar,mintedbetween2BCand1AD inLyon, southernFrance.TheobverseofthecoinabovefeaturestheproudaquilinefeaturesofAugustusCaesar,withhis nephews Caius and Lucius Caesar on the reverse, standing behind battle shields andcrossedspears.Theauthordiscoveredlargenumbersofthesecoinsduringhissearchforthesiteof theVarusbattle.Todate,nearlyone-halfofall thecoins recoveredfromKalkrieseandotherrelatedsites,includingthelagerfortatHaltern,areofthisdenomination.Schluter

Thefirstmajorexploratorydigsontheeasternsideoftheambush/commandhill,circa1989-1990.SeenhereareKlausFehrsandanofficialfromthearchaeologicalauthorities.Schlüter

Early days of the first exploratory digs in the “Oberesch” field, where the famous silvermaskandotherimportantfindsweremade.Here,ProfessorSchülterandauthorTonyClunndiscusstheprogressbeingmadewithKlausFehrs.Clunn

Asurgeon’sgauge.Thiswicked looking instrumentwasused toextractarrowheads,speartips—andeventeeth.Schlüter

Thegoldennugget.TheauthorfoundthisremarkableartifactintheareaoftheMainLageratHaltern.ThiswastheencampmentfromwhichVarussetoutfromwinterquartersontheRiverLippetohisSummerCampontheRiverWeser.Thenuggetundoubtedlycamefromametalsmith’skiln.(Pigironwasalsorecoveredinthevicinity).Schlüter

The ironmask. Itwas originally embellishedwith silver and served as a facemask on ahelmet.(Belowrowofimages,ltor):Themaskasoriginallyunearthed,andtheevolutionoftherestorationprocess.Schlüter

ThisexploratoryslittrenchwascutinthewoodsontheKalkriesehillashortdistancefromtheambushwall.Schlüter

Thediscoveryof three leadslingshothelpedconfirmthatKalkriesehadtieswithmilitaryaspectsofRomanlife.Schlüter

Auniquebronzephalliccloakclasp-harnesspieceexcavatednearKalkriese.Schlüter

Bronze snakehead cloak clasps—one of themost interesting finds atKalkriese. The frontshows the detail of the craftsmanship. The reverse of each is inscribed. On one is theowner’sname:“MarcusAius.”Ontheotherishisaffiliation:“1stCohortFabricus.”Schlüter

An“As”stampedwiththemark“VAR”(Varus),foundbythedigteam.Abeautifulbronzelady’shairpin.Fourbronzesealswithheadreliefusedtoembosswaxseals.Schlüter

The peat diggers at the site of the dry Weser riverbed, where three silver bars wereunearthed.

Pieces from the Hildesheim Silver Treasure. An exquisite gold and silver plate. A largefinelydetailedsilverurn.DidthesetreasuresbelongtoVarus?Schlüter

CoinsofJuliusCaesarfoundon theKalkriesefield.47/46BC,minted inAfrica;46/45BC,mintedinSpain;49/48BC,mintedinRome.

A gold Aureus of Augustus Caesar. This is the same as the silver denarius of the sameperiod,butagoldaureus.2BC–1AD,mintedinLyon.Schlüter

TheobverseofaRomanScribona,62BC,mintedinRome.Thereverseofthesamecoin.Schlüter

A roughlyminted goldAureus ofAugustusCaesar, 2 BC-1AD,minted in Lyon. Itwasdiscoveredduringaroutinebattlefielddig.Schlüter

A bronze wild boar’s head and shoulders found with a denarius near the Venne Beckcrossing.Schlüter

The silver retaining bands of a Roman sword scabbard, including a figure of aRoman/Grecian ladyholdingamirror, set in resin (inset).Bothwere found inopen fieldswestofthecentralbattlefieldarea.Schlüter

One of Kalkriese’s most intriguing discoveries including the unearthing of several largebronzekeysdesigned tounlockRomanchests.Allwere foundduring thebattlefielddigs.WhywereRomansoldierscarryingkeysafterseveraldaysoffighting?Andwhathappenedtothechests?Schlüter

Asilvermeasuring spoon.This examplemayhavebeenusedby a doctor tomeasure outdosesofmedicine.Schlüter

Digging for ametallic signal at least fourmeters beneath the surface. The object seemedabout150cmx75cmx50cm.Formanyreasons,wewereunabletodigdeeperthanthreemeters.AuthorTonyClunn(leaningontheladder),withWillyDragerandothers.Onlyonetreasurechestwasfound inHermann’s tribalareas in the late1800s.ThenumberofchestkeysfoundsofaratKalkrieseindicatethereweremanymoretreasurechests,eitherburiednearthebattlefieldbytheVarusLegions,orrecoveredbyHermann’swarriorsandreburiedbyHermannnearerhisowntribaldomain.Thesearchgoeson.Clunn

The search for buried treasure chests from theVarusBattle.Using a FisherDeep SeekerDetector to relocate the signals, the author utilizes a cross section technique to establishexactlywherethedeepsignalsemanatefrom.Thetrenchisalready2.5metersdeep.Clunn

Thediscoveryof theVarusBattlefieldgeneratedenormous interest around theglobe.Thesignificance of the find is difficult to overstate. Three men—Jim Corless, with ModelProduction/TimeMachineMiniatures,togetherwithDougCohenandChrisTubb—weresoexcitedaboutMajorClunn’sdiscoverytheyspentyearscraftingadioramaofthedemiseofthelegions.Thisphotorepresentsonesmallsegmentoftheirwork.Corless

Professor Wolfgang Schülter and author Tony Clunn after looking over some of theinteresting excavations at the battlefield’s central site. Their partnership during the earlyyears of discovery played a pivotal role in preserving the battlefield for posterity. Theyremain good friends, and continue tomeet upwhenever the opportunity arises.AlthoughProf.Schülterhasretired,hecloselymonitorsprogressatthesite.Clunn

MajorTonyClunnbeingpresentedtoHerMajestyQueenElizabethIIontheoccasionofthepresentationoftheMemberoftheBritishEmpiremedalinJanuary1996.Clunn

Arminius’ warriors dismounted and tied their horses to the tetherpostswithfeedbagsdottedaroundtheencampment,movingofftojointhesmallergroupsofmenandwomenseatedaround thedozensof cookingfires.Thecollectionofsomanymulti-tribalgroups, thoughunusual,didnot pose any danger toArminius and hismen, for the throngwas calmand largely unified in purpose. Themajority of the assembledwarriorsand their familieswere excitedandhappy tobeat thisgreatgathering,and they opened their family circles to welcome the “Roman-German”mercenaries.

Arminiustiedhisstalliontothenearestpostandstoodinfrontofthehorse for a moment, soaking in the atmosphere of the settlement. Heturnedtosomeyouthsstandingnearby.“Feedhimwell,heisthegreatesthorseyouwilleversee,forheisthemountthatwillcarryArminiusintobattleagainsttheRomanlegions,andfinallydrivethemfromourlands.Ifyoutalktohimquietlyenough,whisperinhisear,hewilltalkbacktoyou.Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,tryit.”Hegaveashortchuckleandmadehiswaytoward the central figureof Segestes,who rose to greet him, asdid theothercouncilelders.

Thiswasnot the first of the tribalmeetings leadingup to thebattlewith Varus, but it was the largest. Two full moons before, the maincontingents and elders of the tribes had gathered in a meeting in theTeutoburger Hills fifty miles to the southeast, where they deliberatedArminius’ fervent call to arms. A Roman patrol had been found andcaptured spying on the gathered Germans, but had been quicklydispatched.

“WelcomeArminius,” said Segestes. “Your presence has been longawaited.Wearepleasedyouhavecometodiscussonceagainyourplanswith us. All the elders and councilmembers are full of praise for yourdeterminationtotakeuparmsandfightVarusandhislegions,butsomestill believe this might not be the best way to deal with the Romans.Perhaps further discussion and encouragement from you will convincethose of uswho doubt the sensibility of your proposals. But before youspeak”—Segestesturnedandlookedacrosstheshortdistancetotheopendoorway of the hut behind—”let my daughter bring you some chilledwine. You must be thirsty after your long ride. Come, daughter,” hecommanded,“bringthechieftainsomegoodfoodanddrink.”

Thusneldabentdownandpickedupapitcherofwineandaplatterofgrilledmeatsrecentlyremoved from thespit roastoveroneof themanycookingfires.Arminiuswasstruckbyhergracefulness,forsheappeared

nottowalk,butfloatacrossthegroundtowardhim,hergaitsilkysmoothwithagentle swing toherhips.Hercoolblueeyesheldhisownas shemoved forward. For the first time in his life he was totally and utterlymesmerized by a female. Segestes held out an empty chalice in front ofArminius,whichThusnelda filledwithherpitcherofwine.Segesteswasnot blind to the ways of youth and noticed immediately the effect hisdaughter was having on Arminius. He frowned when their eyes lockedtogether. The dutiful daughter filled her father’s cup as well, set thepitcher and tray ofmeat at their feet and, with a last lingering look atArminius,turnedandmadeherwayswiftlybacktothehut.

Arminius raised the cup to his lips, and said quietly, “You have abeautiful daughter, Segestes. Shewillmake a goodwife for some tribalprince.Isaluteherbeauty,andyouandyourwife,tohaveproducedsuchadaughter.”Hedrankdeeplyofthecup’scontents.

Segestes’ face briefly clouded with concern before a smile easedacrossweatheredfeatures.“Youarekindwithyourwords,Arminius.Yes,she isbeautiful,and she isbetrothed toDagan theHunterof theChattitribe. Theywillwed in the fall during theHarvest Festival celebration.Shewillmakehimafinewife,andhewillundoubtedlybecomethechiefofhistribeinduecourse.Heisonhiswaytojoinushere,andshouldarrivebeforethesunsets.Youwillmeethimthen.DagantheHunterrideswithhisownmountedwarriors,andtheywillbeashungryandthirstyasyourownmen!So letusattack the foodanddrink first, for therewillnotbemuchleftaftertheyarrive!”

Arminius said nothing as he followed Segestes toward the group ofwaitingelders.Segesteswavedhisarm,offeringthestagetotheyoungerGerman chief.Arminius cleared his throat and raised his voice. “Whenwe wage war against the Romans, we will need every strong arm andsteadyhorsewecanget.Thetimeisfastapproaching,mybrothers,whenwewillremovethisRomanscourgefromourlands!Whoiswithme?”

Oneof thechiefs stoodand lookedsquarelyatArminius.“AndhowcanwepossiblydefeatVarusandhisthousands?Theyarebetterarmed,better trained, and there aremanymore of thembeyond theRhine thatwill come even ifwe are able to defeat the scourge nowoccupying ourlands.”Afaintrippleofapplauserosefromtheseatedelders.

Arminius nodded slowly. “You speak clearly andwith knowledge ofour enemy.We will not meet them in pitched battle, for that would befoolish. There is another way.” And with that, Arminius began slowlyunveilinghisplantodefeatthemightyRomanarmy.Hedidnottellthem

everythinghehadinmind,butjustenoughtoconvincethemhisideahadmeritand,withtheirsupport,alikelihoodofsuccess.

Whenhe finished thirtyminutes later hewasgreetedwith awall ofutter silence. The seconds tickedpast until one elder stoodand shoutedout his support. Another stood and did the same, and then two more.Within a fewmoments the groundswell of approval had become a tidalwaveofsupport,asthousandsofchiefsandwarriorsraisedtheirswords,spears, and voices in a chorus of thunderous emotion. When bangingdrumsandathroatytoneofhornsjoinedin,thecacophonyofnoisegrewinto one indistinguishable, deafening roar. Ickerland trembled as theechoesofcomingbattlerolledthroughthesurroundinghills.

DagantheHunterreeledinhismounttoasuddenstopwhenthewallof noise washed over his mounted column some three miles from theencampment. “By the gods, they are celebrating without us!” heexclaimed. “What great events are wemissing, my warriors?”Withoutanother word he dug in his spurs and urged his horse forward into aspeedygallop.ThegoldenwristtorquethatnowadornedhisarmflashedintheearlyeveningsunlightashepoundedtowardIcker.

1992

In late 1992, Professor Schlüter initiated the drastic step of cuttingback from the western side of the field into the eastern edge of theforested knoll. The authority for the excavation had finally arrived, andtheshallowpitchofpineundergrowthwasquicklyclearedfromthesite.Thedigginghadbarelybegunon the30-yardsquareexcavationwhen itbecameevidentthattheprofessor’sdecisionhadbeenwiseindeed.

Anumberofkeyartifactswereuncovered,andastheholedeepened,someofthemostimportantaspectsofthelayoutoftheambushsitewerefinallybroughttolight.Thisarchaeologicalsuccesswassocompellingitinducedtheprofessortomakeadefinitivepublicstatement:thesiteoftheVarus battle was no longer in doubt. It was time to form a museumexhibition,hesaid,andpresent,inasmanydisplaycabinetsasnecessary,the remarkable artifacts unearthed during the first three years of theinvestigation.

ChapterThirteen

Summer,9AD:TheGatheringoftheTribes

ProfessorSchlüterdecidedthatitwouldnotbeappropriatetopresentthe Varus artifacts to the public in static display cases at the localOsnabrück StadtMuseum. The best way to share the remarkable itemsdug from the northGerman soil, he believed,was to exhibit them on agrand tour in as many of the main cities of Germany as possible. Theexhibition could be kicked off with a special opening ceremony at theOsnabrückmuseumbeforemovingaroundthecountryinthelatespring.Theworkinvolvedpreparingsuchanundertakingwasstaggering.

First,theprofessorhadtoappointtherightpersontorunwithsuchaproject,someonewhocouldvisualizeandcreatethedisplaysinamannerthatwouldappealtotheviewingpublic—andnotjust tothelearnedandauthoritativemembersofthearchaeologicalfraternity.Inotherwords,theexhibitionhadtostrikeachordwiththeaverageGermancitizen,mostofwholookatarchaeologyasastuffyandratheruninterestingsubject.

Thankfully, there was a man born for exactly this task: Dr. AchimRost,whowasnowmarriedtoDr.SusanneWilbers-Rost(oneofthesitearchaeologists).Thecouplehadworkedtogetherasstudentsatthesiteoftheinitialdig,aftermyinitialtreasurefindsfromtheautumnof1987hadbeen recovered. Achim was the logical choice to breathe life intoProfessorSchlüter’svision.Hewasenthusiastic,veryable,andknewthehistorical aspects of the project inside and out. The professor wasconfidenthewouldmakeanexcellentchoiceforthepositionofexecutivein charge of the exhibition. But timewas short, and Professor SchlüterwasanxioustoopentheexhibitiontothegeneralpublicinearlyMarchof1993.Allofusknewtheimportanceofthefindingoftheactualbattlesite.

Thegreatmajorityof theGermanpopulationhadbeenraisedon thehistoricalimportanceofArminius’defeatoftheVaruslegions.Indeed,thesite of the disasterwaswidely considered to be one of the greatest and

mostsought-afterlocationsintheannalsofGermanandEuropeanhistory.Ifpresentedcorrectly,a touringexhibitionfeaturingtheearlyfindsfromthesitewouldcapture the imaginationof themasses. Itwouldalso lendweighttoourpublicbeliefthatthebattlesitehadindeedbeendiscovered.Weallhopedtherewouldbeanotherbenefit:thepublicityfromthemediawould help the professor generate the funds necessary to continue themanyyearsofworkthatstillneededtobecarriedoutatKalkriese.

Wewereabituneasywiththecommercializationrequiredtoproducethe various posters, books, and catalogs necessary to support such anambitious venture, but if wewanted to spread the word and obtain thefunding required to continue, therewas little choice but to dowhateverwas necessary to achieve the desired end. The first ports of call weremeetingswith themoneymen—thebankersandtheStadtpurseholders.Herr Fip, theOberbürgermeister ofOsnabrück and an avid supporter ofthe venture, lent Professor Schlüter the fullweight of his office to helpopen awide variety of doors to the various financial organizations andinstitutions.

AssoonasAchimRostwasgiventhego-ahead,heinitiatedplansforthedesignof thevariousdisplaycabinets thatwouldhouse the travelingexhibition.Theywouldhavetobesound,yetlightweight,toenablethemtobemovedsafelyandwithaminimumofeffort intoeachof thecity’smuseums.ProfessorSchlüterwaskeptmorethanbusypullingtogetherallthestringsnecessarytomakethetourasuccess.Hecontactedvariouscitymuseums and authorities throughout Germany, ticking off one by oneeachsuccessonhismainplanofaction.

Work atKalkriese,meanwhile, continuedunder thewatchful eye ofProfessor Schlüter,withDrWilbers-Rost as the on-site archaeologist incharge of the investigations surrounding themain digs.Unfortunately, IwasbackinEnglandagainandunawarethatthenewexcavationscuttingback into thewoodedknoll hadproven so fruitful.However, itwas notlong before Professor Schlüter contacted me again at the Ministry ofDefence inLondon to tellme thewonderfulnews. Iwasdelightedwiththe latest turn of events, and evenmore so when I received a personalinvitation from the Osnabrück Stadt authorities, headed by theOberbürgermeister,toattendtheopeningceremoniesinMarch1993.

Other good news followed. Joan Allen Ltd, of Biggin Hill, thecompanythathadsupportedtheKalkrieseprojectwithprioritydispatchesofFisherdetectorswhenthearchaeologicalteamrequirednewandmoreadvancedmodels,wasequallyexcitedaboutthecontinuedsuccess.Word

soon reached Jim Lewellen, the manager at Fisher Laboratories inAmerica, who suggested a sponsorship geared toward the openingceremonyinMarch.Theideawaswellreceived,somuchsothatMastenWright Inc.ofConnecticut, themajordistributor forFisherLaboratoriesLtd, headed by distribution manager Erik Christensen, decided topersonally attend the grand opening ceremony at Osnabrück. There, hewould present the museum with a donation of various top-of-the-rangeFisherdetectors, including theGemini III, thecompany’s latest state-of-the-artdeep-seekingdetector.Andso1992passedinto1993.

Marcharrivedsoonenough.Amassofmedia,ErikChristensenfromAmerica, and professors of archaeology and historians from across thecontinentgatheredatthegrandopening.TheprooftheGermanpeoplehadsought for so many hundreds of years of the Varus battle—the firsthistorical landmark in the annalsof earlyGermanandRomanhistory—was displayed in all its splendor for everyone to see.Yet, itwas just ascratch of the surface.This incredible display of coins and artifacts hadbeenunearthedfromnomorethanatinyfractionoftherunningbattlefieldthathadbeenfoughtoverduringthelatesummerof9AD.

“… [T]hey dealt a succession of terrible blows to the Romans. Aviolentdownpourandstormdeveloped,sothatthecolumnwasstrungouteven further, and suffered many casualties and were quite unable tocounter-attack,”wroteCasiusDio.“Accordinglytheypitchedcampaftertaking possession of a suitable place. The next day theymarched on insomewhatbetterorderandevenbrokeoutintoopencountry,thoughtheycouldnotavoidsufferingcasualties.Movingonfromtheretheyreenteredthewoods,butsufferedtheirheaviestlossesinthisaction.Thefourthdaysaw them still on themove, and again they experienced heavy rain andviolentwindswhichpreventedthemfromadvancingorevenfindingafirmfoothold….everysoldierandeveryhorsewascutdownwithoutresistance…”

Istoodatthesideofthelargeexcavationcutintotheforestedknoll.ErikChristensen,amangerwithFisherLaboratories,walkedwithmeonthebattlefield,soakinginthesomberatmosphereoftheearlyspringday.A small gathering of people had assembled to gaze down into the openground.Irecallthinkinghowmuchitresembledafuneral,withallofusstanding around the grave speaking in muted whispers. The place hadalwaysfeltheavytome;brooding,evensinister,butnevermoresothanat

thistime.Thedarknessofthesurroundingpineforestleadingtothepointwhere Arminius probably orchestrated the final stages of the battle feltlike a black abyss, and I had no interest in walking deeper into theforebodingtimber.

Andthenastrangephenomenonoccurred.Afterthesemi-vigilendedandmostof thepeople turnedaround towalkaway,a tallbandof lightdancedaroundthecenteroftheexcavation.Itwasatrickofthesun’sraysas they struck the various coverings draping the sides of the excavationpit.Itwasfarmoreeeriethanwordscanpossiblyconvey.Ididnotneedany further encouragement to hustle back to the carwithErik.Before Ileft,however,Isnappedaphotographofthesun’sweirdreflections.

As one might expect, the trip to the field impressed Erik. It was agreatpleasuretoguidehimaroundtheareaandpointoutthescopeofthebattleandthesitewhereArminiusexecutedthefinalphaseofhisbrilliantplan.As promised, beforeErik left for theUSA he presented ProfessorSchlüterwiththeinvaluableFisherdetectorsthatwouldbeputtosomuchgooduseovertheyearstofollow.

9AD,July:DagantheHunterandThusnelda

The wild approval of Arminius’ plan to defeat the Romans cut thepalpabletensionofthegatheringofeldersintheIckerencampment.Thevastmajoritysupportedhimandacceptedhiscalltoarms,butmanyweresecretly fearful of his violent temper and astonishing expertise with thebroadsword.Arminiustoleratedneitherfoolsnorenemies,andwasquickto rise to answer either an insult or a foolish remark with swift anddevastating action.Hewas one of the finest warriors theCherusci hadeverproduced,andnowwithhisvastexperienceofwagingwarwiththeRoman legions, hewas a feared opponent of everyonewho crossed hispath.

Arminiuswasnowentirelyatease.Vigorousdiscussionsbywarriorsandchieftainsalikeswirledaroundhim;manyeventuallysoughtouthispointofviewonawidevarietyofmatters.Oneortwoofthemoreelderlymembersofthetribalcouncilstillexpressedtheirdoubtsaboutthecalltoarms,seekinginsteadtoconvincetheircontemporariesthatiftheylefttheRomansalone,theRomanswouldleavethetribesalone—inpeace.

Butforeveryelderwhopreachedappeasement,therewerefiveotherswhosupportedArminiusandarguedhiscase.Somewereoutspokenand

vehementintheircriticismoftheweaknessshownbythepacifists.Otherswere displaying open ridicule. In one particularly heated exchange, theelderof the twoantagonists involvedrose tohis feetandstoodoverhisopponent, shouting at and berating the recliningwarrior, calling him ayoungupstartandafooltoboot,whoseobviouslackof intelligenceandmaturitycloudedhismindwithfoolishandimpossibledreamsofdefeatingthemightyRomansinbattle.

The reclining warrior openly grinned at the old man, whose spittleandfrothshotforthastheheatofhisoutburstintensified.SomeneartheexchangecastanxiousglancesatArminius,tryingtogaugehowhewouldreacttoargumentagainsthisproposals.Arminius,however,wasnotevenpayingattention.Instead,hereclinedagainsttherestingmatsandquietlygazedaround thevibrant settlement.Whenhiseyes felluponSegestesaquickfrowncreasedhisbrow,butArminiushadotherthingsonhismindthantheoldman’splatitudesandpacifiststatements.HiseyesfixedontheclosedentrancethroughwhichSegestes’daughterhaddisappeared.

Thecontinuousharanguing from theelder stopped suddenly inmid-sentencewhen the recliningwarrior held his handup, palmout towardthestatesman.Itwasanunspokenorderfortheverbalonslaughttostop.In one fluid motion, the warrior leapt to his feet like a cat and threwhimself in frontofhisoldopponent.Ahush fellon thegatheringas theyoungerman’shandmovedtothehiltofhisswordwhilehiseyesstaredlongandhardintothefaceoftheoldman.Perhapshehadgonetoofar,thought the elder, who drew back from the challenging figure loomingbeforehim.Thewarrior leanedforwarduntil their faceswereseparatedbynomorethanthreeinches.Beadsofsweatformedonthewrinkledoldbrow. A muted tension of excitement filled the air as the possibility ofsuddencombatandbloodlettingloomed.

Thewarriorbaredhisteethandemittedalowgrowl.Justassuddenlyhegrinnedandbeganchanting,“Eee-aaw…eee-aaw…eee-aaw.”Then,louderandlouder,“Eeeaaw,eee-aaw!”Hisimitationofamulewasnotlost on the gathering as the majority, particularly the younger warriorchieftains, picked up the chant. It increased in volume and variety toinclude the sounds of chickens, dogs, andmany other animals, each ofwhichimpliedcowardice.Theinnuendodugdeeplyintothecouncilelder,whowasnowacutelyembarrassedandangry.Withoutawordhestormedfromthegathering,glaringatSegestesashestompedaway,shakinghisheadwhenhe saw the chieftain lookdown to theground, apparently todisowntheirassociationandfriendship.

Although he had not joined in to humiliate the elder, Arminiuswasnowopenlylaughingatthisturnquickturnofevents.Assoonashestood,thenoisycatcallsbegantofade.Hisrighthandwashelduphightoaskforsilence,andthecommandwasobservedalmostinstantaneously.Inhisleftheheldsomethingtightagainsthisthigh.“Wearegatheredunderonemoon,withonethought,asonepeople.Wehavecometogethertomakeaplan to ridourselvesofRomanrule,whichholdsour landsand lives inbondage.Idonotliketobetiedtoapeoplewhotreatuslikeslaves,tobetriedandimprisonedinourownhomesandvillages.”

Amurmurofagreementrippledthroughthethrong.“Iwascapturedbythem,Igrewstrongerwiththem,Ifoughtwiththem,butIneverlovedthem,” continued Arminius, his voice rising to overcome the effusivechatter.“Theyseek todominate, toconquer, toextract fealty—andnow,withthisVarus,toenslaveus,toturnusintodogsandmules!”

Arminiusheldhisrighthanduptosilencethegathering.“Iwantnomoreofthem!Joinme,fightwithme,letmeleadyoutovictory!”Hedrewhisswordandheldthepointhighintheair.“ThesejackassRomanscanbebeaten!Wemust fight themonourground,onour terms.Lead themintoourtrapsandwoods,fightthemfromthetrees,hackthemdownfromthedarkness!Letusbetheirworstnightmarescometrue!Ifwedonotdoit soon,wewill be conquered and occupied by these scum for all time.Liveandfightnow,withme,orliveforeverundertheyokeofoppression!Hesitate, lose the warrior blood of your forefathers, and you will nolonger be warriors—you will be mules, chickens, cats, and lowly dogs,andnomorewillyoubeawarriorof theCherusci,of theChatti,of thegreat Teuton tribes our fathers seeded in us.” He stopped again andwaitedforthemenaroundhimtoquietdown.

“Myfriends,mybloodbrothers.Iwillfightyourfightwhetheryouarewithmeornot.Iwillfightonmyown,ifnecessary,butifourtribescometogetherasaneffective forceagainst theRomans,wecandefeat them!”He paused, noticing for the first time that many of the villagers andwarriors from the surrounding encampments had been drawn in by thesoundofhisvoiceechoingacrosstheflickeringcampfiresandthehillsofIcker.

“Iamyours.Mylifeisyours,mydreamsareyours.Joinme,andletusbleedtheheartsoftheRomansuntiltheylosestomachforthisland.Attheequinox,Iwillcallyou.Iwillcallallthepeoples,allthetribes,you,thewarriorchiefsandyourmen,andwewillleadVarusontoourswords,andourspears.”

With that he extended his left hand. In itwas a large chunk of rawmeat.Withagrunt,he tossed ithigh into theairandskewered iton theendof his sword.The raw flesh quiveredon the endof the bladeas itsbloodrandownthemetaland tickledover thewarrior’sclenchedhand.Thecrowderuptedwithscreamsofapproval.

“FightwithmeandIpromiseyouvictory.Andwithvictory,Ipromiseyou the plunder and booty theRomans have extracted from us and ourpeoples!” yelled Arminius. “I have my men who will follow me to thedeath.” Arminius searched the sea of faces before him for his friendWodenicus.Wherewashe?“Withallofustogetherwewillnotbegoingto our deaths—itwill be theRomanswhowill be going to their bloodydeaths!” At this every warrior within earshot drew forth his longbroadsword and brandished it in the air, calling and shouting, voicingtheirsupportandenthusiasmforthecalltoarms.

ArminiuswasworkingthegatheringwhenDagantheHunterenteredIcker. The rest of his column remained behind at one of the outlyingencampments. Dagan rode ahead to alert the elders of his arrival andspendthenightwithThusnelda.Arminiuswasabout topull themeatoffhisswordthathehadstabbedfromtheairwhenhespottedtheloneriderslowly approaching the outer circle. For a moment he thought it wasWodenicus. It was not his missing friend. Nor was it anyone herecognized.

Dagandrewuptotheoutercircleandquicklydismounted.HepassedthereinsofhishorsetothesameyoungboywhohadtetheredArminius’whitestallionandthenmovedtojointheassembly.Asthecockystrangerstrode forth Arminius’ eye spotted a glint of gold onDagan’s forearm.The stranger’s other hand rested on the haft of his broadsword.Daganstopped in front ofArminiusand extendedhis right hand to takeuphisforearm in the customary form of greeting. And then he saw it: thefamiliarsnakeheads,thegoldentorque,thegiftoffriendshiphehadthesmith create forhis lifelong friendWodenicusafter leavingHaltern justmonthsbefore—onthisstranger’swrist!

Arminius’ blood froze. He lifted Dagan’s wrist and asked quietly,“Howcomeyoubythisbracelet?”

Dagansmiled, thinkingArminiuswaspraisinghimfor itsbeauty.“ItookitfromaRomanmercenarywhowasonhisownontheeasternridgeline.”Afewonlookerscheeredtheresponse.

The German chieftain’s eyes burned brightly in response. “I haveseenoneexactly like thiswornbyagreat friendofmine,andnotmany

hoursago. Itwas Iwhogave it tohim thisveryyearbeforewe leftourwinterquarters.Therecannotbetwolikeit.Iaskyouagain,howdidyoucomebyit?”

Slowly, Dagan began to understand the import of Arminius’ wordsand the lurkingmenace behind them. It was an accusation, an inquest.ArminiuscontinuedholdingDagan’srightforearm.Notoneusedtobeingquestioned before others,Dagan ripped hiswrist out of Arminius’ steelholdandmovedhishandswiftlyacrossthecenterofhisbody,holdingitashortdistancefromthehaftofhisbroadsword.Hislefthandhaddroppedtohisbeltdirectlyunder thehaft, ready tohold thescabbardshouldheneedtodrawhisweapon.ThemovewasnotlostonArminius,whostoodwithoutmoving,hisbrightblueeyesfixedonDagan’sown.

“Hasyourtonguelostitself,orareyouabouttotellmeyoufoundthetorqueonthetrail?”

“I make no pretence of how I came about this bracelet,” repliedDagan,holdinghiswristup toshowthearticle to theencircledmassofchieftainsandwarriors.“AsIalreadysaid,I tookthis fromaRoman,amercenary,whowasonhiswayheretospyonourgathering.Hewasoneof the accursed traitors to our tribe who joined and served the Romanpigs,andeven foughtagainstoutownpeopleduring theearlywars.Hewasa lonescout.”Daganpaused to let thenext threewordssink in.“Ikilledhim.”

Daganwavedhisarmintheair.“Thisgoldisatrophyofwar,andIdonot regretnor seek justification formyactions!”He lookedagainatArminius and added, “Do not ever accuse me of a misdeed. I killed atraitor.Itookaprize.Ianswertonomanformyactions.”Dagansteppedbackafewpacesandagainplacedhishandnearthehaftofhissword.Itwasachallenge.

Wordof theconfrontationspreadquicklyandsoonreached those incamps immediately surrounding the central gathering. Like a flood, themen in the outlying areas poured into the central Icker encampment,wheretheysawArminiusandDaganfacingeachotherinthecenterofthelarge gathering. Many of the newcomers were members of Arminius’cavalryforce.Theyquicklytookinwhatwastakingplaceandquietly,butswiftly,blendedintotheinnerringofthecircleofelders.

ArminiuscontinuedstaringintentlyatDagan,barelyabletocontaintherageboilingwithinhim.WodenicushadbeenslainbythisimpetuouspuppyofawarriorfromSegestes’camp?Itcouldnotbeso—exceptthatitwas. Almost as bad was the accusation that Wodenicus was a traitor.

Dagan’s statement implied that everyone who rode with Arminius,including Arminius himself, were traitors for having fought with theRomans.Hisdecisionmade,hedrewinalongbreathandexhaled.Howwouldwhathewasabout todo influencehisplanswith theother tribaleldersandchieftains?Hewasunsure,butDaganwouldhave topay forthe death of Wodenicus and his insults. And then he heard Segestes’wordsinhismind:“Yes,sheisbeautiful…andsheisbetrothedtoDagantheHunter,oftheChattitribe;theyaretobewedinthefall…”

“Wodenicuswasmygreatestfriend.”Arminiusspokequietly,clearly,almostwithoutvisibleemotionashestaredhardintoDagan’seyes.“Anymanwhocallshimatraitor,andhasslainhimforthatveryreason,mustnowbe prepared to join him in death.For you,Dagan theHunter, arenownomore thanDagantheDog,a low-lifewhodeserves to livenotamomentlonger.Prepareyourself,forIfightwithnomercy,andnocallofmercywillstaymyhand.Thisday,youdie.”

Withaswiftmovement—somewouldsayfasterthantheeyecouldsee—Arminius’ longandheavybroadsword suddenly appeared in his grip,its point but a few inches fromDagan’s throat. The surprised Germangaspedandstumbledbackwardwithanoath,drawinghisownswordandhackingdownwardstomeetArminius’blade.Themovementwaswasted.Arminius slipped to theblindsideof the swordas it cut through theairwherehehadstoodabriefsecondbefore.Hisownbladecutbackquickly,slicingthroughDagan’shamstringinadeftmovethatdrewadeepgroanasDagansanktohisknees,hisswordraisedtoprotecthimselffromtheoverheadblowheknewwouldfollow.Arminius’swordfoundnothingbutraised blade, but the mighty blow sent painful shock waves racing upDagan’swristandarmandtheswordslippedfromhisnervelessfingers.

Sensing victory, Arminius pulled his sword back and around for afinal sweeping death blow. Dagan, however, rolled sideways andbackward, freeingas hedid sohis largedouble-headedaxe,whichhadbeensecuredacrossthebackofhisshoulders.Withbloodrunningdownhislegandapainedgrimaceetchedinhisface,hestumbledtohisfeettoface Arminius. His axe was held across his body, ready to block anycuttingmovementorstrikeifanopportunitypresented.Arminiussteppedto one side to attack from another angle when he saw fresh smears ofblood on the blade of Dagan’s axe. Unable to contain any longer theanger roiling within, he emitted a shout of fury, raised his sword highabovehishead,andbroughtitdownonDagan’saxe.Once…twice…athirdtime.Falteringabitmorewitheverystrike,Daganslowlyhobbled

backwarduntilthefourthpowerfulswingofArminius’broadswordswepttheaxeawayfromDagan’sgrasp.

Theencirclingcrowdhelditscollectivebreathastheywatchedinraptawethedeath-duelbeingplayedoutinfrontoftheireyes.Daganwasnowdefenseless,hischestheavinginsearchofair,hisbodytiltedtoonesidein a half-crouch to favor his good leg. In an act of supreme bravery,Daganslowlydrewhimselfuptostandalittlemoreerect,refusingtolookawayfromhisopponentoraskformercy.

Segestesstoodattheedgeofthecircle,hishandsframinghisfaceinhorror.“Havemercy,Arminius!Heissoontobemyson-in-law!”

“Nolonger,”shotbackArminiusangrily,whoswepthisbroadswordin an upward-curving underhanded sweep. The broadsword wasoriginally designed to hack and chop, its weight sufficient to cleave itswaythroughthemosthardenedofshieldsandprotectiveclothing,butitsedges were blunted. Arminius’ sword was of a similar design, but itsedgeshadbeenhonedtoarazor’ssharpness.Theswordwhistledthroughthe air and cut sharply through Dagan’s body, beginning at his waist.Continuing on its bloody journey, the blade swept on, opening hisbreastbonefromsternumtothroat,narrowlymissinghisjawasitrippedfreefromDagan’sfleshandslippedpasthishead.Daganwasdeadevenbefore his insides spilled out of the gaping cavity and slopped onto theground. The corpse collapsed to its knees, remained upright for a fewseconds,andthenslumpedforwardinastickypoolofbloodandgore.

Arminiushadavengedhisfriend’ssenselessdeath,buthefeltlittleashegazeddispassionatelyattheprostratebodybeforehim.Astheheatofmortalcombatslowlyebbedfromhisbody,heraisedhiseyesandstaredatthesubduedmassoftribesmengatheredaroundthecircleofelders.Noone said aword or evenmoved. As the seconds ticked past he realizedthere would not be an adverse reaction to the death of Wodenicus’executioner.Infact,hisdisplayofhonorandvalorinslayingDaganmayhaveeliminatedanylingeringoppositiontohisplan.

Withoutaword,Arminiuskneeledby thecorpseandpriedaway thegoldtorquefromDagan’swrist.

Hehelditaloftforalltosee.“Thismankilledmygreatestfriend,andtook this as a trophy for his deed. I have now repaid the debt to mydepartedfriend,withDagan’slifeaspayment.”

Arminius,however,hadmoreonhismind than thegoldbracelet.“Iamnot satisfiedwith so small a payment!Under our laws I have takenDagan’s life in legitimate combat, and now I have the right to take his

horse,hislands,andallhispossessions.Iwantnoneofthese!Instead,Iclaim the right to take hiswoman, hiswife-to-be. Segestes!” called outArminius as he turned to face the white-faced chieftain, pointing hisbroadswordstraightathischest.“Iclaimtheright.Yourdaughterwillbemine, and Iwillwed herwhen I have defeatedVarus and his accursedlegions. Say it—proclaim the right, Segestes. I call on your agreementnow.Letallgatheredhereunder thismoonhearyouracceptanceofmyrights.”

Segesteslookedbefuddled,unsurewhattosayasheloweredhisgazetoDagan’scorpse.Heheldtheformwithhiseyesforafullminutebeforelockinghiseyesontheswordpointingdirectlyinhisdirection.Thecrowdsilentlyawaitedtheoutcomeofthislatestturnofevents.Segestesturnedhis head and looked at the hut that held his beloved Thusnelda. To hisastonishment, and almost as if on cue, the skins across the entrancepartedtorevealthegirl.Howmuchhadsheheard?DidsheknowDaganwasdead?

Before she could speak Segestes made his decision. “I agree. Mydaughterisnowyourbetrothed,Arminius,inaccordancewithourlaws.IfyoudefeattheRomans”—heemphasizedtheword“if”—youmaywedmydaughter.”

When thewords reached her ears Thusnelda’smouth fell open andshegaspedinresponse.Aflushofbothfearandembarrassmentengulfedherbody,forshestilldidnotfullycomprehendwhathadtakenplace,onlyappreciating that somehow she had become the center of attention. SheshotalookatArminius,butwhenhisblueeyesboreagainintoherown,shequicklydrewbackintothehutwithoutspeakingaword.

“I will wed Segestes’ daughter, because I will defeat the Varuslegions. I will defeat them because I have your support, the bravestwarriorsfromthegreatesttribesGermaniahaseverproduced.Withyou,I can defeat the very devil himself. Who is with me, who is withArminius?”hecried.

Theresponsewasagainelectrifying.Amassofvoices,allexcitedatthe prospect of war and battle, rose in a tumultuous roar of approval.ShieldswerebeatenandtrumpetsblowninanoisyaccompanimenttothecheersandshoutsofsupportforArminius’calltoarms.

Hehadwontheday.Nowhehadtowinthebattle.Heheldbothhisswordandhandaloft,beckoningthecrowdonceagaintosilence.“Imustnowmake planswith your chiefs and elders, plans for our victory. Fornow, enjoy the foodandwines. Iwillmeet youall againwhen the time

arrivesforustofacedowntheRomans.Isaluteyouall.”Arminius moved across the circle, ignoring Dagan’s corpse as he

walkedtowardtheotherchieftainsandelders.Segestesremainedtooneside, where he murmured under his breath, “Every dog has his day,Arminius,butIpromiseyouwillhaveyourcomeuppance.”

AndsoArminiusbrought the tribes togetherduringthesummerof9AD.HewouldfighthisbattleinSeptemberonhisground,atatimeofhischoosing, and on his terms of engagement. Itwas not a victory hewasseeking,buttheannihilationofthemenoftheSeventeenth,EighteenthandNineteenthLegionsofRome.

PARTII

ChapterFourteen

9AD:AspirationsandJudgmentsatMinden

Varus’ summer camp atMindenwas a hive of activity.Drusus hadestablished the camp during the early years, when the Romans forgedtheir way into and through the German heartlands. Traveling up thewaters of theWeser, which flowed about 1,000 yards from the easternedge of the lager, the Roman galleys cut their way upstream from thecoastalregionsofthenorthernseaandthroughthelinkportsleadinguptothesummercamp.Thereafter,theypassedthroughthebroadgapoftheWiehengebirgeridge into theupperreachesof theriver thatcoursed itswaythroughflatandunimpressivefloodedmeadowlandsbeforemerginginto the steep valleys and gorges of the range of hills sitting astride it,passingthroughthetownsofHessOldendorf,Hameln,andontoHoxter.Herewas the junction of the upper reaches of the east–west land routefromthelastofthefortsontheRiverLippeintoeasternGermanyandontotheElbesome120milesdistant.

Mindenwasalsoakeyjunctionbetweenthenorth–southcourseoftheWeserand thenortherly east–west land route, stretching from theRiverEmsacrossthenorthGermanplaintotheWeser,andagain,ontoeasternGermany and the Elbe. Minden was one of the most important linkfortressesinGermany—asimportanttotheRomansasthelinkfortressesofXantenandAliso,sitedoneithersideofthejunctionoftheLippeandthebroadsweepoftheRhineriver.

AshortdistancenorthoftheWiehengebirgeridgeproper,thesummercampwasovershadowedbytheridge’sloftyheightsoneithersideoftheMindengap.Herethelegionsestablishedsmallbutwellfortifiedlookoutforts, with commanding views of the surrounding countryside for manymilesinnearlyeverydirection,savethewoodedareasoftheridge.Evenhere, theRomanscutback into those forestedareas toestablish linesofsightprotectedbyaseriesofimpenetrablerampartsandstakedditches.

ThesummercampwasadesirablepostingfortheRomanoccupationforces.Sitedagainst thesideof theWeser, thepioneershadcut into thenearside river banks, establishing small backwater areaswhere bathingand swimming could take place, safely removed from the dangerouscurrentsswirlingalongthemainconcourseof theriver.In theheatofasummer’s day, the poolswere nearly always full with officers, soldiers,andtheirattendantslaves.

It was now August, the religious month during which all Romanscommemorated the elevation of Augustus to the rank of Caesar. It wasusuallythehottestandmostuncomfortableofthesummermonths,humidandutterlyunlikethehotbutclearerairsofRome.

ItwasalmosttimeforthelegionstomovebacktowinterquartersatHaltern andXanten (Vetera), amarch theywould undertake during thecomingmonth.Meanwhile, theyworkedhardmaintaining their footholdin theGerman tribal areas of the northern plains. These tasks includedbuilding roads between their various bases along the east–west linebetweentheWeserandtheEms,mappingthefeaturesofthesurroundingcountryside, and sending out detachments and foraging parties to thevariousGermanvillagesasashowofauthorityandtocollecttaxes.

Varus often held court inside the summer camp, lording it over hisdomain, challenging the laws and decrees under which the Germantribesmenandelderslived,andimposinghisownRomancourtsofjusticein matters concerning the fate of various offenders and minortransgressors.Hisreputationasjudgeandjurywaswellknown,andnotmanyofthoseinvolvedintheday-to-daypettydisputeswerepleasedwhentheir cases ended up before the Roman commander. Most of the localdisputeswere resolved by the various councils of village elders. Varus,however,sawhimselfasnotonlyarepresentativeofthemightyAugustus,but almost as a Caesar in his own right. As was the manner of everydictator, Varus tried to enhance his own status by exaggerating theimportanceof otherwisemodest judicialproceedings.Amanaccusedofstealingaflagonofwine,forexample,wasgivenapunishmentbefittingarapist or murderer: inverted crucifixion. A village that had not paidsufficient taxeswas ordered razed to the ground, its animals and grainseized,themenputtothesword,andthewomenandchildrenimprisonedandhauledbacktothesummercampasslaves.

Varussawto it thatsemi-permanentdetachmentswereposted in theoutlyingdistrictstomaintaindisciplineandcontinuetheoppressionoftheGermantribes.Severalsmallmarchlagersandhillfortswereestablished

within a 30-mile radius of Varus’ thriving central camp on theWeser.Almost one-quarter of his army was deployed in these outposts at anygiventime—alargenumberconsideringthatalmostthatmanywerealsoatworkmappingandbuildingroadsacrossthelengthandbreadthofthenorthGermanplain.Varus,however,wasnotoverlyconcernedaboutthisdispersalofforce.HewasconfidentinhisomnipotenceandbeliefthattheGerman tribes posed no threat to his three mighty legions: theSeventeenth,EighteenthandNineteenthLegionsofRome.

Hiscomplacencywouldbehisundoing.

Thepioneerdetachmentsstrewnacrossthelengthandbreadthofthenorth German plain, including the passes in and through the massiveWiehengebirge ridge line, were tasked with opening the main axis ofadvanceDrusushadestablishedbetween theEmsandWeser rivers twodecades before. It was their responsibility to construct reinforcedhighways and repair and re-lay roads (Holzmoorwege) over the boggymoorlands to thewest.Theywerealsoordered to reconnoiterandpavenewroutes throughthekeypassesrunningfromthenorthernreachesofthe Teutoburger Wald into the highlands of the Wiehengebirge andKalkrieseBergs.

The work was a high priority in Varus’ development plans for theregion, and would serve to alleviate the pressure on the movement ofessential stores and supplies up and down the main concourse of theGermanrivers,freeingbargesandshippingforuseelsewhere.Themajorundertakingofthefirststageshouldhavebeentheconstructionofaseriesof assault roads to support immediate operations. Varus’ lackadaisicalandcomplacentattitude,however,althoughchallengedbyhissecond-in-command, prevented the establishment of better lines of communicationbetweenthevariousoutposts.

Manning thesedetachmentsnaturallydiminished thenumberofmenVarus had available at the main camp at Minden. Marcus Aius hadchallengedtheplan,tonoavail.VarusbelievedhisprimarymissionwasthecontinuedoppressionoftheGermantribesbykeepingupadirectandcontinuing presence in themainGerman settlement areas—withRomansoldiersonpublicviewatalltimes.

It was normal practice for Romans to upgrade tactical routes tostrategic main roads and highways, running near, but not necessarilyalong,earlierlinesofmarch.Althoughbuildingtheseroadswasalong-

termproject, in theend they reduced theneed forongoingmaintenanceontheprovisionaltacticalroutes,andthussavedpreciousresources.ButVaruswouldhavenoneofthis.Instead,heinsistedthatGermaniawouldcontinue to be a subverted land, its people part of the greater RomanEmpire; induecourse itwouldbecomeanotherRomanprovince.As faras Varuswas concerned, building roads along direct lines of approachwas far more important than working along tactical routes and lesseravenuesofadvanceandwithdrawal.Therewasnofurtherneedforsuchroads, believedVarus. Itwas time tobegin themore lengthyprocessofbuilding permanently established highways in preparation for the newRomanprovinceofGermany.

Some modern engineers claim the amazing feats of engineeringachieved by the Romans during the establishment of their Empireprovided a yardstick thereafter for every nation. Roman roads andhighways were a prime example of their engineering expertise. In theboggymoorlandsofthenorthGermanplains,theirabilitytoconstructandmaintainsoundandreliablecrossingswasbothvitalandeffective.

For example, Romans usually utilized aworkforce of one thousandmen,eachworkingten-hourdays,toconstructacausewayorroadacrossapproximately fifty miles of moorlands. The length of time it took toconstruct the road varied (see below). These highways,many originallyestablishedbyDrusus,orrefurbishedusingexistingHoltzmoorwege,werebuilttothefollowingspecifications:

A.Aclearedwidthof8to9yardswithalltreesandscrubcutatgroundlevel;B.Aleveledcarriagewayof2.6yardsmarkedbytimbercurbs;C.Minimalornon-existentdrainage;D.A“corduroy”(log)surfaceoverswamps.

Achievingsuchunparalleledengineeringfeatstooktime,andthetimeit took varied depending upon the type of terrain over which the roadswerelaid:

Grassland:40man-hoursper100yardsForest:600man-hoursper100yardsHeathland:450man-hoursper100yardsSwamp/Moor:625man-hoursper100yards

Inordertohelpinterpretandfullycomprehendtheabovefigures,let’sconsiderwhatitwouldhavetakentoconstructaroadfromEmstoWeser,a distance of about 75 miles. Such a project would have consumed570,000man-hours,aworkpartyof1,100men,andtaken70days.Thus,ifthetasksgiventhepioneerdetachmentshadbeennomorethantorepairandmaintainthekeyrouteswithina30-mileradiusofthesummercamp,itwouldnothavebeennecessarytocommitsuchlargeforcestomantheoutlying guard detachments and pioneering contingents deployed asdecreedbyVarus.Occupationandoppression,accordingtoVarus,hadtobe seenby the locals as effective.Fewcommandersquestionedwhetheroccupation and security of the ground was of paramount militaryimportance.

Varus,however,simplydidnotbelievetheGermanscouldorwouldcombine to become an effective threat against his legions. Indeed, theability of the Germans to respond to a central authority and pool theirstrength seemsnever to have occurred to him.During his occupancyofthe summer camp, Varus stretched his legions to the breaking pointwithouteverrealizingtheywereindanger.

Aseachdaypassed,MarcusAiusbecamemoredespondentwith therealizationthatoneachpassingdayinthesummercamp,hispositionassecond-in-command became less secure and less effective. Varus hadaspirations for an eastward advance. He intended to erect a bridgedirectly adjacent to the eastern exit of the lager and establish a newcrossingof theWeser.He readoftenabout thegreat JuliusCaesarandhisearlyforaysandbattleswiththeGermantribeswhohadinvadedGaulin55BC.TheeventthatspecificallysparkedVarus’interestwasCaesar’scounterattack across the Rhine to repel the German invaders, amomentous event only a few months before Caesar initiated his firstinvasion of Britain. The bridging of the Rhine was thus an importanttacticalexercisethatprovidedvaluableexperiencetoCaesar’sengineersandpioneerdetachmentsbeforetheywouldbeforcedtoperformsimilarlogistical feats during their invasion of Britain and advances throughKentandacrosstheMedwayandThamesrivers.

Caesar left an extensive account of his activities during the GallicWars:

Such, then, weremy reasons for crossing the Rhine; but to do so in boats appeared too risky andwas

certainlybelowthedignityofaRomangeneral.Tobuildabridgewouldbeadifficultoperationbecauseoftheriver’swidth,depthandswiftcurrent.NeverthelessIcametotheconclusionthatthedifficultymustbeovercome or thewhole idea of crossing abandoned.Constructionwas therefore begun on the followingplan.Twopiles,eighteeninchesthick,slightlypointedatthelowerends,andvaryinginlengthaccordingtotheriver’sdepth,were fastened together two feetapart to forma truss.Theywere then lowered into thewaterfromraftsanddrivenfirmlyintotheriverbedwithpiledrivers.

Theywerenotsetintheusualverticalpositionbutinclininginthedirectionofthecurrent.Oppositetothem,andfortyfeetdownstream,asimilartrusswasfixedbutthistimeleaningagainstthestream.Thetrusseswerejoinedbyatransomtwofeetwide,theendsofwhichfittedexactlyintothespacesbetweentheheadsofthefourpiles.Thetwotrusseswerekeptapartbyiron‘dogs’,whichsecuredeachpiletotheendofthetransom;andaddedstrengthwasgivenbydiagonaltiesrunningfromonepiletoitsoppositenumberonthesameside.

Inthiswaytherigidityofthewholestructurenaturallyincreasedinproportiontothecurrent’sforce;additionalpilesweredriveninobliquelyonthedownstreamsidetoformabuttresssupportingeachtrussand helping to take the weight of the water. A series of these trusses and transoms were connected bytimbers laidat rightangles so that if thenativesattempted todestroy it by floatingdown tree trunksorboats,thesefenderswouldlessentheshockandpreventdamagetothebridge.1

Tendaysafterthecollectionoftimberforthebridgebegan,theworkwas completed and Caesar’s army crossed without significant incident.TheGermans,awedbythisseeminglyunstoppableforceasitpouredintoGermaniaacrossanamazingfeatofengineering,withdrew.CaesarspentnomorethaneighteendaysbeyondtheRhinebeforerecrossingintoGaul.Hedestroyedthebridgebehindhim.Despitethefactthatthisbridgehadbeen constructed in a remarkably short period of time, the delay of tendaysmighthavebeenunacceptableinthecutandthrustofafull-bloodiedbattle,whentheestablishmentofamilitarybridgeheadwouldhavebeenessential.

The Romans reduced this waiting time, when necessary, by thebuilding of pontoon bridges, which occured duringCaesar’s incursionsintoBritain and the crossing of theMedway andThames.His engineerand pioneer detachmentsmay have used similar bridging techniques toquicklyseizelandontheothersideofthecrossings,inordertoestablishsafeandsecurebridgeheads.AccordingtoRomanhistorianVegetius,thecrossingscarriedoutbyCaesarwereswiftandspeedytacticalmaneuversthattriggeredbothsurpriseandalarminthewithdrawingBritishenemy:

Navigableriversarepassed…inanemergencybyfasteningtogetheranumberofemptycasksandcoveringthemwithboards.Thecavalry,throwingofftheiraccoutrements,makesmallfloatsofdryreedsorrushes on which they lay their arms and cuirasses to preserve them from being wet. … But the mostcommodiousinventionisthatofthesmallboatshollowedoutofonelogandverylight,bothbytheirmakeandthequalityofthewood.Thearmyalwayshadanumberoftheseboatsuponcarriages,togetherwithasufficientquantityofplanksandironnails.Thus,withthehelpofcablestolashtheboatstogether,abridgeisinstantlyconstructed,whichforthetimehasthesolidityandstabilityofstone…

Now,more than half a century later in 9AD,Varuswas laying hisownplanstocreateagreaterGermanianprovinceforthemightyRomanEmpireunderhispersonalrule.Heenjoyedhispositionofpower,whichincluded his weekly “courts of justice,” as he laughingly called them.Disciplinaryproblemswithinthelegionswereatthistimerelativelyrare—especially when compared to the uprisings and mutinies of earliertimes,whichhadbeenputdownwithswiftandmercilesspunishment.Asaresult,thevastmajorityofjudicialmattersheardbyVarus(whoenjoyedapplying the full weight of his office) concerned only minor matters oflocal interest. It was while one of these hearings was in session thatArminiusreturnedfromthewarconferenceoftheGermantribesatIcker.

Chargedwithstealingchickensfromhisneighbor,thedefendantkneltbeforeVarus’elevatedcouchastheConsul lookedoutacrosstheseaoffacesgatheredtowitnessthehearing.AmemberoftheRomanjudiciary,anoblemanselectedfromoneoftheelitefamiliesofRometoaccompanyVarus in his occupation of Germany, recited the man’s offences andrelatedthegatheredtestimony.

The plaintiff had returned to his homestead from a foragingexpedition in the forest to find four or five of his chickens missing.Initially, he thought a fox was the culprit, but the absence of eitherfeathers or blood convinced him otherwise. As the man crossed themeadow to theother sideof thevalley,hedrewnearhisneighbor’shutand small vegetable garden. He was about to change direction andcontinue up the length of the woods alongside the meadow, when henoticed his neighbor carrying two dead chickens, their necks obviouslybroken. Both birds bore a striking resemblance to the black and redchickens that had gone missing from the plaintiff’s coop, and he hadpurposefully moved forward to challenge the accused, and demand toknow where he had come upon the two birds. Knives were drawn andvoicesheatedby the timeasmalldetachmentofRomanscameupon thescene.Whenhisinquirywasnotsatisfactorilyanswered,thecommanderarrested both men so that the case could be heard and judged at theweeklyjudiciaryhearingsinthelageratMinden.

Varussateasilyonhisloungingcouch,hiseyeshoodedashegazedlazily at the managed performance unfolding before him. The villageraccused of stealing the chickens from his neighborwas kneeling beforehim,hisarmsspreadoutas if insupplication.Theprosecutorcontinued

reading the charges committed by the man, outlining the case for thebenefit of the gathered throng of spectators who waited with barely-concealedexcitementfortheresultofthetrial.

Theneighborwhohadlosthischickenswasstandingtooneside,hisheadbowedashesoughttomaintainalowprofileandavoidthepiercingeyes of theConsul.Varus appeared nearly asleep as he half-listened tothedroningtoneof theprosecutor, theheatof thedaylingeringintothebreathless lateafternoonair inside thecanopiedareaof theentrance tothePraetorium.Everyoneassembledwas fullyawareofhowquickly theConsul could change his manner, and they were just as aware of howcruelandvicioushecouldbewhenitpleasedhim.

TheprosecutorwasstilldroningonwhenVarussuddenlyappearedtowaken.“Enough!Enough!By thegods, Ihavehadenoughof thissorrytale! Thisman beforeme,what has he to say to his accusers? Let himspeak to me.” With that, Varus raised a finger to one of the nearbyCenturions and pointed to the prostrate villager. The Centurion swiftlysteppedacrosstotheaccusedandroughlyshovedhiminthesidewithhissandaledfoot,demandinghisattention.TheGermanraisedhisheadandlooked up at the Centurion. Following the officer’s nod, the frightenedmanslowlyturnedhisgazeuptomeetVarus’.

“Ask him what he has to say in his defense,” barked Varus to hisinterpreter.“Whywashe supposedly stealing thisman’s property!Thatis,” Varus paused for a moment and turned his gaze in a differentdirectionbeforeadding,“ifwhatthisothermansaysistrue.”

AlthoughtheGermanwhoownedthestolenchickensbelievedhiscasewassound,hecringedwhenVarussettledhiscoldgazeuponhim.HehadnotfullyunderstoodwhattheConsulhadsaid,butthemenaceinhistoneof voicewasobvious inany language,and it unnervedhim.WhywouldtheConsuldirectsuchatoneathimandnotathisneighbor?Sweatbrokeoutonhisbrowashesuddenlyrealizedhispositionwasasunsafeashisneighbor’s.

“Comeon,hurry,”saidVarus tohis interpreter.“Ihavespent longenoughlisteningto thisboringtale.Whatsays theman?Andtellhimtobequick; I tire.”Hebroughtagobletof cooledwine tohis lips fromagoldandsilvertrayathisside.

The interpreter hastily questioned the frightened villager. It soonbecame abundantly clear to all assembled, including Varus, there wasmore to this story than just stolen chickens. “My lord,” said theinterpreter, finally turning to faceVarus,“themanadmits to taking the

chickens, but only as revenge for a crime against his family by hisneighbor.Hestateshisneighborwasresponsibleforhiswifeleavinghimafewdaysago,aftershedisclosedtheirneighborhadforcedhiswaywithher—ah, he raped her, sire. She was distressed and ashamed, andvanished the following morning, at which point the accused went toconfront the other man but found him gone as well. In the heat of themoment,sire,heclaimshechasedthechickensfromthecoop,killingtwoorthreelaterastheyranaboutinthewoods.Accordingtohim,sire,hisneighbor’s actions constitute the crime to be answered, and his actionswerenomorethanaminorformofretribution.”

Varusthoughtforamomentbeforeaskingquietly,“Thenwhywashecarryingthedeadchickensbacktothehut?Washeintendingtoconverttheheatofthemomentintotheheatofhiscookingpot?”Varuslaughedaloudathisdoubleentendreandwaitedfortheassemblytodolikewise.Regrettablyforthetwoco-defendants,thejokeproducedonlymutedandstifled chuckles instead of the open and boisterous laughter he hadexpected.

Varus furrowedhisbrowandheldhis tongue,a sure signofbarelycontrolledanger.Gesturing to theCenturion,hebeckoned theofficer tobring the accuser before him. The soldier grabbed the villager by theelbowand shovedhim roughly forward to face theConsul.By this timethe man was quivering with fear, for the lies told by his neighbor hadchanged the entire tenor of the proceedings. He stood meekly, headbowed, trembling,stomachchurning,asa floodofnausearose fromhisgutandfeargrippedhismind.Beadsofsweatbrokeoutonhisbrow.Hewaited for theopportunity to speak inhis owndefense.Theopportunitynevercame.

Varus looked at the Centurion and pointed down to the ground infront of him to indicate the villager should join his fellowGerman facedown in front of him. TheCenturion grabbed theman by the shouldersandforcedhimtohiskneesbeforepushinghimforward,banginghisheadonthefloor.

Varus gently sipped from his goblet of wine, enjoying the hushedexpectancy of the assembly as the onlookers awaited his next turn ofmood. The silence was deafening, and Varus milked it for another fullminute. His earlier attempt at humor had failed to endear him to thegatheredthrong,andsohedecidedtheonlyothercourseofactionwastogivethemsomethingmorethantheybargainedfor—aswiftandexactingpunishment to fit the crimes presented him. Although neither case had

beenprovedordisproved,thecrowdwasitchingforswiftRomanjustice.TheopportunitytoshowtheomnipotenceandauthorityofRomewasnottobemissed.

“Ihavedecided,”hebegan,pausingforthedesiredeffect.Thecrowdhelditscollectivebreath.“Themanwhostolethechickensisobviouslyathief.Thepatrolreportedthechickensweredeadandfoundintheman’spossession,andtheywereobviouslynothisproperty.Heisfoundguilty,and will suffer the appropriate punishment for thieves. He is to becrucified.Hispostwillbeerectedupby thewestern lookoutpositionontheridge,soallcanseehisdemise.”TheinterpreterrepeatedtherulinginahushedtonetoensureallwouldunderstandtheConsul’sdecision.

Varus continued, “As for this other low creature, the taking ofanother man’s woman—rape within a parent community—is not to betolerated. It causes unrest and confrontation. There appears to be noreason why his case is not also found guilty, but his crime is moredespicable than thatof the thief.He shallbe tarredand fired inanimalskins,asisourpunishmentforsuchcrimes.”

Evenbeforetheinterpreterfinished,thevillagershadjumpedtotheirfeettoweepandprotesttheunexpectedoutcomeofthetrial.Varusrose,asuresignthehearinghadrunitscourse,whenoneoftheaccusedraisedhis head and began chattering loudly toward him. Varus paused.Somethingaboutthelookintheman’seyecaughthisattentionevenmorethanthesharpgutturaltonesofhislanguage.Turningtotheinterpreter,heaskedhimtotranslate.

Before he could do so, the Centurion standing next to the rantingvillagerstifledtheoutburstwithaswiftblowtotheheadwiththeflatofhissword,fellingthetribesman,whosatonthefloorandrubbedhishead,stunnedbythesuddenblow.

“Sire,”beganthe interpreter,“hesays that ifyousparehimhewilltellyouallheknowsofanuprisingbythetribes,plannedtotakeplaceattheendofthesummer.Hesayshehasmuchinformationabouttheleadersofthisrebellion,andwhatformtheuprisingwilltake.Hesaystherearemanythousandsoftribesmencomingtogethertoformanalliancetofightagainstus.Hepleadsforhislifeinexchangeforthisinformation.”

Varuschuckledsoftly.“Anymanwhonearshisowndeathwillclutchatanystrawtolive.Hewillsearchhissoulforanywaytostayalive,toremainonthisearth,evenifitmeansinventingamazingandincredulousinventions.”Varusyawnedas ifbored.“TheGerman tribesareentirelysubjugated.Ourfortsandpatrolsreportallisquiet,andneitherInormy

commandershavereceivedevenan inklingofan insurrection.Whatsayyou,Marcus Aius?”Varus turned to face his second in command,whohadbeenstandingofftoonesideobservingtheproceedings.

Marcusreplied,“Youareentirelycorrect,sire,althoughIamcuriouswhetherthismanreallybelieveswhatheissaying,Lord.Irequestafewminutestoconductaninterrogationofhimconcerninghisstatements.”

“No, Marcus Aius! Absolutely not. I want no more of this. It hasdraggedonfartoolongforsuchatrivialmatter.Onthemorrow,Iwantthesetwotogotothepostsasanexampletoothers.Idonotbelieveonewordofhisplea—therantingsandravingsofacondemnedman.IfafewGermans attempt anything foolish, I am confident you can put it downeasily and quickly, Marcus Aius, though I doubt the tribes have anyfurtherstomachforsuchenterprise.Letusclosethissorrycase.Iwantnomoreofit.Theaccusedwillmeettheirgodstomorrow.Takethemaway!.”

With that, Varus exited the front chambers of the Praetorium. Thesobbing and moans of the two villagers soared above the chatteringconversationsoftheassembledthrongastheCenturionandasmallpartyof legionaries dragged themen away from the forum to the bloody fateawaitingthem.

The outcome of this latest judicial proceeding quickly traveledthroughout theconfinesof the lagerat thesummercamp.Thecruel fatedealt by Varus generated debate deep into the night. The sun slowlysettledinthewest,andtheeveningshadowsdrewinasthelageranditsoccupants prepared to bed down for the night. Outside in the quietdarkness the trumpets sounded for the first watch of the night, and theorderlyofficers“stoodto”tocarryouttheirlateroundsofinspection.

Footsteps sounded outside the western guardhouse, and a red lightglimmeredat thewindow.The twoofficers insidemovedout together tomeetthedutyCenturion,whostoodoutsideholdinghighaflaringtorch.TheclashingRomansaluteoffiststobreastplateswasexchanged,andthethreeofficerssetoutona tourof thedarkened fort,moving fromsentrypost to sentry post along the rampart walk, from guardroom toguardroom, exchanging quietly as they went the password of the day.Finally, the trio reached a small lighted room at the rear of thePraetorium,wherethepaychestsandgatheredtaxeswerekept,aswerethe standards of the three legions. A separate contingent of the guardforcewasondutyhere,andbetweenroundsthedutyCenturionsatwithhissworddrawnandlaidonthetablebeforehimthroughoutthenight.

Across from themainbuilding, the twoprisoners laycurled in their

cells, coldandafraid,waiting for thenighthours topass intomorning,whentheywouldbetakenouttomeetanagonizingdeathatthehandsoftheirRomancaptors.

ChapterSixteen

EarlyAutumn,9AD:DeparturefromMinden

BothCassiusDioandTacitusleftdetailedaccountsofVarus’heavy-handed administration of the German province. These histories help usunderstandhowtheangeragainst theRomansincreased,andhowVaruscametobeviewedbythelocalpopulation.

AccordingtoCassiusDio:

WhenQuinctiliusVarusbecameGovernorof theprovinceofGermany,andintheexerciseofhispowersalsocametohandletheaffairsofthesepeoples,hetriedbothtohastenandtowidentheprocessofchange.HenotonlygaveorderstotheGermansasiftheywereactualslavesoftheRomans,butalsoleviedmoneyfrom them as if they were subject nations. These were demands they would not tolerate. The leadersyearned for their former ascendancy, and the masses preferred their accustomed condition to foreigndomination.Theydidnotriseinopenrebellion,becausetheysawthatthereweremanyRomantroopsneartheRhine,andmanywithintheirownterritory.Instead,theyreceivedVarus,andbypretendingthattheywouldcomplywithallhisorders,theyluredhimfarawayfromtheRhineintotheterritoryoftheCherusciandtowardtheriverVisurgis[theWeser].Theretheybehavedinamostpeacefulandfriendlymanner,andmadehimfeelconfidentthattheycouldliveinastateofsubjectionwithoutthepresenceofsoldiers.

Theresultwasthathedidnotkeephisforcesconcentratedaswasadvisableinahostilecountry,butdispersedmanyofhis troops to thoseregionswhich lackedprotection,supposedly toguardvariousvitalpositions,arrestoutlaws,orescortsupplycolumns.AmongthosewhowerethemostdeeplyinvolvedintheplotandtooktheleadinitsplanningandinthesubsequentfightingwereArminiusandSegimerus;thesemenwereconstantlyinVarus’companyandoftenpresentinhisMess.Hethusbecamecomplacenttothepointofrashness,andsinceheexpectednoharm,notonlydisbelievedall thosewhosuspectedwhatwashappeningandurgedhimtobeonhisguard,butactuallyreprovedthemforbeingneedlesslyalarmedandforslanderinghisfriends

Tacitusechoedthesesentiments:

Segestes (a local chieftain and brother of Segimerus) had often warned Publius Quinctilius Varus thatrebellionwasplanned.Atthefeastwhichimmediatelyprecededtherising,SegesteshadadvisedVarustoarrestArminiusandtheotherchiefs,andalsohimself,onthegroundsthattheirremovalwouldimmobilizetheiraccomplicesandVaruscouldthentakehistimeinsortingouttheguiltyfromtheinnocent.However,Varus was to fall to Arminius. Segestes had been forced into the war by the unanimous feeling of theCherusci. But relations between the Germans were still bad. Domestic ill-feeling contributed becauseSegestes’daughter,engagedtoanotherman,wasstolenbyArminius.

September,AD9:Varus’LastSupperandSummerStorms

Arminiuscarriedwithhim to thesummer lageraheavyheartandarisingsenseofrage.ThefinalwarconferenceatIckerduringthewaningdaysofAugusthadsolidifiedthetribes.Heknewhowmuchwasasstake,andsomanagedtokeephisfeelingsunderwrap.Onlyhisnearestfriendsrealized his troubled state of mind. Outwardly, Arminius portrayedhimselfasamanofpatienceandafriendoftheRomans.Inside,however,he detested every minute, hour, and day of Roman occupation. Yet heknewhemustwaituntiltheRomansdepartedtheMindencampfortheirreturn towinterquarters.Only then,when the enemymarched for theirwesterncampontheLippe,beyondtheborderoftheRhine,wouldheandhiskinsmenhaveanopportunitytopunishVarusandhishatedlegions.

Arminiushadmaintainedaquietbut courteous relationshipwithallthe Roman commanders, and in particular Marcus Aius and Varushimself.Varusdidnotdoubthisloyaltyandsupport.

Indeed,asfarasVaruswasconcerned,Arminiuscoulddonowrong.Hewasa favoredmemberof theConsul’sMess, andVarus’warmthoffeeling toward theCherusci chieftain, Roman knight, and companion inhisGermancampaignwassecondtonone.MarcusAius,however,wasadifferentmatter.His eyes and cautious advice demonstratedopenly thathe was suspicious of Arminius and his warriors. Without any proof,however,Marcuswasunable to substantiatehismisgivings.And thoughVarusrelieduponhissecond-in-command,hedidnot toleratehiswordsof warning against Arminius—even in the normal day-to-day “baiting”that was often part of mess life, where light-hearted discourse was aregularfeatureoftheinformalgatheringsandfeasting.

NowthatSeptemberhadarrived,thefinalpreparationsforthemovebacktotheRhinewereunderway,aswasthefeasttomarktheendofthesummer.EverylocaldignitaryandchieftainwasinattendanceincludingSegestes,Arminius’maincompetitorandantagonist.ItwashisdaughterwhohadsoinflamedArminius’desiresandcloudedhisreasonatIcker.

The feasting and drinking, punctuatedwith performances by actors,skilled artists, exotic dancers, and musicians, was little more than alengthy round of licentious partying straddled across many nights anddays. Varus enjoyed the festivities and believed such grand affairspromotedhisstandingandstatusinthecommunity,bothintheeyesoftheGermantribesmenand,moreimportantly,intheeyesofhiscommandersand soldiers. The more impressive his feasts, the more people would

equatehimwiththegranderconceptsthatexistedinRomeitself,withthegreaterreputationof theCaesars themselves.Perhapssomeof thesameesteem and awe people held for the great Augustus Caesar would falluponhim.Likeapeacock,Varus’ inflatedegowasmatchedonlyby thepageantryofhiscolorfuldisplaysandposturing.

Arminiuswatchedandlistenedas thesoundsofrevelryandpealsofraucouslaughterthunderedwithinthelageranderuptedfromthecentralgathering of the German guests of honor inside the Principia(Headquarters).Themusicandsingingweremixedwithboisterousshoutsthatechoedacrossthefortandsurroundingfields.Heclenchedhisteethindisgust.

While he retained his studied pretense of servilitywith theRomans,Arminius worked hard to keep his friendship strong with the Germantribal chieftains. He was only too well aware that his relations withSegestesweretenuousatbest.EvenafterthewarconferenceatIcker,heknewSegesteswasnotfullybehindhisplanandwouldlikelycontinuehisattempts to appease the Romans. Would he openly betray Arminius’intentions?HedoubtedSegesteswouldoutwardlycondemnhimtoVarusor reveal the intent of the Icker gathering, though rumors had reachedhimthatSegesteswascriticizingArminius in frontof theRomanConsuland questioning his loyalties. Varus, however, would have none of it.Throughoutthecelebrationshelaughedatsuchpropositions.Determinedtoshowhissupport forArminius,Varussoughthimout,placedhisarmwarmly around his shoulders, and loudly extolled his virtues andcomradeshiptothedelightofeveryonegatheredwithinearshot.

One of these men wasMarcus Aius. The Tribune had been closelywatching these events with more than passing interest. Something wasamiss, though exactly what he could not say. A passionate thoughundefined undercurrent was prevalent in the gathering of Germantribesmen. Somehow, this time around, their casual though meaningfullooksandnudgesweredifferent—differentinmeaning,differentinintent,differentinsuggestion.Thewhisperedcommentsbetweenmengatheredinsmall pockets, removed from their Roman allies, troubledMarcus, whowas beginning to believe even Varus subconsciously sensed (but wouldnever admit) something, somehow, was different with their Germanfriends.TheConsul’sownemotionsebbedand flowedasVarus laughedone minute and grew angry the next at Segestes’ insinuations. WasSegestes’proddingreachingtooclosetothetruthforVarus’comfort?

The troubling situationwarranted investigation.Marcus resolved to

organize a few trusted commanders, who were not so friendly withArminius and his men, to keep a careful eye on the gathered Germantribesmen, andparticularly on their leaders—especially thosewhowerenotobviouslyendearedtotheGermanelderSegestes.RegrettablyforthemenoftheSeventeenth,EighteenthandNineteenthLegionsofRome,theplanMarcus intended to implementwas smotheredby events that sweptoverthemwithunimaginablespeed.

Unbeknownst toRomans andGermans alike, the oppressive heat ofthesummerwasdrawing inhotdamppocketsofhighpressure from thewest, while simultaneously pulling down low pressure fronts from thenorth and east. The confluence of these fronts created the conditionsnecessary to trigger one of the sudden late summer storms that oftenblitzed theirwayacross thenorthGermanplainsduringSeptemberandOctober. The outbursts opened without warning and with frighteningintensity, usuallywith a devastatingwind followed closely by amassivedelugeofdrivingrainand,onoccasion,hail.Alullintheintensityofrainandwindfollowedwhentheeyeofthestormcircledabove,duringwhichbeamsofsunlightwouldpopthroughthelayersofheavyclouds,deceivingthose unaccustomed to the autumnweather of northGermany.Within ashort time, however, the rear pressure waves arrived to repeat theexercisealloveragain.Itwasnotuncommonforthesefrontalsystemstocircleoverheadfordays,throwingdownpourafterdownpouragainsttheearthbelow,swampingtheslopesandvalleysinthehillsandimmersingplains and lowlands. These storms of wind and water crippled normalhumanactivity. Soon, very soon, theRomans now safely huddled insidethe lager atMinden, would set out for the Rhine, marching across theupperreachesandhighlandsofnorthernGermany.

Theapproachingweatherfrontwassimilartothestormpatternthathadreducedthegalleyfleettoafewbeachedwreckslitteringthebanksofthe Weser north of Minden. And the advance warning signs of itsapproachwerealreadyvisible.Thetell-talesmellofhighlychargedozonehungheavilyinthestillsummerair.Thewhisperofbreezesandswirlingeddiesofairpickedupspeedandintensityasthehotwindrushedacrossthe plains from thewest.On the cleared ground surrounding the lager,particularlyonitswesternside,thedryscorchedearthleftbythelonghotsummer released large pockets of dust and debris. Spumes of sand anddrysoilroseinsmalltornadoesandspunthemselvesinawickeddanceofnature.Thewindsstrucksoquicklythatguardsonlagerpointdutyalongthefortresswallsdidnothaveevenachancetoseekshelterbeforeclouds

ofdustmadebothobservationandmeaningfulcommunicationimpossible.Coughingandchoking,theireyesstreamingwithtearsattheinvasionofstinging sand and dust, the guards crouched behind the ramparts in anefforttoshelterfromtheonslaught.Thoseinsidedidnotfaremuchbetter.Even those safely ensconced within the Principia Headquarters wereunable toavoid therushofdustyair that shot intoeveryroomandhallwithinthefort.

Thoughtheinitialduststormwasofrelativelyshortduration,anotherfollowed it just minutes later, whipping through the lager with enoughintensitytodisruptVarus’feastingtroopsandguests.Thedustandwindoverturned plates of food, filled wine goblets with grit, and choked offwordsofprotestinmid-sentence.Almostassoonasitbegan,thesecondwaveofwinddiedout, leavingthefestivitiesinitswakeinturmoil.Wellinto his cups, Varus laughed in an attempt to make light of nature’sintrusion.“Whatnextwill theGods throwatus!”heexclaimed,callingoutfornewwinesandfoodstobebroughtforthfromthekitchens.Asthestewards scurried about to comply with his orders, the lull in theconversationwaspalpable.Theatmosphereinthehallwasrestrainedanddefensive, itsoccupantspoisedfor thenextroundofwindorsomeotherrevelationofnature. Itwasnot long incoming.Thenext sound theyallheardabove theunsettledsilenceof thehallwas thecrowingofacock.Varus’ face blanched. The birdwas often used by priests to predict thefutureaffairsofmen;whywoulditcrownow,solateintheday?Manyofthosewho heard itwere suspicious-mindedmen, andmany spineswerechilledbytheunexpectedsound.

Arminiushadtakenadvantageoftheturmoilcreatedbythewindanddust to confront Segestes. The dirt had barely begun its swirling dancethrough the Great Hall when he stepped quickly across the distanceseparatinghimfromSegestes.Secondslaterhestoodsquarelybeforethetall elderly tribal chieftain.With one hand resting lazily on the pommelhilt of his sheathed sword, he placed the other firmly on Segestes’shoulder. Arminius’ cold blue eyes bored into the old man’s and theirmenacewasunmistakable.ButaneasysmilespreadacrossArminius’lipsas he leaned forward and placed hismouthwithin an inch of Segestes’ear. To anyonewatching, themen appeared in themiddle of a friendlyconversation, the winds preventing anyone other than Segestes fromhearinghiswordsofwarning.

“Hearme,oldman,andhearmewell,” spokeArminius.“YoumaywellwishtoplaylackeytotheRomansfortherestofyourdays,andfeel

free todo so.But should youcontinue to ingratiate yourselfwithVarusandaccusemeof treason, letmetellyouwhatwillbetheresultofyourfolly. First, old man, your daughter will be slain.” At this, Segestesgasped aloud, though only Arminius heard it. “Listen well, and smilewhile you do so, old man, lest I order the deed done now.” Segestesnoddedinreply.“Ihavealreadyleftinstructionsformymentotakeyourdaughterintocustodyinasecretplaceinthehills,farremovedfromyourprotectionandcare.Shethinksyouhaveapprovedtheseprecautionstobetaken before the planned campaign and is entirely happy with hercircumstances—atpresent. She iswell cared for,waiting forme to takeherformybride,asIforetold.”

Arminius paused long enough to lift his head and look deeply intoSegestes’eyesbeforeleaningclosertohisearandspeakinganew.“Ifyoubetrayourpeople,shewilldie themost fiendishdeathimaginable.Eventhe remains of the brothers on the cross outside the fort will pale insignificancecomparedwithwhat Iwillhavedone toher.Their fatewillbearnocomparisontoherpainandsufferings,andherbloodyheadwillgrace your next table of fare. Second, I will order your whole familyslaughtered,butnotbeforetheyhaveallbeentorturedacrossmanydays.MymenareevennowstandingbytotakethemprisonershouldIsowishit.Finally,oldman”—ArminiuspausedoncemoretosupportSegestesattheelbowwhenhenoticeablysaggedas thewords toreathisheart—“Iwillcomeforyou,cutoutyourtongue,andthentearoutyourheartfromyourbodywhileyoustillbreathe.”

BythistimethewindwasdyingdownandArminiuscaughtsightofanapproaching Marcus Aius. Arminius lowered his voice and continuedspeaking to Segestes with awide smile covering his face. “And so, oldman,smile.Smile,damnyouorIwillgivetheordernow!Donotthinkforonemoment youcan turn traitor so easily.”With thesewordsArminiushalf turned toencompass thepresenceofMarcus,andwithawellactedairydismissalofhisconversation thathad leftSegestespaleandashen,said, “So, good friend, never doubt my commitment and loyalty to ourcomrades-in-arms”—implying the Romans but meaning the Germans—“Theyhavemyrightarmandmymightysword toserve them, tosinkintomanymorepalebellies,andsevermanymorepaintedheadsbeforemytimeisdue.”ThesmilingGermanwarriorbrieflynoddedagreetingtoMarcus and walked off, leaving Segestes and the Tribune standingtogether.

Marcuswatchedhimstrutawayforafewmomentsandthenturnedto

Segestes.Theoldmanwasvisiblyshaken.“Whatailsyou,Segestes?HasArminiusbeentakingyoutotaskforyourremarkstoVarus?Youlookasifyou’veseenaghost.”

Segestes attempted to recover his composure, but failed with everyeffort.He lookednervouslyaround thehall, searchingdesperately forafriendly face, a friendly German face in which to confide his troubles.Suddenly,herealizedhowveryalonehewas,afriendtotheRomansandestranged from his own countrymen, many of whom were pointedlyavoidinghisgaze.SegestesturnedtofaceMarcus,alookofpleadingonhis face, a countenance of deep desperation and fear.Hewas trying todecide whether to speak when he saw Arminius stop and turn back tostare at them both. Segestes blanched and a wave of nausea sweptthroughhimwhenhethoughtofhisdaughterbeingheldat themercyofArminius.Theoldmanputhistremblinghandtohismouthtoswallowthesicklybilerisinginhisthroat.

Marcustriedagain.“Come,Segestes,tellmewhatailsyou.”Segestes shook his head violently to make sure Arminius saw his

reply. Just then, the noise of the second front of the approaching stormreached the ears of those gathered in the hall. The waiters andentertainersjumpeduptoprepareforthecomingturmoil,shuttingdoorsandslammingshutters,pullingdrapes,andgenerallybatteningdowntheGreatHall.

At thispoint,Varus criedout loudlyacross thehall,“MarcusAius!Enough is enough of this damned weather! In the morning we makepreparationtoclosedownourstayhere.Itistimetomakeanearlymoveback towinter quarters.” Turning to the gatheredGerman leaders andtribesmen,Varusraisedhischaliceofwineandcriedout,“Thankyouforjoining me here at our festivities, good friends, but it is time for us toprepareformyreturntotheRhineuntilnextsummer,whenIwilljoinyouonce again. For now, good health, and I drink to your friendship withRome, and your Caesar, the mighty Augustus!” With that last remark,Varus drank deeply as the guards and legionaries echoed his toast.Hefailed to notice that the greatmajority of theGermans had raised theirgoblets,butdidnotdrinkfromthemorechohistoast.

1993–1994:JourneyfromBerlin

HavingsettledintomynewroleinBerlin,Iwasanxioustogetback

downthelongroadtoKalkrieseassoonandasoftenasIcould.However,the demands of my new job weremore intensive than I imagined theywouldbe,andBerlinalsohaditsmagicalpointsofinterestforme.AfterIcompletedtheinitialtouristvisitstothehighlightsofthelargesprawlingcity (which included somewonderful visits to the eastern sideofBerlinand the fascinating areas of Potsdam—both of which had been in theirown time warp since the end of the SecondWorldWar), my intereststurned back westward toward the other time warp that existed: that ofVarusandArminius,theTeutoburgerWald,theWiehengebirgeridge,theWeserandLipperivers,andthenewrevelationscomingoutoftheearthfromthefieldsofKalkriese.

Mydrivesdown toOsnabrückfromBerlin,althoughfairly longandoftendemanding,alwaysdeepenedwith interest the fartherwest IdroveintotheheartlandofnorthGermany.EverytimeIapproachedHannoverIsmiled,forthatiswhereIhadenjoyedtheprofessionalismandfriendshipofDr.Cosack,andwhereFrankBerger,evennow,sitsathisdeskintheMünzkabinett of theKestnerMuseum studying the Roman coinage stillbeing recovered from Kalkriese by the Osnabrück archaeological team(and on occasion, by my own hand). Farther west, beyond Rinteln, iswhere theBerglandandcountry trailshaveproducedRomancoin finds.And beyond there flows the mighty Weser, which winds its waysouthwestasitlazilycurvestowarditssourceinthesouthhighlands.

FartherdowntoPortaWestfalica,asIapproachedtheautobahnturn-offleadingtowardOsnabrück,Iwouldlookrighttowardtheriverbridgesand the fields lying beneath, sprawling outward to the river. In thedistancewasthegaptothenorththroughwhichVarusandhislegionshadmarched somany years before.The road carriedme along the southernsideoftheunderbellyofthehighWiehengebirgeridge.Outtheleftsideof the car looking southwest were the Teutoburger Wald and the hillsrollingtowardDetmold,wherethestatueofArminiusstoodanotherfiftymiles beyond. This was the land Varus never reached, having been socleverly lured away from hismarch toward theLippe, baited instead totramp northwest up through the rollingBerglands towardKalkriese.HeandhislegionswereunwittinglydrawnuponthehornsoftheragingbullthatwasArminiusandtheGermantribesin9AD…whereVarusandhisLegionariesdisappearedintothemistsoftime.

I was driving back to Kalkriese to continue to feed my insatiableappetite for the truth and to help search for themarvelous artifacts andarchaeologicaltreasuresstillwaitingtoberecovered.Butwitheachmile

west I slipped deeper back in history. The splashes of color from thesurroundingcountrysideflashedby,mergingintoshadowsandpatternsofshapes that carried with themmy daydreams… into a close phalanx ofmarching legions… to scores ofmen andwagons… to troopsmarchingand cavalry riding… tomen, horses and carts andoxen… towhips andcries…tohornsandbanners…toabedlamofmilitarymightthathadlostmuch of its cohesion and discipline and was now lazy and lethargic,indolentandunworried,asitmadeitswayawayfromthesummercamp,throughtheMindengap,andsouthwesttowardtheLippe.

Howwoulditallhavebegun?Amessagelikelyreachedthelegionsataboutthispoint.Icouldpicturearunnerapproachingfromthenorthwest.His pace would have been steady and controlled as he held his leathermessage pouch close to his body. He had no idea the communicationcarriedwithhimwouldchangethecourseofhistory.

September,9AD:DeparturefromSummerCamp

Hewassweatingprofuselyandbreathingheavilywhenheranintothecommandcell,dropping toonekneeandbowinghisheadasheopenedhispouchand tookouthis scroll for thequarterguardcommander.Hehad reached the legions’ central commandarea.TheCenturionondutytook the message, moved across to Varus’ entourage, and placed thescrollintotheoutstretchedhandofMarcusAius.

TheTribunestudieditforamoment,turnedhismount,andcanteredafewyardstoVarus,whowaslounginginashadedlitter.

“Sire,Ihaveamessagefromoneoftheoutpoststothenorthwestoftheridge line,”beganMarcus.“Threeofhisroad-buildingpartieshavebeenattacked,andhehaslostanumberofmen.Hehasprudentlyorderedhis remaining patrols to return to the safety of the march lagers. Hebelievesthereissomeformofinsurgencybrewingwithinthelocaltribesinhis areaand requests thatwe sendapatrol to ascertain the strengthandpurposeoftheattackersassoonaspossible.”

Varuswas listening to his second-in-commandwhenArminius drewupalongsidethelitter.BeforeVaruscouldreply,theGermaninterruptedhisthoughts.“Sire,Iknowtheareatothenorthwestwell,andmymenarereadynowtoridewithallspeed.MayItakemyflankguardsandscoutsandreportonthisoutrage?Itwouldgivemegreatenjoymenttodrawmyswordinsuchaskirmish,ifindeedthereistobeone.”

MarcusgazedlongandhardatArminius.“Whydoyouneedtheflankguards and scouts, Arminius? You have a large force of mountedauxiliaries under your command. I do not think it a good idea for thescouts and flanking forces to be reduced under these circumstances—particularlywhilewearemarching.Wemust firstascertainthesizeandintentions of the tribal forces arrayed against us.” Arminius met theTribune’shardgazewithhisownsteelylook.

“IthinkMarcusAiusiscorrect,Arminius,”saidVarus,whosewordsinterrupted the locked staresof the twosoldiers.“The flankguardsandscouts will remain at their positions around the legions, and we willcontinueonsouthwesttowardAnreppen.Wemustgetonbeforewehavearepeat of the damned storm that hit us lastweek inMinden. Take yourcavalry, my friend, and give me news as soon as you can of whattranspiresinthehillstothenorth.Ihavenowishtocommitourcavalrytothosedamnedhillsandgullies.Youarebetter versed in that, andenjoythe Bergland of the countryside more than the legionaries.” Varusstopped and pursed his lips amoment.His furrowed brow revealed hisownconcerns.“Makegoodspeed,andreportassoonasyouareable.”Then, as if tomake light of the report, Varus gave an airywave of hishandanddismissedtheGerman,leanedforwardtowardhisporters,andorderedhisretinueforward.

MarcusAiussatonhismountwatchingArminiuscollecthismenandgivehisorders.Withinafewminutestheyrodeofftowardthenorthwest,where theydisappearedup thewoodedslopes.Longafter theyvanishedMarcus remained where he was. As the legions tramped past him, hesearchedhismindforwhat itwasthathadsparkedhissuspicionsaboutthistrainofevents,tonoavail.Withatroubledlookonhisface,heturnedhishorseaboutandmovedforwardtorejoinVarus.

Heleftafewsecondstoosoon.Afewyardsbehindwasthelegionaryrunnerwhohadcarriedthemessage.Themanwasdrinkingthirstilyfromachagalofwater.Whensomeofitspurtedfromtheupraisedpigskin,hecursed aloud but quickly stifled himself when he realized he hadexclaimedingutturalGermaninsteadofLatin.Someof thesurroundinglegionaries laughed aloudwhen thewater spilled down the front of therunner’stunic,butMarcusheardnoneofit.

I left Berlin in October 1994 to take up a new appointment at theBritish Joint Headquarters in Rheindahlen. The British, along with the

French,Americans,andRussians,werewithdrawingfromBerlinandthelongprocessofdrawdownhadfinallycometoitsconclusion.IwassadtoseeourinterestsinBerlindrawingtoaclose,forthecitywaspossessedofamagicalaura,evenmoresonowthattherewasfreeaccesstoitseasternregionsandtothetimecapsuleofPotsdaminallitsformerglory.

Before I left I had thepleasureofmeetingWolfgangPrauss, awellinformed andwidely published historian onRoman affairs inGermany.He had contacted me to discuss his interests in the Varusschlacht andother facets of the Roman occupation of Germany during the days ofVarusandofArminius.

I was extremely impressed with his fervor and obvious passionconcerning theRomans inGermany, and havemaintained an extremelyinteresting and informative exchange of ideas with him. Along withMommsen,Hartmann, andothermoremodernhistorians,Prausshashisown passionate views on the circumstances surrounding theVarusschlacht. Although we have sometimes agreed to differ in ourconceptofwhatactuallytranspiredinKalkriese,his interests(onemightsayobsession)verycloselymatchedmine in seeking theanswers tonotjust one, but all of the imponderables of the Roman occupations ofGermany,includingthe“LostGrail”ofthesiteofAliso.

However,Ihadotherdutiestoperform,andwithasadfarewellwavetothenewfriendsIhadmadeinBerlin,Ileftforthatlastlongdrivedowntheautobahn…fromtheElbe,totheWeser,andontotheRhinebeyond.

ChapterSeventeen

September,9AD:TheSackingoftheOutposts

Thelegionscontinuedtheirlong,slow,drawn-outwayacrosstheflatexpanse of the plain areas on the western side of the Weser, movingsouthwest toward the TeutoburgerWald some twenty miles away. Theymade relatively good time considering the enormous baggage train, oxcartsladenwithcampfollowers,servants,womenandchildren,andlinesofpackmules,allofwhichcombinedtohinder thespeedyrateatwhichthe legions normally marched. Still, the pace was too slow forMarcusAius,whourgedthemenandwagonsalongateveryopportunity.Theheatofthelatesummerdayhadweakenedthemen.Drymouths,crackinglips,and sweat running freely inside helmets and uniforms limited thebanteringconversationthatnormallyflowedwithintheranks.

Marcuswatched themenmarchonashewalkedhishorsenear thefront of the moving legions. Alongside rode Gaius Numonius Vala,commanderofoneofthelegions.ValahadrecentlyassumedcommandofVarus’ cavalry when its commander had died after a serious illnessshortly before their departure from Minden. Vala appeared deep inthought, absorbed with matters far removed from their presentcircumstances.MarcuscouldnothelpbutnoticeVala’ssomberdistractedmood.

“What ails you, Gaius?” inquired Marcus. “You seem miles awayfrom us. Are you dreaming of returning to Xanten, or have you lustierthoughtsofyourreturntoRomelaterthiswinter?”

Several seconds passed before Vala replied, and then only afterexhalingalong,drawn-outsigh.“Ihavesleptbadlytheselastfewweeks,Marcus,andfornoapparentreason.EverynightIhavethesamedream,overandover.IseethemaskofAugustuscomingtowardme,butstrippedof all its trimmings—just the bare mask, as if to haunt me. Behind themask,alittledistanceawaybutalwaysbehindit, isawingedbeast, like

our legion’s Eagle, but like a helmet with large wings. Then, when themask comes off, the head that wears it comes off as well, and there isbloodeverywhere.Finally,themaskitselfscreamsinagonyandIawake—hot,sweating,anxious,andterriblyafraid,becauseIhavetogobacktosleepanddreamitalloveragain.”

The hair onMarcus’ neck stood on end and a chill crept down hisspine.“Gaius,itisonlyadream,thoughaterribleone.”

“Yes,Iknowthis,Marcus,butIswearIhaveneverfeltsomuchfearfrommysleepingmoments,and Iamsovery tired.My jointsache fromsuchsleeplessnights.”

“Mygoodfriend,”repliedMarcus,“whydoyounotseeksolacefromthemedicinesandpotionsof theGreekphysician?He is known tohavemany draughts to aid sleep and assist a man to relax during his restperiods.ApotionofValerianfromhimhasbeenknowntosootheeventhemost rowdyofourbesotted legionaries,andhelpsgrownmensleep likebabies.Whydoyounottryhim?”

“I may well do that. I had not thought of it, Marcus,” confessedGaius.“Soundsleepmaywellbethecure,butIthinkIneedtotakealittlemore drastic action as well, for I believe I also carry part of mynightmares with me.” He reached down to his back saddle pannier.Attachedwasacavalrymaskfortrainingandparades,andahelmet.Thehelmet’s mask was embellished with silver and gold and linked to thehelmetwithstudsandfasteners.Thehelmetwasheavilydecoratedarounditsedgeswithattractiveflutesandwingedelements.

Gaius drew the helmet free from its fastenings and gazed at itsgloriousshapesandveneers.ThemaskwasthefaceofAugustus.TocarrythefaceofCaesarwhereverthelegionariesweredeployedwasanhonor.Thoughcraftedforuseasaparadeandtraininghelmet,whenwornbyacharging cavalryman in the van of battle, the awe-inspiring and utterlyexpressionless caricature instilled fear in the enemy. Dismountedlegionarieshadalsowornthemaskinbattlewiththesamechillingeffect.

“Ithinkwemusthonorothersfromtimetotime,Marcus.Perhapsthisis my nightmare and I might release it from my mind if I passed it tosomeoneelse.”

As he spoke, Gaius Vala looked on as the mass of legionariesmarched past. His gaze finally rested on the figure of the Eagle andstandard-bearer for the Seventeenth Legion, Brutus Maximus, who hadrecentlyfinishedhistourofdutyatthewatchtoweroverlookingtheWeser.Maximus had been promoted from Standard-Bearer to Aquilifer shortly

beforethelegionshaddepartedfromthesummercamp.“BeareroftheSeventeenth!”Gaiuscalledoutashekickedhishorse

into a walk. “Are you of a mind to carry the Caesar’s face on yourmarches across these accursed lands, as well as the mighty Eagle ofRome?Iaminagenerousmoodtoday,andwishtodivestmyselfof thishelmet andmask. Youhave beenpromoted aworthy carrier of such anhonorable duty that you should also havemy parade helmet.What sayyou,soldier,doyouwishtotakethisprize?”GaiusVallaheldthehelmetandmaskaloftforthesoldiertosee.

BrutusMaximus continuedmarching, holding the pole to the Eagletightlyinhisgrasp.Hisgazewaskeenlyfixedupontheupraisedhelmet.“Sire,”hesaid,“IwouldconsideritagreathonortocarrynotonlytheEagleofmylegion,butalsothefaceofmyCaesar.Yes,Iwouldconsideritagreathonorandwouldwearitwithpridewheneverweagainconfrontourenemies.”

“Byallthegods,MarcusAius!”saidGaius.“Howalikeyouandhelook!Ihaveneverseentwomennottwinswholooksosimilarinfaceandfigure.Haveyoueverseenyourfaceinsuchamirror?Hecouldwellbeyourbrother.”

MarcusstudiedthefaceoftheAquiliferandadmittedtohimselftherewas indeed an uncanny resemblance between himself and the slightlyoldersoldier.“No,heisnotmybrother,Gaius,buthecarriesoneofourEagles, and is therefore my blood brother. However,” he joked, “heobviouslycarriesagoodfaceofhisownifitresemblesmine.ShouldonepayhimthemisplacedhonorofwearingCaesar’s faceaswell, tocoversuchahandsomeoneofhisown?”

The officers burst into a laughter that left Gaius feeling relieved,finally free from his earlier stress.He urged his horse gently sideways,closeralongsidetheAquilifer.“Here,”hesaid,half-leaningoverwiththehelmetandmaskoutstretched,“takeyourCaesarwithyou,Aquilifer,andrememberalwaysthatitwasGaiusNumoniusValawhogaveyousuchatreasure.Itisyoursforaslongasyouwishtokeepit,andonedayitmaysitaboveyourgrandchildren’splaceinRomeasareminderofourtravelshereinGermany.”Valastretchedacrosstoplacethehelmetintothehandofthemarchingsoldier.

BrutusMaximusdeftlyhookedthehelmetontohisbelt,andreplied,“Thank you, sire, Iwill carry itwith pride, and ifwe go to battle,willwear it with pride. I thank you for the opportunity to be afforded yetanothergreathonor.Theselastfewweekswillstaywithmefortherestof

mylifeasmyproudestmoments.Thankyou,sire.”Marcus listened to the exchange and nodded, thinking of similar

memoriesfromhisdistinguishedcareer.GaiusValapulleduphismountalongsideMarcus’horseandsaid,“Byallthegods,itseemsasifIhavepassed a greatweight fromme,Marcus.Perhaps the responsibilities ofmyofficehavedoggedmemorethannormal.MyCaesarexpectssomuchofme,andevenmyownmarkedcoinagestaresbackatmewiththefaceofourbelovedCaesar that I fearhe isalways judgingme.Perhaps itwasthe right decision by Varus that we leave the summer camp early thisyear.WeallneedtoretiretolessstressfuldutiesontheothersideoftheRhine.” The officers urged their mounts forward and walked along themarchingcolumn.

“I suspect youare very right,Gaius. It has beena long, drawn-outaffair this year, and I must admit I have been unable to relax muchmyself,” answered a sighing Marcus. “I have long feared trouble isbrewing, and yet it never appears. I admit to feelinganxiousmost daysabout our circumstances, particularly at this time. Segestes was atroubledmanatthefeastinsummercamp,buthewouldnottellmewhy.Ifeltunease,evenanimosity towardusduringthecelebrations,but…”hefellintoanuneasysilence.“PerhapsIalsoamimaginingtheworstthingsin life and should relax a littlemore.However, Arminius has taken hisriders tounknownpasturesandunknowninsurrections,andI fearIwillnotbeabletorelax.Iamkeentoknowwhathefindsouttothenorthandwestfromhere.Thehighlandsarethere,asaremarshyvalleys,andIlikethethoughtofneitherarea.Still,itwouldappearIhavefoundalong-lostbrother!”laughedMarcusashelookedacrossatBrutusMaximusandhissoaringEagle.“Ishouldbethankfulforthat.Itisgoodtoknowthefaultsinmyprofilearesharedbyothers!”HiswordsarousedafewchucklesoflaughterfromthemarchinglegionariesattheexpenseofBrutusMaximus.MarcusAiusliftedhisgazeandlookedinthedistance.AheadloomedtheTeutoburgerWald.

The detachments at the watchtowers overlooking the Weser hadwitnessed the departure of the three-legion force with a mixture ofsatisfaction and relief. Their taskwas toman the key posts overlookingtheriverandpasturelands to thenorthandsouthof thegreatdivide, toensurenoenemyfollowedinthefootstepsofthedepartingtroopsthroughtheMindenpass.Theirorderswere towait twodays,packup thesmall

forts, clear out their belongings, close down the basic facilities within,anddepartthearea.TheirroutebacktotheRhinewas,atleastinitially,slightlydifferent from that takenby the legions.ThedetachmentswouldformuponthewesternsideoftheWeserandafteronecrossedthefordashort distance to the north, bothwouldmarchalong theWiehengebirgeridgeduewest.

The detachments were directed to pick up the road-building andmapping detachments based in numerous small forts some twenty-fivemiles to the west, stationed both north and south of the ridge. Oncecomplete,theentireforcewouldcontinuemarchingsouthwesttowardtheLippetojoinwiththeslower-movinglegions.

Varus and his legions had barely disappeared when the Germansattacked those left behind. The sun was dipping near the horizon whenmassesofpaintedlong-hairedenemywarriorspouredoutofthewoodsatthe edge of the clearings. Unlike past attacks, there was no noise, noscreaming, no blood-curdling battle yells—just a fast-moving force ofsweating, pounding bodies streaming across the open ground thatsurrounded the forts. By the time the duty guards realized what washappening, it was too late to change the course of events alreadyunderway,toolatetocallouttheCaptainoftheGuard,toolatetoraisesmoke signals towarn other outposts—too late to do anything but fightanddiewheretheystood.

TheGermanshadplannedwell.Theattackswereacompletesurpriseand tookeach fort anddetachmentwith surprisingease.The tribesmen,tight-lippedand frighteninglyquiet, floodedup to thegatesandwallsofthebastionsandtowers,threwupladdersandscalingpoles,andpouredforth a relentless flood of painted bodies armed with swords and axes,spearsandknives,andspikedclubs,allreadytostabandcut,severandstrike,andpoundhumanfleshintounrecognizablegore.Onlythen,whenentry had been gained and the Roman guards were falling under themassiveweightofenemynumbers,didGermanblood-curdlingyellsandscreams fill the enclosureswith a bedlam of noise and aggression. TheRomansneverstoodachance.

Mendiedwithquestions formingon their lipsas they rushedoutoftheiraccommodationsandadministrativeareas,only tobemetwith thesight of falling comrades and a corpse-strewn internal parade ground.Legionaries littered the ground in a mass of stricken and slaughteredbodies, severed limbs still twitching in the sand, bloody heads heldtriumphantlyaloftbyhystericaldancingtribesmeninthethroesofacute

ecstasyatsomuchbloodletting.Adrenalineruledtheday.Hysteriagrewwitheachpassingminuteasthetribesmenrealizedtotalvictory—andthespoilsofwar—waswithinreach.Aftertheslaughteroftheguardforces,the tribesmen searched everynookand cranny, not only to seekout thefew legionaries desperately trying to hide in darker recesses, but also(and now more importantly), to gather the spoils of war—the Romansilver and copper coins, clothes and personal possessions, and theaccoutrementsandtrappingsofRomancivilizedlife.

When the day was done, the two main forts were little more thanshells, their formeroccupantsslaughtered toaman.Less thanonehouraftertheattackswerelaunchedtheGermansweregone,swallowedbytheforests they knew so well. A somber, deathly quiet descended with thedarkness on the stricken watchtowers. The only sounds that could beheardwerethoseofwildpigsfeasting.

TheRomandetachmentsat the fortsandwatchtowerswereonly thefirst to suffer a quick but terrible death. Every picket duty detachmentworking in the surrounding countryside, some conducting map-makingsurveysandothersconstructingroads,wasoverrunandputtothesword.Those posted to occupy and garrison outlying villages around theWiehengebirge ridge and surrounding hills were struck down withoutwarning.Soldiersstationedonthenorthernedgeof theridge, intheflatsurrounding lands verging on the moor and the larger DievenWiesen,never knew theywere under attack. Roman legionaries engaged in idleconversation with German tribesmen suddenly discovered unsheathedswordsslidingintotheirbellies,orsharpenedknivesslicingacrosstheirthroats, cutting away any chance of a shouted warning to their fellowsoldiers.TheGermansdidnotoverlookthesmallportstationsliningtheWesernorthofMinden.Eachwas,initsturn,wipedouttoaman.

Bymorning itwasover.EveryRomanwithinhalf a day’smarchofVarus’ summer campwas dead. Not a single outpost ormanned picketforcenorthofVarus’lineofmarch,whichransouthwesttowardtheLippeandTeutoburgerHills, remained.A fewmen from the smaller outposts,whohadbeensparedduring the initialonslaught, laterwished theyhaddiedattheirposts,suchweretheunspeakablehorrorsperformedonthemby their victorious opponents. Torture awaited any prisoner unluckyenoughtofallintoGermanhands,andtheGermansweremastersoftheirart.

The first phase of Arminius’ operation had been well planned andflawlesslyexecuted.

CassiusDioleftanengrossingaccountofhowtheearlystagesoftheoperationtodefeattheVaruslegionsunfolded:

Thenanuprisingbrokeout,thefirsttorebelbeingthosepeoplewholivedatsomedistancefromhim.Thishad been deliberately contrived to entice Varus to march against them, so that he could be moreoverwhelmedwhilehewascrossingwhatheimaginedtobefriendlyterritory,insteadofputtinghimselfonhisguard,ashewoulddointheeventofthewholecountrytakinguparmsagainsthimsimultaneously.

Andsotheplanunfolded.Theleadersescortedhimashesetout,andthenmadeexcusesforabsentingthemselves.Thiswastoenablethem,astheymadeout,topreparetheircombinedforces,afterwhichtheywouldquicklyreassembletosupporthim.Theytookcommandoftheirtroopswhichwerealreadywaitingthem in readiness somewhere. Next, after each community had slaughtered the detachments of Romansoldiersquarteredwiththem,forwhichtheyhadpreviouslyasked,theyfelluponVarusinthemidstoftheforests.

By this time, Varus’ legionswere drawing near the outlying higherreachesoftheTeutoburgerRange,whichwaitedforthemtothesoutheast.Arminius, as he had so carefully planned, plied Varus with messagesevery few hours: an increasing number of small bands of rebellioustribesmenwerecongregating in the surroundinghills,butArminiuswassuccessfully rooting out these pockets of unrest and did not requireassistance from Varus, who was advised by Arminius to continuemarchingtowardtheLippeandtheline-of-marchlagersthere;Arminiuswouldrejoinhimlaterwhenhistaskwasfinished.

UnbeknownsttoVarus,theonlypocketsofresistancebeingwipedoutwereRoman.

TheKrebsburgandBorgwedde

Arminius rode into the temporary hill camp established at theKrebsburg on the eastern edge of the Schnippenburg hills. Hisencampmentstraddledtheslopesoverlookingthevalleysandpassesthatallowed a north–south passage through the Bergland of theWiehengebirge ridge and northward to the flatlands and moors of theDieven. The main camp established farther west on the Schnippenburgdated from the IronAge, and had been reoccupied by theChauci someyearsbefore.Now,however,Arminiusneededa temporarycontrolpointat themoreeasterlyKrebsburgtoenablehimtocontrol thenorth–southpasses,throughwhichVarus’legionsweretobedrawn.1Ickerwasbuta

fewmilesawaytothewest,tuckedawayintheIckerBowl.The land immediately to the north of the Schnippenburg and

Krebsburg escarpment was one of the earliest settlement areas innorthern Germania, its east–west routes cutting through it interspersedwithStone-AgemonumentsandHunengraber(Stone-Agegraves).Fartherwestward,situatedwithinanarrowvalleythroughwhichranasmallbutbusy watercourse, was one of the most important ceremonial andreligiousareasofthelocalGermantribes.Numerousstandingstoneslayon either side of the trail before it rose up into the Bergland towardsIcker.At the place knownasBorgwedde, a large Sonnenstein had beenerectedthousandsofyearsearlier.Ithadbeenadoptedandusedwithoutinterruptionatthisplacetoreflectthereligiousaffairsandspiritualneedsof the tribesmen. Tucked away in the darker recesses of the woodsbordering the track and the stream, the stone cast a gloomy andforebodingaura.Wheneverlocaltribesmenpassedalongthetrackbythemonument, they made a form of obeisance as a sign of respect to the“God of the Woods.” Unlike the Romans with their worship of loftyheights and heavens in the sky, theGermans had always believed theirspirits’worldwasinthehillsandvalleysof thewoodlandglades, inthedarker recesses of the forests, where the gods of hunter and warriorcarefullyguardedtheirquiet,darksomberareasofresidence;Borgweddewasjustsuchaspecialplace.

At first, Arminius made a short stopover in his temporary camp atKrebsburg,wherethefirstphaseofhisbattleplansagainstVaruswastobe put into action.He alsowished to see Thusnelda for a short visit toreassure her of the future and let her know of his plans for theforthcoming battle.After Thusnelda hewould visit the holy place of hisforefathers at Borgwedde, there to submit himself to the power of thespirits andpray fora successful andoverwhelmingdefeat ofVarusandhishatedlegions.

ThemeetingwithThusneldawasbriefbutladenwithemotion.Intheshortperiod theyhadcome toknoweachother since that fatefuldayofthe gathering of the tribes at Icker, they had fallen in love and beenstrickenbytheirdesireforoneanother.Arminiushadexplainedtoherthecircumstances of Dagan’s death, but she harbored no regrets, noanimosity toward Arminius. On the contrary, she could not restrainherselffromrevealinghertruefeelingstothiswarriorandchieftainoftheCherusci.

Justbeforeheleft,Arminiuscarefullydescribedthedifficultsituation

he facedwith respect to her father, and how he had forced Segestes toclarifyhis intentionandpositionregardingtheRomanoccupationofhishomeland.Hemade it clear toThusnelda thathebelievedhehadeveryright to take the sword to her father for his acts of appeasement andtreachery.However,asatokenofrespectforher,hesworethatwhatevertheoutcomeof his forthcomingbattlewithVarus, hewouldnot takeuparms or strike against her father—neither now nor at any time in thefuture.He told her this knowing that Segestes’ treachery hadonly beenstilledandsilencedbyhisown lie thatThusneldawasbeingheldashisprisoner. Segestes did not know that after the pending battle, Arminiusintendedtomarryhisdaughter.

Asallloversdo,ThusneldagaveArminiusherblessingandprayedforhissuccessandsafereturntoher.Inturn,hepromisedherthatafterthebattlewaswon,hewouldmarkthedefeatoftheRomansbytakingherupto the loftiest heights around them and marry her in full view of theRomangods,toletthembearwitnesstothemightofhisswordandoftheGermanictribes.ArminiusleftherwithadeepfeelingofcontentmentandsoaringspiritsashemadehiswaytoBorgweddeandthe“Sunstone”ofhisforefathers.

Asthesunsetintheeveningsky,herosefromhiskneelingpositioninfront of the large gravestone and turned to face his adjutant, who hadquietlydismountedafewmomentsearliertojoinArminius’entourage.

“Isitdone?”inquiredArminius.“Lord, therewerenonewhoescapedus.Allbuta fewRomanshave

beenputtothesword,andthosefewwhowetookprisonerarenowdyingathousanddeaths.Weareready.”

Arminius smiledand slowly shookhis head.“Weneednoprisonersnow,”heansweredinagentlerebuketohiscaptain’sdescriptionof thetreatment being meted out to the Roman captives. “It is not a time topunishandmake theRomanspayby torture. It isa time tokill them, tokillofftheplague,killasmanyaswecan.Ifwearereadyasyousay,thensendthemessagetoVarus.Hemustcometohelpmenow,helpmefightmyfightagainsttheserebelliousGermandogs.”

With a loud laugh, Arminius threw his arm warmly around hisadjutant’sshoulder,andcontinued.“IhavehadagreatvisionherebytheSunstonetoday:theGodoftheWoodshaspromisedmethatifweusethewoods,usethegladesandthehillsandvalleys,weshallbeattheRomans.Not by a head-on attack, but from the flanks, from the rear, as weplanned.Steerhimupheretothegroundofourchoosing,perhapstothe

veryslopesoftheKrebsburgitself,andwhenwehavefinallydrawnthemhere,then,mycaptain,thenwewillfinishthem.Completely.”

BacktoBorgwedde

I first met Frau Beckmann, who owns the small Schloss atBorgwedde,during thesummerof1988. Iwasdrawn to theareaby thestoriesofRomancoinfindsinthesandhillsanddunesfartherwest,abovethestreamvalley.Asonpreviousoccasions,beforeIsetfootonnewlandsand fields, I established contact with the local landowners. They oftenhave a wealth of knowledge to impart, which on many occasions hadsavedmehours,andevendays,oftraipsingacrossemptyfieldsandmilesofwoodlands inmysearchforRomanartifacts. I rememberdrivingintothesmallentranceleadingtotheSchloss,a trackborderedoneithersideby large boulders and stones of the same type used by the Stone-Agedwellerswhohadestablishedthemanygravesandspecialplaceserectedinthesurroundingareasthousandsofyearsearlier.

Twenty yards into the grounds I saw the full facade of the longbuilding.Infrontwasasmallandshallowpondholdingapairofswanswithinitsrestrictedconfines.Istoppedthecar,steppedout,andstoodforafewmomentstotakeintheambienceofthesmallSchloss.Itwasalong-frontedbuildingwithoutmuchdepth.Ononeendwastheburned-outshellofwhatlookedlikeacircularwoodenchapel.Themassiveoakbeamsoftheskeletalremainswerestillverymuchinevidence,andtheframeworkofthebuildingaddedastrangeandsomewhateeriepresencetothesettingandgrounds.Alittlefartheronwerelargefarm-typebuildingsandabarn.Behindthemainhousewasasmallbutimposinglake.

Myreveriewas interruptedby loudbarking, followedby thesuddenappearanceoftwoverylargeblackdogsboundingdownthedouble-sidedstepsofthemainentranceinmydirection.Asmall ladysteppedoutsideandstoodintheopendoorway.Shecalledoutasharpordertothedogs.Irecall very much hoping her directive was to behave and not bite thevisitor,butIcertainlywasn’tsureatthattime!Iremainedperfectlystillasbothdogs racedup tome.Though still barking, they sniffed atmy legsanddidnot seem intentondoingmeanydamage.The ladyordered theanimals towithdrawslightly,permittingme towalk slowly forwardandmakemywayupthefrontstepstogreether.

After I introducedmyself and explainedmy reason for visiting her

property,FrauBeckmannwarmedtomypresenceandshowedagreatdealofinterestinmyinvestigations.Sheofferedmeacompletehistoryofthearea in general and, in particular, the local history concerning themanyStone-Age graves and special stones verymuch in evidence throughoutthe hills and valleys surrounding her estate. I have long believed theseancient graves and areas of religious activity fascinated all those whoremained in, or later moved into, these areas after their erection, andindeed, became places of worship or ritual during early tribal eras. Forexample, today in England, people still actively worship at the annualsummersolsticeatStonehenge.

FrauBeckmannwasagoldmineof informationonsuchmatters.Onmy frequentvisits toBorgweddeover the ensuingyears, I chaseddownthemanyshadowsofthefolkloreandoldgospelsshetoldmeabout.Herwords instilledwithinmeanabsolute fascination for thearea.Onemustunderstand that every time I drove to or fromKalkriese over the years,literally thousands of times by now, my route nearly always took methroughBorgwedde.However,Irarelystoppedthere,formysearchesinKalkriese consumed my interest and time.Whenever I did stop to talkwithheragainitwaslikemakingasmallpilgrimage,forregardlesshowlongithadbeensincemypreviousvisit,shewasalwayspleasedtoseemeand regaled me with additional snippets of local information she hadstoredandretainedforme.

During that early visit in 1988, Frau Beckmann had fired myimagination with a startling revelation that involved a story of anunpublicizedandlittle-knownlargestonegravethatdidnotappearonanysurvey maps as a gravestone, a special stone, or Teil in its own right.Accordingtoher,thisstonewasahugeandalluringedificethatinmoderntimes had been used as a marker stone in a small family cemetery.Historiansofoldandtheformerinhabitantsandworshippersoftimeslonggonebyhadonceknownofit.However,asFrauBeckmannexplainedit,the stone was hidden away in the leafy glades and shadows of theBorgwedde stream and valley, and so today hardly anyone knew of itsexistence.Atthetime,IhadnowayofknowingthatthismarkerfromthepastwouldhelpmebetterunderstandmyquestforthelostVaruslegions.

Throughout theyears, thisancientstoneremainedat theforefrontofmymind(drivingregularlythroughBorgweddeasIdid,andstilldo),butmuch as I was fascinated by this treasure of a previously unpublicizedplace of worship near Kalkriese, it was of secondary priority in myongoinginvestigationsatthattime.

Oneday arrived, however,when I decided Iwould take the time toexaminethestone.WithFrauBeckmann’shelpIsoughtoutandfoundthemarker.Irememberstandingbeforethegreatstone,broadatitsbasebutmore elongated than the usual tall marker stones of old. It wasnevertheless as foreboding as any I have seen and of great weight andshape, much of which was now buried under the accumulation ofthousandsofyearsofleavesandfoliage.Thedarkshadedgladeinwhichitrestedofferedaquietyetsomewhatmenacingatmospheretothesetting.

Just over halfway up the leading edge of the stone was a concaverecesslargeenoughtoacceptasimpleoffering(shouldithavebeenusedfor such a purpose). The cut-away recess held a small posy of flowers(whichsupportsmythesis),astrangelyevocativeandthought-provokinggestureonsucha largeedificeas thestone.FrauBeckmanntoldmetherecess was called Teufels Back Trog, or “Devil’s Baking Trough.”Borgwedde itself was originally called Borg am Heiligen Hain, whichroughlytranslatedmeans“HillattheHolyGrove.”

Menhadstoodbeforethisholystonefor thousandsofyears tovisit,payhomage,orpraytotheirgods.Nestledquietlywithinthisforebodingforest glade, the stone had witnessed the passing of the millennia. ThegreathistorianTheodorMommsenhadtraveledhereandvisitedthesiteofthe Roman coin finds less than one mile from the stone, but had leftwithout ever learning of its existence. Not a single latter-day Germanhistorian,saveone,hadspentanytimeresearchingthisremarkablestone.TheloneexceptionwasHermannHartmann.Ifoundmanyofhisthoughtsandwritingsastoundingly similar to someofmyown theories.Someofhishypothesesareamazinglycomprehensiveandrevealing,particularlyinhisstudiesofpossibleRomanactivitiesinandaroundnorthernGermany.

HartmanntheHistorian

Inthe1800s,HartmanndescribedtheSchnippenburgasfollows:

TheSchnippenburgnearOstercappeln

ConsideringthemostimportantvalleysoftheWiehengebirge,throughwhichnowadaysthemainhighwaysrunwhichcarrythemaintrafficfromnorthtosouth,onefindsallcrossvalleysguardedbyancientbarringfortifications—all but the Ostercappeln Pass. One is struck by the fact that this pass, one of the mostimportant,throughwhichtodaythemaintrafficpassesfromtheWeserviaOsnabrücktotheRhine,andonwhosenorthernsideanoldHeerwegandtraderouteledfromtheEmsnearLingenviaFreren,Furstenau,Bramsche,Engter,PrOldendorf,Lubbecke,andon toMindenpast theWeser,hasbeen leftwithoutany

fortification.IntheopinionofvonOpperman,theguardingoftheWesternPassatOstercappelnhadbeenlefttothe

fortifiedcampsonthesouthernsideofthehills.Ifso,atleastawatchpostwouldhavebeenstationedthere,just as the Wittekindsburg in Frankensundern seems to have served as such for the main camp at theWittekindsburgnearRulle.Now,however,afortificationnearOstercappelnhasatlastbeenfound,anditisa fortification that does justice to the importance of the pass. Thus the line of defense along theWiehengebirgehasbecomecomplete.

Thefortificationlies to thewestof theParis–Hamburgrailwayline,wherethelinecuts throughtheWiehengebirgetouchingthe“Krebsburg.”ThenameofthenewlyfoundfortificationisSchnippenburg,uptonowknown to localsonly,ofcoursealsounder thenameWittekindsburg,andas faras Iknow ithashithertonotbeendescribedbyanyone,anywhere.

It liesonthewesternsideofthegorgeformedbytheOstercappelnerBerg,andVennerEgge,southbehindVennerEgge,onafoothillwhichfallssteeplytonorth,eastandsouth,andtowardsthewestthehillslopesintoVehrterBruchand,significantly,itliesintheforkoftwobrookswhichconjoinatthewesternslope.ThebrookthenflowspastOstercappelnandintoLeckerbach.ThedistancefromtheSchnippenburgto theKrebsburg is1.5kilometres ina straightwesterlydirection. (Thename“Schnippenburg”probablystemsfromthetriangularformofthefoothillonwhichitissituated.ThewordSchnippeisstillusedforthetriangular small clothat the frontof awoman’scap,partof traditional clothing,or costume.)ShapeandpositionmaketheSchnippenburgappearverysimilartotheotherwallfortificationsinourdistrict.Ihave,however,sofarnotnoticedinotherfortificationswhatIfoundhere;themixtureofwallearthwithcharcoalandwithstonesblackenedbyburning—wasthisfromthedestructionbyfireoffortificationsontopofthewalls?ThehiddenpositionoftheSchnippenburg,100metershigh,behindthesteeperVennerEgge,some250meters,wason thewesternsideof theOstercappelnPassexcellentlysuitedasapassbarrier,andassuchitisundoubtedlytobethusregarded.

TheSchnippenburgformsanegg-shapedwalledcamp.Thewallshaveawidthof3to5meters.Themostextendedlengthofthecampfromeasttowestis166meters;themaximumwidthfromnorthtosouthmeasures108meters.Theareaof thecampamounts to15,000squaremeters, amounting to1.5hectaresapproximately.Alongthistrackbronzebucklesofhorses’harnesses,and“anironfightingaxe”havebeenfound.…TheSchnippenburgissurroundedbyaringofheathenmonuments,whichpointtothesignificanceofthisareaalsoinrelationtoheathencults.AtthesouthernslopeoftheWiehengebirge,inVehrterBruch,therearetwostonemonuments,locallynamedDevil’sBakingTrough,andDevil’sBakingOven…intheareaofBorgwedde,bythe“HilloftheHolyGrove.”…Abovehere,onVehrterEgge,thereliesanobelisk-likestone,thefamousSonnenstein(Sunstone),probablyputupinmemoryofanimportantevent.PerhapsitisaGermanicvictorymonumentsignifyingthedefeatoftheRomanshereinAD9?OnthenorthernslopethereliethreeHunenbetten(stonegraves)enclosedbylargegravehillsatDarpenne,anotheratDriehausen,andthreeatFelseninthecommunityofSchwagstorf.

AsIgazedatthestone,Ifelt—andmoreimportantly,believed—thisstonehadbeenaspecial feature indays longgone.Thisancientmarker,on a parwith its brother up in the hills, theTeufels Stein, the “Devil’sStone,”and itsaccompanying lineofgravestones,wasanadjunct to theworshipandspiritualneedsofmeninthewoodlandgladesofBorgweddeindayslonggone,inthedaysofArminiusandVarus,andthedemiseoftheRomanlegionsin9AD.

ChapterEighteen

IntotheTeutoburgerForest:TheVarusschlachtBegins

Varus and his legionswere now close to the eastern reaches of theTeutoburgerForestandthehillsbeyond.Theyhadmadefairlygoodtimeover thepreceding fewdaysacross the flatlands,even though theywerespreadabout ina fairlyhaphazardand ill-disciplined fashion.Thehugebaggagetrainanditssupportwagonsandcartswerespreadoutamongthemarchinglegionariesandvariousmilitaryelementsofthethree-legionforce. Arminius had departed the previous day with his numerousauxiliaryriderstoinvestigatetherumorsofaninsurrectionsomewheretothenorthwestoftheirlineofmarch.Otherthangeneralsituationreports,nomessagesofany importhadreachedVarus—until theendof the firstdayofArminius’absence.

TheGerman chieftain stood near the crest of one of themany hillsnorthwestof the legionsandlookeddownuponhismarchingenemy.Hedidnotwishtobeseen,andsostoodbackfromtheedgeof theforestedslope in frontofhim toconcealhispresence.Heneednothavebeensocautious,fortheadvancescoutsandreconnaissancetroopsridingatthehead of the advancing Roman column, as well as Varus’ flank andrearguard elements, were Germans to a man and aware of what wasabouttobefallthehatedenemy.Still,Arminiusknewtheunexpectedcouldappear suddenly and ruin his strategy, and he was not about to throwawaymonthsofcarefulplanningwhenprudencewascalledfor.Arminiusstareddownintothedistance.Thetimehadfinallyarrivedtoimplementthemost importantpartofhisplan: leadVarusontogroundofhisownchoosing,wheretheRomanswouldbeunabletowageeffectivebattle,andwhere Arminius could strike the legions piece by piece until there wasnothingleft.

Arminiusturnedtohisaide.“SenddownthemessengertoVarus,andmakesureheknowsexactlywhattosay.TellhimtobecarefulandwaryofMarcusAius,forheissuspiciousbynature,anddoesnotbelieveIamtobetrusted!”Withachucklehecontinued.“Makesurehegetswordtoourscouts.TheymustwaitforoursignalbeforetheyleaveVarusandjoinus in the flanks of the vanguard.Wemustmake sure once the Romanschange direction to come our way, the rear quarter of their force iscloselyfollowedbyourscouts,whoaretojoinwiththerearforceofourcavalry.”

Withalargestickinhishand,Arminiusetchedhisplanintothesoilfortheaidetobetterenvisionitsvariousparts.“TheRomansmustneverbeallowedtoturnaboutoncewehavestartedourattack.Theyaretobeharriedfromtheflanksandrearonly.Varusmustbeproddedandledonto our final position near the Krebsburg.Hemust always believe he iscoming to join up with me to fight you despicable German dogs!”Arminius gave a short laugh before adding, “Then, only then, will wehaveVarusrightwherewewanthim.”

Theaidequicklynoddedhisunderstandingbeforeturningtopasstheordersontooneofthelocalcommanders,whointurnmovedofftobriefthemessengerandensurehewasfullyconversantwithhisorders.Oncethiswasdone, the runnerwas sent onhiswaydown through the valleytoward the haze and dust of the tramping legions, as they marchedsouthwestacrosstheirfrontfromlefttoright,completelyunawareofwhatwasplannedforthem.

A German auxiliary operating with the flanking guards saw therunner approaching from the northwest. The guard called out to hisnearby commander while pointing in the direction of the rapidlyapproaching courier, who soon drew up and delivered his message.Withinafewminuteshewasstandinginthecentralcommandareaofthelegion force at Varus’ mobile headquarters. The commander of Varus’quarter guard took the message and passed its contents on to Varushimself.Whenherealizedtheimportofthewords,Varusbolteduprightinhislitter.

“ItwouldappearArminiushastakenonlosses,mylord,”theofficerwassaying.“Hehasmetwithalargeforceofenemytribesmenandwasambushedastheymovedintothehillssomefifteenmilesnorthwestofourcurrentposition.”

Whentheyoungmanpaused,Varussnapped,“Continue!Istherenotmoretothemessage?”

“Yes sire,” he replied calmly, fully used to his superior’s bitingdemeanor.“ThemessengerreportsArminiushimselfhasbeenwounded,andherequestsurgentsupporttoassisthiminputtingdowntheuprising.Althoughhehaslostmenthroughambushes,sire,theenemyhefacesstillappears to be fragmented and not necessarily a cohesive force oftribesmen.Hebelieves that if youcome tohisaid, sire, the sightofourlegionswillpanictheenemyandhelpuseasilyputdowntheuprising.”

TheofficerpausedasMarcusAiussuddenlyappeared.Hehadbeeninformed that an important message from Arminius had arrived.“According to the runner, the great majority of the tribesmen aredismounted,andthereforedonotposeaseriousthreattoourcohorts.”

Varusslumpedbackdownintoasittingpositionandleanedhischinon his palm, brooding over this latest turn of events. Several minutespassed in silence before he looked up at Marcus Aius. “What do youthink,MarcusAius?Youhaveheardallthenews?”

Marcusdrewhimselfupstraight.“Yes,sire.Iwasbriefedbytheflankcommanderwhile Iwasmakingmy rounds. I camewith all speed. Is ittruethatArminiusisreportedtobewounded?”

“Yes,apparentlyso,”repliedVarus.“I cannot imagine hewould suffer the ignominy of taking awound

deliveredbyoneofhisfellowtribesmen,sohemustassuredlyhavebeensurprised as he claims. Still…”Marcus hesitated as he sought out therightwords.

“Nowisnot thetimetoholdback,Marcus.Saywhateverisonyourmind.”

Marcusclearedhisthroatandcontinued.“IfinditdifficulttobelieveArminius’situationisasbadashasbeenmadeout.Heisanoutstandingleaderandknows this land.Howcouldhehavebeenambushed? Imustagainadvise you to proceed carefullywhereArminius treads, sire. I donot rest easy with his intentions or allegiance, and think it would beprudenttosendoutapatroltogainfurtherintelligencebeforewecommitalargebodyofmenintoanareaofwhichweareunfamiliar.”

“Marcus—you knowmy feelings on thismatter!” snappedVarus inreply.“ArminiusistrueandloyaltomeandtoRomeandhehasprovediton many occasions. I am honor-bound to assist him when he calls foraid.”Varus stood up and faced his Tribune. “I have decided. Turn thelegions about and march northwest. Maintain the flank guards andreconnaissanceforces,andwhenwedeploy in themorningmaintain thepresentmarchingorder.Iamnotgoingtoorderbattleformationsatthis

stage,basedonsomeminorskirmishingambushesthathavecausedsomediscomforttoArminius.Wemarchasnormalandretaintheechelonandsupportforcesinthevanofthemarch.”

“Sire, Imustprotestagainst thismoveandadviseallduecaution,”Marcuscautioned.“ShouldInotat the leastorder theleadinglegiontoform into battle formation and probe forward with the reconnaissancecohorts?”

“Oh, verywell, commander,” sighedVaruswith a slight souring ofhisvoiceasheconcededtheadvantageofthedebatetoMarcus.“PuttheSeventeenthintobattle formation,but leavetheremainderof thecolumnas it is. Iwantnomoredisturbances.The threatappears tobehead-onfromthenorthwest,so theSeventeenthwillhavethecapacity tosortoutany enemy and skirmishes its encounters. Make the changes now, andthenmakecampforthenight.”

As Marcus made to leave, Varus reached out and touched hisforearm.“Marcus,inthemorningletusmarchtoArminiusandsortouthis problems for him—yes? Frankly, I suspect nothing will come of allthis,butIwish to joinArminiusquickly,resolvewhatevermatterhehasstumbledinto,andcontinueourmarchto the lagersontheRiverLupia,thenonwardtoCastraSecunda,andtheRhine.”

“Very well, sire,”Marcus nodded once, firmly. “It shall be as youwish.IwillgivethenecessaryordersandpresentthebriefingstonightattheOrdersGroupconference.TheSeventeenthwillleadonthemorrow.”Withthat,MarcusAiussalutedandlefttorejoinhislegioncommanders.

Thatevening,therunnerwhohadcarriedwithhimthelatestmessagefromArminiusmoved around theGerman flank and rearguard soldiersandspokequietlywithindividualcommanders,confirmingwiththemtheeventssoontofollow.Beforedaybreak,thenamelessrunnerhadvanishedfromthelegion’sencampmentstorejoinArminiusinthehillsandvalleysof the Teutoburger Wald. His withdrawal from the legion’s overnightcampwentcompletelyunnoticed.

As the messenger slipped away to the northwest, Marcus Aius wasroused from his fitful sleep by the duty Centurion. The first thing henoticedwasthesoftlightfromalampthatalwaysburnedinhistent.Asalways, he awoke instantly. “What is it, Centurion?” he murmured,quicklycollectinghiswitsabouthim.

“Thesentriesonthenorthrampartreportsignalfirestothenorthandnorthwestofourposition,sir,andonesignalfire—wethinkitisasignalfire—manymilesinthedistancesouthofourposition.”

Marcusfurrowedhisbrowasheliftedhimselfoutofbedandswunghisheavymilitarycloakoverhistunic.Hehadsleptfullyclothed.

“Youhaveseenthesefiresyourself?”heasked.TheCenturionmovedtoonesidetoallowMarcustopassoutof the

tentintothehalf-lightoftheearlydawn.“Ihave,sire,andIhavenoticedthere isa clear seriesof signalspassingbetween the lights toour frontandthelighttoourrear.Theyarenotjustfirestobrightenthedarkness,”headdedominously.

The two soldiers moved quickly across the main concourse of theovernight lagerandapproached thenorthernrampart.Theshapeof thesentry’s helmet stood out against the breastwork. A rustle and thudfollowedasthesentrygroundedhispiluminsalute.Marcusstoodbeforethe breast-high parapet. The sky offered a brilliant array of stars, theMilky Way emblazoned across the blackness like a million sparklingfireflies.Notabreathofairstirred.Marcus,listeningintently,staredintothe distance and immediately spotted the small pinpoints of light. Hesucked in a sharp breath and held it. They were indeed signal fires. Asense of overwhelming remorse, followed quickly by a deep foreboding,reachedintohisverysoul.Histhroattightenedasachillsteppedupeachvertebraeofhis spine.Fora fleeting instanthe thoughtofhiswife,andthathewouldneverseeorfeelherloveagain.

When he heard the Tribune catch his breath, Centurion GaiusClaudius Suebus cleared his throat and spoke. “Sire, I mean nodisrespect, but did you feel as if someone had clutched your heart, andwalkedacrossyourgravejustnow?”Marcusdidnotmove;neitherdidhelaughawaytheCenturion’squestion.“IhadsuchafeelingjustbeforeIdepartedthewatchtowerdutiesontheMindenheights,”continuedGaiusSuebus.“Ithoughtthenitwasmymother-in-lawtellingmywifewhatshethoughtofme,butthenIrealizeditwasonlythesedamnedGermanhillsandwoods;theyplaywill-o’-the-wispwithourimaginations,andtheverydampoftheearly-morningmistsplayhavocwithourbonesandspirits.”Marcusremainedsilent.“Thereisnomagicalgenieoutherethatcannotbe put to rights with a touch of a Roman blade, sire. Whatever is outthere,itwillbeofnomatchforus.”

“Listen,”wasallMarcussaid.“Listen.”Gaius Suebus cocked his head, held his breath, and waited.

Somewhereoutinthedarknessahuntingowlscreeched.Andthensilence.Gaius Suebus was just about to turn and ask Marcus what he wassupposed to listen for when he heard it—a faint and formless sound of

movement,gonesoquicklyhemighthaveimaginedit.Marcus saw theCenturion tense.Did he hear it too?Marcus asked

himself.Bothmenwatchedasthesignalfiresdisappearedonebyoneandtheheavyloomingsilencebecameaphysicalpresence,somethingtasted,sensed.

“Idon’tthinkIheardanything,sire,”saidtheCenturionafteralongpause.“ForamomentIthoughtthewoodswererustlingaboutasifmenwerewalkingsoftlythroughthem,butitstoppedsuddenly,soitcouldnothavebeensuchathing.Andnowthefiresarealsoout.ShallIstanddowntheguard?Itwillbedawnsoon.”

Marcus turned and looked inGaius Suebus’ dark eyes. He exhaledsoftly.“No.Imaynotbelongrememberedasthesecondincommandtothe Consul, and the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Legions ofRome’sfinest,butIwillberememberedfordoublingtheguardeachtimeIimagineapotentialenemystalkingaroundourcamp.Andthosesignalfireswerenotofalliedorigin.Iamgoingbacktomyquarterstoprepareforourmarchnorth.Doubletheguardandturnoutthecohorttoactionstations.Wemayaswell start thisdayaswemean togoon—ready formischief, although I know not of what sort.” Marcus pulled his cloaktightlyabouthim.“Ifearitdoesnotpaytotakechances,especiallynow.We have been too long in this province without the need to fight ourcorner.Ifearthattimedrawsnear.”

“Youareofcourseright,sir.Bettertobesafethansorry.Iwillgivetheordernow,”repliedtheCenturion.“Therewasafullmoonlastnight,andthegodsareupandabouttheirbusiness.”

Marcus had no need to ask him what he meant. In their world thegods showed themselves in fullmoons, in seed-timeandharvest and, inparticular, at the summer and winter solstice. If there was to be anuprisingoralocalbutconcentratedattackbytheGermans,thefullmoonwouldbethetimeforit.Andthemoonwasfullnow.

“Yes, letusbesaferather thansorry,my friend,”saidMarcus,andwithatouchofhumorandironythatheneitherfeltnorenjoyed,added,“letusalsohopeitisonlyyourmother-in-lawwhotroublesyou,althoughIfearthereismoretothisdaythantheanimosityofourrelations.”Withthat parting remark he departed the camp perimeter andmade hiswaybacktohisbillet,andthentoheadquarters.

The cohorts were duly turned out to action stations. At daybreak,when the sun began to rise on the eastern horizon, the legions quicklymade their preparations to take up the march again, making all speed

with a hasty breakfast; washing and shaving were luxuries not to beindulgedinbeforeamarchtopossiblebattle.

Within a short time the three legions were forming up, the leadelementsof theSeventeenthLegionalreadysnaking theirwayoutof theovernightlager.Thesky,clearandcloudless,hadallthepromiseofafinelate summer’sday,although justover thehorizon therewasanunusualreddish-purpletingetothefirstmorninglight.

TheSecondDay

ThecentralandrearmostlegionswerestillintermingledwithmuchofthebaggagetrainwhentheSeventeenthforgedaheadintothevalleysandhills of the Teutoburger Wald. Behind it unfolded a long and windingcolumn.Varus’commandmovedsmoothlyandthemarchprovedaneasyone.Theheadofthecolumnsteppedandrolleditswayninemilesintotheclosely forested highlands before taking a midday pause. The advanceelementssecuredtheirfrontagewithastrongpartyofscoutsandguardswhile the commander of the Seventeenth oversaw the construction of asmallbuteffectiveforwardtrenchsystem,dugbyhispioneerelements.

Nearly all of the legionaries carried pioneering tools and campequipment. While forward units built the parapets of the stopoverpositions, the remainder of their comrades guarded the work parties.Meanwhile,residualelementsofthelegion,includingsupporttroopsandassociatedcartsandwagons, slowlymade theirway into theclearareabehindthefront.Thetworemaininglegionsfollowedclosebehind.

Initial reports from the forward scouting parties told of nearlyimpenetrable forests to their front.Therewasno easyway tomaneuveraround theBerglandswithouta longand time-consumingdetouron thenorthwestapproachtowardArminius’lastreportedposition.Muchtothedisappointment of Marcus—who was increasingly concerned about theobvious dangers posed by the close country through which they weremoving—Varus decided to continue on the present line of march. TheRomans disliked marching through the forested highlands in Germanyandavoidedsuchplacesatallcosts.Theypreferredinsteadopencountry,where the legions had room to maneuver and, if necessary, fight informations to which they had become accustomed. Hilly countrysidefavored thosewhoheld thewoodlandheightson either sideof thedeepravines and valleys. Varus’ legionsweremoving along the valley floor,and were thus in a potentially precarious position, one where a quicktacticaldeploymentinanemergencywouldbenigh-onimpossible.Varushadconsideredthis,andagainsttheadvicegivenbybothMarcusandthecommander of the Seventeenth Legion, presented instead what heconsideredtobeaninspiredplan.

The forward reconnaissance cohort would continue leading thelegions on the current line of march, but the flank scouts and guards,

comprisedmainly ofGermanmercenaries,would push farther out fromthemainforce.SupportedbycontingentsofreservesupportelementsfromtheEighteenthandNineteenthLegions,theywouldadvanceonaparallelaxis over the surrounding hills, three to five hundred yards from thecentralforcemovingthroughthevalleyfloors.Varus’planwasatacticalmaneuver routinely employed by commanders moving through closecountry. Itextendedallaroundprotectionandensuredearlywarningofthreats from the flanks. Italsoallowed theRomans tohavea forcepre-positionedontheheightsoneithersidetonegateanenemy’sadvantage.

Varus believed deploying the German mercenaries on the nearbyslopesandhilltops,withthereservecontingentsavailablenearbyshouldtheybe required,offered sufficientprotection for theadvancing legions.Suchisfortuneandthewaysofman,forVarus’decisionhelpedsealthefateofhis legions. Indeed,hisplandeployedArminius’own first lineofattackagainsttheRomansonthebestterrainpossible.Arminius’originalplanhadbeenfortheGermanauxiliariesandflankscouts(includingtherear German mercenary quarter guards), at a prearranged signal, toleave their established march positions and disappear into thesurrounding hillsides and Bergland. Once they were far enough away,they would form for battle and turn on their Romanmasters, attackingfromtheirflanksthatonlyminutesearliertheyhadbeenprotecting.

Though Marcus Aius did look upon the German auxiliaries as athreat, he was uneasy about the rapidly emerging change ofcircumstances, thealterationof themarching formation—and the signallights that had cut short his sleep. His vigorously voiced objections,however,fellondeafears.

When the midday break ended, the legions took up the revisedformation and the auxiliaries disappeared into the surroundingwoodedslopes and hills.As the Seventeenth filed out from the temporary camp,snaking its way toward the north through the thickly wooded valleys,Marcussentamessagetothelegion’scommander,GaiusNumoniusVala.MarcusorderedhimtodrophiscavalrybackfromtheircurrentpositioninthecentralvanofthemarchingtroopsandrepositionthembetweentheEighteenth and the Nineteenth Legions bringing up the rear. Valaunderstood what Marcus wanted: the move would enable the riders todeployfreelyoneithersideofthecolumnshouldanenemyattackthefrontorflanksoftheSeventeenthLegion.Theredeploymentwouldalsoremovethe cavalry from the confusing mass of supply wagons and carts andhundreds of pack mules interspersed with the marching legionaries as

theyslowlymadetheirwaythroughthedarkwoodlandgladesandvalleysoftheTeutoburgerWald.

Though the move was flawlessly implemented, Marcus grew morefrustratedwitheachpassingminute.Despitehisbestefforts,thelengthofthe columnwas increasingwith each step. Intermingledwith thewholeweremanythousandsofwomenandchildrenwhohadbecomeanintegralpartof the lifeof the legionsduring the twoyearsof theiroccupancy inthe German province. Among them were wives, girlfriends, campfollowers, slaves, servants—a huge elongated mass of humanity andanimals coursing a fitful journeywith their soldiers to rescue Arminiusfrom his aggressors. Marcus shook his head as he viewed the motleyprocession. It was a strung-out line of noncombatants and marchinglegionaries—anarmyon themovewithbut littlesemblanceofmarchingorderanddiscipline.

Severaltimesthatafternoon,theadvancewasforcedtostopandfelltreestoclearapaththroughthedifficultterrain.Sometimesbridgesandtrackwayshadtobelaidacrosssoddenpatchesofthevalleyfloor.Itwasgruelingworkthatslowedthecolumntoacrawl.Beforelong,mostofthemenwerecursingthedifficultmarchinsteadofcontemplatingthedangersof an enemy attackwhile in such a vulnerable position.ARoman armywas trained to fight inanextendedbattle formation;marching inan ill-disciplined arrangement, Varus’ legions were virtually defenseless andstrungoutforseveralmiles.

Just asGaius Valawas about to order his pioneers to establish anovernight lager, the unthinkable happened. It took place not from thefront, where the soldiers of the Seventeenth Legion remained blissfullyunawareofwhatwastranspiring,butontheflanksalongthecenterandrearofthelengthysnake-likecolumn.There,Germanauxiliariesreceivedtheorder theyhadbeenwaiting for: turnon thehatedRomans.And sobegan the debacle that in later years would be known as theVarusschlacht(TheVarusBattle).

Thefirstonslaughtwasasfrighteninginitsspeedasitwasterribleinitsconsequence.The flankguardsof theEighteenthLegion,deployed insupport of theGermanauxiliaries and flank scouts,were the first to gounder. They were completely surprised when a mass of auxiliaries,accompaniedbyhundredsofpaintedtribesmen,washedovertheextendedfilesofmenmakingtheirwaythroughthewoodlandtrailsalongtheedges

oftheuppervalleyslopes.Inthesamewaytheyhadoverruntheoutpostsandobservation forts, theGermansremainedsilentas thegraveas theythrew themselves against the Romans. The heavy silence triggered aterrifying instant of fear in the hearts of the unsuspecting men of theEighteenth, a shock that seized in their throats and rendered themspeechless.Theyfellbythescoretoarrowsandjavelins,tohackingandstabbingswords thatquicklyslashedexposed throats.Theattackwassosuddenandunexpected thatmostof theRomansbarelyhadtimeto lookupinamazementatthehordesofauxiliariesandtribesmen,theirpaintedbodies flowing over the ridges and down the slopes like a mass oflemmings throwing themselves over the cliffs into the sea of humanitybelow.Bythetimetheyrealizedwhatwashappening,theyweredead.

The firsthint thosewalkingandmarching in the formations throughthe lower valley received that something was seriously amiss were theshort,sharpscreamsof thefatallywounded.Evenso, itwastoolate formany hundreds of soldiers, women, and children to protect themselvesfromthemurderousonslaughtgatheringaboutthemlikestormcloudsinan angrywinter sky. Screams of pain and cries formercymingled andspilled theirway through thevalleyas theslaughterconsumedeveryonewithinstrikingdistance.Thenightmareofathousandlivesextinguishedinbut a handful of minutes shattered the peace and tranquility of thewoodlandglades.Therewasnomercy,noquarter.

Almostas fastas theGermans struck theyweregone. In theirwakethey left complete disarray, confusion, and hundreds of corpses. Thelegionaries and civilians marching in advance of the portion of thecolumn struck so swiftly were thrown into a near-panic, for theconstricted terrainof thevalley floormade turningaboutanddeployingforbattlenearlyimpossible.Thoseimmediatelybehindhadformedasbesttheycould,unawareofexactlywhathadhappenedorwhy,fortheenemywasnolongervisible.ThosemarchingneartheendofthecolumnintheNineteenthLegionhadalsobeenattacked,thoughnooneelseknewityet.Likeavulnerableworm,thedrawn-outcolumnhadbeencutintwonearthemiddle,bothendswrigglingandseekinganswersasthebloodymessinthecenterofthebodycontinuedtothrobwithpainanddisorientation.Itwas the firstonslaught,but itwas theworstpossibleevent that couldhave befallen Varus’ legions. The Romans were left with a forebodingsense of facing overwhelmingodds, deployed in a valley inwhich therewasnoroomtomaneuver.Fearoftheunknowngrippedeveryonewithitsicyfingers.Asenseofhopelessnessbeganseepingitswayintothehearts

of the legionaries. Whatever poise Varus’ legions possessed they neverrecovered, their capacity to wage war effectively (and cleverly)neutralized.

Varus was beside himself with a mixture of rage and fear. Hewitnessedsomeofthecarnagefromhiselevatedpositiononthebackofahorse, protected by his own Governor’s Guard and soldiers of theEighteenth Legion. He had watched, stunned, as the mass of Germanwarriors—manyrecognizedashisownauxiliaries—wreakedtheirbloodyhavoc. Somehow, Marcus had managed to move forward through thechaos to the point of contact. A few quick glances gauged the situationexactly, and the veteran barked out a series of commands to officersmilling about nearby. When he caught sight of Gaius Vala pushingthroughthemillingthrongtojoinhim,Marcusrodetowardhim.

“Gaius, form these men here,” yelled Marcus, waving his drawnsword ina line facingoneof the slopingwoodedhillsides,“andhere!”pointingintheoppositedirection.TheTribuneknewthesoldierswereingoodhands.Acourierreined innext tohim,shoutingoutamessagehehadcarriedfromtherearofthecolumn.Marcusnoddedhisthanks,sentthe man back with a message of his own, and then kicked his mounttowardVarustoascertainhisconditionandaskforfurtherorders.

He reached the Consul more quickly and easily than he expected.Thankfully,Varuswasunwounded.

“Marcus!”Varusspokethenameasifagreatburdenhadbeenliftedfromhisshoulders.“WhatinthenameoftheGodsishappening?”

“Sire,” replied Marcus, his horse turning away from the consul,fightingitsrider’scommands.“WehavebeenattackedonbothflanksbyGerman tribesmen.” Marcus cleared his throat. “Just before I movedforward to join you I received a message from the commander of theNineteenthLegion.Therearofthecolumnhasbeensavagelymauled.Ourflankguardswerenotsufficienttopreventthesurprise,sire.”

“Howseriouswastheattack?Whatareourlosses?”inquiredVarus.“Wehavelostmany,sire.TheNineteenth,nearlytwocenturiesbefore

thesoldierscouldturnanddeploytoengagetheenemyproperly.Ihaveasked foradditionalreports,butaccording toacourier, thecommanderof the Nineteenth believes he is being quartered by a large force ofGermans, andheneeds to breakout intomoreopen country to takeupproper positions to engage the enemy. I think we should also turn thecavalry,nowbetweenusandtheNineteenth,andallowittomoveouttothe flanks and investigate the apparent loss of our auxiliary scouts and

flankguards.ItalsoappearstheflankguardsfromtheEighteenthLegionhavebeenlost.”

AsMarcuswasfinishinghisinitialreport,Valarodeupnexttohim.Henoddedhisheadtoconfirmtheobservation.“Whatishappeningwithourauxiliaries,Marcus?”askedVarus.Therewasahigherpitch tohisvoicethanusual.

“I have great suspicions about their fate. They may well—almostcertainly, I think—have changed their allegiance. I suggest our cavalryflankaroundtotherearofthecolumnandtakeupasupportingrolewiththerearcommandoftheNineteenth.”

Varus, too, was having difficulty controlling his mount, which wassnorting and shaking its head in response to the dying screams of twofatally injured horses, shivering on the ground just a few yards away.One,abrownmare,waslyingonhersidewithalargelancestickingoutofthesideofherchest.Tryasshemight,shewasunabletocloseherjawsaroundthespearinanefforttobiteatthesourceherpain.Theotherlayon his side, his lower left rear leg completely severed. The woundwasbleedingprofusely.

“Damn this!”exclaimedVarus.“What reportsdowehave from theSeventeenth? Are there any reports of attacks against the front of thecolumn?Isitafull-scaleattack?”

“Weareyetunsure,”answeredMarcus.“ButIbelieveitwasawell-plannedstrike,sire,andheavilydelivered.Itwasnotabandoftribesmenlooking for booty. No reports from the front, only from themiddle andrearof thecolumn. I thinkwehaveno time towaste.Wemust turnandfacetheenemyorriskmoreattacksliketheonewejustsuffered.”

“Even if there is a large enemy force toour rear,Marcus, I donotthinkweshouldspendtimetryingtoturnaboutthreelegionstoseekoutanunknownforceofGermansinthesedamnablewoodsandvalleys!”

BeforetheTribunecouldanswer,amountedmessengerdrewupfromthe direction of the Seventeenth Legion. He handed a sealed scroll toMarcus,whopassed it toVarus.TheConsul scanned thedocument.“AmessagefromArminius,Marcus.Thetribesaregrowinginstrength,butare in themain still fragmented into tribal pockets.He has informationthe Chauci are moving up from the southeast to join with them. Hesuggestswebreakforastretchofopenground,notfarforwardfromourcurrent position at the head of the column, and establish an overnightlager.” Varus smirked at this report and leaned closer to his executiveofficer.“Whatmoreproofdoweneedthatmyplansaretherightones?

Forgetthiswishtoturnaround.Itisobviousweneedtocontinuemovingnorth to join upwith Arminius. Let us get thismess quickly sorted andreinforce the linkwith the Seventeenth.Wewill continue themarch theway I ordered. Inform the commander of the Nineteenth Legion tocontinuemarchingwithaneyetowardthesouth.IftheChauciaremovingup behind us, it makes sense to push forward and regroup in the openground to the north, and take up defensive positions there before weconsiderhowtocontinueonandlinkupwithArminius.”

Before Marcus could protest and reaffirm his tactical evaluations,anothermessengerrodeup,thistimefromthesouthernendofthecolumnwheretheofficersoftheNineteenthLegionwerestillcountingtheirdeadandwounded.

Marcus heard the courier out and informed Varus of the newinformation.“Sire,asweearlierlearned,therearofthecolumnhasalsobeen attacked, but now communications with our command of theEighteenthandtheNineteentharesevered—forthemoment.Itwouldalsoappear our flank scouts have changed their allegiance, formany of theattackerswereindeedourownallies.”Marcuspausedamomentandthenrenewedhis request to turn the columnaroundanddeploy forbattleaswellaspossible,giventheconstraintsoftheterrain.

“Damnit,man,Icommandthisforce!”Varusclosedhismouthhardforamomentbeforecontinuing,morecalmlynow.“Irespectyournoblepositionandexperienceasagreatcommanderandfriend,MarcusAius,but I havemademy decision, and this latest report does nomore thanconfirm my tactical appreciation of our situation. We must continuenorthward.TheChauciareobviouslycloseonourheels,andweneedtobreakouttoopengroundasthecommanderoftheSeventeenthsuggests,andregroupto fightongroundofourchoosing.Maketheordersnow.”Varus turned to the commander of his guard, a clear sign that he hadfinishedwithMarcus.“Centurion,”hebarked,“getourcommandonthemarch again, and get some real legionaries in front of us and on ourflanks—particularlyonourflanks.Letusbeonourmarchquickly.”

Finally, Varus turned to directly addressGaius Vala, whowas stillawaiting orders. “Commander,make all speed back to your legion, seethat your flanks are protected, and let us march from these cursedwoods.”

At that moment a huge streak of lightning raced across the sky,tracing the length of the column. The blood drained from Varus’ face.Pealsofthunderusheredinadrivingrainthatsweptinfromthewest.The

reddishskyoftheearlymorningwasaweathergaugeamandisregardedathisownperil.HeavysheetsofraindrownedtheRomans.Itwasasifanightmare sent by the Gods had swallowed the legions whole. Varusshivered violently as the rain soaked every man, uniform, and piece ofequipment, turning dry earth and the valley floor into muddy, boggyswampswithina fewminutes.Thespiritsof themensank loweras theytramped through the soggy ground. Rivulets of water, small at first butgrowingastheminutespassed,courseddownthroughthewoodedslopesand came together in the lower valley floor, where the growing streamwashed through the bloody gore littering the line of march of theSeventeenth,EighteenthandNineteenthLegions.

CassiusDiowrote:

Meanwhileaviolentdownpourandstormdeveloped,sothatthecolumnwasstrungoutevenfurther;thisalsocausedthegroundaroundthetreerootsandthefelledtrunkstobecomeslippery,makingmovementverydangerous,andthetopsofthetreestobreakoffandcrashdownuponthem,causingmassconfusion.

WhiletheRomanswerestrugglingagainsttheelements,thebarbarianssuddenlysurroundedthemonall sidesatonce,stealing through thedensest thickets,as theywere familiarwith thepaths.At first theyhurledtheirspears fromadistance,butasnobodyattackedtheminreturnandmanywerewounded, theGermans closed in to a shorter range; for their part the Romans were not advancing in any regularformation,butwereinterspersedatrandomwiththewagonsandthenoncombatants.Thismeantthattheycouldnoteasilyconcentratetheirstrengthatanypoint,andsincetheywereeverywhereoverwhelmedbytheiropponents,theysufferedcasualties,andwerequiteunabletocounterattack.

Accordingly,theypitchedcamponthespotaftertakingpossessionofasuitableplace,sofarasonecouldbefoundonwoodedandmountainousground;afterwardstheyeitherburnedorabandonedmostoftheirwagonsandeverythingelsethatwasnotabsolutelyindispensabletothem…

Varus, however, decided that if anything remained with him in thecolumn, it would be all his personal possessions and householdnecessities, all the treasures and the gold and silver his legions hadgatheredintheirforaysacrosstheGermanheartlands.Thishugetreasurewastoremainwithhimtotheend.

1994–1995:PonderingTreasuresLost

Ihavealwaysbeenfascinatedwithlostarchaeological treasures,andhave been avidly reading everything written on the subject for manyyears.Somehavebeenburiedforthousandsofyears;othersarescattered

acrosstheglobe,litteringoceanfloors.Eachawaitsdiscovery.Morethananything else in all my years of research on such matters, thearchaeologicalandhistoricaljigsawpuzzlesoflosttreasuresfascinateme.

In 1989 and 1990, with the dawning realization that Kalkriese wasindeed the actual site of theVarusschlacht, a germ of an idea began toforminmymind.IdiscussedthesethoughtsoftenwithProfessorSchlüteras I began fleshing out the picture of the final days of Varus and hissoldiersastheypreparedfortheworst,facingdefeatfromeveryquarter.Carried with them were their worldly goods and possessions, many ofwhich had been obtained during their summer occupation of Germany.Whatwas to be donewith these treasured possessions, personal effects,jewelry, familyheirlooms, etc., all about tobe lost to the enemy?Whatwouldtheyhavedone?Whatdidtheyinfactdo?Ofevenmoreinteresttome was how they handled the taxes and tithes (anything of a preciousnatureotherthanthefursandskins)VarushadleviedagainsttheGermantribes andcollectedduringhis summer sojournon theWeser and in thelands surrounding it.Would they have simply given up this significanttreasuretotheenemy?

Plunderwas the essence of aGerman tribesman’s incentive to fightand wage war. The average warrior was not by any means a politicalanimal.Arminius dragged the tribes together to take onVaruswith thepromise of plunder and rich pickings after a successful battle. This andthisalone,wasthedecidingfactorinthecoalescingofthetribes.

Duringthistimeperiod,aRomannobleman—andthereweremanyinVarus’ immediate entourage and inner council of advisers, includingsenior officers and Varus himself—possessed many gifts and personalproperty. Though basic in concept—cutlery, dinner services, drinkinggoblets,personal itemsof toiletry,writingequipment—thesepossessionswereoftencrafted frompreciousmetals.Thus thecolumn that stumbleditsway through northernGermany included thousands of items of solidgoldandsilver, finebronzes,exquisite ivories,blackonyxfigurinesandeven exquisite furniture. All that was precious would not have beendiscardedswiftlyoreasily.Thethoughtofthesepersonalaccoutrements,combinedwithVarus’swollen treasurechests,heightenedmyinterest inestablishingVarus’probablelineofmarchtodestructionatKalkriese.

Frombothatacticalandlogicalpointofview,IhavealwaysarguedthatVarushadcomeupthroughtheTeutoburgerWaldfromthesoutheast,drawntohisendbythecleverandcarefullycraftedplansofArminius.IdonotbelieveVaruslivedlongenoughtoseeKalkriese,forhislastlager

positionwassomedistance to theeast. If this indeedwas thecase—andaccordingtoCassiusDio’sdescriptionofthesequenceofeventsitseemsvirtuallycertain that itwas—Varusnotonlypreparedhimselfduringhislastnightonearth,butprobablyorderedhispersonalchattelsandRomanassetssecuredtopreventthemfromfallingintothehandsoftheGermans.It would have been a logical thing to do; after all, his own personalGovernor’sGuardproveditsloyaltybyremainingbehindtodisposeofhisbodyafterhecommittedsuicide.Ifthesementarriedtocarryoutactionsconsidered to be in his best interest after he was dead, then it is notdifficult to imagine these same men could be trusted to follow Varus’wishes when he was alive by preparing and secreting (and probablyburying) the legions’ treasure chests before the Germans could overrunthem.This thought has always intriguedme, especially as Iwalked anddrovetheprobablecourseofVarus’lastmarch.

IbelieveInowknowwhathappenedtoVarus’treasurechests.IthinkIknowwheresomeofthemare,andIthinkIknowhowtheycametobethere.Timewilltell.Ihopeonedaywecanuncoverthesepreciousrelicsof abygone age and reveal them in all their glory in thenewKalkriesemuseum for everybody to see and admire. It would be a suitable finalrestingplaceforthesetreasures,forthatiswheretheVarusschlachtcameto its bloody conclusion, where history marked the end of the Varuslegions.

TheEndoftheSecondDay

Theendlessdayfinallybegandrawingtoaclose.Theraincontinuedsheeting itsway to earth and the ground underfootwas by this time sowaterlogged, the men and wagons could barely slog or roll their wayforward. The advance elements of the Seventeenth Legion finally brokefreefromtheoppressivewoodlandandpouredoutintotheopentoprotecttheforwardpioneerelementstaskedwitherectingtheearthenrampartsofthe overnight lager. The legionaries strove to finish the outercircumferenceofthepositionasquicklyaspossible,theirworkhastenedbythe threatandfearof furtherattack.Butby this timethesoupyearthwasnearlyunmanageable,andtheestablishmentof theredoubt took farlonger than usual to erect. Once the basic confines of the lager werecreated,thefragmentedsectionsoftheEighteenthandNineteenthlegionsspent thenext twohours strugglingup from thewooded valleyonto the

elevatedplateau.Theretheywouldspendthenight.During those hours the intensity of the enemy attacks along the

extended Roman column had fallen off. Still, a number of minor butharassing and occasionally deadly forays from the woods against theexposedflankscontinued.Fromthetreesscreamedajavelinorasprayofhissingarrows.Mostmissedtheirmark,butsomestruckunfortunateswhostruggledwithinthecolumnofhumanityasitambleditswaytowardwhatitcollectivelyprayedwouldbeasafehaven.Muchtoeveryone’srelief,nofurtherheavyattacksfelluponthem.

That night, Marcus ordered the guards on the walls of the lagertrebled. In his headquarters, Varus attempted to establish some form ofcommandandcontrol.Hisfirstactionwastoclarifythenumbersofmenand quantity of equipment that had been lost. By the time the sub-unitcommanders answered the questions asked of them, the night was welladvanced. Varus, Marcus Aius, and the three legion commanders,meanwhile,gatheredinVarus’tenttoplantheirnextmove.Thesituationreportswerenotencouraging.

Onlyafewdirectattackshadbeenlaunchedagainsttheflanksofthecolumn—includingskirmishesagainst therear.Thereal losseshadbeensuffered during the drawn-out aggression from the flanks—the hurledspearsandflightsofarrowslaunchedfrominvisiblehands.Thesehitandruntacticshadtakenanimmensetollofbothmenandanimals,includingstore-carrying mules and ox-drawn wagons. The loss of these essentialstores and equipment, including food, was a severe blow. Much of thetentagewasabandonedintheconfusion,whichexacerbatedtheeffectsofthecoldandrainyweatherand furtherdepressed thespiritsof themen.Varus’menwerewet,cold,hungry,andfrightened.

As the results of the roll-call poured in, it becameabundantly clearthat in the short space of a single day, the three legions and theirauxiliary and echelon forces had lost an astonishing three thousandsoldiers. This figure did not include civilian camp followers who hadfallen by the hundreds, much to the dismay and sorrow of manylegionarieswhohadclosefriendsandlovedonesamongthem.Thenewscouldnotbecontainedandcoursedquicklythroughtherankslikeflameslickdrytinder.Moralefellfurtherasthelager’soccupantstriedtosettledownforthenight.

The situation actually improved during the dark hours, though thereasonbehinditwasnotsoreadilyreassuring.Duringthecommanders’conference, Varus and his officers decided that the surrounding

countryside,includingthelandtothenorthwestthroughwhichtheywereabout to march, was not suitable for the large number of wagons andequipment that still formed part of the three-legion entourage. It tooksometime,butthecommandersfinallyacceptedthefactthatthewagons,whileinvaluabletothecolumn,werehinderingtheirabilitytodeployandfight as a disciplined army. The effort to protect them during the longbloodymarchwasoneoftheprimaryreasonsbehindthehighlossesthathadbeensuffered.Varusreluctantlyagreedandorderedthemburned.

Themassoffireslitthenightsky,illuminatingtheouteredgesofthelagerperimeter.Thewarmthand light from thespreadingconflagrationrestored somewhat the damp and flagging spirits of the men, who satquietlyandwatchedas roilingcloudsof sparksand flames shotup intothenight.Theheavyrainhadtaperedoffafternightfallintoalightfitfuldrizzle before stopping altogether. In its wake was a heavy blanket ofhumidity. Trails of gently rising steam from drying kits and equipmentsurroundedhundredsofburningpyresofwagonsandtheircontents.Thesmoke from the fires joined with the dank humid steam rising from thehighlandsoftheTeutoburgerWald.

TheGermanswarriorswerenot inclined to throw themselvesat theburning walls of the overnight lager. Instead, they kept the legionariesfitfullyawakebylaunchingaseriesoffeintsagainsttheperimeter.Fromthe surrounding woods, captured Roman soldiers—some alreadywounded, others not—could be heard screaming and pleading for theirliveswhiletheyweretorturedintoeventualsilence.

When themorningmists began to clearwith the onset of first light,wisps of smoke were still curling slowly skyward from the smolderingembersoftheburningwagonsandcarts.TheRomansweretryingtocometotermswiththeirplight.Soldierswithgrittyandsoreeyes,deprivedofanymeaningfulsleep,gazeduponthestateoftheirsurroundings.Themenknewwhatthelossofthewagonsandcartsmeant.Everylegionarywouldnowhavetocarryfoodandstoresontopofhisalreadyheavybackpackofequipment. If they were to survive even for a fewmore days, food andwater would become an increasingly important and critical resource.With minds still numb from yesterday’s events, they respondedlethargicallywhenreveillesoundedwithinthelager.Orderswerequicklygiven, a hasty toilet and breakfast were undertaken, and officers wereinformedofhowtheywoulddepartfromtheencampment.

It was only now that someone realized that in the confusion of thepreviousnight,alargequantityofoatsandhayhadbeenconsumedinthe

pyres of wagons and equipment. Although food stocks for the soldierswere sufficient for the next three or four days, there remained only oneday’srationof fodder for thehorses travelingwith thecolumn.Itwasacrippling state of affairs, and it would have a marked effect on theircapacitytofightinthedaysahead.

Once legions were reorganized, with adjustments made to specificcohortstocompensatefortheirlosses,VarusandMarcusdecidedthattheSeventeenth would continue to lead the column and provide flankingguardsforthefirsthalfoftheadvancingbody.Thelegionhadsufferedthefewest killed and wounded, east, and was well suited to the task. TheEighteenthandNineteenthlegions,whichhadexperiencedheavierlosses,were ordered to link their commands but remain in the samemarchingorder used the previous day.Marcus ordered their commanders to payparticularattentiontotheirflanks,remainincontactwiththeSeventeenthLegion, and establish a strong rearguard force. The latter wasparticularlyimportantandwouldmakeitpossibleforthelegionstodrawup the rear of their column into a strong defensive shell should thenecessity arise.Marcus was worried that no gapsmight develop in theprotection surrounding the entire column and his orders to hissubordinatesreflectedthisconcern:“Youwillseethataforceofarmsisfacing outward on both flanks and to the rear throughout the day’smarch.”Likeanarmor-platedwoodlousewithadefensiveshellallround—notunlikeanenlargedtestudo—theRomansformeduptodeployforthemarchnorthwesttowardArminius’lastknownposition.

TheThirdDay

And so they continued their advance. Theymarched in better orderthatday.Acollectivesighofreliefcouldalmostbeheardwhenthemenrealized thecountry,whilestillwooded,wasmoreopenthanthe terrainover which they had just marched—at least during the first part of theday’s advance. There were still harrying attacks from the flanks andagainsttherearofthecolumn,butthistimetheenemywasoftenseenandthe damage was not as great. Maintaining forward momentum wasabsolutelyessentialforthesurvivalofthecolumn.Theresultwasgrowingfrustrationwithin theranks, for thepaceof themarchdidnotallow forthemen to deploy and counterattack when theGermans approached towithinskirmishingdistance.Thisdecision,inturn,allowedthetribesmento pick away at the flanks and rear at will before disappearing in thesurrounding woods, only to reappear yet again at another point andrepeattheprocess.

By theearlyafternoon, scouts from theSeventeenthLegionreportedthat the countryside to their frontwas thickening up. TheRomanswereslowlyenteringthewoodsandhillsoftheWiehengebirge;theeasygoingof themoreopencountry throughwhich theyhad justpassedwasatanend.Thisnewswassentbackthroughthecolumn,andviaheadquarters,downthelinetotheEighteenthandNineteenthlegionstrailingintherear.TheSeventeenthcontinuedthroughthethickeningwoodlands.Defilesandvalleys became more pronounced, the opportunities for ambush andattack more plentiful. Encouraged by the absence of the enemy, thesoldiers plodded on, for there was no other route to follow. The pacepickedup slightly.Before long, itwasharder for themen in themiddleand rear of the column to keep well closed and prevent gaps fromappearinginthelineitself,andbetweentheflankingguardsprotectingit.

WiththemainRomanbodywellintotheWiehengebirge,theGermansstruckagainwithoutwarning.The strikes consistedof a series of sharpattacksagainsttheflankguards.Continuousflightsofarrowsandjavelinsrained down on the legionaries struggling to maintain the pace of themarchand their own security against themissilesmeant to kill them. Itdidnottakelongforgapstoappearbetweentheflankingelementsoftheleading Seventeenth Legion and those trailing behind it. Not daring tostop and gather their forces to counterattack for fear of losing contact

with their own command elements, the men marched on through agauntlet of ambushes. Indeed, the attacks quickened the pace of thesoldiers.When word of the harassing attacks and consequent problemsreached Varus, who was riding behind the Seventeenth, he ordered thelegion’s commander to set a slower pace so that flanking guards underassaultcouldbetterdealwiththeharassingGermans.

ItwasatthispointArminiusputthenextphaseofhisplanintoeffect.The Seventeenth was marching unopposed and did not yet know of theproblemsfartotherear.Theordertoslowdowntheadvancehadnotyetreached the legion’s commander. Those following moved quicker tomaintain contact. Many men marching in the middle and rear of thecolumn, however, where the attacks against the flanking guards weretaking place, slowed their own step in order to support the outerperimeter with reinforcements. It was a delicate balancing act, for thecolumnhadtokeepupaforwardmomentumandtightformation,andstilloffersomereasonableformofdefense.Intheroughterrain,theRomanswereunable toperformboth feats.The resultwas theopeningofagapbetween the Seventeenth Legion and Varus’ headquarters, and betweenVarus’headquartersand the trailingEighteenthandNineteenth legions.Inplaces,thecolumnformedgiantbottlenecksofcongestionsandchaos.Atothers,thecolumnwasbutthinlymannedandseriouslyoverstretched.Communication in theclosecountryandunder thesecircumstanceswasdifficultinthebestoftimes,andthesewerenotthebestoftimes.AlthoughVarusdidnotyetknowit,hisabilitytocommandandcontrolhismenwasquicklyunraveling.

The Germans picked their points well. Where the Romans werestretchedthin,theylaunchedheavyattacksthatoverranthelegionflanksand smashed into, and often through, the central column itself. Theseattacksweredeliveredbothinfrontof,andbehind,Varus’positionintheline.Othersissuedhit-and-runstrikesthatkilledandmaimedonasmallerscale,butkilledandmaimednonetheless.StillmoreGermansspenttheirtimedroppingtreesacrossthelineofmarchtoimpedeandsaptheenergyoftheRomans.Confusioncourseditswayupanddownthecolumnasthehours slipped past and the shadows lengthened. And still the attackscontinued.

Frustratedandmorethanalittlefrightenedatthedeterioratingstateofaffairs,VarusorderedValatoformuphiscavalrytochargeandbreakup the next German attack should it occur in the vicinity of hisheadquarters. No charge took place, however. By this time, infantry,

cavalry,andsupportelementshadbecomesocongestedandintermingledalongthenarrowroutethatuntanglingtheminsomedisciplinedfashionfordeploymentagainsttheenemywasimpossible.Thekillingcontinued.

By this time itwas almost dark, and the losses suffered inmenandequipmentwereappalling.Ofthethreelegions,cavalry,auxiliaryforces(the majority of which had absconded to Arminius) and women andchildren, perhaps twenty-five thousand souls in all, there remained nomore than fifteen thousand, including those sorely wounded and beingcarriedbyfriends.Thepathfollowedbythelegionsthroughthehillsandvalleys was now littered with dead and dying, which in turn createdbottlenecks of their own. Troops from the Eighteenth and Nineteenthlegionshadtheworstofit,theirwayoftenblockedbythebodiesoftheircomrades, dead horses and pack mules, freshly-cut trees, and mobs ofdemoralizedtroopsandcivilians.

Only the firm hand of Marcus Aius brought some semblance ofcontroltothecolumn.Theofficerwasindefatigable,ridingupanddownthelineyellingoutcommands,formingsquadsofflankguards,organizingrelief parties to move trees, all the while encouraging the men to keepmoving forward. When he came across a group of soldiers huddledtogetherandunmoving,hereinedinhismountandyelleddownatthem,“Tostopistodie!Yourordersaretomoveforward.Dosoimmediately!”When no onemoved, he leaned over and slapped the side of his swordagainst thenearestman’sback.“Iwillkillyouwhereyoustand,oryoucandoyourdutyandmarch!”Themenbeganmoving,butwithina fewminutes theywerebrought to a halt oncemore, the route utterly closedwithacongealedmassofhumanitymillingaboutinfrontofthem.

Marcusdrewinhismount,ponderedthesituationforafewminutes,and settledupona solution.Hedispatched courierswithorders tobothValaandhishorsemen,andthecommanderoftheNineteenthLegion,toleave thenarrowroutealtogetherbysplitting their forcesoneithersideand takingup the line followedby the flankingguards.Although itwasdifficult to get themen to understandwhatwas expected of them, oncetheyunderstoodandmovedoff the track, the two legions—althoughstillsuffering under nearly continuous skirmishing attacks—advanced at amuch quicker pace. Within a short time the gaps in the line had beenclosedand the tenuous linkswith the flankingguardsof theSeventeenthLegionreestablished.Themenwerealsobettersituatedtofightbackwithsomesmallsuccess.TheGermanwarriorsdisappearedinto thegrowingshadows.

Varusandhislegionswerestillindesperatestraits,fortheyhadnotbeen able to erect a proper march lager before darkness settled overthem. The Seventeenth Legion remained nearly unbloodied, well-closed,andwithastrongsenseoforderpermeatingitsranks.Itscommanderhadtakenupastrongpositionononeof thehillsandmaintainedacirculardefensethroughoutthelongnight.Withonlywetwoodtoburn,however,the observation fires were difficult to maintain. An extended force ofinfantrywasestablishedalongtheaxisof thecentralcolumn,aswellastheparallelroutestakenbytheflankguards.Withthisprotectivebarrierin place, the men of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth legions, includingnearly all of Varus’ headquarters staff, filed into the Seventeenth’sdefensivepositionthroughoutthenight.

Thesoldierspitchedcampwheretheylay.Smallgroupsoflegionarieshuddledtogetherinpocketsofdefensivegroups,lightingfireswheretheycould.Damp,cold,fearfuloftheircircumstances,themenbegantodoubtwhethertheywouldeverleaveGermany.Deathwasever-present,lookingovertheshoulderofeveryman.Morale,whichwasalreadylow,slippedlower still. By the time Varus andMarcus Aius achieved some form ofcontrolandorganization,dawnwasbreakingtotheeast.

TheFourthDay

Marcusturnedawayfromthespreadinglightintheeastwithaheavyheartandsteppedintothetent.Heknewwhatthelightwouldbringwithit.Gatheredbeforehimwerethecommandersofthethreelegionsandthecavalry leader Vala. Varus was not in attendance, deciding instead toremain in his bed and leave the tactical decisions in the hands of hisexecutiveofficer.Varuslookedillandhadwithdrawntothepointwhereheno longerpretendedtobe incommandofhis legions.The lossesandhardshipssufferedoverthepast fewdaysweighedheavilyuponhim,forhefeltthelossofeachman.Itwasclearhenolongerbelievedhislegionswould emerge on the other end of the endless tunnelwithinwhich theyfoundthemselves.Guiltisaheavycloak,andVarusdidnotwearitwell.

Marcus decided the best course of action was to break out to thesouthwest, down to the Lippe River and the support of the forts andlegionsstationedthere.HeknewinhisheartthateverymessengerhehadorderedtostrikeoutfortheLippeandtheRhinehadbeendiscoveredandcutdownby theenemy.But continuingnorthwest towardArminius’ lastreported position had become too perilous. For both logistical andtacticalreasons,themarchnorthwestwasnolongerpossible.

“I want the Seventeenth to turn about and become the rear of thecolumn,”explainedMarcus.“GaiusVala,yourcavalrywill carryoutaseriesoffastpatrolsofthelanddirectlysouthwestofourcurrentpositionand identify a march route to take us down to the Lippe. Your legion,togetherwiththatoftheNineteenth,willregroupandleadtheadvancetothe river. Flank protectionmust bemaintained at all times,” continuedMarcus,“anditmustbeimpressedonthementhat…”

Withoutwarning, Varus stormed into the briefing. “Marcus! I havejust received anothermessage fromArminius,” he exclaimed, waving asmallparchmentintheair.“IwanttohearnofurthertalkofrunningtotheLippe.Ifwecanjoinforceswithhim,wewillhavetheupperhandandstrengthtofighttogethertoputdownthisbloodyinsurrection!”

Marcus could not hide his surprise at both the sudden interruptionand the shrill tone of Varus’ voice. “Sire, we cannot continue on thisroute,for…”

Varuscuthisanswershort.“Wewillnotdeserthim,MarcusAius!Iamincommandofthesemen,andyouwillcarryoutmyorders.Wewill

move toassistArminius.Anymove to thecontrarywillbeviewedasanact of treason.” Varus glared for a few seconds at Marcus and thegatheredcommandersthrougheyesreddenedfromlackofsleep.

“Yes,sire.Ofcourse.”Withthat,Varusgruntedinreplyandstormedoutofthebriefingtent.

A stunned silence lingered after he left.Marcus and the officers quietlyabsorbedtheenormityoftheordertheyhadjustheard.Marcusgatheredhimself,clearedhisthroat,andquietlysaid,“Gentlemen,thesituationisclear.Varushasdecidedmyplan isnot tobeput intoeffect.Weare tocontinuetomoveforwardasbefore, towardthelastreportedpositionofArminius and his auxiliaries and cavalry, join forces with them, andattendtothisinsurrectionfromapositionofsupremacytobeestablishedatsomepointinthenearfuture.”

ValalookedatMarcusasiftoobject,butMarcuswavedhisarmandcuthimshort.“Iwillnotchallengeordersgiventomebymycommander,butwhat I do say to you is this. Let us be about our businesswith thediscipline and fortitude that has carried the names of the great Romanlegions into history. We are desperately pressed in our forwarddeployment to the northwest, and yet that iswhere theCommander hasordered us to march, to aid Arminius.”Marcus lowered his voice to awhisper.“Beespeciallyonguard.IfearArminiushashisownagendainthesematters,andthatheisnolongerafriend.”

Vala and the others nodded in agreement. They had obviously beenthinkinganddiscussingthesamething.

Marcus continued. “Keep good order. The Seventeenthwill lead asbefore,andtheEighteenthandNineteenthwillnowabsorbthecommandheadquarterselement.Iwishyouallgoodfortune,astrongrightarm,andsuccess.Youwillbe informedofanydevelopmentsas theyoccur.Whenwecometogetheragain,gentlemen,letitbeinthespiritofconquestandsuccess. We owe these Germans much retribution for the loss of ourcomrades and women and children. I entrust you with the honor andreputation of the Eagles of Rome, the Eagles of the Seventeenth,EighteenthandNineteenthofRome’sfinestlegions.”

AndsothelegionsofVaruscontinuedtheiradvance.Thefourthdaywas comparatively successful in terms of ground covered, although theGermans continued to inflict losses on the Romans, concentrating theirattacks against the rear of the column rather than its flanks. TheSeventeenthLegion,sloggingaheadatthefrontofthecolumn,continuedunhinderedinitsadvance.

Reorganized to a large degree, the soldiers marched armed with anewdirective and inspiringwords from their commanders:“Soldiers ofRome!Standanddiehereinthisforsakenland,orfightwhennecessaryand press forward to the northwest and escape.Ourmission is to passthroughtheWiehengebirgenorthwesttotheopenDievenWiesen,tofindArminius and his auxiliaries. Take up the Eagles, and maintain goodheart.Wearenotfarfrombetterground,wherewewillturnthetablesonourfoe.ForAugustus,forRome!Goforwardandtakeheart,forwehavemanylostcomradestoavenge,andtheyseekyourbloodyvengeanceupontheirkillers.MaythegraceofourgodsandourCaesaraccompanyyou,foritiswiththeirsupportwewillovercometheseGermanpeoples.”

Withthesewords,thethreelegionsofVarusmoveddowntowardtheKalkrieseBergandthepassesatOstercappeln.

The route from the Minden Summer lager on the River Weser, southwest toward theTeutoburger Hills and River Lippe forts beyond, back to winter quarters. When VarusreachedtheTeutoburger,Arminius’planwentintoeffect,andthelegionschangeddirectionnorthwestupthelineoftheTeutoburgerHillstowardthepassesatOstercappeln.

ChapterNineteen

Varus’LastLageratFelsenfeld

By midday the going once more became extremely difficult. Heavyrain and violent winds driving down on their positions made walkingdifficult,andmoretreeswerefoundblockingtheroute.Utterlyexhausted,theRomansfinallycouldadvancenofarther,suchwastheferocityofthestorm.SuchacycloneofwindandrainhadnotbeenseeninGermanyformany years, and made the normal late summer storms seem calm bycomparison.1

TheGermanscontinuedwith their skirmishingattacks.Theydidnotsuffer themany difficulties that beset the Roman column, for theywereusedtobadweather,werenotencumberedwithwomenandchildren,andknewwhattheywereabout.Althoughbothsidesspentmuchoftheirtimeslipping and sliding along the forest floor, theGermans firmly held theupperhand.

CassiusDio:

Itwasimpossibleforthem[theRomans]towieldtheirweapons.Theycouldnotdrawtheirbowsnorhurltheir javelins toanyeffect,nor evenmakeuseof their shields,whichwerecompletely soddenwith rain.Theiropponents,ontheotherhand,wereforthemostpartlightlyarmed,andsocouldapproachorretirewithoutdifficulty,andsufferedfarlessfromtheweather.Besidethis,theenemy’snumbershadbeengreatlyreinforced,sincemanyofthosewhohadfirsthesitatednowjoinedthebattleinthehopeoftakingplunder.TheirincreasednumbersmadeiteasytoencircleandstrikedowntheRomans,whoseranksbycontrasthadshrunk,sincetheyhadlostmanymenintheearlierfighting.

The commander of the Seventeenth Legion had established abridgeheadofsortsaroundthefrontofthecolumnasitstraddledadeepvalley bordering on the verge of the Wiehengebirge ridge, now only ashortdistance to thenorthof theirposition.Oncehehadre-securedhis

flanks, for his legion was now the only effective force in strengthremaining of the Varus legions, he dispatched a force back around theperimeter areas of the column to assist the beleaguered troops pinneddowninthevalleyfloor,helpcleartreesandundergrowth,andputupaprotective shield around the central command core. These actions gavesome small relief to the trapped remnants of the Eighteenth andNineteenth legions, whose losses were alarmingly high. The Germansdrew off once more when they encountered this increase in resistance,patient in their determination and conviction that they would win, nomatter how long it took. The ground and timewere on their side. Theywatchedandtheywaited.

Arminius was well pleased with the way the battle had progressedthus far. Although the Germans had all the advantages of ambush andwithdrawal, they had still suffered losses of their own. He was contenthowever, for the Romans were still moving in the direction he neededthem to go, ever northwest. His men would stand off for a time andcontinuetocoaxthelegionsalongwithbutminorskirmishingforaysuntilhecouldherdthemintothefinalambush,thefinalkillingfield.

Arminius had planned his final series of ambushes in the mainwesterly pass at Ostercappeln, less than one mile from his camp atKrebsburg. It was an ideal bottleneck to trap the remnants of Varus’legions, and if necessary, another entrapment zonemight followaroundthe Kalkriese Berg at Kalkriese itself. This location was the ultimatebottleneck—atightlyrestrictedpatharoundasmallprojectingknolllyingonthenortherlyedgeoftheBerg,nomorethanfiftytoonehundredyardswide, with the boggy blackmorass of theDievenWiesen squeezing thetrailagainsttheslopeofthehills.Arminius,however,hadmadeonesmallbut important oversight. He had forgotten the tenacity and strength ofMarcusAius,hiscourage,andhisleadershipskills.HehadalsonottakenintoaccountthatValastillretainedcommandofafairproportionoftheoriginal forceofcavalry,oversights thatwouldhaveamarkedeffectontheoutcomeofthenexttwelvehours.

Thecommandcenterofthelegioncolumnwasstillreasonablyintact.The Consul’s own personal guards surrounding and protecting Varus’entouragewerehand-pickedseasonedveteransofmanypastcampaigns;someoftheguardshadservedVarusforyears.Hardasnailsandjustasmeanifnotmeanerthananypaintedbarbarian,theyhadsavagelyfoughtoffanyattacksmadeagainstthecentralcoreofthecommandcell.

Now in a more positive frame of mind after a short nap, Varus

gatheredMarcusandhiscommandersoftheSeventeenthandNineteenthlegions for meeting. They were in deep conversation when Vala joinedtheminthetent.

“Ah, Vala—just the man I wish to see,” began Varus. “I havedecided,Commander,thatwecannotsurvivethispiecemealonslaughtinthese cursed valleys and hills much longer. The commander of theSeventeenthhas reported that theWiehengebirge isnot far toour front,andthereareanumberofpasseswecanusetogaintheopengroundtothenorthoftheridgeline.”

Valalookedatthefacesaroundhim.Marcusmethiseyeswithagrimlook.HeturnedbacktoVarus.“Whatwouldyouhavemedo,sire?”

“I need you to take a fast-moving mounted patrol—take all of thecavalryyoucanmuster—andridelikethewindwhenyoudoit.Iwantaclean pass to get into the open ground. If these attacks on us are anyexampleofwhatliesahead…”Varus’sentencedriftedoffintosilencefora few seconds. “I still do not know how Arminius fares.” He barelywhisperedthewords.

Marcus slowly shook his head in dismay at this latest reference toArminius,butVaruswenton,“Wehavebutonechancetomakegoodandrecoverthesituation.Getintotheopenground,regroup,andthenswingnorthwest toward the Ems,marching out from the northern edge of theridge in theopengroundwherewe canbetterdefendourpositionsandrecover the damned initiative. Marcus Aius will assume temporarycommandofyourEighteenthLegion.Orderitnow,butlettheSeventeenthhaveyourreportfirst.”

Before Vala could reply Varus turned to the commander of theSeventeenth.“OnreceiptofCommanderVala’sreportyouare toactasquicklyasyoucan.Taketheclearpassandsecureabattlelagerpositionintheopengroundasquicklyasyoucan.Leaveyourflankprotectioninplace and we will bring up the Eighteenth and Nineteenth legions intoposition as soon as you have gained and secured the ground.”No onemoved.“Thatisall.”Varuswasnotseekingcounselorquestions.Hehadissuedhisbattleordersandexpectedthemtobecarriedout.Hedismissedthe Orders Group and prepared for the next move forward. MarcuswalkedwithValatoattendthecavalryreconnaissancebriefing,unabletoremaininVarus’companyandlistentomoreplatitudesaboutthetraitorArminius.MarcushadlongsincegivenuponVarus’viewsthatArminiuswasstillwaitingforhelpfromthelegionssomewheretothenorthwest.AsfarasMarcuswasconcerned,Arminiuswasdirectlytiedto,andprobably

leading,thebattleagainstthelegions.Evennow,musedtheTribune,theGermantraitorwasplanningthenextattackagainstthem.

During the next hour, while theGermans held back from the outerprotectionaffordedbytheSeventeenthontheflanksoftheRomancolumn,and the rain andwindswere still lashing through the valleys and hills,ValaandhisridersmadetheirquickdashtotheWiehengebirge.Itdidnottakehim long toexamine thegroundatOstercappeln,and inparticularthe passes to the east andwest of the area leading away into the openground to thenorth.Hewasabout tomoveback fromhisvantagepointwhen he saw a streak of color moving up from the valley and into theforestsofthewesterlypass.Astreamoftribesmen,barelyvisiblethroughthedrivingrain,wasmovingacrosstheopenground.Thepasstothewestwasnotopen.Theeasternpasswastheonlyrouteofescapeintotheopenground.TheresultsofVala’sreconnaissancewereswiftlyissueddownthechainof command.TheSeventeenth pressed forward through the boggyvalleyfloor,maintainingaflankguardatalltimes,throughwhichtherestofthecolumnprogressedinitshastymovetowardtheopengroundandaplacecalledSchwagstorf.

OriginallyMarcusAiusbelieved thecolumnshouldswingnorthwestaftermovingthroughthepassandpressonimmediatelytowardsVorden.But themore he thought about it, themore he realizedVarus’ order toestablishanearlyovernightbattlelagerwaswellfounded.BythetimetheSeventeenth began its advance through the eastern exit the day wasdrawing to a close. Exhaustion and desperation was carved deeply oneveryman’sface—aclearindicationthatregroupingandestablishingthereassuringwallsofanovernightbattlelagerwasanurgentfirstpriority.With somany tired andwounded legionaries starting to sink under thestrain of the last four days of intense hardship, of sleepless nights anddays,itwasdecidedtorunforthehighestgroundontheothersideofthefeatureslightlynorthwestofthepass,toagroundswellcalledFelsenfeld(FelsenField).

AndsothelegionsswarmedthroughtheeasterlypassontothisrisinggroundwheretheSeventeenthhastenedtoestablishatacticalbattlelager.Dyingandwoundedcomradesweredraggedandcarriedtowardthenewredoubt, and Roman spirits again lifted slightly as the rain and windsslowly dissipated. By early evening the hasty lager was up and theremnantsofthethreelegionsbeganpouringintothenewposition.Romanhearts took a little strength from the momentary relief of a stable andreasonablywellprotectedenvironment.

Arminiuswasbesidehimselfwithrage.Hehadtakenawelldeservedbreak, a short sleep, and had given orders to be woken should eventswarrant it. The Roman breakthrough into the eastern pass and thenaroundtothehillatFelsenfeldhadbeenachievedsofast,however, thathisown tribesmenhadnot recognized the flankingmoveby theRomansforwhat itwas, believing instead that the easier of the two routes—thewesterlypass—wouldbethenaturalcontinuingaxisoftheRomanlineofmarch.AndsoArminiuswaslefttosleep.Foronce,theadverseweatherconditions had assisted the legions by helping to conceal their flankingmove through the pass. Before the Germans realized their error, stillpatientlywaiting in theirpreparedambushpositions in thewesternpassby theKrebsburg, theRomans had secured their strong foothold on thehighgroundatFelsenfeld,where theyerected their lageranddugextraramparts with an alacrity similar to the frantic activity found in anoverturnedants’nest.

Marcus breathed a sigh of relief as hewatched the redoubt quicklytake form.Throughthemistyrain that lingeredafter theheavyrainandlashingwindsofthestorm,hecouldseethatValahadchosenthegroundwell.Thefinaltracesofthedaywerenowgivingwaytothetwilightoftheevening. In the distance he could just make out the distinct gap of thewesterlyOstercappelnpasswhere,unbeknownsttohim,Arminius’forceswerepreparingtomoveoutfromtheirunsuccessfulambushpositions.

AllMarcusknewat that timewas that for some inexplicable reasonthey had been given a small respite. Finally, the unlucky sick andwoundedcouldbeattendedto.TheGreekdoctorandtheremnantsofhismedicalteamweresoonatwork,doingwhattheycouldtostembleedinglimbs and sewup split heads and severedmuscles.But spare linen andclothswereinshortsupply,andtheywereunabletodomuchforthemoreseriouslywoundedmenandwomen,whosoonpassedintooblivion.

Varus’survivorstookstockoftheirplight.Besidesthehugenumberofwounded requiring urgent medical attention, by far the most importantandmostdishearteninglogisticalstatisticwasthelossofmanpower.Outofatotalstrengthofmorethan20,000legionaries,cavalry,andauxiliaryforces—notcountingArminius’auxiliariesandscouts,whohadchangedtheir colors—and the many camp followers of women, children, andservants, therenowremainedperhaps7,000menunderarmsanda fewhundredcampfollowers.Everyoneelsehadbeenkilled,lostintheforest,

woundedandleftbehind,orhaddeserted.Theyhadlostsomeofthefewwagonsthathadnotbeenburned,and

most of the pack mules had perished in the hills and valleys of theTeutoburger Wald. Of all their essential stores, there remained only apitifullysmallamountoffoodandnofodderatallforthecavalrymounts.Varus’ legions could not have been in a worse state. The remainingpersonal baggage of any note was Varus’ massive accumulation ofaccoutrementsandpossessions,includingtheConsul’streasuregatheredin for Augustus Caesar from the German tribes during the summermonths.

Spiritsandmoralewereatalowebb.Agreatlethargyhadfallenlikeashroudover thosewhohadsurvived the last fourdaysof terror.Onceinside the lager themen lolledabout. Some fell down ina fitful stupor;others leaned against the parapets, their heads bowed onto the dampearthenwallswondering,sometimesaloud,howithadmanagedtocometothis.AcuteexhaustionwasacommonexperienceforRomanlegionaries—andnotjustfromcombat.Lifeinalegion,withitsoftenharshdisciplineanddemandingphysical tasks, couldwearamanoutquickly.But thesemenwerenotmerelytiredbutdispirited,desperate.Eachfullyrecognizedthe disastrous plight theywere in. They had been given a short respite,and for that theywere thankful.But theyalso knewdeathwas creepingclosereachhour.

Inhisowncamp,Arminiuswasdoingthebesthecouldtorectifytheerror that had allowed the Romans to swing around the Ostercappelnfeature through theeasternpass.Therehadbeena temporarysavingoffacefortheGermansintheambushpositionsaftersufferingthewrathofArminius’ rage. A lone detachment of Roman soldiers that had lostcontactwiththemaincolumnhadinadvertentlymovedthroughthewrongpass.Theysufferedtheonslaughtofhundredsofswordsandlancesmeantforalargerbodyofenemy.Thesmallgroup,some50soulsinall,fellasone,theirbodiessavagelydesecratedandhackedtopiecesinthebloodyheatandrageoftheGermanattack.

Arminius ordered out a large force around to the eastern flank,throughtheOstercappelnfeatureanddownthepassontheeasternside,to follow in the footsteps of the remaining Romans. Their task was toestablishabarriertopreventtheRomansfrombreakingoutoftheirnewlyestablishedpositiontotheeastandmakingtheirwaybacktothelageratMinden.TheyweretaskedwithinsuringthatwhentheattacksagainsttheRomanbattle positionbegan, theweight of theattackwould come from

the eastern flank, and sodiscourage theRomans frombreakingback totheWeser.

ArminiussurmisedthatFelsenfeldcouldpossiblyprovetobetheendoftheVaruslegions,andhewantedtomakesurehisplanofentrapmentsealedoffanyhopetheRomanshadofmovingbacktotherelativesafetyof the summer lager. However, if he could not finish them off here, hewantedthemtomovefartheralongtherouteofhischoosing,toKalkriese,theultimatepositionfortheirfinalannihilation.

The Romans, past masters at recovering from serious tacticalsetbacks,hadnotintheirwildestdreamsexpectedtobetrappedinsuchaprecarious position as they were in Germany. During Julius Caesar’smajorbattleagainst theGauls,whenhewasoutnumbered three toone,thesituationwasneverconsidereduntenable.Evenbattlingagainstthoseoddshehadcomethrough,thereputationofthelegionsforeverenhanced.Now, however, the end of the once-omnipotent Romans occupyingGermanyloomedlarge.

AsthehoursofdarknesssettledoverFelsenfeldtherainsstopped.Therespite fromattack, safetyof the lager,andend to the rain lifted spiritsbalancing on the brink of despair. Hope, small and barely flickering,danced anewwithin their minds. The guards were posted and the rollscalled.Every nameon themusterwas spoken; fewwere left to answer.MarcusAiuswalkedtheoutposts,spoketotheguards,visitedthesickanddying, and encouraged everyone hemet to stand fast, to fight for theirfamilies, for Rome, for Augustus Caesar, and ultimately, for their veryownlives.Insteadofhopelessstares,Marcuswaspleasedtoseethefirmnodding of heads, even smiles. He walked back inside the lager andmoved through the mass of humanity huddled inside. There was littleorder, as most of the men had simply dropped where they could, theirshields next to them. But something had changed.More often than not,encouraging words of duty and firmness answered his call to arms.Perhaps, he thought as he approached another group of soldiers, justperhaps…

Achillingcryfrombeyondoneofthelagerwallspiercedthesolitude.Marcusjerkedhisheadtotherightinthedirectionofthescreamjustasitwas cut short, strangled in mid-throat. It had come from one of theoutposts! He rushed his way to the parapet and peered out into thedarkness.Theattackcameintheformofasilentrushoftensofhundreds

of shadows. The demons pitched in from every direction, coursing overtheoutpostswithout stopping todesecrate the soldiers theyhad slain inpassing.Withinsecondstheyhadswarmedtotheedgeoftheditcharoundthe lager, at speed and with an impetus that seemed impossible towithstand.Marcus screamed out the alarm, just as several others werealsodoing.HewatchedwithincredulityastheGermansflungbundlesofbrushwood into theditch to form small causewaysoverwhich they ran.Withpoles they scaled the ramparts. In thedarkness, as they flowedupandoverthedefenses,theyappearedasawaveofghosts—evil,haunting,fatal.Andnotaoneutteredasound.Withawhiskofmetal,MarcusdrewhisswordandtheRomansroseasonetomeettheattackers.Thesilencewasnomore.

A mighty roar, like a sudden wall of sound, rose up to the sky asshields,swords,andbodiescametogetherinathunderouscacophonyofkilling. Screams and gasps of pain, cries of recognition and anger, andshoutsofhatredanddefianceinascoreof languagesanddialects filledthe lager. No quarter was given, no quarter called. By simply standingand facing outward, andwith only a few hasty commands, the Romanshadformedathickwallofsoldiers.Marcushadrundeepintothelagertogetthemenorganizedfordefense,pullingtogethergroupsofsoldiersintoa reserve. As he was arranging them Varus suddenly appeared next tohim, white-faced and open-mouthed, spinning in every direction as ifunsurewhattodonext.

“Marcus!”Hescreamed.“Howcanweholdthemback!”“Sire,”yelledbacktheTribune,“wearetightlygatheredandingood

order.Wewillbeatthemback.Pleaseleavethetacticalarrangementstome.”WithoutanotherwordVarusvanished into the throngofgatheringsoldiersmillingaboutinthemiddleofthelager.

Marcusturnedawayindisgustandlookedatthemenalongthefrontline next to the parapets, each fighting behind his curved scutum,thrusting with a short sword into the recklessly exposed stomachs andchests of their enemies. One Roman pushed with his shield against amassiveGermanashebenttotheright,reachinginandcuttingwithhisblade,hamstringinghisopponent.Unabletostand,thewarriorfelltothegroundwhere,withasinglestroketothethroat,heexpired.TheRomanliftedhisswordjustintimetoutterhisowndemonicscreamashethrusthis blade deep into themouth of a bellowing barbarian. The tip of thesword lodged for a few seconds in the thick bone of his skull. Thevictorious Legionaire yanked his gladius free and was turning to face

another attacker when a javelin hurled from an invisible arm whistledthrough the chill night air and struck himdown.As he crumbled to theground,anothernamelessRomanwaitingbehindhimsteppedupto takehisplace.Withinafewminutes,GermanandRomanbodiesbeganpilingatop one another, intertwined in death and dripping blood and entrailsthatmadethegroundaslippery,stinkingmorassofgore.Manysoldiersonbothsideslosttheirfootingand,unabletorecoverquicklyenough,felltothegroundanddiedasaresult.

Deep in the distance a German horn sounded, strident and loud,callingforwardfreshwavesofshadowsintothestalledattack.FromtheinnerrecessesoftheredoubtaRomanhornansweredthecall,and,andasection of the reserve trotted out of the inner sanctum of the lager,doubling forward,pushingasideexhaustedcomrades tohurl themselvesat theGerman foe, short swords stabbingatnakedbellies, slipping intounprotectedgroinsandstomachs.Forthefirsttime,Romanvoicesbeganto be clearly heard above the death struggle, shouting and screamingoathsatthefoe.

“ForwardtheSeventeenth!ForwardforRome!”Theadrenalineandheatofbattledrovethemnow,pumpingtheblood

through their veins, some to be spilled in jets and spumes from severedarteriesandlimbshackedfrombodiesthatweredeadbeforetheyhittheground.

Marcuslookeduptowatchasatorcharcedthroughtheairovertheranks of fighting Romans and landed behind them. Another, and thenseveralmorealongthelinesfollowed.Foramomenthewaspuzzled,butthenheunderstood.Theflameshighlightedtheiralignmentandrevealedtheir weaknesses. Legionaires quickly extinguished the flames and themindlessasthemercilessfightingcontinued.

Bynow,everyyardof theramparts,andsomeof the interiorrimofthe lager itself, was a reeling, roaring line of battle as the tribesmencontinuedpouringacross thebreastwork tobemetby thegrimRomanswaitingwithin.Howlongthisassaultlastednobodyknew.Someestimatedthirtyminutes; others twohours—or longer.Butwhen theattack finallyended,whentheGermansfinallyrealizedtheywerenotgoingtopenetratetheranksandoverwhelmthedefenders,theyfellbackintothenightthathaddelivered them.Therewasasaggingof tired limbs,and forashortwhile an unbelievable hush descended over the fort. Even the woundedseemedtoholdtheirbreath,asifacryofagonyorpleaforwatermightbringforththedemonsasecondtime.

MarcusAius leanedwearilyagainst theuprightsupporting themainentrance position. His breath came in great painful gasps as his eyessettled upon Centurion Gaius Suebus, who had been fighting nearbywithouteithermanknowingoftheother.Marcussmiledinashowofself-assurance.“Weheldthemanddrovethemoff!Wemustholdlonger—theycannothavemanymoreresources!Surely,inthenameofallthegods,wecannotbefightingalltheGermantribestogether?”

TheCenturion’sresponsewassoftlyspoken.“Wehave lostsomanymen, Marcus. I cannot see how we can stand up to this relentlessswamping of our position if they renew the attack. Look at how manythese demons have thrown at us this time.” He pointed his sword anddrewitinasemi-circlearoundhimtoindicatetheheapsofGermandeadanddying.

Marcuswatchedashismenmovedamongthem,puttingtotheswordany survivors, silencing the groans and cries of the wounded enemy.Whenafallencomradewasfoundalive,hewaspickedupbytheteamsofstretcher-bearers andmedical assistants working their way through themorassoffallenbodies.TheRomanshadlongsinceceasedtheirworthypracticeof treatingtheenemyalongwith theirownwoundedanddying.Theswordwasnowthelancethatdrewnotthepoisonfromthewoundedbody, but life itself—swift, merciless, unforgiving. The Greek surgeonmovedswiftlyabout thebattlefield,advisingonwhocouldbesavedandwhoshouldbelefttodie.

“Organizeyourmenhere,”orderedMarcus.“Man thewallheavilyandprepareforanotherassault.”

“Yes,sire,”answeredtheCenturion.HestoppedforamomenttolookatMarcus.“Howlongcanweholdout?”

Marcusshruggedhisshouldersandexhaled.“Withabitofluck,afewdays perhaps.Much depends onwhether our runners havemanaged toescapethroughtheenemylinesanddropdowntotheLupiaandAnreppento seek reinforcements. We also have a problem which I shall have toaddressshortly.ThecommanderoftheSeventeenthhasfallen,andotherseniorofficershavebeenlost.OurcommanderistotallyindespairatthetreacheryofArminius; indeed,herefuses tobelieve it still!He fears forhis honor, having lost somany from the three legions. I think he fearsArminiushasspecialplansforhim.”

“Ihaveheardtalkofabreakout,”beganGaiusSuebus.“It does not bear thinking about!” hissedMarcus, who went on to

admitthattherewastalkinsomequartersofsuchamove.“Ifwedidsuch

athing,wewouldlosethelastremnantsofourcommandandcontrol,andtheGermanswouldmakeshortshriftofus.No,wemuststandandfighttogether!Gaius,organizeyourmen,countthebodiesandtakearoll-call.Imustknowhowwefare.SendarunnertoCommanderVala,forIneedtospeakwithhimsoon.”

TheCenturionbracedhimselferectandsmartlysaluted,hisforearmstrikingacrosshischestintherecognizedmanner.“Atyourorder,itwillbedone,and youmust look to yourwounds too, sire; youhave takenanastygashonyourswordarm,andif thereisanythingweneedit is themightof yourattacks toaidus inourdefense. I fear itwillnotbe longbeforetheenemyreturns.”

Marcuslookedathisarmwithsurprise.Hedidnotevenknowhehadbeen cut. The wound was a superficial slice, and had already clotteditself.Henoddedinresponse.“Imustspeaktothemen.Theyhavebeenbraveandfearless,andtheydeservemuchpraise,fortheyhavehonoredRome with their courage. I did not think they would be so strong, socommitted.”

He moved quickly away into the crowded space surrounding theramparts. Marcus cut a commanding figure, his long muddy red cloakswirlingabouthimashe forceda laughandgaveencouragement tohismen.“Well done,men!Wewill beat these cursedGermans, and just toshow we are about our normal business here, let us have our earlybreakfast,andchargeourselvesforthenextsportingevent!”Eveninthefaceofsuchadversityanddespair,mostofthemenwithinearshotgrinnedatthisjocularity.Hereandtheresoldiersmaderudeandcoarseremarksinreply,theirtensionlesseningsomewhat.Theythankedtheirgodsforastrongarmandsteadynerves.

Marcushadnoteatensincethepreviousmorningandwasfeelingthenaggingpainsofhunger.Hehad toomuch toorganize to stopandeat.The legions, withmuch of their command hierarchy dead, wounded, ormissing,had tobepulled together, reorganized,and thenbriefedon thetasksthatlayahead.Parapetsneededtoberepaired;thedeadneededtobeclearedaway;andorderhadtobepulledfromthechaos.Nooneknewhowlongitwouldbebeforetheunpredictableenemystruckagain.Atthevery least, the wounded needed to be protected and cared for, and anissueofthemeagerremainingstocksofraisinsandhardbreaddistributedto the troops. Marcus issued the orders. Having done as much as hecould,hewentofftomeetValatoverifythestateofhisforces,andthenon to Varus’ command post to submit his report. There was not much

morehecouldpersonallydointhevanofthebattleattheinnerrimofthelager;ascoreofotherpressingmattersneededhisattention.

Itwasthreehoursbeforedawnwhenthenextattacksweptupagainstthelager.Somewhereawarhornsounded,andbeforethewildnotehaddied away the tribesmen broke from cover, yelling like fiends out ofTartarusastheyswarmedupthroughthebracken,headingforthebrokenramparts the legionaries had not had time to fully repair. Tree trunkswereusedasrampsacrosstheditches,followedbyfirebrandsthatflashedandsparkedastheywerethrownintothemidstofthedefendingRomans.Chaosreignedagain.ThistimetheGermanspressedtheirattacksagainsttheeasternandsouthernflanksofthefort,whilefeintsandskirmish-styletactics were used against the northern and western sides to pin theRomansdefendingtherefirmlyinplace.

They came on without respite, heedless of the Roman arrows andjavelins that thinned their ranks with every step. Marcus, this time upclosertothefrontinthethickofthebattle,sawamountedwarriorinthevan of the attack—a wild figure in streaming robes that stamped himapart from the other attacking dervishes and half-naked warriors. Theriderwaswhirling a firebrand in one hand and carrying a long, heavyflat-bladed sword, unlike the smaller swords carried by the others. Hisreinswereclenchedfirmlybetweenhisteeth.Suddenly,inthelightofhiswhirling torch, the wings on his plumed helmet, rising against thebackdropof the flickering lightsandshadows,appeared to shinewitharadianceoftheirown.

Marcus’heartskippedabeatandhefoundhimselfunabletotearhiseyesaway fromthewarrior’s familiar face.Shakinghisheadwithrage,hecastaboutforanarcher.“Shootthatdevilthere!”heshouted,pointingat the mounted rider. “Kill that damned traitor!” The archer noddedvigorously. In one swift movement he drew an arrow from his quiver,seated it, bent the bow and sent the missile on its errand. The Romanauxiliaries were fine bowmen, but the arrow missed its mark by a fewinches,passingthroughthewingsofArminius’helmet.Thearchercursedandwasreachingforanotherarrowwhenalargerockstruckhimsquarein the face.Hefellbackward,knockedunconscious.Acomradedraggedhim deeper into the lager. The mass of attackers, with a courage andfortitudethattooknoheedoflosses,pouredinoverthedeadlyingheapedintheditch.Screamingintheirbloodthirstytongue,thewaveofwarriorssmashed up against the parapet and the hand-to-hand combat begananew.

Marcusyelledoutforthementostandstrongandtogetherashiseyessearchedtheenemythrong.Themountedchiefwasnowheretobeseen.Someoneshoutedhisnameandhehadenoughpresenceofmindtoside-stepachargingGermanswinginganaxe.Hackingbackacrosshisbody,hisswordnearlyseveredthewarrior’sheadfromhisthickneck.Marcusrantoacornerembankmentandencouragedthearchersmassedtheretocontinue their deadly task of loosingmasses of arrows into themass ofseethingbodiesbelowthem.Theacridsmellofsmoke,ofbloodandgore,of sweat and of fear drifted across the compound. As the battle settleddown intooneofattrition,asteady two-waystreamof traffic tookhold;reservesmovedup to the rampartsand thewoundedstumbled, crawled,orweredraggedbackawayfromthem.Therewasnotimetocarryawaythedead.Somewerepulleddownfromtherampartstomakewayfortheliving,butthosethatfellinsidethelagerwereleftasanaturalbarriertotheattackingGermans.

Tothesurpriseofeveryonetrappedinsidethefort,thesecondattackdidnotlastaslongasthefirst.Afterlessthantwentyminutestheenemysuddenlybrokeoffandfellback, leavingtheirdeadlyingtwistedamongthe trampled ferns and muddy ramparts. Another breathing space,anotherrespite,anotherperiodofgracetoponderwhenandhowtheendwouldfinallyarrive.

Formanytheendhadalreadyarrivedorwasabout to.Asthenightdragged on theGermans kept the pressure up, firing batches of arrowsinto the stronghold that impaled those unlucky enough to be on thereceiving end. Screams from the newly wounded echoed around theearthen ramparts, and theRomans, peering through sore red eyes itchywithgritandsmoke,werekeptawakethatnightbyregularbansheehowlsof Germans lurking beyond the lager’s walls. Arminius had waged abrilliant campaign of terror designed to disorient and confuse theRomans, refuse them sleep, and ultimately carry them to the brink ofdespair—attack,withdraw,harass,attack,skirmish…kill.

Varus’ command areawas now a pathetic remnant of what it oncehad been. Deep inside the lager and beyond the range of any enemyarrow,historchesflickeredlowonthesmallspreadoftentage,mimickingthemoraleofthosewhogazedintothedancingflames.AroundVaruswashis immediateentourageofseniorcommanders.MarcusAiusandGaiusValawerenotpresentfortheyhadnotyetfinishedreorganizingthewallstoresistanotherattack.Theatmospherein themarqueewasoppressive,pervadedbyaheavyswellofforeboding.Manyofficerslookedintoeach

other’s eyes without speaking, believing the end of their existence hadalreadybeenwritten.Othersspokeinhushedtonesastheydiscussedtheenormityoftheacttheywereabouttocommit.

Ithadbeenopenlydiscussed,quietlyandsensibly.TheGermanswerewinning. Indeed they had already won. They would show no mercy toanyoneunfortunateenoughtobetakenalive—especiallyofficers.ManyofthesemenhadwitnessedfirsthandwhatthebarbarianGermanshaddoneto theirown.During the first attack,manyLegionaireshadbeenpulledover the ramparts and whisked away into the night—alive. During thesecond attack, their tortured bodies had been thrown back over theramparts.Theirtongueshadbeencutout,theireyesgougedcleanoftheirsockets, and their hands and feet severed and the stumps sealed in tar.Theywere still breathing and choking in pain for they could no longerspeak.Theircomradeshadendedtheirsufferingwithaswiftstrokeofthesword. Others openly recalled how, during the move through theTeutoburgerWald,Romancorpseshadbeenfoundstillaliveandnailedtotreesinanefforttodemoralizetheliving.Somewerewomen.Manywerechildrenasyoungas five.Beingtakenalive,all theofficersagreed,wasnot an option, for their deaths would be long, lingering, and a bloodyretributionfortheiractivitiesintheprovince.

Varus sat grimly silent, having finally succumbed to the realizationthatArminiushaddrawnhimuponthehornsofdefeat.Forhim,Arminiuswouldreservethemostterribleofpunishments.

Andsotheofficershadreachedanagreementandwereabouttosetinmotiona sequenceof events thatwere irrevocable: suicide—notbyalone figure, but by them all. Each would select a trusted aide to assistthem in their gruesome task; each would take himself into his privatequarterswheretheassistantwouldstandneartodealafatalstrikeshouldthepainandsufferingoftheSelbstmordbetoomuchtobear,orthestrikepoorlypushedhome.Eachofficerknewhowtodeliverthefatalblowandplayedout theact inhismindoverandoveragain,with teeth clenchedand agony already written across a drawn face. First, the sword wasplacedwith the point on the belly, facing upward, hands on the hilt, sowhenthebladewasthrustitsslicewouldmovethroughthestomachandinto the heart. Death was not instantaneous, but if properly done wasnearlyso.Manymen,however,becauseoftheirfearofpainorforotherreasons, hesitate at exactly thewrongmoment, and somismanage theirdeathsandenduptorturingthemselvesbeyondbelief.Adeepthrustintothestomachalonewouldusuallykill,butonlyafteranagonizingly long

periodofsuffering.Andsotheneedforatrustedaide.Hisrole,shouldtheofficerfailto

take his own life properly,was to relieve the agony, cut short the pain,andachievethelastwishofthemancommittingthefinalactofsuicide—to depart this world and rise in the next. It was the act of a loyal andrespected friend or trusted servant; someone who would stand by anddeliverthefinalactoffriendship.

The obvious question, however, remained unasked and unanswered:whowouldservethemanwhoservedhismasterinsuicide?

AndsoVarus,andall theseniorofficers, fearingthat theywouldbeeither takenaliveorslaughteredbytheirbitterestenemies–fortheyhadalreadybeensorelywounded–nervedthemselvesforthedreadedbutunavoidableact,andtooktheirownlives.

—CassiusDio

TheDeathofVarus

While Marcus had been busy securing the lager for the nextonslaught, Varus and his remaining entourage, the inner sanctum ofnoblemen and councilors, together with a few of his more seniorcommanders,made their final preparations for Selbstmord.Somewrotefinalmessageshometo lovedones inRome;howtheywouldeverreachfriendlyhands theydidnot say.Varuscouldnotbringhimself todo thesame.Hewas toodepressedanddistraughtat thedishonorofwhathadbecomeof hismighty army.The humiliating losswould stain his familynameforever.HisdisgraceintheeyesofhisEmperor,AugustusCaesar,wassomethinghecouldnotevenimagine;nowordshecouldwritewouldevermakeup for the insult toRomeand toCaesar.WhatwouldCaesarthinkandsaywhenhelearnedtheterriblenews?

Varussighedandhunghishead.Heliftedhishandsandcuppedthemoverhisearstoblotoutthescreamsofthewounded.Suicidewashisonlyhonorablecourseofaction.

Hismindcompletelymadeup,Varusmadehispreparationsquickly.HecalledfortheCenturionofhispersonalguardandverballyissuedhislastwill and testament.The treasureof the taxesand tithes, andall hisown valued personal possessions, should be buried in their store chestswithintheimmediateareaofhiscommandcell.Theutmostsecrecywastobepreservedastotheexactsitewherethechestsweretobeinterred,andthe Consul’s Guard was sworn to preserve the final wishes of theircommander.OncethetaskwascompleteandVaruswasdead,hiscorpsewas tobe crematedasquicklyaspossible toprevent recognitionby thedespicable Germans, who would undoubtedly desecrate his remains ifthey could identify him. The thought of that was anathema to him. Hisremainswouldthenbequicklyburied.

When his own final preparations had been made, Varus’ scatteredthoughtsfellforamomentupontheloyalMarcusAius,whowasevennowencouragingthemenandreorganizingthethinningdefenses.“Marcus,”hewhisperedsoftly tohimself.“Youwererightallalong.WhydidInotheedyourwarningsorseewhatyoureyessoclearlysaw?”ForMarcusthere would be no final instructions, no words of thanks, no partingthoughts.Nothing.

Andwhatofthemen?Varusponderedontheirfateforbutafleeting

momentbeforesayingaloud,“Thatisuptothemtodecidenow.”“Sire?”askedtheCenturion.Thedistractedcommandermerelyshookhisheadandwavedahand

inreply.He liftedhisshort sword from the tableandknelton the floor,breathingdeeply. Sweat beadedonhis foreheadandhewipedhis browwith the back of his left hand.His vision blurred for amoment and heblinkedseveraltimes.Hishandswereshaking.Grippingthehilttightlyheexhaledandpushedthepointgentlyupagainstthesoftpaunchjustbelowhis ribcage. He turned and looked at his Centurion, who had alreadydrawnhisswordandwaswaitingwithintwofeetofthekneelingVarus.

“YouknowwhatIexpect.”“Yes,sire.Itshallbedone.”Without another word Varus fell forward on his sword.Hismotion

was clumsy, his attemptweakly executed. The blade penetrated but twoinches,notenoughtodomorethancausehimtocryoutinpainandspillblooddowntheweapon.Varushadknownhewouldnotbestrongenoughtoendhisownlifequickly.Workingonstandingorders,theCenturion—even as Varus was falling onto the sword—stabbed down through thebackofhisneckandtoswiftlyendhislife.

Thedeedwasdone.

With the death of Varus and most of his senior commanders, thelegionslostnearlyalloftheircommandstructure.Onlyasmallhandfulofofficers remained, including Marcus Aius and Gaius Vala, the soleremaininglegioncommander.

News of the suicide pact and Varus’ demise traveled like a bolt oflightning through the lager. Marcus learned of the deed when Varus’Centurionexecutionerstoppedthewalkingofficersandtoldhimthenews.

“Sire,”hebegan.“IhavenewsfromCommanderVarus.”“Yes,yes,Ihavebeenbusyhere,”Marcusbrusquelyreplied.“Iwill

bealongveryshortly.”“Thereisnoneed.Varusisdead.”Marcuspulledup short.“What?”Hismouth fell open.“Dead?Are

you certain? You have seen this with your own eyes?” When theCenturionnodded,Marcusasked,“How?”

“Byhisownhand,sire.”Hehesitatedamoment.“Andbymine—athis request.” The soldier filled him in on all the details and named theothermembersofthesuicidepact.

AndthenMarcusbegantogiggle.Thechucklingwasatfirstsoftandquiet,butwithinafewsecondshisentirebodywasshakingwiththedeeplaughterofamanwhowastootiredandtoohungrytodoanythingelseexceptcry.TheCenturionlookedconfusedandshuffledhisfeetwhilethemost respected warrior left inside the lager stood in the middle of thegore-splatteredfortandlaugheduntilhecouldlaughnolonger.

“Now?When the men need to see and believe in good leadership,when the odds and the gods seem aligned against us, he takes thecoward’s way out?” He paused a moment and then corrected himself.“They take the coward’s path.” The Centurion remained silent, as hemust.

“Ishouldhaveseenitcoming.”MarcusgrabbedtheCenturionbytheshoulderandlookedhimintheeyes.“Thereisworktobedone.Seethatyourmenhaveeatenandrestedasbestaspossibleandpreparethemwithstrong words and with courage in your eyes. We will see this throughyet.”

The new commander of the legion remnants spun in the otherdirection and made haste to reach Varus’ command tent. Two sentriesordered to block the door against anyone’s entrance took one look atMarcus’ssharpglareandpartedtolethimpass.Hethrewopentheflapand entered without breaking stride. The Consul’s Guard was busilygoingabouttheirbusiness,carryingoutthebodiesfromthemasssuicideand preparing to bury them in the immediate area of the commandheadquarters.

“Byall thegods,”mutteredMarcus,asheslowlymovedaroundthesurrealactivities,andtriedtotakeintheenormityoftheevents.Ashewasdigestingthescene,Valasilentlydrewupbesidehim.

“Ihaveheard.Icannotbelieveit,andevenasIgazeuponthisscene,Iamnot sure Ibelievemyeyes,”hesaid.“Whatmadness isabout thattheyshoulddothis?Didtheyspeaktoyouoftheirintentions,Marcus?”

“No,neveraword,neverawhisper.”Thepairmovedofftothesidetolettwoguardscarryingabloodycorpsepass.“Whereisthehonorinthis?” continuedMarcus. “Where is the spirit of theman,where is hisfortitudeandhiscourage?You,I,allthatremainofourlegions,maywellnotsurvivethissorrystateofaffairs,butIwilldiecuttingGermanfleshandboneasIgodown,until Icandonomore. Inever thoughtIwouldeverseesuchasight.SurelythismustrankasoneofthesaddestmomentsinthehistoryofRome.”

Vala looked at Marcus to catch and hold his eye. “I will never

abandonyou,Marcus.Iwillfighttotheendwithyouandthemen.”As the men walked back to the front entrance, Marcus noticed the

standard-bearers of the three legions had assembled, the goldenEaglesfirmly held on their wooden staffs. The bearer of the Eagle of theSeventeenth,BrutusMaximus,wasknowntothembothfromthemarchtothe TeutoburgerWald from summer camp.Hanging from hiswaistwasthebattlemaskValahadgiventohim.Onthisnighthis facewaswhite,and his hand trembled slightly. The Legionaires carrying the Eaglesremainedatattentionwhile thebodieswereremovedfromthecommandarea, their right arms crossed in a salute on breast armor; disciplined,erect, honorable, their bearing contrasted sharply with the disgracefulactions of Varus and his companions. Vala’s heart swelled with anoverwhelming sense of pride and honor as he watched the standard-bearer and carrier of his own Eagle, the Eighteenth, standing tall andsteadyathisbannerstaff.

As Marcus’ eyes took in the Eagle perched atop the Seventeenth’sstaff,henoticeditwasbeginningtowaveslightlysidetoside.HeloweredhisgazeafewfeetuntilitsettledonBrutus,whowasbythistimeshakingas if with a bad fever and deep chills. The shiverswere consuming hisbody,andashebegantosag,Marcusmovedasswiftlyasacatandtooktheweightofthestandardinonehand,thebearerinhisremainingarm.Heloweredhimslowlytoakneelingpositionandcarefullyeasedthestafffromhisclammyhandthatwasstillfirmlygrippedaroundthehaspofthelance.

OnlythendidMarcusnoticethatBrutusMaximuswasnotonlycold,wet, and dog-tired, but wounded as well, and seriously. Blood wastricklingdown the insideofhis leftarm.Thesoldiergroaned inpainasMarcus eased him down onto his back. His tunic was a mass ofbloodstainsfromtwoswordslashesdowntheleftsideofhistorso.Undernormal circumstances, the wounds would not be fatal or render himutterly unfit. But thesewere anything but normal times, and the loss ofblood, coupled with the general exhaustion, lack of food, and filthyconditions,hadexacerbatedhiscondition.Marcusstakedthestandardofthe Seventeenth Eagle hard into the boggy ground and ordered theremainingpairofbearerstostandguardonallthreeEagles.TwonearbyConsulGuardsweresummonedfromtheirduties tohelphimgetBrutusMaximusintotheentrance-wayoftheheadquarters.

Vala stood over them both and watched as Marcus examined thewounds. Satisfied that the soldier was not in any immediate danger of

dying, he stood up and removed his own long red cloak, the robepresented to himmany years before by his father. He laid the garmentaroundtheshouldersanduppertorsooftheblood-soakedbearer-warrior,fastening itat theneckwitha favoritebronzeuniformclasp,whichhadalsobeenpresented to himbyhis father.Brutus, suddenly awareof hissurroundingsonceagain,cameoutofhisstuporwithastart,dartinghiseyesaboutinsearchoftheEaglethatwashisresponsibility—thegoldenemblemof theSeventeenthLegion.Whenhedidnot immediatelyspot it,hebegantopanicattheapparentlossofthestandard.

“Ease back, my friend, all is well. We have the Eagle here,protected,”Marcusquicklyreassuredthewoundedman.“Youhavebeenwounded,twice,andaresickwithafever.Youneedsomerest,andthenyoumayresumeyourhonorableduties.”

With the thick red cloak around him, BrutusMaximus was alreadyfeelingwarmer.Henodded,almost embarrassedat theattentionhehadreceived fromMarcus, and thanked him. Marcus decided to leave himwithoneoftheConsulGuards.Hehadothermorepressingmattersthatneededhiswisdomandattention.

MarcusreachedupandeasedValaoutsidethetent,motioninghimtooneside.Aloudbuzzofconversationhadovertakenthelager.“Bynow,everyoneinsidethisfortknowsof thesuicidesandthatVarusisdead.IfwewanttokeepafightingchanceVala,weneedtoactnowtokeepthesemen together. Otherwise, they will take it upon themselves to organizetheirowndestiny,andindoingso,noonewillsurvive.”

Ameetingofthehandfulofremainingseniorofficerswascalled,wellawayfromVarus’commandheadquarters,toavoidhavingtocraftaplaninthatsurrealanddepressingatmosphere.Withinafewminutesmostofthemhadgathered.Bythistimesomeofthelegionarieswerearguingfora breakout attempt to the east, in an effort to try and reach theWeser.Manyothersvehementlydisagreed.ThemainthrustofArminius’attackshad been against the eastern and southern flanks of the lager, theyinsisted,sothebestdirectiontomovewasnorthwesttoVordenandthentotheEms.

Some,includingmanyofthewounded,thoughttheirbesthopewastoremain in the lager and seek mercy from the Germans. As the officerslistenedtoMarcusandhetothem,eachcouldheartheheateddiscussionsabout what course to follow. The Legionaires were almost beyond thepointofcontrol.

After listening toseveralof themostexperiencedofficersandtaking

his own counsel, Marcus reached a decision. “Commander Vala,” hebegan, “your riders’ mounts have been without fodder and decentwateringtoolong.Ihavedecidedwecannolongersupporttheretentionof our cavalry forces in this bloody mess. If we do not give them thefreedomtoforageindependentlyouttothewest,towardtheRhine,anddonot extract them from our slower marching infantry, we will soon loseeveryhorseandriderwehave.Wehavebutlittlemaneuverabilityleftasitis.”

“Whatwouldyouhavemedo,sire?”askedVala.“Youwill take your cavalry and break out to thewest.Rather than

rideintothemorassoftheDieven,youmayfindasuitableroutethroughthe valleys and hills due west of here. Youmust get back to the Rhinelagersandwarnour forces that the fearedGermanuprising isathand,andwemusttakeswiftactiontoincreasethestrengthoftheRiverLupiaforts.” Marcus took a heavy breath and continued. “It is a tall order,Vala,butnootherofficerstandsasgoodachanceofgettingthroughtheenemylinesasyou.”

The shock of the order was etched clearly on Vala’s stunned face.“Butsire,Iamneededhere,withyou,withthemen…”

Marcus reached over and he gripped his well-muscled forearm.“Vala,your task iscritical to theoutcomeof thisbloodymess.WemustregroupandcontainthisuprisingfromtheRhineasfastaswecan.”

“Butyouareaskingmetodesertmylegionatitshourofneed.”Valawasalmostpleadingnow.“Youaregivingmeandmyridersachanceofescape—butmymenhere,inthelager…”

“The Eagle of the Eighteenth will remain here with the otherstandards. Your men of the Eighteenth have fought well and hard, butyour command is no longer recognizable as a legionary force of arms.Yourresponsibilitiesarenowraisedfarabovethoseofuswhowillremainhere.”

Withthat,MarcustookValabytheshouldersanddrewhimcloseinararepublicdisplayofgenuineaffection.Aftera few seconds,hepushedhim away when Vala began raising another objection. “No arguments,Vala! You will ride for Augustus Caesar, and you will ride to tell ofArminius’treachery.Gonow—gowiththeblessingofourgods,andwithluckyoumaycomethroughandsavethedayforRome.”

Resignedtotheorderhehadbeengiven,Valasighedandnoddedinagreement.Marcuswasright.Itwascriticallyimportantthatwordoftheuprising and the defeat of Varus get back with all speed to the Rhine

legions;Romemust know theGermanprovincewas falling topieces. Itwas his duty to see that themessage got through.As he nodded, a tearformed in his eye and rolled down his dirt-stained cheek. “Farewell,Marcus.IwillseeyouagainontheRhine.”Neithermanbelievedit.

MarcuswatchedValawalkawayandthenturnedbackandfacedtheremaining officers. “All of you will gather up your remaining men—everyone who can move, including the walking wounded—and preparethemtobreakoutfromthisposition.”

Which way shall we head, sire?” asked a Centurion from theSeventeenthLegion.

“OnmyorderwewillbreakforthenorthwestfollowingthelineoftheBerglands on our southern flank. It is far too dangerous and distant tocontemplateamove to theeastback tooursummercamp.ThewholeoftheGermanprovince isrisingupagainstRome, ledbyArminius,amanwhoknowsourbusinessandourorderofbattle.”Withhis swordpointMarcus traced the route in themuddy earth. “Wemust be prepared tobattlemarchatfullspeed—”

Hewas abruptly interrupted by one of the seniorCenturions of thethreelegions,GaiusSuebus,whoashortwhilebeforehadbeenwithhimat the ramparts.“Sire, forgivemebreaking in, but I know that you canonlymoveasfastastheslowestman.Leavethewoundedanddyingwithmehereintheredoubt.WhenyouhavegoneIwillsendamessagetotheGermans telling themwewish to discuss terms for surrender.Whenwehave some of their long-haired savages inside the lager to discuss thematter, we will keep them here in the time-honored fashion of Rome’sfinest,andwewillfightthepaintedfiendswherewestand.Youmusttakethefittest,sire,andcarrythethreeEaglesofRometosafety.Evenifthoselefthereperish, theEaglesmustnot!Forgiveme,sire, I felt theneed tospeaknow—andforcefully.”

Marcus staredat theCenturion fora fewmoments,and then sighedloudly.“Centurion,afterallthedisgraceoftheselasthours,myheartandspiritsare liftedwhenIhearwordssuchasyours.Youspeak inRome’sfinesttraditions,andIcommendyou.Ialsotakeheedofyouradvice.Thefittest of our soldierswill come undermy command to break out to thenorthwest.Thosewhoarewoundedandcannotmakethespeedwerequirewillremainheretodefendoursickanddying.”

Marcus looked at each officer. Most nodded in agreement. A fewlookedtroubledandsaidnothing.

“GaiusSuebus,youhavethecommand,andyouarenowpromotedin

thefieldtotherankofPrimusPilus.Oneday,Ihope,perhapsalongtimefromnow,othermen,othermilitarymenfromfar-offlands,willrecognizeandrememberyourcourage,andtellallofhowyoustayedwiththesickanddyingofthethreelegions.Youdogreathonortousall.”

Anear-speechlessGaiusSuebusbowedhisheadinthanks.“Sire.”“However,” continued Marcus. “You must issue an immediate

announcement that those who move with me will have a better chancethanthosewhostaybehind.Therewillbemalingererswhobelievethatallis lost and wish also to stay here with the wounded for their own lesshonorablereasons.Gonowwith theknowledge that Ihavedecided thatyour concern for the three Eagles must now be paramount in myconsiderations.” Marcus now spoke to everyone present. “I will issuemovementordersshortly.Nooneistomoveanywherewithoutmyorderstodoso.ImustspeaktothecommanderoftheConsul’sGuard.BeforeIdo,arethereanyquestions?”

Suddenly, as oneman, the assembledofficers brought themselves toattention and saluted Marcus in the time-honored fashion. He was aleadertheycouldtrust,andwouldtrustandfollowtotheend.TheshowofsupporthumbledMarcus.Henoddedhisheadgentlyandmovedamongthemtoofferhisfarewellstothosewhosefatewaswrittenonadifferentparchmentthanhisown.

Whenwordsofencouragementandfarewellhadbeenspoken,Marcusleftthetentandstoodforamomentinthetwilightoftheearlymorning.As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed just a few yards awaythreemenholdingaloftthestaffsofthethreeEagles.Asheapproachedhetooknoteofthelegionarystandingatthefarendoftheline.ItwasBrutusMaximus, once again standing proudly and wearing Marcus’ long redcloak,thehemofwhichnearlytouchedtheground.Marcusstoodbeforehim.Brutuswas still shivering slightly, but hadobviously recoveredhiscomposureandphysicalstaminaquickly.Whenthesoldierspottedhimhestraightenedupastallaspossible.

“Sire.Iawaityourcommand.”Marcuswasquiet fora fewseconds,as if trying the find theproper

words. “I think our fate is entwined, you and I, Brutus Maximus,” henearlywhispered.“Oursimilarlooksmakemesuspectwehaveacommondestiny. But now, the threeEagles…”Marcus turned to face the othertwobearersandincreasedthevolumeofhisvoice.“ThethreeEaglesofRomemustnotbetakenbytheseaccursedGermans.Guardyouremblemswell,fortheEmperorandRome,fightthroughandkeeptheEaglesflying

onourstandards.”“YesSire!”shoutedallthreemeninunison.Thirtyminuteslater,Valaledhiscolumnofridersoutofthelagerdue

westtothehillsandvalleysoftheKalkrieseBerg,towardIcker.Everyonelisteneduntil the soundof theirhooves faded into theblacknessand thenight again grew still. The sick and dying of the three legions wereselected and would remain behind in the battle lager under the braveCenturionGaiusSuebus.

BrutusMaximusmovedforwardwiththeothertwostandard-bearerstojointhegrowingmassofsoldieryassemblingtobreakoutofthelagerwithMarcusAius.Stillillandweak,Brutusaskedthestandard-beareroftheEighteenthLegionifhewouldlikethehonorofcarryingthemaskandhelmetgiven tohimbyVala.Althoughhewished tocarry ithimself,hehad all he could do to simply hold aloft his Eagle. The weight anddiscomfortoftheextraaccoutrementsbotheredhiswounds.KnowingthatBrutuswasinaweakenedstate,thebearerproudlyaccepted.

AndsotheremainderofVarus’threelegionsgatheredtheirgearandpreparedtomarchfromthecamptotheirdestiny—toKalkriese.Whenthecolumnbegan tomarch,Brutusslipped in themudand fell tooneknee,groaningaloudatthepainthatrackedthroughhisbody.Withthehelpofafellowsoldierheregainedhisfootingbutfailedtonoticethelossofthefew coins he had in his small leather purse, which was so damp andmildewed it was now literally falling to pieces. The face of AugustusCaesar was pushed into the mud of Felsenfeld by the weight of manyhundredsofsandals,andwouldnotseethelightofdayagainforanothertwothousandyears.

1995:Felsenfeld

Together with Wolfgang Schlüter, in 1995 I began a series ofinvestigations of some of the land east of Kalkriese. It was from thisdirection theremnantsof theVarus legionshadmarchedbeforemeetingtheir end.Wolfgang and I had long recognized the importance of aerialphotographs, and although they did not always reveal obvious activitiesfrompastages,onoccasiontheydid.

The theory that the legions had established their final lager east ofKalkriesewasnot anewone.Schwagstorfwasakeypointon themap,andwas (and still is), an important tactical position in the layout of the

ground in that region.The passes to the southeast, and in particular theonetothesouthwherethelatter-dayKrebsburgencampment,establishedduringtheMiddleAges,stillnestlesintotheslopesoftheBerg,caneasilybeseenfromtheheightsofthehillatFelsenfeld.Thehillisessentiallyanelongatedescarpmentwithall-roundvision,an idealplace toestablishasecuredefensiveposition.Itundoubtedlyplayedanimportantroleintheaffairs of ancient peoples thousandsofyears ago.Evennow, inmoderntimes, in the lee of the northwestern corner of the range, there exists acrossroads of seven routes that converge into a small carousel of aroundabout.Runningdowntheeasternflankofthisfeature,Wolfganghadalready identified the line of a long recessed wall in the ground, asrevealedinaseriesofaerialphotographs.

I obtained more aerial photographs of the area, and much to ourmutualdelight,thelinerunningdowntheeasternflankwasclearlyvisible.Felsenfeld remains, a “live” issue, crying out for more archaeologicalinvestigation when that great decider of the affairs of man—money—becomes available. My own investigations required no serious cashoutlay, however, and I decided to concentrate on two key issues thatbeckonedmeintothearea.

ThesiteoftheGermancampattheKrebsburgandearlieroccupationof theSchnippenburgwas obviouslyworthy of a complete investigativeprojectofitsownatsometimeinthefuture,butmyinterestatthispointwas identifyingpurelyRomanactivity. Ihaveoften referredback to thewritingsofMommsenwhenneedingfurtherinspiration,andonceagainheproved an invaluable source of information. Mommsen’s observationssupportedmypremisethatsignificantRomanactivityhadoccurredintheareaoftheOstercappelnpasses:

“Of other things and goods of value which the legion carried withthem, bronze goodsmust have fallen into the hands of the victors in agreater abundance than coins andmoney.Additionally itmay beworthmentioning that, according to the message from Padre Kassman ofOstercappeln and Menadier, bronze horse brasses of probable RomanoriginhavebeenploughedtothesurfacealongtimeagoattheedgeofthepreviouslyuntouchedartificialhillattheforestaboveOstercappelnintheregionofGutKrebsburg.”

I hadwalked through thewoods of the Schnippenburg in 1988 and1995, looking over the ground that had comprised the early periodencampment. By now, after so many centuries had passed, the visualevidenceconsistedof littlemore thanafewindistinct ridgesandditches

laid out in the woodland glades. Was this where Arminius had visitedThusnelda?Wasthiswherehehadsleptforashortwhileandmissedtheflankingmove of the Roman legions pouring through from the easterlypasstoregroupandtakeuptheirpositionsonFelsenfeld?Wewilllikelyneverknowwithcertainty.I leaveyou, thereader, to judgeforyourself,when you walk this battle-weary way and trudge through these veryvalleys; through the hills and slippery slopes of the TeutoburgerWald;throughthepassesatOstercappelnandontoFelsenfeld.There,youwillfeel the sense of loss, the deep despair that was prevalent during thosedesperatetimes.Theheavysenseofgloomonlygrowsasyoumakeyourpilgrimage to Kalkriese, where the sounds of battle still echo downthroughtheyears.

If the legions had deployed any forces through the Ostercappelnpasses,thenperhapssomeevidenceoftheirpassingremained.Iintendedto at least survey the fields in thepass, particularly those runningdownthroughthenortherlyedgeontherisingdryground.Ispenttwentyhoursdividedbetweentwoweekendswalkingthefieldswithmydetector.Ihadalmostreachedtheendofmysecondweekendoftheplannedsurvey,andwas searching the final part of the field I believedwaspart of a logicalroutedownthroughthepass,whenIstruckitluckyoncemore.Duringaperiod of two exciting hours I unearthed bronze coinage of AugustusCaesar. I was completely beside myself with excitement, and couldn’twait to show my finds to Wolfgang and the Kalkriese archaeologicalteam.

ThesefindswouldeventuallyleadmeouttotheFelsenfeld.Intruth,Ihaveyet to conduct an intensiveandmeaningful investigationofwhat Iconsider tohavebeenVarus’ lastposition,for thedemandsofKalkrieseand other areas, both east andwest of the epicenter of the last ambushposition, have demanded every spare hour of my time. However,Felsenfeld has already revealed some of its secrets. On a high point ofground on the escarpment I pulled from the brown-gray soil Augustus’proudregalfeaturesandaquilinenoseasrevealedonhisroyalcoinage.Icarefullylookedthroughtheresidueofearthstillaffixedtothecoinandthenmadeoutwhatwas aperfectly formedRomanAs. I had found thefirstRomancoppercoineverrecoveredfromthatsite.AsIturneditoverin my hand, the face of Augustus Caesar could be clearly seen. Yetanother piece of the giant jigsaw puzzle of Varus’ legions was now inplace.

Vala’sLastRide

Once free of the lager Vala and his cavalrymen rode like the verywind, streaming across the open ground falling away from the westernflankof the lager.Valaurgedhismount forwardata tear-awaygallop.Although the steed was feeling the deprivations of the last five days, itsensedtheurgencyof itsmaster’s loudcriesofencouragementandflewacrossthebrokencountrysideofdipsandgentlevalleyswithaspeedandgracethatsurpriseditsrider.Thecolumnthunderedacrosstheflatlandsleadingdirectly toward thedefilade entrance into theKalkrieseBergatBorgweddesometwomilesahead.Theycouldbarelymakeoutthegroundtotheirfront,buttheywereridingfortheirverylivesandthelivesoftheirtrapped comrades with the most important message any of them wouldevercarry:“TheGermansarerisingupinstrength.”

As the men broke free from the immediate siege area of the lager,painted German faces, startled and surprised by the suddenness of themove, scrambled out of the way of the mass of thundering, heavinghorseflesh.Manywereunabletoescapetheweightofhorseandriderandwere driven into the ground by the pounding hooves of scores offrightened and excited horses. As they rode through the line of enemywarriors,theRomanridershackedandslashedwiththeirswords.SeveralriderswerestruckbyGermanmissilesand fell to theground—alive.Noonestoppedtohelpthem.Theywerealreadybeyondsaving.

Valarodeashehadneverriddenbefore.Hismenfollowedbyinstinctrather thanbyany formof tactical leadership, hardlyable to focusanyfarther than the horses to the front and side. The dark heather andbracken streakedpastValaunderhis horse’s thuddinghooves, the longhair of its mane flowing back over his wrists and hands, and the windsung past his ears. There rose in him the pure euphoria of speed, thesurgeofadrenalinequickeningthepulse,excitingtheveryelementofhisbeing,thedangerofthesituationlostintheexhilarationofthemoment.

They had to use all their skills of horsemanship to keep clear ofhiddenpitfalls,thehummocksandholestheycouldjustbegintomakeoutas thesoftgrey lightofmorningbeganmarchingacross theeasternskybehind them. On and on they hurtled to their destiny, skirting severalsmall tracksand stones convergingatonepoint intoa seriesofancientgraves,andthenswervingontowardthelargertrailthatdisappearedintoand through the narrow valley to their immediate front. After fifteenminutes of hard riding, Vala suddenly realized they had completely

brokenfreeoftheGermanssurroundingthelager.Unabletoseebehindhim,hisviewblockedbythetrailingmassofcavalry,heeasedhismountwelltotheleftuntilhehadabetterviewofhisrear.Asbestashecouldmake out, they were not being followed. “By the Gods,” he thought tohimself,“wemightactuallyhaveachance!”ForafewshortmomentshereflectedontheremnantsofthelegionsunderMarcus,whobynowwerereadying themselves to storm out on their own breakout attempt to thenorthwest.Heclenchedhisteethandwishedthemwell,kickinghishorsebackaheadofthebodyofriders.

Theridershadenteredanarrowvalley,knownlocallyasBorgwedde,andwere riding beside a trail running alongside a small rocky stream.Thegroundgraduallyslopedupwardontheirleft.Outofthecornerofhiseye, and for but a split second, Vala saw a small recessed areawith alargecuriously-shapedrock.It flashedbysoquicklyhe thoughtperhapshehad imagined it,buthecouldhavesworn thatstandingon topof thelargeboulderwasaman,orwhatresembledaman.Thebodywashumanbut theheadand shoulderswerecrownedwitha stag’sheadand skins.Valashookhisheadanddiscardedthevisionasaflightoffancy.Ifhehadhad the time to compare noteswith hismen, hewould have found thatmany hadalso seen the same strange figure standing ominously astridethestonewatchingthegallopingRomansthunderpast.

They rode hard through the woodland trails, which now climbedgentlyupwardwestthroughtheBerglands.Throughtheleafyumbrellaofthe openwoodland shimmered the grey streaks of dawn. As they brokeover the top of a blind rise, the riders surged forward into a broadexpanseofopencountry,ahugesprawlingnaturalbowlthatextendedasfarastheireyescouldsee.Withtheotherridersbehindhimurgingtheirmounts faster up and over the rise and into the bowl, Vala saw withpainfulclarityhisdestiny,andhisheartfilledwithdespair.ThenearrimofthebowlandeachimmediateflankwasringedwithamassofGermans,bothmountedanddismounted.TheRomancavalrymencontinuedpushingupoutof thewoods jostling theircomrades in front,pushing themselvesaheadwiththeweightoftheirforwardmomentum.

They might have escaped even then if their way forward had beenclear, but five hundred yards to their front was the battle camp of theGerman tribes at Icker. The Romans riding at the head of the column,realizingnowwhattheywereridinginto,beganshoutingatoneanotheranddesperately trying to slow their frenziedmounts inaneffort to stopthe flow into the trap. Vala watched as hundreds of painted warriors

pouredout from the tents and lean-tos to take up positions, barring hislineofadvance.Asthesurgeofmenandhorsesgroundtoahaltbehindhim,Valatookstockofhissituationandquicklyreckonedtheodds.Morethan two thousand tribesmen surrounded his force of nomore than twohundredlightly-armedriders.

Vala turnedhismount in a full circle until he again faced forward.RaisinghisvoicetomakesuremostoftheGermanscouldhearhim,evenifmostwouldnotunderstandhim,hecried,“Iseetheoddsfavorus,men!Thereappearstobethehandsomeoddsofonlytentoone!”

At that, many of his men laughed out loud or yelled oaths at theenemy.Theyalreadyknewtheyweredead,andsohadrelaxedinthefaceoftheirdestiny.

“It is time we had this fight head-to-head!” yelled Vala. “TheseGermandogshavehidden too long in thewoodsandhills, attackingusfromthesafetyofthehillsides,hidingfromthemightofourarms.Killingwomenandchildrenishardworkforthem!Let’sseeiftheycanfightmantoman!”

Vala was still talking when the German tribesmen began slowlystrikingtheirswordsandlancesagainsttheirshields,thestaccatobeatofthestrikesslowlyincreasinginintensityuntiltheybecameacrescendoofnoise that drowned out his final words. And then the Germans beganadvancing from all sides, drawing the noose tighter as they movedforward.Theroomformaneuverwascollapsingbythesecond.

With a loud shout, brandishinghis swordaloft,Vala drove forwardtoward theadvancingGermans,crying,“ForAugustus, forCaesar,andforRome!”TwohundredRomanthroats tookup thecall.With thatcry,Vala’s cavalry became part of the history of the Varus battle anddisappearedintothemistsoftime.

Vala’s honor and intentions have been misrepresented by moderninterpretations of his responsibilities. Thismisreading of the record hascast doubt on his integrity and the reasons for his breakout through thehillsandwoodedgladesofBorgwedde,theKalkrieseBerg,andintoIcker,wheretheyfought,fell,anddied…withhonor.

TheStormingofVarus’LastLager

GaiusSuebus,nowPrimusPilus,slowlywalked theperimeterofhisnewcommand.HehadwitnessedVala’sspeedydeparturefromthelagerstraightupoverthewesternwallsoftheencampment.Thestreamofmenand horses flowed over the ramparts like a mass of deer on the movethrough thewoods—bounding, even flying at times, a continuous surge.And then theywere gone.Distant yells and shouts of surprise and rageechoedinthedarkness,butwithinafewminutesthese,too,werenomore.

Both Gaius and Marcus had worried that Vala’s breakout mighttriggeranimmediateattackagainstthelager.Totheirrelief,theGermansremained at a distance. Marcus had waited a quarter-hour beforedeciding that if he did not move quickly, any window to escape mightclose for good.Without incident his Legionaires broke out cleanly overthenorthwesterncornerofthelager.Theenemylinewasbutthinlyheldat that point—almost too thinly held. What little fighting that occurredwas over almost before it began. The Romans moved rapidly towardVordenandtheEms,viaKalkriese,anunknownequationintheaffairsofman,andtheRomans.

GaiusSuebusneverfeltsoaloneashewalkedacrosstothehospitaltentthathadbeenerectednexttoVarus’formerheadquarters.TheGreeksurgeon was busy working on one of the legionaries, sewing a severedarm muscle back on to its parent tendon. He looked up for an instantwhenGaiusdrewupalongsidetheoperatingbench.

“Howgoesthewar?”heinquired.Gaiuscouldnothelpbuthearthesarcasmdrippingfromhiswords.ForafewmomentshesaidnothingandsimplywatchedastheGreekcontinuedlacingthegutthroughtheexposedfleshanddrawingtheopentissuestogether.

“Idonotstartwars,doctor,”answeredGaius.“Ijustfightthem,andyou just repair thebodiesof thosewho fight them,whenandwhereyoucan.”TheGreekmerelygruntedinreplyanddidnotlookup.“Irespectyourdecisiontostay,”continuedGaius.“IhopetheGermanswillrespectyourservicesandstationinlifeandspareyouandthoseyoutreat.”

At this the Greek looked up and chuckled softly. “Surely you jest,GaiusSuebus.YouknowwhattheGermanswilldotous—allofus—oncethey get inside these walls.” All of us. The words pounded inside theCenturion’sears.

GaiussighedandplacedhishandontheGreek’sshoulder.“Ihaveamorepressingmattertoattendto.BeforeIdoso,isthereanythingIcanarrangeorprovideforyouandthewounded?Soonenough,thewounded,dead,ordyingmaywellbeoneandthesame,butwemustbeseengoing

aboutournormalbusiness,ifonlyforthemoraleoftheinjured.”“No,Iamcontentthatwehavedoneallwecaninthesesorrytimes

andconditions.MyonlyannoyanceisthatIhavegivenmysurgeon’sbagto one of my chief medics accompanying Marcus Aius, and it holds aparticular instrument I couldhaveusedhere to good effect.However, Iamsuretheirneedswillbejustasgreatasminebeforethisdayisdone.”HestoppedandlookedupatGaius.“Ihavenothingyouneedtoconcernyourselfwith.I’llcontinuehereaslongasIcan.IhopetheGodswatchout over you, friend.” The Greek looked once to each side and thenloweredhisvoice.“Ishouldn’tsaythisasadoctor,butgivethemallthemightofyourrightarm,andtakeasmanyofthosebarbarianbastardsasyoucan.Nowgo—Ihaveworktodo,asdoyou.”

After speaking with the doctor, Gaius sent his personal messengeroutsidethelagertoasktheGermanstodiscusstermsforsurrender.Hisbodywasreturned to the lager inpieces—withhishead,arms,and legsseveredand tied tohisbloody torsowith stripsof cloth ripped fromhiscloak.Gaiushadhisanswer.Noquarterwillbeaskedoroffered.

The end camewith a swift rush of figures storming the eastern andsouthern ramparts. Even though the walking wounded and lessincapacitated legionaries were expecting the brunt of the attack to fallagainstthemfromthosequarters,andhadreinforcedthoseramparts,theywere surprised by the massive flood of fresh Germans thrown againstthem. During the night, tens of hundreds of tribesmen had joinedArminius,includingmembersoftheChattiandtheChauci,whohadbeendrawing up behind the legions over the past two days as they hadadvanced through the Teutoburger Wald. Now they were part ofArminius’reinforcedarmy.Manyhadjoinedfor theprospectofplunderand booty. They would not be denied, and looked forward to leapingdirectlyintoVarus’lagertoreaptheharvestoftheirsuccessfulonslaught.

Arminiuswasnotpresenttowitnessthefinaldestructionofthelager.Hehadnotbeentakeninby theongoingdefenseofVarus’encampmentbytheremainingRomansstationedthere.Indeed,hehadalreadymovedwestwithtwo-thirdsofhisarmy,sometotheKalkrieseBergitself,intheareaoftheIckerBowl,andtherestdownintotheKalkriesePasstomanthe finalambushposition.HereatFelsenfeld,Arminiushad left specificinstructions for the German chieftains to follow once they had overrunandsecuredVarus’encampment.Exceptforoneman,everyonewastobeput to the sword, for there was not time enough to properly tortureprisoners. Except for Varus’ personal possessions and treasure chests

(which were to be guarded and transported to Arminius, withoutexception,ashispersonalvictoryspoils),anybootyfoundcouldbekept.HehadalsodemandedtheyascertainwhetherVarushimselfhadescapedfrom the lager with the columns or had been killed inside the camp. Ifpossible,hewantedVarusalive;hewantedrevengeandhemeanttohaveit.

After overrunning Felsenfeld, the warriors were to rush on toKalkriese, but move slightly north of the immediate Berg feature andmarchwestalongtheoldnarrowtrackthatranacrossthesouthernedgeof the Dieven Wiesen, known locally as the Alte Heerstrasse. Theirmission was to ensure that any Romans lucky enough to escape fromFelsenfeld should be dissuaded from breaking out to the north and beharried northwest into the final trap at Kalkriese. Arminius had notwasted his years with the Romans in the study of military tactics anddeployment;hisgoalwas tomakesureevery lastRomanwasput to thesword.

TheterribleslaughterinVarus’lagerwaslikeascenefromDante’sInferno. After the nightmare of the four days’ march through theTeutoburger Wald, the wounded and dying Romans were once againsucked into the jaws of Hell. Indescribable horrors were inflicted uponthem by the painted German tribesmen who ignored Arminius’ ordersabout taking prisoners. Mercifully, death came swiftly for many of theRomanswhowentdownfightingnearthewalls,agladiusinonehand,aheavysoddenshieldintheother.

GaiusSuebuswas fortunate enough tobeamong them.After killingandmaimingmore thanadozenof the enemy,his left armwas severednear the shoulder with a mighty swing of a crudely-fashioned, heavyGerman blade affixed to a long wooden handle. He had not seen itcoming, and only figured out what had transpired when he spotted hisshieldontheground,hisarmstillattached.Hiseyesblinkedseveraltimeswhilehewatchedhisownhandclenchandunclenchitself,whilehisbraintriedtocatchuptoreality.Withaloudscreamofangerheswungaroundwithhisrightswordarminanefforttoskewerhisattacker,buthisbodywasnowoutofbalanceandhisaimwideof themark.His thrust foundonly air, and he stumbled and fell to his knees. Though he felt only anumbing throb below his shoulder, the blood was pumping out of thestump inmassivespurtsasGermansgatheredaroundhim inacircle tolaughathisfinalplight.

Gaiusforcedhimselftostandandfacehisenemies.Rome,heguessed,

wasofftohisright,soheturnedinahalf-circletosmileinthedirectionofhisCaesar.

“Givethemallthemightofyourrightarm,andtakeasmanyofthosebarbarianbastardsasyoucan.”TheGreekdoctor’sfinalwordsranginhisears.“…themightofyourrightarm…”

Gaiusbenthisrightarmattheelbowandpulledbackhiswrist.Withevery remaining ounce of energy he possessed, he snapped his armforwardatthenearestGerman.Hisshortswordsangasitcutthroughtheair and impaled a shockedwarrior in the throat. The blade severed hisspinalcolumnandcametorestwiththepointstickingseveralinchesoutofthebackofhisneck.Gaiusdrewpleasureinwatchingthehiltjiggleupanddownseveraltimesbeforethewarriorstumbledtwostepstowardhimandcollapsed.

Without warning, Gaius’ peripheral vision began to narrow. Adizzinessovercamehimandthegroundrusheduptomeethim.BeforehiscorpsesplashedintotheGermanmud,hisenemiessurroundinghimheardGaiusSuebuslaughonefinaltime.

For many others, the march into oblivion was horrendously slow-paced. Wounded and unable to fight back, they were taken alive.Unspeakable depravities were then committed upon their already pain-wracked bodies, and their screams and cries were lost on the coldmorningair,intheearlymorninglightofthatdayinSeptemberin9AD.

Oneof theGermanchieftains, taskedpersonallybyArminius to findthehatedVarus,trottedthroughtheencampmentwithadozenwarriorsinsearchoftheRomancommander.Itonlytookthemafewminutestocomeupon the party of Consul Guards who had been given the duty ofdisposing of Varus’ remains. They were attempting to burn his corpsewithoil, but thewet conditionsmade it difficultand the torchesdidnotprovideenoughheat toproperly ignite theoiland the flesh.Theguardswere laboring to complete their gory taskwhen the tribesmen fell uponthem, cutting them down where they stood. After verifying the charredremains asVarus’—one of the soldiers broke downand revealed all heknew in the false hope it would save him—the Germans mutilated anddespoiledthecorpse,hackingoffVarus’headandthrowingittooneside.

Oneofthewarriors,Segimundus,hadotherideas.“IthinkArminiuswould like this as a present; I will take the head of this coward andpersonallydeliverittohimasatrophyofourvictory.”

“Do that,” replied the senior chieftain, “but make haste. We haveorders to make our way as fast as possible to Kalkriese to chase the

remainingRomanpigsintoArminius’finalposition.”Within a short time it became obvious that there was but little to

plunderwithinthestrippedlager,afactthatdidnotpleasethewarriors.Varus’ personal possessions and chests of treasurewere nowhere to befound,and the fewRomans remaininghadnearlynothing in thewayofpersonal property. The booty, they concluded, must still be with theRomansrunningnowtoKalkriese.

By the time the sun broke above the eastern horizon, of the threeVarus legionsandsupportingauxilary troops,onlyMarcusAiusandhisremainingsixorseventhousandlegionarieswerestillalive.

I stood on the heights at Felsenfeld, looking out across the broadexpanseofgroundrunningawaytothesouthwesternpassofOstercappelnandthesiteoftheKrebsburg.Astheeveningdrewtoaclose,Ifeltagreatsenseoflossandofsadness.Ihadtheseselfsamefeelingsofsorrowandemotionwhenever Istood in thegladesof theknollatKalkriese,and inone area in particular of theDievenWiesen, though I have never beenabletoestablishareasonforthefeelingsthatparticularsitestirredwithinme.But Felsenfeld producedwaves of emotion that picked away atmysenses. I heard the pleas and cries formercy that rose from the groundaroundme, the cacophony andbedlamof a thousandvoices engaged inheatedbattle.

For those who sense such things, the noise still rises across thecenturies,fromtheverymistsofatimelonggoneby.

After three days of running battles, Varus’ legions stumble out of the Teutoburger HillsthroughthepassesatOstercappelntoregroupatFelsenfield,wherethefinalbattlelagerwaserected,andwhereVarus tookhisownlife.Theremnantsof the legionsbreakout towardtheKalkriesePass.

RemnantsofVarus’legionsescapedfromthelastbattlelageratFelsenfieldandmarchedaroundintotheKalkriesepassbetweenthehillsandmoor.Unfortunately,Arminius’Germanwarriorswerewaitingtoambushthemthere.OnlyahandfuloflegionariesmanagedtoescapethetrapandmaketheirwaywestfromtheVarusschlacht.

Astheheadofthecolumnapproachedthenarrowdefile,someofthelesscautioussuddenlyfoundthemselveswallowingaboutinblackmuddypools and concealed holes full of sucking, tangled weeds. They hadunwittinglystumbledintothemorassofapeatbog.Astheunluckycursedandfellaboutintheclingingmess,thosemovingupfrombehindfollowedthe leaders directly into the unsafe ground of the moor. The powerfulpress of humanity pushed the lead elements deeper into the swampygroundandmadeitimpossibleforthemtoeitherwithdrawfromthebogor maneuver onto the safer side of the approach through the pass.Officersonhorsebackwerenotimmunetothewaywardthrongandwerelikewise carried into the bog, where the animals began snorting andwhinnying in fright, bucking and heaving to escape the treacherousground.Thetroubledanimalsandshoutsofwarningfromthose trappedintheswampeventuallycarriedbacktothosestillonfirmground.Oncethe slipping and sliding in the morass along the edge of the DievenWiesenwasrecognizedforwhatitwas,thosethatwereableveeredawaytotheleft,towardapaththatwouldtakethemclosertotheleesideoftheBerg,whichwasnownomore thana fewhundredyards from their leftflank.

Itwasat thispointof themarch thatsomeof themoreobservantoftheadvancinglegionariesnoticed,throughthehazeofthemorningmists,abankedfeaturerunningalongtheflankofthehill.TheearthenformwasasiftheverycontoursoftheBerghadbeenraisedastheyranaroundthesmall knollon thenorthernextremityof theKalkrieseBerg. Itwas thenthethreatthathadbeenpoundingallmorninginsideeveryRoman’sheartmade its sudden unwelcome appearance; the screams and words ofwarning coursed through the ranks like a bolt of lightening: masses ofpaintedGermantribesmenwerepushingupagainsttherear.

Marcuswasridingafewhundredyardsbehindtheleadingelements.Around himwas a small command cell, led by a compact collection ofstandard party guards surrounding the three Eagles bobbing proudlyabovetheirheads.Thegoldensymbolsglintedeachtimearayoftheearlyday’ssunlightbrokethroughtheslowlythinningmorningmists.

Fromhismountedpositionhehadwatchedwithdismayastheleadingtroops hit the boggy ground. As those behind crushed up against theothers, the whole pushing deeper in the swamp, a deep-seatedapprehensionsweptoverMarcus.Themarchwasfallingtopiecesontheworstgroundimaginable.Hedispatchedseveralriderstodirectthementopushhardtotheleftaroundmanyhundredsofmennowstrugglingin

thesuckingmudandweeds.Hekickedhisownhorseforwardandhelpedguidethethrongsofmenleft.

“Sire, I think themen are finallymoving aswewish,” explained amounted officer, “but it is hard to tell with this fog. Many though arestuck fast in the swamp and I fear scores have been trampled into thebog.”

“Damn these accursed mists,” Marcus swore aloud, “they seemheaviernowthanever.Come,ridewithme.Wemustdowhatwecantokeepthesemenmovingthroughthispass.”

Themenrode theirhorses forwarduntil theyneared theadvanceoftheleftflank,urgingthementocontinuemarchingwithoutdelay.Marcusleaned forwardandstareddeeply into thesteamyvapor.Somethinghadcaughthiseye,buttheswirlingmistshadblockedhisview.Whenthefogliftedafewmomentslaterhesawitagain.

“WhatinthenameoftheGodsisthat?”heasked,pointinghisrighthandtowardtheoutlineofthecuriousbankedearthenfeature.

“What is what, sire?” answered the officer, straining to follow hissuperior’sgaze.WhenMarcusdidnotrespond,herepeatedthequestion.HewasabouttodosoathirdtimewhenherealizedMarcushadpulledhismounttoacompletestop.TheofficerdidlikewiseandturnedbacktolookattheTribune.

Marcus’ eyes andmouthwerewide as if in aweofwhat he beheld.“Thatisaraisedembankment!”

“Sire,whatiswrong?”heaskedwithanurgencyfittingthemoment.AndthenMarcusknew.Hesawitallevolvinginthesnapofafinger.

Herealizedtheimportanceofthewall,thepass,thebog,andchaosinsidethe narrow zone. And he also knew it was too late to alter what wasalreadytakingplace…

Arminius stood quietly 50 yards behind the ambush wall that ranaround the northern extremities of the lone knoll. He had ordered thepositionpreparedlateonthepreviousday,afterhehadtakencontrolofhis violent mood that had erupted when the Varus legions had swungthroughtheeasternofthetwopassesatOstercappeln.Thatlineofmarchhadbypassed his plannedambush andallowed theRomans to establishthemselves in their lageron theheightsatFelsenfeld.HekickedhimselfforassumingtheRomanshadlosttheirwillordeterminationtofightasaunit—evenafter thegrievous losses theyhad suffered.Thenightattacks

ontheforthadproventheywerestillabletodefendthemselves.ThisfinalambushatKalkriesewasdesigned toaccomplish theirutterdestruction,anditwasplannedtoperfection.

Arminiuswatchedasseveralwarriorsclosertothewallfidgetedwiththeir spears, anxious tobe the first toheave it into the enemywhen theorder arrived to do so. “Not yet, my brave warriors,” Arminiuswhispered.He turned toaCheruscielderstandingonhisright.“Ihavetold them many times. Any man who spoils this attack will suffer athousandburnsandcutsbeforeItakehishead.Theymustbestillandbequiet.TheRomansaredrawingnear.”

The Cherusci nodded in agreement. “They know what is expected,Arminius.Theyknowyourordersandwillexecutethemperfectly.”

Arminius was suddenly nervous and not fully convinced. “Pass theword again,” he said, fearing that the trap would be sprung too soon.“The first flight of javelins and arrows must only be released on mysignal. After that, the first wave ofwarriors, and Imean the first waveonly, is to move through the wall gates and hit the near flank of theRomansashardastheycan.Areweclearonthis?”

“Very clear, Arminius,” answered the elder, “but I will pass yourorderagain just to ensure thewordhasbeen taken inbyeven themoststupiddolt.Howmuchlongerdoyouthinkitwillbe?”

“You will just have time to insure themessage is passed yet againbefore they are among us. I suggest you move swiftly. I already smellRomanblood,andIhavescorestosettle.”

As the eldermovedawayand sent his runnersabout their business,Arminiusstudiedthelayoutoftheambushandrantheentireplanthroughhis mind one last time. Around the flowing contours of the knoll thatformed the extremity of the Kalkriese Berg he had erected a series ofinterlockingearthenwallsup to six feet inheight.Mostof thewallwascoveredwithheavyturfanddisguisedthroughoutitslength—particularlyon the leadingconcourse facingnortheast. Itwasdifficult tomake themoutatanydistance,andthemorningfogonlyservedtobettercamouflagethework.ThewallsweredesignedtotakethebruntoftheRomansastheyforgedtheirwaythroughthebottleneckbetweentheambushwallsandtheboggymoorland.Bythetimetheyreachedthewalls,oratleastArminiusplanned it this way, the legions would be harassed from the rear byChauciandChattiwarriors,whohaddetachedalargeforceoftribesmenfromVarus’lagertofollowuptheRomancolumnthathadbrokenouttothenorthwest.Ultimately, theRomanswouldhavenochoicebut to flow

intothejawsofdeathwaitingforthematthisbottleneckinKalkriese.Aboutevery50yards,theGermanshadopenedadisguisedbreakin

theambushwallstoallowtheirwarriorstosweepthroughandattacktheRomans from the firmground of the southern flank. The openingswerestaggeredpurposefullytoprovidetheGermanswithareasonabledegreeofprotectionas theymovedinandoutof thepasswhenever theychose,butwere built in such away as to prevent theRomans anymeaningfulunderstandingof the scopeand sizeof theenemyarrayedagainst them.Thus,paintedwarriorscouldappearatwill inany forceofnumbers,orwithdraw to strike out again from another gate 50 yards away. Thebuildingofthewallshadnotbeenwithoutitsowndrama.Thehighwatertable in the area created a pool of muddy water that had quicklyaccumulatedat the innerbaseof each rampart.Hastyditcheshadbeendugtodrainawaytheexcesswaterbeforethepoolscompletelyerodedthebaseofeachwall.Ithadbeenanearthing,fortherewaslittletimetogetitrightbeforetheremnantsoftheVaruslegionsarrived.

While the Chauci and Chatti pressing hard against the rear of theRomancolumn,drivingitforward,thenarrowingofthepassbetweentheheavy walls on one side and the swamp on the other would steadilysqueeze the mass of Romans pressing ahead through the bottleneck.According to Arminius’ plan, thousands of enemy soldiers would becompressedintoanarrowstripofgroundwheretheywouldbeunabletodeployintoanymeaningfultacticalformation,andthusunabletodefendthemselves in a concerted effort.At that point, theGermanswould pickthem off at will. The morass of the peat bog on the north was for allpractical purposes impassable; on the left was the thick earthen wallmanned by hundreds of javelin-throwing and arrow-shooting warriors;behindtheRomanmassweretheorganizedChauciandChattiwarriors.ThefewRomanswhomanagedtobreakthroughthebottlenecktothewestand northwest could be brought down piecemeal as, and when, theGermantribesmendecided.

Arminius was satisfied that he had done everything possible toachievesuccess.Nowhewaitedimpatientlytolaunchhistrap.Hewould,ofcourse,joinhisfellowcountrymeninclosesupportandcombatshouldthesituationsorequire,butheknewitwasbest toretaincommandandcontrolof thebattleas itdeveloped.“Ihaveyounow,”hewhisperedtohimselfwithasmileonhisface.“IhaveyouwhereIwantyou,Varus—andyou,MarcusAius,withyoursuperiorways.Weshallsee theendofyouboththisday.”

Kalkriese

BeforeMarcus could answer the officer’s question, shouts from therearofthecolumnreachedhisears:theGermanswereattackinginforcethere!AlthoughMarcuscouldnothaveknownit,theGermanattackwasdeliveredfromtwoangles,onedirectlyfull-onfromtheeasternend,andtheotheraforagingattackfromthenortheast.Together,theypushedtheremnants of the legions farther into theKalkriese ambush. Through theclearing patches ofmistMarcus could already see how themenbehindhimwerepressing forward.Fearwaswrittenacross their facesaseachtriedinhisowndesperatewaytoavoidbeingtheslowestmanintheherd.Theheadandbodyof the column,without a choice in thematter,weremercilesslypressed into thebottleneck.The rushof humanity, anxiouslystriving to get away from the immediate threat in their rear, turned areasonablywell-ordered column ofmarching legionaries into a surgingmassofbodies.

Beforehecouldtakeanyactiontostopit,Marcusandhiscommandelementsfoundthemselvescarriedalonginatightly-packedmassofmen,horses,packmules,andwagons,unabletomovetoonesideoranother.Like a flowing river, the current moved only in one direction: into thebottleneck. Marcus could still see the three Eagles in the midst of thestandard guard force waving back and forth 50 yards to his front. Therear would have to take care of itself, he thought. The battle he mightaffectwouldbe to the front,andhehad togetasmanymenaspossiblethroughthepass.Marcuskickedhishorseinandpushedhiswayaheadofthemen,whodid thebest theycould toavoidbeing trampledunderhishorse’shooves.

He was still some distance away when he realized that one of thestandard-bearerswaswearingthebattlemaskValahadpresentedonthemarch from the summer campaweek earlier. The donning of themaskstruck him as odd for a few seconds, until he realized the battle hadalready begun on his left front. To his horror,missiles of every varietywerenowrainingdownontheunprotectedRomanhost.

Arminiusstoodunmovingontheknoll,concealedfromRomaneyesbythe trees and undergrowth in front of him. When the surge of Roman

legionaries finally flooded into the ambush position, he yelled out oneword:“Now!”

Abuzzingswatheofarrowsandspearssoaredintotheskyandarcedoverthewall,droppinglikeadeadlymetalrainintotheseethingmassofRomans. The devastation was terrifying. Nearly fifty percent of thesoldiers forming theadvanceof theRomancolumnwerebroughtdown,either killed or wounded, by this downpour of projectiles from the leftflank.

“Now!”shoutedArminiusagain.A mass of painted warriors poured out of the disguised doorways

along the ambush walls, throwing themselves against the trappedlegionaries, stabbing with swords and spears into their tired Romanbodies.Others,withaxesheldabovetheirheads,hackedaway,oneblowafter another, at the dazed and confused humanity screaming to theirfront. After five days without sound sleep, with but little food, andsurrounded by constant death, the Romans buckled under the suddenlethalattack.Resistancewasalmostnon-existentastheysurgedonewayandthentheotherinafrightenedefforttoevadethespectacleconfrontingthem.

“Form a testudo around the Eagles!” Marcus screamed as hewatched attacking tribesmen cut their way within 30 yards of thestandard-bearer party. His call was quickly followed up by the loneremaininghornblower,whosestridenttrumpetnotesbrokeabovethedin.The sharp call seemed to inspire the men around the banners whoseshields, though wet and heavy, were thrown upward and forward toestablisha blockingdefensivewall around the preciousEagles.Thoughwellexecuted,themaneuverdidlittlegood.Thereweresimplynotenoughmenwith serviceable shields to form an all-round interlocking defense.Many of the shields had been so wet for so long they were falling topieces. The resultwas thatmany of the shields thatwere raised provedineffectiveinthemêléeofclose-combatfighting.

As Marcus struggled to protect the banners, the Germans surgedforward into the Roman column, slicing through sodden wood andleather,hackingawayarmsandheads,andscreamingtheirwarchantsatthetopoftheirlungs.Ifnothingwasdonetoslowdowntheintensityoftheonslaught,Marcusquicklyrealizedtheywouldeffectivelybeencircledonthree fronts, leavingonly theboggymooras theonlyavenueof escape.He urged his mount through the cacophony of sound and bodies in anefforttoreachthebanners,cryingout,“Onme,menofthelegions,onme

tosavetheEaglesforRome!”Holdinghisswordhighintheair,readytohack down the nearest tribesman he encountered, Marcus pushed hisnervoushorseonwardtowardthethreatenedEagles.Hisencouragementbroughtaresoundingresponse fromthe legionaries immediatelyaroundhim, and together they pushed forward through the mob to reach theembattledstandard-bearerparty.

Nearly encircled, the standard guard was waging a bitter hand-to-handcombat.Criesof“Go for thebelly, thrust for thebelly!”couldbeheardwithintheranksasRomanshortswordsstabbedforwardinsearchof German flesh. Stab. Hack. Maim. Kill. But the lethal power of theRomangladius—theworld’sforemostkillingweapon—wasonlyeffectivewhencombinedwiththeweightofaRomanshield.Thetoughweatheredmetalbossonthefrontof theshieldwaspushedforwardintotheenemyandliftedslightlytoexposethegutofthefoe,whichallowedforparryingthrustswhilesimultaneouslyskeweringtheenemyatcloserange.Withoutenoughserviceableshields,themendidnotstandachance.

The masked standard-bearer was the first of the three standardbearerstobebroughtdown.Ajavelinflyingoverthesweatingbloodyseaofhumanitydroppedonitscourseandsankintohischest.Thespearhadbeenthrownbysostronganarmthatitsshaftslidthroughhisbodyandknockedhimrearward,exitingfromhislowerbacktoimpalehimintothesoftground.Heremainedfrozeninthisawkwardanglestillclutchingthestaff of theEagle.As lifepassed fromhisbodyhis corpse slipped to itskneesandthehelmetedheaddroppedforwardontohischest.

Marcus had almost reached the scene when he saw the Eagle falltowardtheground,whereitvanishedfromhissight.“AnEagleisdown!AnEagle isdown!”heshoutedwithallhismight.“Pushthroughto theEagles,men,pushon!Pushon!”Bythistimethemassofhumanitywassotightly compressed that plowing through the few final yards to thestandard-bearerpartywasvirtuallyimpossible.

Unabletoinfluenceeventsjustbeyondhisreach,Marcuswatchedinhorroras theGermanscut theirway through the thinwallofguardsonone side and opened a path into the inner circle where the standardsawaited.Intothebreachrushedamassivetribesmanwithanaxeinbothhands held above his head. Locked in his eyesight was the frighteningmaskaffixedtothehelmetofthekneelingfigure.Thestandard-bearerwasdead, but neither the tribesman norMarcus realized it. Unable to turnaway, the Tribune watched as the German brought the blade sharplydownandwithasingleswingthatdecapitatedthekneelingfigure.Marcus

cursed in his exasperation at the bloody end suffered by the sick andalreadywoundedBrutusMaximus.Theyoungman’shead, stilladornedwith themaskandhelmetpresentedbyVala,rolledaway into thebloodandgoreunderfoot;historsoremainedimpaledandunmoving.Thestaffofthestandardremainedbraidedbetweenhisnervelessfingers,itsweightrestingagainstthecorpse’srightshoulder.

Evenbeforetheheadstoppedrolling,aRomanliningtheinsideofthesmall circle of guards turned around and hacked the axe-wieldingGermanacross thebackwithhissword,severinghisspinea few inchesabovehiswaist.Theswingdroppedtheflopping,andnowuncontrollable,body into the blood-spattered soil.A final downward thrust through theGerman’s open mouth and out the back of his head ended his agony.Without thinking, the legionary lefthiswavinggladius inplaceand torethestandardoutofthebearer’slifelessfingers,holdingiterectoncemoresothatotherscouldseetheEagleflyinghigh.

Itwasafatalmistake,thoughaviolentdeathwouldsurelyhavefoundhim eventually regardless of what he had done. A German archer,watching developments from the safety of the walled ambush redoubt,notched another arrow, took careful aim, and let it fly. The bolt hit thelegionary full in the throat.He fell to theground likeapole-axedsteer,takingthestandarddownwithhim.

Bythistimeseveraltribesmenhadbeenkilledtryingtoentertheinnercircle,butanothersoonforcedhiswayinside,hisattentiondrawnlikeamagnet to the fallenEagle lying just a few feet away.Thewarrior bentdown,clutchedtheshaftinhisfreehand,andraiseditaloftwithablood-curdlinghowlofglee.HewasholdingaRomanstandard!Hisjoywastobe short-lived, however, for Marcus had finally managed to urge hismount through a small sliver of space and reach the rear ranks of thestandard party. With a cry of rage, he hacked down and struck thetriumphantGermandirectlybetweentheneckandtheshoulder.Theblowwasdeliveredwithsuch tremendous force that thebladecarved throughthemuscleandtendonssupportinghishead,andthenthroughthebonesdeepdownintothechestcavity.ThesuddennessandseverityoftheblowfrozetheGermanforasecondortwoashetriedtounderstandwhathadbefallen him. The Eagle dropped from his grasp and tumbled forward.Marcus lurched out and grasped the haft of the standard, nearlyunhorsinghimself in theprocess.Holding itwithonehand,hesheathedhisswordwiththeother.

“The Seventeenth is still ours! Rally to the Eagles, for Rome and

AugustusCaesar!”hecried.With thatheheld the standardhigher.Thehot breath of an arrow caressed his cheek. “Fight hard! Push back,soldiersofRome!”Spottingtwoofhisofficersimmediatelybehindhim,heleaned in their direction and shouted, “Commanders! We cannot goforwardhere!Turn themenaboutandwithdraw in fightinggroups!”Ajavelin,well-aimedbyaninvisiblehand,flewtrueandwouldhavestruckhim in his left side hadhenot spotted it at the lastmoment and leanedforwardagainst his horse’s neck just enough to let it pass. The officersnodded in his direction to signal their understanding, and began doingwhatlittletheycouldtoimplementthenearimpossibleorders.

Tryashemight,Marcuscouldnotgaincontrolof the situationandexecute a tactical fightingwithdrawal. Behind him surged thousands oflegionaries,blockingcompletelyanymovementinthatdirection.Oneendof theRoman lineofmarchwasblockedby theGermansat thepointofambush,andtheother,strivingtoescapetheharassingattacksfollowinguptherear,pushedforwardintothemêléenearthewalls.Theresultwascompleteandutterconfusion.

Arminius had been intensively studying the Roman debacle with aburning pride for the manner in which it was unfolding. He wasparticularly drawn to the events surrounding the standard-bearerparty.Whenhespottedthemountedofficerridingintothegroupfromtherear,he ran forward and grabbed an archer by the shoulders, lowering hismouthwithinafewinchesofhiseartoyell,“GetthatofficeronthehorseneartheRomanEagles!Bringhimdownandyouwillberewardedafterthisbattlewiththegreatestofhonors!”

FlatteredbytheattentionofArminius,thearchernervouslypulledoutanarrow,seatedit,andreleasedhisbowstring.Thearrowlookedasifitpassed through his head entirely, so close to his face did it fly. EvenArminiuswasstunnedwhentheofficerfailedtofall.“Damn!”heshoutedas thearcherdrewanotherarrow.Arminiusgrabbeda javelin from thehandsofanotherwarriorandtooktwostepsforward,heavingitwithallhis might. The officer turned and looked in his direction as he let thespearfly,leaningforwardjustintimetoavoidtherazor-sharptip.

“ThemanisblessedbytheGods!”roaredArminius.“Iwillhavehimyet!”

As Arminius was crying out for another javelin, the archer sent asecond arrow on its journey. IfMarcus had remained stationary just amomentlonger,hewouldhavebeenkilledthenandthere.Fate,however,had already written him a different end. As he twisted in the saddle to

makesuretheothertwoEagleswerestillsafe,thearrowstruckhimintheupper leftarm,smashing throughmusclebutonlyscrapingboneuntil itfinallycametoarestagainsthisbodyarmor.Aninchhigheranditwouldhavemissed his armor and continued into his chest cavity. The searingpainburneditswayintohisshoulderanduppertorsoastheeffectsofthearrow tookhold.Hisheadsaggedwith theenormousshockandpainofthestrikeandhenearlyfellfromhishorse.

Arminius thrusta fist into theairasavictory signalandplacedhisotherhandonthearcher’sshoulder.“Youhavedonewell,weshall talkagain soon. Lay your next arrows as true andwewill soon be finishedwithVarus’mightylegions!”Believingthemountedofficerhadsufferedafatalwound,Arminiusturnedawaytoattendtootherpressingtasksthatrequiredhisimmediateattention.

AsMarcussaggedonhismounttheEagletippedforward.Unabletohold the heavy shaft, it slipped fromhis fingers anddroppedbeside hismountintothemuckandblood-soakedground,whilehishorsenervouslyreared and balked among the closely-packed bodies fighting andscreaming around it. Through pain-filled eyes Marcus spotted the tworemaining standard-bearers five yards away, their Eagles still heldproudlyaloft.Ashiseyessettledonthemherecognizedhisownlongredcloak hanging from one of themen.He lifted his gaze to the standard-bearer’s face only to discover it was BrutusMaximus! The youngmanwasnotonlyalive,butstillproudlyholdingtheEagleoftheSeventeenthabovehishead.WhatMarcuswasnevertolearnwasthatanotherofthestandard-bearers had offered to carry the heavy helmeted mask in anefforttolessenthewoundedbearer’sburden.

Thoroughly confused, Marcus scoured the ground in an effort toascertain the identity of the decapitated bearer of the fallen Eagle anddetermine which Eagle he had picked up and dropped. Because of themud,gore,hundredsof shifting feet,andgeneralbattlechaos,however,finding the fallen standard was by now virtually impossible. Lookingdown at the torn soil from the back of a twisting horse sent waves ofnauseacoursingthroughhim.Marcusliftedhishead,closedhiseyes,andwilled the dizziness to pass.When he opened them, he saw that severalmorewarriorshadpenetratedtheguard’scircleinanefforttostealawaythe remaining banners. He urged his steed forward toward BrutusMaximusandtherallyingpointofthebattle:theremainingtwoEaglesoftheVaruslegions.

Marcus’slargehorsecutthroughthemassofstrugglingbodieslikea

ship’s prow slicing through a turbulent sea. One of the Germans, in aseemingly suicidal move, threw himself at the packed mass of RomansfightingclosebyMarcus,hackingandstabbinginafrenzyofaggression.Although stabbed and cut several times by Roman blades, he somehowmanaged to reachMarcus’ horse and, with a cry of triumph, savagelyhacked at its hindquarterswith his sword.With one final blow he half-severedthebeast’slefthindlegbeforehefelltothegroundunderarainofdeadlyblows.Marcus’stallionletlooseaterrifyingscreamofpainandfearheardabovethedinofthebattle.Whenitattemptedtorear,pullingup its front legs, its wounded hind limb buckled under the weight,tumblinghorseandridertotheground.

Marcus was thrown over his mount’s left hindquarters and landedsquarelyonhisback.Thehorsenarrowlymissedhimasitcrasheddownonhisright,breakingtheneckofaRomansoldierunabletomoveaside.IttookMarcusseveralsecondstocollecthiswitsandhiswindamidstthenightmarishchaosswirlingabovehim.Allhecouldseewasaseaoflegsand lower bodies, a continuousmass ofmovement, ebbing and flowing,stampingthebloodyearthandundergrowtharoundhim.Withhisleftarmstill pumpingwithpain, he reachedacrosshisbodywithhis righthandand, firmly gripping the exposed shaft of the arrow, snapped it off. Theactionsentnewshockwavesofexcruciatingagonyshooting throughhisshoulderandarmandhecriedoutinpain.

Marcushadalwaysbeenphysicallypowerfulandblessedwithacastiron will that matched his strength and determination. Still, he wasgratefulwhenastronghandgraspedhimunderhisgoodrightarmanddragged him to his feet, aided then by another carefully holding hisinjured side. Two of the standard’s guards were assisting him, holdinghimhalf-erectastheydraggedandpulledthewoundedofficerthroughthemassof troops encircling theEagles, toapositionwherehe could fullytakeinthedesperateplightofthelegions.

Taking stock of the situation, Marcus noticed Brutus Maximus ahandfulof yardsaway, standing firmand resolutewith theEagleof theSeventeenthflyinghighabovehim.OftheotherEagle,therewasnosign.“Where is the secondEagle?”Marcusgaspedas loudashecould, stillnotawareoftheidentityofthefirstbearerwhohadfallentothejavelinanddecapitatingcut.

“Theylikelyhaveit,sire,”repliedoneoftheguards,shoutingdirectlyintoMarcus’ ear tomake sure he could be heard above the din of thebattle.“Wecoulddonothing toprevent it.A sudden flight of dozensof

javelins and scores of arrows took down somany of the guard thatwewereluckytoregrouptoprotecttheSeventeenthEagle.Wedidnotevensee theNineteenthEagle fall,norsee theGermans take it. Ibelieveyousawthestandardfall,sire.”

So the first standard to hit the ground was the Eighteenth Eagle,thoughtMarcus.“Ididnotjustseethelossofit,Centurion.Iamthemanwholostittotheseaccurseddogs!Idonotintendtolosethelastvestigeofourhonor—theEagleof theSeventeenth!”Marcuscouldbarelyhearhisownvoiceevenashescreamedthewords.

“Sire!”TheCenturionwasnownearlyscreamingtobeheardabovethebedlam.“Wehavefoughtaswellasweareable,butwecannolongermountanymeaningfulcounterattack,norholdourgroundhere.Theyarepickingusoff like the fliesonasow’sbelly,andwecannotwithdraw!Ifear—.”

His final words were cut off mid-sentence when a German lancetransfixedtheCenturionstraight throughhisarmor,explodinghischainmailintohundredsofflyingsilverlinksthatfellintothemudlikeamyriadof disappearing fireflies, shattering his breastbone and ribcage andtearing onward into his chest cavity, striking hard against his lowerbackbone and severing the spinal column in the process. The fatallywoundedofficerlookedintoMarcus’eyesandcoughedaspumeofbloodfroma ruptured lungas if he intended tocontinue theconversation.HediedimmediatelythereafterandfellbackwardagainstthepackedmassofthelegionariesgatheredaroundthesurvivingEagle.

Marcuswipedawaythebloodandmucusfromhisfacewithhisgoodrighthand,theresultsoftheCenturion’slastattempttofinishhisverbalbriefing. Before him was the gallant figure of Brutus Maximus, stillclothed in Marcus’ own broad red cloak of office, still holding hisSeventeenth Eagle aloft. Marcus staggered across the short divideseparatingthem.Asheapproachedthestandard-bearer,thefinaldutyhehadbeensparedtoperformsuddenlybecamecleartohim.

Itwasapparentnowthatallwaslost.ItwasnowonlyamatteroftimebeforetheGermanscompletelyoverranthefewRomanslefttofight.ThefaceofBrutusMaximusloomedbeforehim,somuchlikehisowninmanyways,andMarcussawhislifeandhisdreamsrushbyinakaleidoscopeof instantaneous impressions: Rome, his loves, his wife, his family, hisloyalties to his Caesar… He shook his head in overriding fury at hismomentofweakness.Whatwashethinking?Hethrusthisself-pitytooneside.Heunderstoodwhat fatehad in store forhim,andhewasgladhe

hadbeenpartofthismoment.The Germans had prepared well, he had to give them that much.

Besidestheobviousassemblyofresourcesofmenandarms,Arminiushadfollowed the principles of warfare and turned them into a fine art.Anything that could be used as an effectivemeans to put an end to theRomanlegionswasworthyofconsiderationandimplementation,andeventhebasiccommoditiesofwarfare,thestonesandtheslingshot,werepartofhisimpressiveordnanceofweaponrylinedupagainstthemightoftheRomanfightingmachine.Hehadlearnedhislessonswellovertheyearsof his stewardship as a Roman knight, andwas now putting that art toextremelyeffectiveuse.

Arminius,meanwhile, knowing the battle of annihilationwasalmostwon, had moved closer to the wall. To one of his tactical officers heyelled,“Pullourmenbacka shortdistance,particularlyaway from theguardssurroundingtheEagle.Makereadythestones—butnoslingshots!Ourwarriorsaretooclose.IwanttotakethelastoftheEagles.WithouttheirEagle rallyingpoint, theRomansare lost andwewill finallyhavewon the battle. Quickly, be about it, man,” he urged the juniorcommander,“andwaitformysignalbeforethestonesarethrown!”Themessagewasquicklypassed.

Steadyinghimselftothetaskbeforehim,Marcusdrewhisswordanewand trudged forward closer to the fighting. Were his eyes and earsmistaken,orwasareprieveunderway?TheonslaughtbythedismountedGermans seemed to be waning; most were withdrawing completelytoward the wall and even disappearing behind it. Had they exhaustedthemselves? For the shortest of moments Marcus’ spirits lifted and hethoughtperhaps,justperhaps,therewasachancetoturnthetideofbattleintheirfavor.Butitbecameabundantlyclearwhatwashappeningwhenacloudofmissiles,stones,andotherprojectilessoared frombehind theambush walls, darkening the sky with their shadows and mass beforedescendingintotheconcentratedRomanswithacripplingeffect.

Thelargestonesstruckexposedheadsandlimbs.ManyRomanshadlost their helmets, which would have afforded at least some protection.Such is the nature of man that a great many soldiers looked up at theswarmof flyingmissiles floating inon thecrestof themorning sunlightabove them,only toplungesuddenlywithdevastatingresults.Theheavystones gouged into human flesh and bone, split heads, crunched bones,smashed swordarms raised to defendand shelter coweringbodies, andsnappedwristsliketwigsunderfoot.Weapons,justsecondsearlierheldin

powerfulgrips,droppedfromdamagedfingers.Marcuswasoneoftheluckyfewtoavoidthefreshonslaught.Brutus

Maximuswasnotasfortunate.OneofthelargeststonesstruckthebeareroftheSeventeenthEaglefullintheupperrightsideofhisface.Thetwo-pound missile broke his cheekbone and nose and caved in his righttemple, squeezinghiseye from its socket ina small sprayofmucusandblood.Hisjaw,oncesoproudandsquare,wasfracturedinanumberofplaces,histopsetof teethfragmented,andhistonguenearlycut intwo.The fact he survived such a blowwas incredible.More astoundingwasthatBrutusMaximus,thoughonhiskneesasifprayingwithhisfinalfewbreaths, retained the Seventeenth Eagle aloft, though the shock of theimpact had caused him to drop his sword. His empty hand clawed theheavensinsupplication,asiftobeseechsomeonetotakehisstandardandsecreteittoasafehavenfarawayfromthatterribleplace.

Though Brutus could no longer see and was rapidly falling into ashockedstupor,hecouldfeelstronghandseasinghimontohissideashemade out the authoritative voice of Marcus Aius in his ear. “We arebrothers,youandI,BrutusMaximus,andItellyounowthatyourEaglewillflyhighinthemindsofmen.”SeeingBrutus’eyesbeginningtocloud,Marcusyelledthefinalwords,shakinghimgentlyasiftowillhimtohearthese final words. “Brutus! I will not let these savages take it from us.ThisEaglemayneverseethelightofdayagain,butatleastitwillnotbeused to ridiculeRome inourdefeaton thisday!…I relieveyouof yourhonorabletask,BrutusMaximus,andonedayIwillrevealtoallhowyourbraveryandcouragewasashiningexampleofhowmenshouldbehaveinbattle.”

Withthat,MarcusstaggeredtohisfeetandbrokeofftheEaglefromthe topof thestave.He lookeddownuponhis fatallywoundedcomradewith both pity and pride. “You are a true and courageous man. YourEagleisnowwithme,sorestyourself.”Brutusheardnoneofthesewordsforhewasalreadyunconscious.

Marcusthrustthegoldenemblemintotheinnerpartofhistunicandlookedaboutinanefforttodeterminethebestwaytoescapethemillinghorde of fighters. He marveled once more at Arminius’ brilliance. TheGermanhadsteered the legions intoacarefully laidambushonascalepreviouslyunknownintheannalsofwarfare.Oncethetrapwassprung,therewasnoway for theRomans to regain control of thewedgeof theremnantspouringintothepassatKalkriesebecausetherewasnoroomtomove in any direction—save to the west and northwest through the

bottleneck, where only death awaited. The only other avenue from thisman-madehellwasthroughtheDievenWiesen,theboggyswampdirectlynorth.Marcusknew thatanescape in thatdirectioncouldonlyendonewayandhewantednoneofthat.

Dodging another rock that was followed up quickly by a hissingjavelin,hedrewhisswordandbeganhackinghiswaythroughajaggedline of Germans and Romans struggling to the death in front of theambushwalls.Othermenpushedbehindhim.Tuckinghisheaddownasanother stone projectile knocked his helmet away, and with the Eagleclutched tightly inside his tunic, he fought step by bloody step forwardtoward the exit of the Kalkriese bottleneck and his appointment withdestiny.Anenemyappearedbeforehim;Marcusthrustandcuthimdown.Anotheronhisrightswunginhisdirectionwithasword,buttheblowwaswide andMarcus ducked and stabbed him in his soft stomach, pushinghim away with his good shoulder. A fellow Roman fell against hiswounded left arm, triggeringa sharp ripple of pain that pulsated to hisfingertips and throbbed at his temples. Bloody, wounded, gasping forbreathandexhaustedbeyondallreason,hehadonefinalmissiontofulfillbeforehecouldfallintothearmsofeternalrest.

And Floruswrote:As for the standards and Eagles, the barbarianspossess two to this day; the third Eagle was wrenched from its pole,before it could fall into thehandsof theenemy,by thestandard-bearer,who,carryingitconcealedinthefoldsaroundhisbelt,secretedhimselfintheblood-stainedmarsh.

Arminiuswasforever in the thickof thebloodybusinessof themassslaughter.Some7,000legionarieshadsurgedintothewalledambushsiteat Kalkriese; after less than two hours of hard fighting, perhaps 1,000remainedwhowerestillcapableofstandingandfighting.EachsoughtanexitfromtheoverpoweringsurgeofGermanicwarriorswhocontinuedtoslash and stab into the shrinking Roman masses. These groups oflegionaries often moved as one, easing their way en masse around thewalls and through the bottleneck as stumbling, struggling bodies ofdesperate men. For others, temporary relief was found fighting behindearthworksof thedead,whosecorpseswerestackedsohighagainst theleadingedgeoftheambushwallthattheGermanscouldnolongercleanly

engage those takingshelterbeyond themacabre rampart.Noneof thesemenhadanyrealchanceofsurvivalandtheyknewit,buttheyvowedbothto themselves and aloud that they would take many of the bloodthirstyenemywiththembeforetheyexpired.

On the other side of the feature, around the far side of thewoodedknoll, occasional flashes of reds and browns could be seen: scatteredlegionaries running—escaping through the Engpass (the Kalkriesebottleneck), flowing down the rise toward the old road runningwest bynorthwest through the foot of themoor 1,500 yards away. Between therise and the old road there was themoorland, with its mass of 0s andtreacherous swamps interspersed with odd patches of solid grass andfern-covered ground. For every legionary who made good time in hisinitialescapedownfromthepass,anotherfellpreytothebog,hisflightslowing to a nightmarish slow-motion series of steps, each becomingprogressivelyslowerandmoreponderousuntilexhaustionoranenemy’sjavelinorarrowcuthimdown.

After long and hard fighting, the solitary Romans breaking throughthe bottleneck opened into a small trickle of fleeing figures that a fewminuteslaterbecomeastreamofseveralhundredRomansflowingdownfrom the terrifying debacle of butchery and mayhem behind them. Theknowledgethatnoquarterwouldbegiven,normercyshown,lentspeedtotheirflightandenergizedtiredlegsandbodiesdrivenbyfearastheyfledfromtheVarusschlacht.

During thespringandsummerImaintainedmysearchefforts in thelargefieldsandevenmovedacrossthecanalintotheareasome500yardsshortofthecrossways.

Slowly but surely, an identifiable pattern began to emerge frommycoin and artifact finds. Lines began appearing linking the road runningeast–westaroundtheKalkrieseBerg,andbehindmethroughtheknoll,tothemilitary road also running east–west about 1,500 yards away to thenorthwest. The picture was somewhat reminiscent of a large starburst,withthestarsallburstingoutinonedirection.Therewaseveryindicationthatalargecontingentofpeoplehadsplayedoutfromtheareaattheapexto the field and the knoll, fanning out in a 90-degree arc north andnorthwestdowntothecrossways,themilitaryroad,andthelandsbeyond,asiffleeingfromsomeasyetunknownhorror….

Onlyatinysliverofthoselegionarieswhosomehowmanagedtofighttheir way clear of the ambush and squirm out into the fields andmoorlands to the northwest ever made their way back to the Rhine torecount the terribledefeat thathadbefallenVarus’ legions.Someof thefleeingRomans successfully reached the old east-west road some 1,500yardsdistantandsomadegoodtheirescape.Thevastmajorityof thosefortunate enough to push through the bottleneck were chased toexhaustion by whooping and screaming tribesmen intent on their finalslaughter. Small pockets found themselves trapped in the many boggypoolsofsuckingmudandwaterloggedmeadows,theirescapeattemptatan end.Utterly out of options, they turned and fought, transfixed in thequicksandofthemorassthatwastheDievenWiesen.

Summer,1996

In theearlysummerof1996,IwassearchingamorecentralareaofKalkriese. It was part of an elongated piece of land that had originallybeen a stretch ofwaterloggedmoor beforemodern farming had drainedawaymuchoftheexcessdampfromthesoil.BothProfessorSchlüterandIhadoftendiscussedthestrangeanomalythatcontinuouslyrevealeditselfin the artifacts graph of theKalkriese area:many of themore intensiveartifactsiteswereonlandthathadoncebeenpredominantlywet.SomeofthemoreinterestingfindsKlausFehrsmadeovertheyearsashewalkedupanddowntheKalkriesefieldswerecenteredonthesesites.Forsomeinexplicablereason,neitherhenorIhadeversettledonasearchsurveyofthisparticularfieldsetinthemiddleofKalkriese.

I spent one weekend surveying the entire northern side, which hadoriginallybeensubmergedinbogforallthesemanyhundredsofyears.Iquarteredthefieldandovertwodaysexaminedeveryinchofground.Tomydismay and utter surprise, not a single artifactwas uncovered.Howcould this be?Not one coin orman-made remnant in such a promisingarea—thecentralpathoftheescapingRomanflightfromtheambushsite?Noreasonableanswerwasforthcoming.Therewereotherconsiderationsandotherfieldsbeckoningme,andIputthematterbehindmeandwentontoothersites,continuingmysearchfarthertothewest.

A fewweeks later an excitedWolfgang telephoned to tellmeaboutthemostamazing find thathadeverbeenmade incentralKalkriese.By

some accounts, it was one of the most important archaeologicaldiscoveriesinNorthernEuropeanhistory.Itwaseasilyasimportant,andperhapsmoreso,thantheparademaskoranyoftheotherartifactswehadunearthedduringthepreviousnineyears.Klaushaduncoveredthemajorpart of a sword scabbard embossed with solid silver retaining loops, acentralcoremountofblackonyx in type, inlaid in theGreekstyle,withthefigureofaGrecianladywithlongboundhairandlongflowingrobes.Asword in sucha scabbardcouldonlyhavebeenwornbyaRomanofhighnobilityandstatus—ahigh-rankingseniorofficerofthelegionsandperhapsevenoneofthethreelegioncommanders.Noofficerwouldhavedonned theblade if hebelievedhewas about to engage inbattle—suchwastheintrinsicvalueofsuchaswordandscabbard.Almostcertainlyitsownerhadnoknowledgeof theevents tocome in theyear9ADof theVarusschlacht.

TheLastEagle

Abare-headedMarcusAiusnearlystumbledandfellinsurprisewhenhesuddenlyfoundhehadkilledandmaimedhiswaythroughthewallofGermans holding the far side of the bottleneck. Beyond, open spacebeckoned. Although he had not known it, fighting behind him was atightly-knit group of Romanswho, surging forward in his bloodywake,burstoutwithhimfromtheambushposition.

Hewilledhimselftobreakintoatrot,lickinghisfeverishswollenlipsas he winced at the pain wracking his weakening body. Blood wastricklingfreelydownhisforeheadfromanastygashinhisscalpandhistunicwasamess,splatteredwiththebloodandtissueofascoreofmen,Roman and German alike. The enemy arrow was still embedded in hisupper left arm, the arrowhead nicking and tugging away at his tunicwhereithademergedbeneathhisarmpit.Eachtimehemovedhisarmthepainreturned,triggeringsickeningwavesofnausea.Bileroseupfromhisthroatandspilledoverhisparched lips, theacidburninghis throatandmouth, for he had no saliva to wash the liquid away. Through hisagonizing haze and sweat-filled eyes Marcus took in the fields andmoorlandsspreadingoutfromtheknoll.Itofferedaconfusingpictureoflegionariesswarmingawayfromhisposition, intermingledwithGermantribesmenslashingandstabbingtheminthebackastheyfled.Screamsofmercyfellondeafears.

Themajority of his fellow soldierswho hadmanaged to escape thebottleneck were fleeing in a northwesterly direction, down through theslope of the moor that fell away from the Kalkriese Berg. A few wererunning in a more general westerly direction, apparently avoidingaltogether the large number of Germans chasing the Romans into theboggymoor.Ashewasdigestingthescenebeforehim,herealizedhewasbeingsweptalongwiththepackofsoldiersgatheredabouthim.Ifhedidnot extract himself from them soon, they would suffer the fate of thosebeingbroughtdownbythescreamingGermantribesmen.

Asmuchashewishedtostandandfight,todiealongsidehismen,heknew he had to continue with his mission to rescue the Eagle of theSeventeenthLegion.HewastheonlyoneleftwhocouldmakesureitdidnotflyaboveArminius’victoryposts.Healsoknewtheoddsofacompleteescape were slim, especially in his physical condition. In that case, he

wouldseethattheEagledisappearedwithhimintothebogsoftheGreatMoor,nevertobeseenagain.

Once he decided on his course of action, Marcus threw himselfsideways against the press of bodies around him and kept moving leftacrossthepathofthemainsurgeofsoldiersuntil,withafinalshove,hefell forwardoutof themain streamof running legionaries.Oncehedidso,he foundhimself face to facewithahugegrinningGermanwarrior,hisswordpoisedtostrikehimdown.

Asheraisedhis sword towardoff theblowabout to fall, theEaglecametumblingloosefromhistunic.Withhiswoundedarmheattemptedtore-securethestandardbeforeitfelltotheground.TheGerman’seyeswidenedwithsurpriseanddisbeliefandhehesitatedbeforedeliveringhisblow. Marcus knew enough of the dialect he spoke to understand hisoutburst:“AnEagle!”hescreamed“HehasagoldenEa—”

Ashewasshoutingthealarm,Marcuschangedhisswordanglefromadefensiveblock toa forward thrustandpushed thebladestraight intotheexposedstomachoftheGerman,twistingittosliceaparthisintestineswith a scream of pleasure of his own. The tribesman’s eyes againwidened, this time in shock. Marcus pulled the sword free and cut asweeping forehand blow across the throat of his enemy to prevent anyfurther cries. Gasping for breath,Marcus stopped only long enough tostufftheEaglefirmlyinsidehistunicbeforestumblingwest,veeringawayfromthepath takenbyhis fellowRomans.Although itwas theheightofsummer, theground lyingat the footof theKalkrieseBergwasstillwetfromundergroundspringsandwatersfromtheboggymoortothenorth.

From the apex at the exit point of the ambush,Arminius stoodwithoneofhismenandwatchedastheloneRomanofficerbrokefreeacrossthe open ground, splashing through themeadows and patches ofmoor.Plumesofwaterbrokeupwardashemovedawaytothewest.Thewarriorstandingathisshoulderwasanxious toget into the fight,andhadbeenpleadingwithArminius toreleasehimto join thebattle,whichwasnowobviously won. Arminius was about to order him to chase after theobviouslywoundedman,butwhenhelookeddownatthemassoffleeingRomansmovingawaytothenorthwestinfrontofhim,hedecidedinsteadtoreleasehimtochasedowneasierpickings.Withayellandaflourishofhis long sword, the warrior set off into the mêlée of running figures,seeking out as many as he could to satisfy his insatiable appetite forRomanblood.

Despitehishandicaps,Marcusmadefairlygoodtimeandmanagedto

putapproximately1,000yardsbetweenhimselfandtheknoll,whichwasnow nearly out of his sight. Looking over his left shoulder he let out agaspofdespair.AlargeforceofmountedGermanswaspouringoutofthewoods from the Kalkriese Berg itself only 400 yards from his position.Without thinking he threw himself forward into a waterlogged patch ofground,slidingintothewetundergrowthandhopingto thegodshehadnotbeenseen.Helaythereforafewmomentstryingtocatchhisbreath,half expecting to hear the heavy clumping hooves of enemywar horsesapproaching his prone position. Another wave of nausea poured overhim;thesearingpainfromfreshlyopenedwoundshammeredawayathissenses.Rubbinghiseyesandfurrowedbrow,heslowlyraisedhisheadtoseekoutthepursuingGermancavalry.

To his surprise, the mounted warriors were galloping toward theconfused mass of Romans and Germans pouring out of the ambushbottleneck.Theywereabout to place the cork firmly into thebottle andsealupthehundredsofmenleftofVarus’legionstrappedintheKalkrieseEngpass.ThelonefigureofMarcusAiuswasnotworthchasing.

Marcus triedcrawlingbut,unable towithstand thepain inhis torsoandarm,staggeredtohis feetandchangeddirectionslightlyawayfromtheBergtohisleft.Hewouldmoveoffinessentiallythesamedirectionashislegionaries,butonafar-removedparallelcourse.Bythistimehewasbeginningtoexperiencedifficultydistinguishingillusionfromreality.Heknew that somehowhewas stillonhis feet,andhecould feel thewarmmid-morning sun on his back. The sudden appearance of Germansrunningalongsideforcedhimtostopandstabatphantoms.Hewatchedthemfall,bleed,anddie.Andhekepttrotting.Hadhejustkilledanotherenemyorwasheimaginingcombat?WhenheheardVarusshouthisnameand unspeakable obscenities, Marcus realized with certainty he waslosinghisgriponreality.

Duringthenexthourhefell tothegroundmoretimesthanhecouldcount.Each timehewould lay still for aminute or two, raking in deeprasping gulps of air as he sought to retain his senses and slow hispoundingheart.Thelasttimehewasunabletorise.Theblackwaterwasseeping up against his body and beginning to engulf him. He sodesperatelywishedtoliethereandneverriseagain,forhebothknewandfelthislife’sblooddrainingawaywitheveryyardofgroundhecovered.Hewasneartheend.Therewouldbenoescape.TherewouldbenoEaglesafelyreturnedtoRome,andhewouldneverseehisbelovedwifeorRomeagain.Butifhediedheresomeonewouldsurelyfindhim—andthegolden

standard.Hetriedtorisebutfellbackintotheshallowwater.Heblinkedawaytearsofself-pityastheyprickedathiseyes.

“No!” he whispered through clenched teeth. “If Rome cannot havethe Eagle, then neither will the traitor Arminius!” He dragged himselfback into a kneeling position in the bog. He remained there a whilelonger,hisdrippingandmuddyheadhangingforwardagainsthischestashegatheredenoughstrengthtowillhimselfup.Hebegantostriphimselfofallhis remainingaccoutrements:uniform fittings,belts,moneypouchfullofdenariianda fewgoldenaureii–anything thatwould lessen theloadonthelaststageofhisflight.Hisfingerspausedwhenhereachedhisscabbard.Thepreciousandbeautifulhousinghad longheldhisbelovedsword.Bothhadbeenpresentedtohimbyhisfathersomanyyearsbeforewhenheentered the serviceofRome in theofficer corpsof the legions.Thescabbardwasawonderfulpieceofartistry,embellishedwithsetsofengraved figures in silver and gold, the loop-securing mounts in solidsilver,withacentralmountofaGreek-styledpendantofblackonyxinlaidwith a Grecian-style female figure set in pale ivory, her long hair andflowingrobessoverymuchlikethepictureofhiswifehealwayskeptintheforefrontofhismind.

Heunbuckledtheheirloomandhelditout in frontofhim.This timehewas unable to hold back the tears as they filled his eyes and spilleddown his blood-stained cheeks. He gently kissed the small ivory inlay,murmuringasheheld thebeautiful scabbard,“Ihopeoneday youwillseethelightoftheskyoncemore,foryouarefartoobeautifultobelostforever…Farewell,sweetmemories,farewell,mylove.”Andwiththat,heset the piece into the water and pressed it firmly into the boggy blackwater.

After making sure the Eagle of the Seventeenth Legion was firmlyseated insidehis tunic,hestruggled tohis feetand tookastep forward.Another followed, and then another, and soon he was steadily steppingand slippingwest again. To his relief, the ground became firmer as hegainedtheareasurroundingtheoldroadrunningthroughfromtheeast.Whenthewindwasjustso,hecouldoccasionallyhearscreamsfromthelastactsofthedramahehadsomehowmanagedtosurvive—ifonlyforawhile longer. Distant intermittent flashes of color danced through theundergrowthandtreesnorthofhispositionashecutthroughthecenteroftheplacecalledKalkriese.

He stumbled upon what was to be his final resting place, tumblingdownthroughapatchofheavyclingingundergrowth.Thespotwasinthe

middle of a small forested area less than twomiles from the site of theambushposition.Beforehimwasasmalllake.Thebluish-graywaterwasserene, surroundedby trees interspersedwith smallglades.Akingfisherignoredhisappearanceandplungedintothecoldwatersinsearchofanelusivebreakfast.

The tranquilwaters, socooland inviting, calmedhim.Heeasedhisaching tortured body into the gentle caress of the shallow water andwatchedasthekingfishersoaredintotheair,asmallfishwrigglinginitsclenchedbeak.Asmilebrokeuponhischiseled,weatheredfaceasawarmsense of peace washed over him, a wonderful feeling of déjà vu andserenity.Thedeprivationsandhorrorsofthelastdaysfellaway,replacedby a contentment he had never before experienced. His sword slippedfromhisgraspanddisappearedbeneaththesurface.Heslowlyeasedhiswaydeeper into thewater.A brilliant streamof sunlight danced on thesurfacejustbeyondhisreach.Belowthesurfacewasavisionofhome,offamily, of friends, and of loved ones; of Rome.Hewatched as his wifesmiledathim,calledouthisname,andopenedherarmstoembracehim.Hetookanothersteptowardher,movingdeeperintothecoolclearwater.

AsthewatercameupoverhischestMarcussteppedoffthelakeshelfanddisappearedbeneath thesurface,held tightlywithin thearmsofhisfamily. The added weight of the Seventeenth Eagle of Rome lodgedsecurelywithinhistuniccarriedhimslowlytohiswaterygrave.Themassof rootsandweedscloaking the floorof the lakewelcomedhimas if tobed, gently wrapping themselves around his mortal body, holding thesoldierandtheSeventeenthEagleofRomeintheirfirmyetgentlegrasp.Hisspiritlefthistiredframeevenbeforehefeltanysenseofdrowning.

And soMarcusAius faded from theaffairsofmananddisappearedintohistoryalongwiththeothermenoftheSeventeenth,Eighteenth,andNineteenthLegionsofRome.

TheHermann(Arminius)statueinDetmold,Germany.Clunn

Aftermath

FromtheMistsofTimetothePresent

WhenthedustsettledandthelastmanoftheVaruslegionshadbeenput to the swordor captured,Arminiusandhiswarriors celebrated theirvictory with days of feasting. Their gluttony was punctuated with theritualtorturingofseveralhundredespeciallyunfortunateRomans,mostofwhomwereprobably alreadywoundedbefore their capture.When therewasnoonelefttokilltheGermansleftKalkriese.Intheirwakewasoneof the most dreadful battlefields the world had ever witnessed. Strewnalongmanymilesandacrossmanydayswere literally tensof thousandsofdeadmen,women,andchildren.TheRomanswereleftwheretheyfell,for the Germans were not about to expend time and energy properlydisposingoftheenemydead.

Thebattle’sfinaldayaroundtheKalkriesebottleneckleftascenenopenorbrushcouldfaithfullydescribe.ThecorpsesofthousandsofRomansoldiers,singlyandinsmallgroups,litteredtheground.Alongtheeasternandnorthernreachesof theearthenambushwallanewformhadarisen.Thenewstructurewascomposedalmostentirelyofhumanflesh—ahugemassoftornbodiesstackedseveralhighandmanymorewidestretchingfor a distance that must have staggered eyewitnesses. Affixed asornaments around the site were dismembered bodies that had beentortured; others had been left stretched out on racks and gibbets, andRomanheadsremainedaffixedtothetreesaroundthepitsandscenesofbarbarity. It was a scene of such unspeakable butchery and horror thateventhewritersofthatbloodyerahaddifficultydescribingthefulldepthsofman’sinhumanitytomanthatoccurredatKalkrieseinSeptemberof9

AD.Writingmore than a century after the event, PubliusAnnius Florus

pennedthesewordsinanefforttodescribewhathadtakenplace:

Never was there slaughter crueler than took place there in the marshes and woods, never were moreintolerableinsultsinflictedbybarbarians,especiallythosedirectedagainstthelegalpleaders.Theyputouttheeyesofsomeofthemandcutoffthehandsofothers;theysewedupthemouthofoneofthemafterfirstcuttingouthis tongue,whichoneof thebarbariansheldinhishand,exclaiming,“Atlast,youviper,youhaveceasedtohiss.”

The stink of blood and gore pervaded the air about Kalkriese forweeks.

Rome took the Varus defeat hard, for it was indeed a significantmilitary setback. Cassius Dio left a lengthy account of the events thatunfoldedafternewsoftheslaughterofVarusandhismenreachedtheearsoftheempire’scapital:

AtthetimewhenAugustuslearnedofthedisasterwhichhadbefallenVarus,herenthisclothes,accordingtosomereports,andwasovercomewithgrief.Hisfeelingswerenotonlyofsorrowforthesoldierswhohadperished,butoffearfortheprovincesofGermanyandGaul,aboveallbecauseheexpectedthattheenemywouldinvadeItalyandevenattackRomeitself.Therewerenoable-bodiedcitizensofanyfightingcapacityleft in reserve, and the allied forces, suchaswereof anyvalue,had sufferedheavy losses.However, hemadesuchpreparationsashecouldinthecircumstances.

Whennomenofmilitaryageprovedwillingtobeconscripted,hemadethemdrawlots.Throughthisarrangement, every fifthmanunder thirty-fivewasdeprivedofhispropertyandhis civil rights, togetherwith every tenth man of those beyond that age. Finally, since even then a great many men would notrespond,hehadanumberput todeath.He thenselectedby lotasmanyaspossible fromthosewhohadalready completed their military service and from the freedmen, and after enrolling them in the army,ordered themwith all speed to the province ofGermany to joinTiberius.At this time thereweremanyGaulsandGermanslivinginRome;someservedinthePraetorianGuard,othersresidedthereforvariousreasons.Augustusfearedthatthesemightstartanuprising,andsodispatchedthosewhowereservinginhisbodyguardtovariousislands,andorderedthosewhowereunarmedtoleavethecapital.

CassiusDiocontinued:

Thesewere theactions thathe tookat that time,duringwhichnoneof theusualobservationswerecarriedout,norwerethefestivalscelebrated.Later,whenhereceivednewsthatsomeofthesoldiershadbeensaved,thattheprovinceofGermanywasgarrisonedandthattheenemyhadnotventuredtoadvanceeven to theRhine,his fearssubsidedandhepaused to review thesituation. It struckhim that forsuchagreatandoverwhelmingcalamitytohavetakenplace,thewrathofsomedivinitymusthavebeenincurred;besides,theportentwhichhadbeenobservedbothbeforethedefeatandafterwardsmadehiminclinedtosuspectthatsomesuperhumanagencywasatwork.TheTempleofMarsinthefieldofthatnamehadbeenstruck by lightning;many locusts had flown into the very city and had been devoured by swallows; the

peaksoftheAlpshadappearedtocollapseupononeanotherandtosendupthreecolumnsoffire;theskywas litwith flashes inmanyplacesandshowersofcometsappearedatoneandat thesame time;spearsappearedtoflythroughtheairfromthenorthandtofallinthedirectionoftheRomancamps;beesformedtheirhoneycombsaboutthealtarsinthecamps;astatueofVictorywhichstoodintheprovinceofGermanyfacingtheenemy’sterritoryhadbeenturnedaroundsoastofaceItaly;finallytherewasanoccasionwhenfighting broke out around the Legion standards in the Roman camps; the soldiers had thought that thebarbarianshadattackedthem,butthisprovedtobeafalsealarm.

After thebattleand thecelebrations that followed,Arminiusand theGermansseizedalltheRomanfortressesalongtheRhinebutone,thatatAliso on the eastern side of the river. Theywere unable to capture thestrongholdbecausetheydidnotunderstandthecomplexitiesandsciencebehind siege warfare.1 The Romans also employed a large number ofarchers, whose arrows repeatedly checked their enemy’s attacks andinflicted heavy losses upon them. The delay in dealing with this finalpositionwasperhapstheprimaryreasonwhytheGermansneithercrossedtheRhinenorinvadedGaul.

Arminius soon learned the Romans had stationed a garrison at theRhine and that a general named Tiberius was approaching with aformidablearmy.ThatwasenoughtoconvincemostoftheGermantribestowithdrawfromthefort;thedetachmentleftbehindremoveditselftoasafedistancesoasnottosufferlossesfromsuddensortiesofthegarrison.Eventually,theRomanstrappedinsideAlisoescapedtotheRhine,andforatimetheGermansandRomansremainedlockedinastalematewiththebroadRhine separating them.Tiberiushad little inclination tocross intothewildsofGermania,andArminius’warriorshadlittlestomachandnologisticalwherewithaltolaunchasustainedinvasionofGaul.

While Tiberius was protecting Rome from behind the Rhine, thepopularity of Augustus’ great-nephew Germanicus increased. Theemperororderedhisgreat-nephewtoregaintheinitiativeinGermany.In13AD,fouryearsaftertheVaruslegionshadsuccumbedtothebarbarianhordes, Germanicus crossed the Rhine with a strong army and invadedGermany.RetributionforthedefeatoftheVarusLegionsandtheobviousinsulttoRomedrovetheoffensive.

Cautiouslesthisarmysufferasimilardisaster,however,GermanicusdidnotmovetoodeeplybeyondtheRhine.Asaresult,hewasunabletocome togripswith theGermanenemy inanymeaningfulway,and thusdidnot fight andwinanypitchedbattlesor subdueany rebellious tribe.TheRomansremainedeastoftheRhineuntillateautumn,celebratedthe

birthdayofEmperorAugustusbyholdingahorserace supervisedby theCenturions,andquietlyreturnedtotheleftbank.

Thepassivepresenceof theRomanschangedradicallyover thenextfouryearswhenGermanicus launchedaseriesofexpeditions that led todirectconfrontationswithArminiusandhisGermans.AfterthefirstyearofseizinggrounddirectlyacrosstheRhineandupintothecentralaxisoftheLippe,GermanicusconcentratedhisforcesforamarchonthecentralGermanplainsandthetribeswithin.

“Inthenextyear,”wroteTacitus,

…whentheconsulswereDrususandGaiusNorbanus,aTriumphwasdecreedtoGermanicus.Thewar,however,wasnotover.ItsnextstagewasasuddenraidontheChattiinearlyspring.Buthewasplanningalarge-scalesummercampaignagainstthemajorenemy,theCherusci.ItwashopedthattheirallegiancewassplitbetweenArminiusandSegestes.These two leaders stood respectively for treacheryandgoodwill toRome.ArminiuswasGermany’strouble-maker.SegesteshadoftenwarnedPubliusQuinctiliusVarusthatrebellionwasplanned.AtthefeastwhichimmediatelyprecededtherisingSegesteshadadvisedVarustoarrestArminiusandtheotherchiefs,andalsohimself,onthegroundsthattheirremovalwouldimmobilisetheiraccomplicesandVaruscouldthentakehistimeinsortingouttheguiltyfromtheinnocent.However,VaruswasdestinedtofalltoArminius.SegesteshadbeenforcedintowarbytheunanimousfeelingoftheCherusci.ButrelationsbetweenthetwoGermanswerestillbad.Domesticill-feelingcontributedbecauseSegestes’ daughter, engaged to another man, was stolen by Arminius. The girl’s father and husbanddetestedeachother.Themarriagerelationship,whichbringsfriendscloser,increasedthebitternessofthesetwoenemies.

For his offensive against the Chatti, Germanicus transferred fourbrigades(accordingtoTacitus)toAulusCaecinaSeverusaswellas5,000auxiliaries and someGerman emergency troops levied fromwest of theRhine.Germanicuskept the samenumberofRoman troops for his ownuse and twice as many auxiliaries and moved out against the Chatti.Although he left behind a force to construct roads and bridges tomakesurewhenhereturnedduringtherainyseasonhismencouldstillmarch,araredroughtdried the landandmadethe ingressandegressof the landseastoftheRhineeasierthanexpected.

Tacituswroteoftheresultsofthismovement:

Germanicus completely surprised the Chatti. Helpless women, children, and old people were at onceslaughteredor captured.Theyoungermen swamacross theRiverEder and tried toprevent theRomansfrombuildingabridge.But theyweredrivenbackbymissilesandarrows.Anunsuccessfulattemptwasmade by the tribesmen to come to terms. Then therewere some desertions to the Roman side. But themajority evacuated their towns and villages, dispersed and took to the woods. Germanicus burnt theircapital,Mattium,and, ravaging theopencountry, startedback for theRhine.Theenemydidnotdare toharasstherearguard,astheyarefondofdoingwhentheyhaveretreatedforstrategicpurposesratherthanin

panic.

Although theCherusci naturallywished to aid theChatti,Caecina’saggressivemovements kept the enemy separated while hemethodicallydefeated the Marsi. Thereafter, a special commission sought out theRomanstoappealfortheliberationofSegestes,whowasundersiegebyhostile German warriors operating under Arminius. Segestes’ own son,Segimundus,wasamemberofthegroup.KnowingSegesteswasfriendlyto Rome, Germanicus moved quickly and successfully to free Segestesandmanyofhis relatives. “These includedwomenofhigh rank, amongwhomwasSegestes’daughter,thewifeofArminius,”wroteTacitus.“Shewas temperamentally closer toherhusband than toher father.Fromhercameno appeals, no submissive tears; she stood still, herhands claspedinsideherrobe,staringdownatherpregnantbody.Thepartybroughtwiththem trophies from Varus’ disaster, many of them distributed on thatoccasionasloottothosewhowerenowsurrendering.”

TacitusleftthebestaccountofhowSegestesresponded:

AndthentherewasSegesteshimself,ahugefigure,fearlesslyawarehehadbeenagoodally.“Thisisnotthe first day I have been a true friend to Rome,” he is recorded to have said. “Ever since the divineAugustusmademeaRomancitizen,mychoiceoffriendsandenemieshasbeenguidedbyyouradvantage.Mymotivehasnotbeenhatredofmypeople—fortraitorsaredistastefuleventothesidetheyjoin—butthebelief that Roman andGerman interests are the same, and that peace is better thanwar. That is why IdenouncedtoyourformercommanderVarusthemanwhobrokethetreatywithyou—Arminius,therobberofmydaughter!”“ButVarusindolentlyputmeoff.Ilostfaithindueprocessesoflaw,andbeggedhimtoarrestArminius,and his partisans—and myself. May that night confirm my story—I wish I had not survived it! Whatfollowedismatterformourningratherthanexcuses.ButIdidimprisonArminius;andhissupportershaveimprisonedme.Andnow,atmyfirstmeetingwithyou,ItellyouIfavourtheoldnotthenew–peace,nottrouble.Iamnotafterrewards;Iwanttoclearmyselfofdouble-dealing.AndiftheGermanspreferremorsetosuicide,Iamafittingagent.Formyson’syouthfulmisdeedsIaskpardon.Mydaughter, Iadmit,wasbroughtherebyforce.Itisforyoutosaywhichshallcountthemore,thesonsheisbearingtoArminius,orthefactthatIamherfather.”

GermanicuspromisedsafetytoSegestes’childrenandrelations,andahomeinGaulforhimself.ThenGermanicuswithdrewhisforces,allowinghimselftobehailedasvictoronTiberius’initiative.AsonwasborntoArminius’wife;hewasbroughtupatRavenna.

Tacituscontinued:

ThenewsofSegestes’submissionandgoodreceptionpleasedthosewhodidnotwantfighting,anddistressed those who did. Arminius’ violent nature was only enhanced by his wife’s abduction and theprospectofservitudefortheirunbornchild.HemadearapidtouroftheCherusci,demandingwaragainstSegestes andGermanicus. Thesewere some of his savage taunts: “What a fine father!What a glorious

commanderofavaliantarmy,whoseunitedstrengthhaskidnappedonehelplesswoman! I,on theotherhand,haveannihilatedthreedivisionsandtheircommanders.Myfightinghasbeenopen,nottreacherous—and it has been against armed men and not pregnant women. The groves of Germany still display theRomanEaglesandstandardswhichIhungthereinhonourofthegodsofourfathers.

“LetSegestesliveontheconqueredbank,andmakehissonaRomanpriestagain.Withthiswarningbefore themGermany will never tolerate Roman rods, axes, and robes between Rhine and Elbe. Othercountries, unacquainted with Roman rule, have not known its impositions or its punishments.We haveknown them—and got rid of them! Augustus, now deified, and his “chosen” Tiberius have gone awayfrustrated. There is nothing to fear in an inexperienced youth and amutinous army. If you prefer yourcountry,yourparents,andtheoldwaystosettlementundertyrantsabroad,thendonotfollowSegestestoshamefulslavery—followArminiustogloryandfreedom!”

Besides the Cherusci, the tribes around responded to his call. It also won over Arminius’ uncle,Inguiomerus,longrespectedbytheRomans.ThisincreasedGermanicus’alarm.Tocreateadiversionandbreaktheforceoftheexpectedblow,hesentCaecinawithfortyregularbattalionsthroughtheterritoryofthe Bructeri to the river Ems, while cavalry under Pedo Albinovanus crossed the Frisian borderland.Germanicushimselfsailedwithfourbrigadesacross the lakes.When infantry,horse,andfleetaffectedajunctionontheEms,acontingentofauxiliariesofferedbytheChauciwasincorporatedinto thearmy.AflyingcolumnunderLuciusStertinius,sentbyGermanicusagainsttheBructeriwhentheystartedburningtheirpossessions,discoveredtheEagleoftheNineteenthLegionthathadbeenlostwithVarus.ThearmyravagedthecountrysidebetweentheEmsandtheLippe,marchingtotheextremityofBructeranterritory.

In 15 AD during one of the expeditions to defeat Arminius,Germanicus marched his army to Kalkriese to find the site of Varus’defeat.Tacitusagain reflectedon thedemiseof theVarusLegionsoncemore:

NowtheywereneartheTeutoburgianWood,inwhichtheremainsofVarusandhisthreedivisionsweresaid tobe lyingunburied.Germanicus conceivedadesire topayhis last respects to thesemenand theirgeneral.Everysoldierwithhimwasovercomewithpitywhenhethoughtofhisrelationsandfriendsandreflectedonthehazardsofwarandhumanlife.Caecinawassentaheadtoreconnoitrethedarkwoodsandbuildbridgesandcausewaysonthetreacheroussurfaceofthesoddenmarshland.Thenthearmymadeitswayoverthetragicsites.Thesceneliveduptoitshorribleassociations.Varus’extensivefirstcamp,withits broad extent and headquartersmarked out, testified to thewhole army’s labours. Then a half-ruinedbreastworkand shallowditch showedwhere the lastpathetic remnanthadgathered.On theopengroundwerewhitening bones, scatteredwheremenhad fled, heapedupwhere theyhad stood and fought back.Fragmentsofspearsandofhorses’limbslaythere–alsohumanheads,fastenedtotree-trunks.Ingrovesnearby were the outlandish altars at which the Germans hadmassacred the Roman colonels and seniorcompany-commanders.

Survivorsofthecatastrophe,whohadescapedfromthebattleorfromcaptivity,pointedoutwherethegenerals had fallen, and where the Eagles were captured. They showed where Varus received his firstwound,andwherehediedbyhisownunhappyhand.AndtheytoldoftheplatformfromwhichArminiushadspokenandofhisarrogantinsultstotheEaglesandstandards—andofallthegibbetsandpitsfortheprisoners.

So,sixyearsaftertheslaughter,alivingRomanarmyhadcometoburythedeadmen’sbonesofthreewholedivisions.Nooneknewiftheremainshewasburyingbelongedtoastrangeroracomrade.Butintheir bitter distress, and rising fury against the enemy, they looked on them all as friends and blood-brothers.Germanicussharedinthegeneralgrief,andlaidthefirstturfofthefuneral-moundasaheartfelttribute to the dead. Thereby he earned Tiberius’ disapproval. Perhaps this was because the emperor

interpretedevery actionofGermanicusunfavourably.Orhemayhave felt that the sightof theunburieddeadwouldmakethearmytoorespectfulofitsenemiesandreluctanttofight–norshouldacommanderbelongingtotheantiquepriesthoodoftheAugurshavehandledobjectsbelongingtothedead.

BattlefieldFindsinKalkriese

In late 1994, Professor Schlüter’s field team, joined now by anarchaeologistnewtothegroup,Dr.JoachimHarnecker,slicedthroughasectionofthemainbattlefieldontheeasternsideofthemainsite.There,theyuncoveredahugemassofbones,bothhumanandanimal.Theywerenotjustanaccumulationofbonesenmassefrommenwhohaddiedwheretheyhad fallen.Rather, theseboneshadbeencarefullyplaced intoapitfromtheside,turfsgentlylaidoverthem,andthentheremainsofhorseslaidoverthat.Thewholewasthenfurthercoveredover.Itwastheleadingedge of amassive burial site. Since that first cut through the grave, theremainsofmanyRomansoldiershavebeenremovedfromthegroundandsealedinmoldsofplasterofParis,thereaftertobecarefullyexaminedbyProfessorSchlüter’steamofexperts.

IhadlonglookeduponthissectionoftheVarusfieldasapotentiallyproductive archaeological area. Once the ambush walls had beenidentified and their established line around the hill verified, I advocatedthatthemainGermanattackwaslaunchedontheleadingeasternedgeofthe point of ambush, where the large force of incoming Romans wascompressed into the narrowdefile of theEngpass. If true, thiswas alsowherethemajorityofRomanlosseswouldhavebeensuffered,thebodieslefttorotbyArminius.SixyearslaterGermanicushadmarchedtothesiteanddiscoveredamassiveunburiedgraveyard.Hewouldnothave takenthetroubletomovetheskeletalremainsanygreatdistance,andsowouldhave established the burial site on the field of battle—near the ambushwall and reportedly the site where the Eagles of the Eighteenth andNineteenthlegionshadbeenfinallylosttoArminius.

I was promptly informed of the discovery of human remains andrecallvisitingtheInformationCenteratKalkriese,whichhasgrownfrombeing a small tourist enclave to a major archaeological institute. Theoriginal farmhouse and outbuildings had been taken over by civilauthorities of the Landschaftsverband and the Denkmalpflege andconverted into offices and research and restoration laboratories. Behindthe InformationCenterwas a small room that held a profusion of largewhitemoulds,eachholdingtheremainsofmanywhohadfalleninthe9ADbattle. I stillvividly remembergoing into the room the first time. Itwas an emotional moment, for no reason I now care to mention. Butenteringtheroomwasnothingcomparedtovisitingtheopengraveitself.SusanneWilbers-Rost showedme themouldsandwediscussed them in

detail before walking to the excavations taking place on the site of thegrave.Thepitswerecoveredbyaseriesof largewaterproofcanopies toprotectthedigsiteanditspreciouscontents.

Istoodoff toonesideofthewidetrenchandabsorbedtheenormityand incredible importance of the find site. Iwalked up to the knoll andlooked down upon the ambush site—from which place Arminiuscommandedhis forces andwherehehadhisprisoners tortured after thebattle.Itwasnomorethantwohundredyardsawayfromtheburialpits.Ionce again visited Felsenfeld andwalked over the site of the last battlecamperectedbyVarus’command.Ifelttheirpresence,heardtheirshoutsandcries,thebedlamofbattle,thescreamsofdesperateandwoundedanddyingmen;anoverpoweringsenseofsadnesswashedoverme.AlthoughI knew my quest for the lost Varus Legions would continue for manymoreyearstocome—duringwhichIintendedtoseekoutthetruthbehindthewritingsofTacitusandCassiusDioandseek theotherplaceswhereArminius and theRomans had confronted each other—here and now atKalkrieseIfelt,forreasonsinexplicable,thatIhadfinallycomehome.

The pure archaeologicalwork atKalkriese progressed in a series ofleaps and bounds as the archaeologists sought to answer themyriad ofquestions still surrounding the site and the bloody battle that had beenfoughtthere.Beginningin1995,residentarchaeologistsSuzanneWilbers-RustandJoachimHarneckerworkedtoexpandtheirunderstandingofthecoreareasof the field.Suzanne’sexpertiseas theexpert responsible forthecentralfieldscoveredtheambushpositions,andJoachimHarnecker’sinterestsconcentratedmoreonthearchaeologicalexplorationsofthelandsandgroundfeaturestothewestandeast.Inparticularhisworkfocusedontheeasternside,thedirectionfromwhichtheLegionshadadvancedfromFelsenfeld,Varus’lastBattleLager,andthenonintothenarrowinggapoftheKalkriesePass.

Explorations of the eastern approaches and a number of the highbankedcontourlinesoftheBerglandslyingjustonthewesternsideofthesmall town ofVenne indicatedmarked evidence of activity on the rise,where Joachim’s exploratory digs had produced several finds, some ofgoldandasmallnumberofbronze.Itwasasifasmallpartyofobservershadstayed there,possibly tooversee theLegions’ lineofmarchas theyforgedtheirwaytowardthewestaroundtheBerglandfeature.

A shortdistanceaway,but closer toVenne, explorationswithmetal

detectorsproducedarelativelylargequantityofcoppercoins,butonlyonone side of the valley floor. The coins may mark the site of a forcedcrossingofthestreamandboggyarea,whereahastywoodenfootwayhadbeenerectedforthelegionariestoclamberuptheotherside.Hadsomeofthem dropped some of their coinswhile negotiating the slippery slope?Themenwho lost thesecoinswerestill fleeingfor theirvery livesafterthree days of deprivation and battle, running westward toward saferterritoryand friendly forces, away from thehorrorofVarus’ lastLager,whereVarusandsomanyoftheirofficershadcommittedsuicide.ThelostcoinageatthissmallcrossingpointhelpedenhancethepictureofflightbythousandsofsorelypressedanddemoralizedRomansoldierswho,thoughtheycouldnothaveknownit,werefleeingtotheirultimatedemiseattheKalkrieseGap.

Theworkprogressedinareasinandaroundthecentralfield,andeachyearproducedstillmorefascinatingrevelations.Myownintereststurnedtoothermatters.Afterhavingfoundthistragicplace—inactualityagiantcemetery—mycuriositygot thebetterofme.IwasmorethanwillingtoleavethedifficultarchaeologicalworktoothersmorequalifiedthanIandset out again onmy own to seek out the other parts of this saga of theRomanincursionsintonorthernGermany.OfparticularinteresttomewasthelifeandtimesofArminius,orHermanntheCherusker,asheisbetterknown.ImaintainedadeepinterestwithdevelopmentsinKalkrieseandaverycloserelationshipwiththeadministrationandarchaeological teams,butIcouldnotshakeloosemydesiretoexplorefieldsyetunfound.

It was time to take stock of all that had transpired during theprecedingyears:myfirstdiscoveriesofcoinsin1987hadbeenfollowedby two important years of work that created the base plate for thearchaeologicaldigsthattranspiredundertheexpertguidanceofProfessorSchlüter in late1989.Thehandfulofyears that followedwereabluroftravel:fromtheRiversLippeandRhine,outtotheWeser,andbackdownto the Roman Lagers on the Lippe—those uncovered and those stillwaiting to be found, includingAliso, the last bastion ofRoman activityafter theVarus Battle before it too finally fell.When I arrived back inGermany from my short tour of duty in England in 1993, initially toBerlinuntil1994,thendowntoDüsseldorfuntil1996,IfoundIstillhadagreat desire to go out once again and look for all those other places ofRomanantiquitythathadbeenlostinthemistsoftime.

During this time I established many valuable contacts with otherhistorians and budding archaeologists and adventurers like myself. I

became involved with a number of research projects, most arrangedduring spare time work supporting other archaeological institutes andmuseums throughout northern Germany. Two people became guidinglightsinthesenewforaysofmine.OnewasabusinessmanfromBerlinbythenameofWolfgangPrauss,whosekeyinterestssupportedmyownfascinationwith the lost siteof theAlisoBattleLageron theLippe; theother was Willy Drädger, an important member of the ArchaeologicalInstitute in Hannover whose main interest was Roman history andassociatedGermansites.BythetimethecenturyturnedIwasinvolvedinanynumberof trulyexcitingsearchesandinvestigations,someofwhichare stillbeingconducted: from theRhineand theauthorities responsiblefor the rebuilt Roman Town of Xanten, to the River Lippe and theMuseum at Haltern and Dr. Kuhlborn at the Institute in Münster, toHannoverandDr.GebersandDr.CosackoftheArchaeologicalInstitutethere.Theywereandstillremainhalcyondays.Eachyearproducesmorepiecesintothejigsawpuzzleofthosetimeslongforgotten.

ThelostlagerofAliso,wherethelastremnantsoftheRomanforcesinGermaniagatheredupaftertheVarusBattlebeforemakingtheirescapeto the Rhine and safety, is a source of constant argument and debatewithin the German archaeological community. My own investigations,backbythesupportoftheRhineInstitute,haveledmetobelievethesiteisclose to the townofDrevenackborderingon thenowdry riverbedoftheLippeinthatarea.Bothaerialandgroundsurveymapslendcredencetomy theory.My findsofRomandenariuson the30-yardelevationsoftheoldLipperiverbanksinthatareaalsolendweighttotheexistenceofaRomanareaofactivity there,eitheraportorcampnotdissimilar to thatfound at Haltern, or the camp of Aliso itself. And so the searchcontinues…

ThesearchcontinuesforthelinesofmarchduringtheGermanWarstakenbytheRomanlegionsacrosstheplainsfromtheRiversEmstotheWeser. It was there battle after pitched battle took place betweenArminiusandGermanicus.Thosesame linesofmarchalsosawCaecinatakehislegionunderGermanicustovisitthelastsitesoftheVarusBattleas described by Tacitus in his Historical Annals. The search is stillongoing to discoverwhereGermanicus forged his new army across thebroadexpanseofthenorthGermanplainfromtheRiverEmsthroughtothesubmergedwoodenroadsandmoorcrossingstothesiteofhismarchlager and camp, now affectionately known as “Caecina’s Lager.” It ispossible this site is near present-dayDiepholz.Caecina’s route down to

Felsenfeld and into the same morass and Bergland around theKalkrieseberg and into the Kalkriese Gap, where the remnants of theVarusLegionshadtraipsedandmettheirendsomesixyearsbefore,alsoawaitsdiscovery.

With the support of Willy Drädger and his team of associates andarchaeological experts, my discoveries at Diepholz have now firmlyestablishedthatthesitewasverymuchanareaofRomanactivity,thoughmore investigations are necessary to uncover all of its silent secrets ofdayslongpast.

Thefascinationof thesilverbarsand thesuggestedsiteofaRomanporton theRiverWeser, northofVarus’ summercampatMinden, stillbeckons. So does the site of the silver treasure at the Galgenberg nearHildesheim,whichwaslikelypartoftheplunderArminiusgatheredfromtheVarusbattle; thesecretofwhere the restof the treasure residesdiedwithArminiuswhenhewastakendownbymembersofhisownfamilyin21AD.Willy,histeam,andIhavealreadymadeaserioussurveyofthearea.WeareconfidentthatmoreoftheselargechestsofbootyareburieddeepinandaroundtheGalgenbergwoods—especiallysinceseverallargeRomankeyshavebeenunearthedontheVarus/Kalkriesebattlefield.Onlytimewilltell.Ourfirstholeinthegroundhasbeendug,butthesignalsarestill too deep—even after digging down three yards. At this time, theground and the area does not allow us to introduce deeper excavatingmachinery.Newdigplansareunderway.

Kalkriese:TheWorkContinues

Similarly fascinating work continues in Kalkriese. Suzanne’s andJoachim’s archaeologicalwork goes on;my friend, ProfessorWolfgangSchlüter, has now finally retired after years of dedicated work on theproject,andnowspendsmuchofhistimeasagrandfather.In1995,moreof the rampart ambush wall, complete with drainage ditch and twoadditionalburialpits,werediscovered.Thelatterheldonlyafewhumanbones and some fine artifacts, including a Roman spear shaft(Lanzenschuh). In other pits were several fascinating finds: two smallbronzedolphinsandasnafflebow (Trensenbügel), severalanimalbones(possiblymules),andahumanlowerjawsatbelowaplumeholder.

The year 1996 broughtmore revelations.Only a handful of Romanartifactswere recovered,and thenSuzanneextended theareaaround thefirstexcavationsanddiscoveredyetanotherpit, thisoneslightlysmaller

than the others. More single bones were found here, including animalbones,andmosttellingofall,asinglehumanskull.....

AcompleteoverviewoftheKalkrieseProjectsitewasundertakenin1997. Its purposewas to set the goals of future excavations and ensurethatthethousandsofartifactswerebeingproperlystoredandanalyzed.Itwas also important to ascertain what those finds meant in terms ofinterpretingtheentirebattlefield.Preparationswerenowunderwayfortheconstruction of the new battlefield museum and tower. Clearing theimmediate area of the foundations for those structures consumedconsiderable time and labor. The following year (1998) producedmoresingleRoman finds,butnone from theactualbattle site itself.With thisshortfall in finds, additional exploratory digs were made in the centralareas of the battlefield, where the wall and line of the ramparts werefurtherestablishedtotheeastofthemainambushposition.MoreRomanfindswererecoveredonthenorthern(Roman)sideofthewall.

The chief prospector, Klaus Fehrs, had also been busy. During hisforays into the surrounding areas (including the central sites), he hadrecovered a number of exciting artifacts. Among them was a helmetpintle, silver mountings for a gladius sword scabbard, and part of acingulum.Later,healsouneartheda“Skyphos”receptaclehandle,alsoinsilver,andanAureus,abrilliantraregoldcoin.

Timecontinuedtoslippast.By1999,workhadprogressedeastwardinto the construction area of the museum and tower buildings. A fewRoman weapons and many pieces of militaria were recovered. Thesesuggested the fight had started in that vicinity, but no further rampartswereuncoveredthere.Attheeasternendoftheambushwalls,about100yards from the museum site, the unearthed line of curved rampartsstraightenedsuddenlyasitranintothewesternreachesofthebattlefield.A ditch was found at the front of parts of this wall, the result of theremoval of the earth to erect the earthen barrier. Otherwonderful findswere made in this area, including an ornate buckle and clasp and afascinatingrevelationthatliterallypeeredoutoftheexcavationsasitwasuncovered: a glass eye. Additional digging revealed bronze Romaninstruments,asickle,awoodenshaft(Deichsel),andthebowframeofahelmet.

These investigationsmade the realhistoryof theVarusBattle comealive once more. In the last section of the ambush wall area wasdiscoveredyet anotherpit, the fifthof its type.Apart fromanumberofanimalbones,twohumanskullswerefound,oneofwhichhadsuffereda

cleavingfracturecausedbyaswordblade.Thefindimmediatelybroughtto mind what Tacitus had written: “Then a half-ruined breastwork andshallow ditch showedwhere the last pathetic remnant had gathered.Onthe open ground were whitening bones, scattered where men had fled,heapedupwheretheyhadstoodandfoughtback.Fragmentsofspearsandofhorses’limbslaythere—alsohumanheads…”

Prospecting on the western side of the main killing field, theOberesch, resulted in yet more wondrous finds. These included severalbronze plate fragments, two bells, parts and pieces of swords, a horse’sharness, and the superb (and amazing) find of a small personal bronzewine sieve, tuckedaway in apocketof limestoneunder thewall.Thesefinds, the result of Fisher metal detectors and digs, prompted yet moreexcavations of thewall—particularly along thewestern edge,where thesmallbutdeeplyrunningBeckwaterwayhadactedasanaturalbackstopto the end of the ramparts. As the ramparts were uncovered it becameobviousthatthispartofthewallhadnotonlybeencoveredingrassturf,butalsolimestoneontheouter(forward)side.Alongthewallwerefoundmanysmallbronzeplatefragmentsaswellasanaxe,a tentpeg,andanornate bronzeweight.On the reverse of the rampart, the skeleton of analmostcompletemulewithanironsnaffleorbitwasunearthed.ItlookedasthoughtheanimalhadsufferedablowonthebackoftheneckafterithadjumpedoverthewallfromtheRomanside.Furtherexcavationsinthearea revealed the ramparthadbeendamagedby the removalof someofthelimestone,andmoreRomanbronzeartifactswerefound,includingyetanotherglasseye!

As the year turned into 2001, the investigations of the line of thewalledrampartrequiredadditionalcutsbackintothewoodsonthebrowof thehill,whereArminiushadcommandedhis tribesmen to suchawe-inspiring effect. Regrettably, over the years following the battle thematerialofthewallhadslowlyslippedaway,andsoinvestigationsofthewinesieveandtheearthinwhichithadlainwereinconclusive.However,more single Roman finds, including yet a third glass eye, were found.Afterthelividpicturesthefindsalongtheareaattheendofthewallhadconjuredup—“wherethelastremnantsoftheLegionhadgathereduptofight to the last man,” Tacitus reminded us—the remains of two entireRomanmuleswere discovered. Following the diagonal line of thewallalso proved rewarding. Roman artifacts found here included wellpreservedcheekflapsandthestrapsofaRomanhelmet.

The excavations continued to excite all concerned and unearth one

revelationafteranother.In2002and2003,thedigswereenlargedtoseekthe ever extending limits of the rampart wall to the eastern side of thefield.Furtherworkwasbeingdoneinthecenterofthewallnearthespotwherethealtarandburialpitofboneshadbeendiscoveredallthoseyearsagoin1994.

Thenewmuseum,tower,andbattlefieldparkopenedinMarch2002.PresidedoverbyLowerSaxony’sMinisterPresident,SigmarGabriel,theopening ceremonies were attended by more than 1,000 dignitaries andinvited guests, including everyone who had been, or continued to be,involvedinthesitesinceitsdiscovery.Inlessthanthreeyears,morethan250,000 people have travelled from all over the world to see the placewhere Varus’ legionsmet their end. And they still come in ever-largernumbers—evenduringthewintermonths.

Myown investigationscontinuedapace.Thequestions raisedby theDiepholz “Caecina’s Lager” project have prompted me to look at thewholeapproachlineintotheareafromtheeast,Felsenfeld,andthevillageofSchwagstorf itself. I surmised thatGermanicus’ legionunderCaecinacamped in theareaas it settled in to recoverandbury theskeletonsandremainsofVarus’legionsin15AD.Ihadalwayscarefullysearchedusingvarious grids and paid special attention to semi-walled oblong featuresthatmayhavebeen suchhasty encampments.AfterKlaus’ discoveryofcopper coins near the stream at Venne on the western side of thewaterway, I concentrated my own surveys farther east. One particularrectangle,partiallyraisedandbankedontwosides,caughtmyattention.ItwasanaturalboundfromKlaus’findstoorfromthatsite,soIhadmadeaseriesofgridsurveysofmyown.Mysearchuncoveredabronzeanimalfigure, the top half shank of a wild boar with a small (missing) loopstanchiononthebottombevel.Itwaslateridentifiedbyexpertsasthetopmounting figurine set on top of the bone handle of aRoman dagger orhuntingknife.ClosebywasabeautifuldenariusofAugustusCaesar,withCaiusandLuciusCaesaronthereverse.Investigationshaveyettoprovethe site as that of a camp, but the finds prove Roman activity, and areconsistentwithotherfindscomingtolightthroughouttheKalkriesearea.

FromTacitus:

IfindfromthewritingsofcontemporarySenatorsthataletterwasreadintheSenatefromaChieftainoftheChatti namedAdgandestrius, offering tokillArminius if poisonwere senthim for the job.The reported

answerwas thatRomans takevengeanceon theirenemies,notbyunderhandtricks,butbyopenforceofarms.BythiselevatedsentimentTiberiusinvitedcomparisonwithgeneralsofoldwhohadforbidden,anddisclosed, theplan topoisonKingPyrrhus.However, theRomanevacuationofGermanyand the fall ofMarobodushadinducedArminiustoaimatKingship.Buthisfreedomlovingcompatriotsforciblyresisted.Thefortunesofthefightfluctuated,butfinallyArminiussuccumbedtotreacheryfromhisrelations.

Hewasunmistakably the liberatorofGermany,ChallengerofRome–not in its infancy, likekingsandcommandersbeforehim,butattheheightofitspower–hehadfoughtundecidedbattles,andneverlostawar.He had ruled for twelve of his thirty seven years. To this day the tribes sing of him.YetGreekhistoriansignorehim,reservingtheiradmirationforGreece.

WeRomans,too,underestimatehim,sinceinourdevotiontoantiquityweneglectmodernhistory.

Nearly2,000yearsafterthedeathofArminius,MajorGeneralJ.F.C.Fuller included the Teutoburg Battle in his influential book DecisiveBattles of theWesternWorld. There, the general attempted to calculatethe incalculable: “Had Germany been for four centuries thoroughlyRomanised, one culture, not two would have dominated the westernworld. There would have been no Franco-German problem, noCharlemagne,noLouisXIV,noNapoleon,noKaiserWilhelmII,andnoHitler…”

Kalkriese has much to offer those who possess the interest andimaginationtoseeandfeeltheheritageofyearslonggoneby.Today,youcanwalktheroutes,visitthesites,andfeeltheatmosphereofthespecialplaces I have come to know so well. For those who wish to trulyexperience the final hours of the Varusschlacht as Arminius may wellhaveseenit,IsuggestawalkintothewoodsuptheknollatKalkriesetothe apex of the hill. The chilling site is just 300 yards from the newInformationCenterandsome75yardsfromthemainroad.

Onceyousetfootontherightspot,youwillbeabletoseethroughthetreesacrosstheambushtowardthenortheasterncornerofthefield.ThisisthesameviewArminiushad.Fromthispointhecouldseebothhismeninhiding and beyond the ambush walls, where the Romans unwittinglyapproached from the east; he could see the ground directly to the northand through cuts in the trees see out and down to the northwest to thekilling fields beyond. This is whereArminius stoodwhen he destroyedthousandsofRoman soldiers in a singlemorning—andwherehewouldhave celebrated his victory afterward. This is the very place where helikelyimprisonedandtorturedtheRomansunluckyenoughtohavebeencapturedalive.

And if you stand and listen carefully on this spot you will hear…nothing.Kalkrieseisaverypeacefulandsomberplace,atestamentto,anda graveyard for, the thousands of Romans who perished and the twoEaglesthatwerecapturedattheVarusschlachtof9AD.AnditiswhereIstill seek the goldenEagle of the SeventeenthLegion inmy continuingquestforthelostlegionsofVarus.

Postscript

AMajorintheBackground:TheFollowingYears

I took up the appointment of Director of the Museum and ParkKalkriese inNovember, 2000.My firstmeetingwithMajorClunn tookplaceinthefirstdaysofthatmonth.Ihadnaturallyheardalotabouthimbefore our meeting. He was the man who discovered the Romanbattlefield at Kalkriese, the unique site of the Varusschlacht (VarusBattle), andmuch had beenwritten about him concerning his discoveryand subsequentwork that comprises the project at the battlefield. I alsoknewMajorClunn’searlyfindsofRomancoins,andlaterleadslingshotin the battlefield area,were not the onlyworkwithwhich he had beeninvolved since he began working with the Osnabrück Archaeologicalauthorities under the management of Prof Dr Schluter, beginning nowsome17yearsagoin1987.

Throughout the ensuing years, Major Clunn has strongly supportedthevariousactivities linkedto thearchaeologicalwork inKalkriese,andhasbeenanavidsupporterinsomanywaysinpromotingthesitetoandfor the benefit of theGerman public.He followed the official travelingdisplays of selected artifacts across the length and breadth ofGermany,fromBerlin toHamburg and toHannover, andmany other large cities,including the site of Hermann’s statue at Detmold. His presence lentsupport to Prof Schluter and the project. Major Clunn also committedhimself to a series of his own extensive presentations and lectures,journeyingasfarawayasVienna,Austria.Allofhiseffortshaveresultedin his completion of this now famous book “Auf der Suche nach der

VerlorenenLegionen”(originallytranscribedfromtheEnglishversionas“In Quest of the Lost Legions”). For his work in both Anglo-Germanrelations,andthedirectsupporthegaveandcontinuedtogivetoProjectKalkriese,hewashonoredbyHerMajesty,QueenElizabethII,with theawardoftheMBEin1996.Thefollowingyear,hereceivedtheOrderofMeritfromtheLandkreisOsnabrück,andin1998waspresentedwiththeGerman Medal of Honor from Landrat Hugo, President of theLandschaftsverbandforOsnabrückerLandCounty.

Onecanunderstandmycuriositywasmore thanarousedatmeetinghiminperson,as I reallydidnotknowwhat toexpect. Iwaspleasantlysurprisedandabsolutelydelighted.FromtheoutsetitwasreadilyapparentthatMajorClunnsharedmyownenthusiasmandpositiveoutlookonthehistorical values and archaeological realizations that had transformedKalkrieseintooneofthemostimportantsitesrelatingtoGermannationalbeginnings and origins.His enthusiasm inwishing to assist in anywaythat might continue to promote this incredible archaeological site wasextremelyinfectious.

What Ididnot realise at the timewas thatnotonlywasheactivelyseekingtosupportandwidenthepublicinterestinKalkriesethroughhisown personal lectures and efforts elsewhere in Germany, but was alsomaking serious efforts to widen the scope and promotion of thoseaspirationsthroughboththefuturedistributionofhisbookandthetouristpossibilities yet to be sourced in other countries, both near and far. Inaddition to Germany, his expertise has been utilized and featured indocumentary films, TV programs, and magazine articles in Holland,Sweden,France,Denmark,Austria,Australia,andCanada,tonamebutafew,andnow,mostimportantly,intheUnitedStates.

Fromourfirstdiscussionsin2000until thepresent,Ihavegrowntoappreciate Major Clunn’s unswerving efforts to promote Kalkriese. Hedoessonotforhisownbenefitnecessarily,forhedoesnotactivelyseekself-aggrandizementforhisownpurposes.Indeed,onmanyoccasionshehas tobeencouraged tomakepublicappearances thatmight focusuponhisownpersonalefforts.Hisparticipationisforthegoodofthecommoncause. His ideas for marketing, promotion, and tourism remain at aconstantpitch,anditistruetosaythathisownpersonaleffortsinlinkingpromotionswiththeAmericanpublicarenowcomingtofruition.

Ihave followed theseactivitieswithavid interest, forhehasclearlyoutlinedthepotentialforatouristlinkage,atriangularconceptofinterestbetweenKalkriese(thesiteofthebattle),Detmold(thesiteofHermann’s

statue), and the small town of New Ulm in Minnesota, USA. UnderPresidentialdecreeafewyearsago,thissmalltownwasdeclaredthenewcenter for German-American cultural affairs, having in the heart of thetown’spopulationapassionatedesiretomaintainlinkswiththeirGermanforefathers,whoin1897alsohadadesiretomarktheirGermanheritagewith the erection of a large bronze statue of their own of Herman theCherusker, thewarriorchieftainwhodefeatedtheVarusRomanLegionsall those years ago in 9 AD. Unbeknownst to many, some 35% of theAmericanpopulationisofGermandescent,thehighestproportionofanysectionoftheAmericancommunity.Thestatueitselfhasbeenrefurbishedandwasre-erectedinOctober2004.AsmallcontainerofearthtakenfromthebattlefieldatKalkriesewasplacedinthebaseofthestatue.

ImightaddthatthatwhatIhavedescribedhereisjustasmallpartofMajor Clunn’s activities surrounding the Roman-German historical andarchaeological aspects of his interests. In the years following thepublicationof the first editionofhisbook,hemaintainedadrive (somemightdescribe it asobsessive) to answermanyof the leadingquestionsthathavebeenthrownupsurroundingtheeventsoftheRomanoccupationof Germany, particularly during the period of the Varus Battle. Hisinterests and activities have encompassed work and general support toMuseuminstitutions inMunster,Rhineland, includingthearchaeologicalauthorities inXanten,wherehe still continues to search for thepossiblelocation of the missing Roman Lager of Aliso, possibly on the RiverLippe. Notwithstanding his permanent interest in establishing the battlelinesof theVarusLegions leading to thebattlefieldatKalkriese, for thelast few yearsMajor Clunn has beenmaking successful forays into thepursuitofotherRomanareasofactivitywith theMuseumandDenkmalauthorities in Hannover, linked with the archaeologists there under theresident archaeologist Dr. Gebers and his great friend, historian, andproject researcher, Willy Drager. In conjunction with the authorities inHannover, his efforts to establish the possible movement sites of theRomanLegionsunderGermanicusduring theyears following theVarusBattlehaveproducedfreshevidenceintheDiepholzarea,somedistancenorth of Kalkriese. Indeed, evidence there suggests the GermanicusLegions might well have lagered there on their way toward one of themany engagements they had with the German tribes under Hermannduring that time. His additional discoveries of Roman silver coinageclosely matching the coinage found in Kalkriese suggest the site hashistoricalrelevancetotheVarusperiod.

Since the opening of the “new” Museum and Park at Kalkriese inMarch 2002 under my Directorship, we have had many high rankingdignitariesandcelebritiesvisitthebattlefield.AllofthemhavemetMajorClunnandhaveexpressedtheirenthusiasmandsupportforwhatweseektoachievehereinKalkriese.

I, too, greatly enjoy and value his friendship, enthusiasm, anddevotiontotheKalkrieseProject.Mostofall,Iappreciatehissupportandpositive commitment to making Kalkriese a shining light in terms ofGermanhistoricalandculturalaffairs,andtherecognitionhehasgarneredof the archaeological importance of Kalkriese on the international andworldstage.

HerrnChristianJaletzkeDirector,MuseumandParkKalkriese

TheHermanntheCherusker(Arminius)MonumentinNewUlm,Minnesota.PhotocourtesyofRickApitz

Afterword

TheVarusBattleanditsImpactonAmerica

The discovery of the historic battle site at Kalkriese by BritishamateurarcheologistMajorTonyClunn,MBE(whowasmadeaMemberoftheOrderoftheBritishEmpirebyQueenElizabethIIforhisefforts1),wasnothinglessthansensational.Unearthingaworld-changingbattlesitewhere Hermann (Arminius) defeated three Roman Legions in 9 ADrefocused attentiononGermannational origins.Twomillennia after theKalkriese battle, the name and legend of Hermann the Cheruscan hasgainednewrecognitionasasymboloftheGermanpeoples’culturalunity.

The legend-turned-symbol was transferred to the new world byimmigrants.WithinacenturyaftertheerectionofaHermannMonumentinNewUlm,Minnesota,thememorialwasplacedonthenationalregisterofhistoricalplacesintheUnitedStates.The106thCongressoftheUnitedStates broadened the impact by designating the HermannMonument atNewUlmtobeanofficialsymbolofallcitizensofGermanheritage.Howdidthishappen?

TheSonsofHermann

Since 1806, when Napoleon declared the collapse of the GermanEmpire in Central Europe, German folk have been immigrating toAmerica in waves. The American frontier west of the AllegheniesbeckonedfarmersandGerman idealists toa lifeof freedomunknownintheirhomeland.Unfortunately,manyexperiencedfirsthandtheresentmentthatlocalpeoplefelttowardnewimmigrants.

ActsofviolenceagainsttheseGermanimmigrantsleddirectlytothefoundingofaGermannationalsociety.In1840,GeorgeHeinerfromNewYorkCitysuggestedstartinganorganizationtocultivateunderstandingofhis people. The name “Hermann” was chosen as a symbol of Germanculture because it gave the new society identity and unity.On June 21,1840, the first chapter of the Sons ofHermannwas constituted inNewYork.

By1848,theMarchRevolutionsinCentralEurope,ledbypatriotsinsearch of constitutional democratic government, caused the AmericanSons of Hermann to celebrate with special nationalistic flair. TheAmerican society becameknown as theOrder of theSons ofHermann,and its ranks grew rapidly. By its 21st national convention in 1897,representativesofthe500chaptersoftheOrderwereabletogatherwestof theMississippiRiver intheprairie townofNewUlm,Minnesota,forthededicationofaHermannMonument.

TheMemorial

AHermannmemorial onAmerican soilwas thedreamof artist andarchitect Julius Berndt (1832-1916). Berndt was uniquely qualified tocreateasmallerversionofthememorialerectednDetmold,Germany.Anemigrant fromSilesia at age 20,Berndt brought artistic skills and ideasfromhishomelandtotheNewWorld.

AsayoungmaninChicago,hewaselectedsecretaryoftheChicagoLandAssociation,apartnershipofrecentGermanimmigrantswhodesiredtohomesteadonthefrontier.In1854,theLandAssociationselectedlandalongtheMinnesotaRiver,thirteenmilesfromhuntinggroundsreservedfor the Dakota Indians. Two years later, the Chicago Land Associationunited with a colonization association of the Turner Society of NorthAmerican to give the settlement financial stability. The original half-dozenframehomesmultipliedrapidly intoa respectablevillage.But theoutbreakof theDakotaConflict during thenation’sCivilWarupset thepeaceandfriendshipbetweensettlersandtheDakota(Sioux)nation.Twoattacks on New Ulm in August of 1862 destroyed the homes, butdefenderssavedthetown.

The town was rebuilt, and the talents of Julius Berndt—architect,building inspector forBrownCounty, andentrepreneur—wereagainputtoproductiveuse.In1882,BerndtbecamethefirstpresidentoftheNewUlmchapteroftheOrderoftheSonsofHermann.Hehadalreadydrawnup plans for aHermannmonument to be set on a scenic vantage pointoverlookingthecity.

HermannontheAmericanPrairie

Berndtfirstbroachedtheprospectofamemorialin1881atanationalconvention of the Sons of Hermann in Chicago. Four years later, heplaced specific plans before the national convention. The New Ulmproposal was adopted. At the next convention, the national secretaryannounced:“EveryGermanshouldbeproudtoerectsuchamemorial.Butuntilnow,unfortunately,only$10.50hasbeencollectedforthispurpose.”The estimated cost to erect the monument was $20,000.00. Despite aseeming lack of enthusiasm for amonument on the prairie, Berndtwascommissionedin1887tosecurematerialsforitandoverseeconstruction.

TheNewUlmchapterof theSonsofHermannpurchased twoacreswestofthecity.Anappealforfundswentoutwithinthenationalorder.Acontract to fashion theHermann statue fromBerndt’s blueprintswas letwith the W. H. Mullins Company of Salem, Ohio. The companyspecializedinclassicalstatuaryandanimalfigures,butalsolistedamongitscredits thecopper roofingof theLibraryofCongress inWashington,D.C.ResponsibilityforthestatuewasassignedtoGerman-bornsculptor,Alphonso Pelzer. He advertised as part of the Pelzer Brothers’ sculptorstudio “forworksof art inwood, stone, andmetal,monuments, figures,and ornaments.”His primary claim to famewas the creation of severalstatuesofPresidentAbrahamLincoln.

Hermannprovedtobeaspecialchallenge.Twenty-tonsofclaywereusedtomakethemodel.Itmeasuredalmost33feetfromswordtiptotoeand weighed more than 4,000 pounds. On completion, Hermann wasprobably the largest and most striking figure of its kind made in theUnited States, second only in size and similar craftsmanship to themagnificentStatueofLibertyinNewYorkharbor.

Dedication rites for the Hermann Monument were set for the lastSaturday in September, 1897. Following an address by the nationalpresidentoftheSonsofHermann,andthetransferofofficialdocumentsbythebuildingcommittee, thestatuewasunveiled.Hermann’shomeontheprairiewassecured.

ANationalSymbol

The fortuneof theHermannMonumentchangedquickly in the20thcentury.TheOrderoftheSonsofHermanndeclinedrapidlyasaresultofWorld War I. When the local chapter disbanded after the war, theHermannmemorialenteredthepublicdomain.ThecityofNewUlmwasgivenchargeof themonumentand thepark. In1973, thememorialwasplaced in theNationalRegisterofHistoricplaces.Asa follow-up to the100th anniversary of the completed monument in 1997, the Hermannmemorial received a special honor: The 106th Congress of the UnitedStatesdesignated theHermannMonumentatNewUlm tobeanofficialsymbolofallcitizensofGermanheritage.

ArnoldJ.KoelpinJanuary2005

KeywordGlossary

Aquilifer:BearerofalegionEagleandstandard.SeniorSignifer.Auxiliaries (Auxilia): From the third century BC, Rome had

increasingly recruited cavalry and light infantry (or men for specialistroles). Augustus established a permanent auxiliary army that probablynumberedmore than100,000 (cf. 150,000 regulars= legionaries).Unitswerenamedaftertheplacetheywereformed.AuxiliarieswerenotRomancitizens, but were commanded by citizens, sometimes of native origin.ManyauxiliarieswererecruitedfromwithinlandstheRomanshadtakenover establishing their empire. Because of the weakness of the Romancavalry (citizens), auxiliaries supplied three times the number ofhorsemen.

Centurion: In modern idiom, this was the rank equivalent to acompany commander, although the number of men under command ofanyofthesixty-oddcenturionsinalegionvariedbetweeneightyandonethousandmen,dependingonhisstatusandauthority.

Cimber(or“furorTeutonicus”):UsedbytheRomanstodescribetheferociousGermantribesmen.

Consuls:Thehighest officials of the state andSenate.TheEmperorusually took pains to show outward deference to the consulate. Tenurewas normally annual, but as time passed replacements became morefrequent, so as to spread the honormorewidely. Except for Egypt, thegovernorships of the most important provinces were reserved for ex-consuls.

Cornicen:Amilitarytrumpeter,orhornblower.Galley:Awarshippropelledbyoars.Gaul:Modern-dayFrance.

Governors: There were two primary types of governors: A Pro-Consul, who governed “senatorial” provinces, elected by the Senatewithout imperial intervention;and theLegatus (imperialgovernor)ofanimperial province, who was the Emperor’s direct subordinate andcommanderofanarmy.

Groma:Asurveyinginstrument.Holzmoorwege: Old wooden causeways built across the wet

moorlands of the north German plains. They were later used by theRomans,whorebuiltsomeandestablishedothernewcauseways.

Knights (order of): The Roman equites, equester ordo. In the laterRepublic, this order comprised a powerful class of financial interestsoutside the Senate, and were often opposed to that governing body.Augustusreformedtheorder.AthoughitstillremainedoutsidetheSenate(and included the families of ex-slaves), it provided holders of manyimportantandadministrativeposts.Membersof thisclasswereregardedas thepatronsofyoung imperialprinces,whom theynamed“PrincesofYouth,” the youth being knights under thirty-five (and senators’ sonsunder twenty-five) who maintained the ancient cavalry origins of theorder.Centurionsalsobecameknightsonretirementfromthearmy.

Lager:AfortifiedRomanencampment.Legion:Forpurposesoftranslation,aRomanlegionmayberegarded

asabrigadewhenitsregular(citizen)troops,roughly5,000infantryand120 cavalry, are alone considered. If thought of in conjunctionwith theauxiliary troops that often united under the same command duringoperations in the field, a legionmay be considered a division. In earlyimperial times, the Praefectus Castrorum, the normal commander of alegion, sometimes representedmore thanonedivision, inwhichcasehebecame corps chief of staff, or in effect, the second in commandof thecorpsorarmyledbyagovernororconsul.

Legionary:ARomansoldier.Onager: A single-armed stone-throwing machine similar to a

catapault.Optio:ACenturion’ssecondincommand.Pilum,Pila:Theheavyjavelinofthelegionaries.PrimusPilus:Thehighestrankingcenturioninalegion.Principia:HeadquartersbuildinginacamporLager.Scutum:ARomanshield.Signifer:Astandard-bearer.Testudo:Asquaremilitaryformationhiddenbehindashelterofbattle

shieldsresemblingthecarapaceofatortoise.Tribunes:Staffofficersunderthecommandofaconsul.

GeographicReferences

Borgwedde:AsmallruralcommunitysetinavalleyoftheKalkrieseBerghills,throughwhichasmallstreamruns.TheareahasanumberofStone-Agemonuments, includingtheTeufelsBackTrog (Devil’sBakingTrough). Borgweddewas known as theBorg amHeiligenHain, whichroughlytranslatedmeansHillat theHolyGrove.Attheapexofthehill,about one thousand yards due south, lies one of the largest Stone-Agegraves ever found, some seventy-five yards in length. A large SunteilStone was erected at the eastern end. It is known as the Teufels Stein(Devil’sStone).ThisisonthehillofTheHolyGrove.

DanubeRiver:Isterin9AD.Detmold: The site of Hermannsdenkmal (the statue of Arminius),

oncethoughttohavebeenthesiteofhisvictoryovertheVaruslegions.DievenWiesen:Ahugeexpanseofmoorlandnorthof theKalkriese

Bergthatwasverywetinancientdays.ElbeRiver:Suebiin9AD.EmsRiver:Amafuisin9AD.Engter: The next villagewest ofKalkriese.A key north-south pass

throughtheKalkrieseBerg.Felddungel: A small deep lake lying in woodland at the western

extremitiesofKalkriese.Fisse-NieweddeSenke:The strip of land lying slightly east between

the Kalkriese Berg and the Dieven Wiesen, site of the Varusschlacht(Varusbattle).

Hildesheim: Site of theHildesheimRoman silver treasure found onOctober17,1868.

HunteRiver:Unsingisin9AD.

Icker:AsmallruralvillageareasittinginalargebowlinthemiddleoftheKalkrieseBerg,duesouthofKalkriese.

Idistaviso: The site of the battle betweenArminius andGermanicusontheWeser,possiblysouthofMinden,orbetweenRintelnandHameln.

Kalkriese: A small rural village area between the edge of theKalkrieseBergandtheDievenWiesentothenorth.

KalkrieseBerg:ThehillformationduenorthofOsnabrückendingatKalkriesewiththestartoftheDievenWiesen.

Krebsburg: A small hill where old German settlements had beenestablished. Situated on the end of the Schnippenburg, part of theKalkrieseBerg.

LippischerWald:RenamedtheTeutoburgerWald.LippeRiver:Lupiain9AD.Mattium:SouthwestofKassel.Ostercappeln: The town lying at the western end of the

Wiehengebirge,nearSchwagstorf.JusttotheeastliesthepassadjacenttotheKrebsburg,thefirstfeatureoftheKalkrieseBerg.

Rhine River: Rhine in 9 AD, the major geographic feature thatdelineatedtheeasternedgeoftheRomanEmpireinNorthernEurope.

Schwagstorf:ThenextvillageeastofVenne.TeutoburgerWald:Alonglineofhillsanddeepvalleyscenteredona

ridgeline,stretchingfromthegeneralareaofDetmoldinanorthwesterlydirection,whichfallsawayintoaseriesofopenforestedareastothesouthandeastofOsnabrück.

Venne:ThenextvillageeastofKalkriese.WeserRiver:Visurgisin9AD.Wiehengebirge Ridge: This feature extends from the lands east of

MindeninafairlystraightlinewestwardandendsatOstercappeln,wheretheKalkriesehillsbegin.TheWesersplitsthisfeatureintwoatMindenatthePortaWestfalica,agapintheridge.

TheHistorians

Early

Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus. Born in or about 56 AD,(possibly 57AD).Hemay have survived Emperor Trajan,who died in117AD.TacituswasaSenatorfrom81-96AD,ConsulofAnatolia(Asia)in97AD,andGovernorfifteenyearslater.Hisshortmonographs,thelifeofAgricolaandGermania,appearedwithinashort timeofeachotherinabout98AD.Ofhismajorhistoricalworks,theHistoriessetforththelifeof theRomanEmperorsfromNero’sdeath in68ADto96AD(the lastyearinthereignofDomitian(althoughonly68-69havebeenfound).TheAnnals were intended to cover the years 4-68 AD, a period of greatsignificance.Unfortunately, part ofBookV and all ofBooksVII-X aremissing, andBookXVI breaks off in 66AD. Tacituswas a friend andteacher of Pliny the Younger. In 77 AD he married the daughter ofAgricola,theGovernorinBritainfrom78-85AD,buthenevermentionedhername.Tacitus isgenerallyconsideredtobemorereliable thaneitherCassiusorSuetonius.Hediedcirca120AD.

CassiusDio.GreekHistorian.Born inBithynia163AD.Pro-consulin Africa under Alexander Severus and Governor of the Province ofDalmatia and Upper Pannonien (twice Consul). Cassius wrote perhapseightybooksonRome’shistory:onlyBooksXXXVI-LX(36to60)havebeen located. These deal mainly with the period from the SecondMithridatic War (69 BC) to the reign of Claudius (46 AD), and havesurvivedvirtuallyintact.Cassiusdiedin235AD.

LuciusAnnaeusFlorus.Born75AD,probably inAfrica.AresidentofRome.AftertravelsinSpain,FlorusreturnedtoRomeandwroteabrief

summaryofRomanhistory(especiallyitswars)intwobookstoshowthegreatnessand thedeclineofRomanmorals.HisworkwasbasedchieflyonLivy.Hecompletedworks to the reignofAugustus (31BC-14AD),although he probably intended to carry his writing through to his owntime.Florusdiedcirca140AD.

FlaviusVegetius.Livedcirca400AD.Hewroteadetailedaccountofrecruitmentand training for theRomanarmy, inwhichhe tried toshowhowefficienttheoldsystemoftraininghadbeen.Hiswritingswereonlyrealizedfromaverylatesource,butmuchofwhathewroteisstillstudiedby modern-day commanders during their staff officer training. Hisdescriptionofa“testudo”(asolidsquaremilitaryformationhiddenbehindshieldsresemblingatortoise)canbeconsideredaveryearlyforerunnerofthebasicprincipleofthedevelopmentofthebattletanknowengagedinmodern-daywarfare.

LaterHistoriansTheodorMommsen.Germanhistorianbornin1817.Mommsen’sprimaryinterestwasRomanlaw,buttheVarusbattlefascinatedhim.WhenhelearnedaboutthecoinfindsinKalkriesethroughfindcollectionslistedbyH.HartmannandP.Hofer,heorderedtheNumismaticianoftheRoyalAcademyofScienceinBerlin,KöniglicheAcademiederWissenschaftenzuBerlin,J.Menadier,togodirectlytoKalkrieseinordertolocateandcollectalltheinformationonRomancoinfindsinandaroundthatarea,andtoregistertheexistingcoins.MommsenwasawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiteraturein1903forhismulti-volumeHistoryofRome,thesameyearhedied.

JustusMöser.BorninOsnabrückonDecember,14,1720.Hestudiedin Jena and Göttingen from 1740 to 1742, was advocatus patriae inOsnabrückin1747aswellas“syndicusoftheknighthood,”andworkedinahigh-rankingpositionforthecountygovernmentfrom1761to1783.Möserbelieved theVarusbattlehad takenplaceat theAngivarienWallnear Damme, about eight miles northeast of Barenau. He had been toSchloss Barenau and had obviously taken down notes during his staythere.HediedonJanuary8,1794.

HermannHartmann.BornonMarch22,1826,inAnkum.Hartmann,who became Councillor of Sanitation, attended the Grammar SchoolRatsgymnasiuminOsnabrückfrom1840to1845,andstudiedmedicineinHeidelberg,Göttingen,Würzbürg,Berlin,andVienna.In1850,hesettledinLintorf-Barkhausen(twelvemilesfromKalkriese)toworkasageneralpractitionercountrydoctor.ManyofthereportsandessaysprintedintheOsnabrücker Mitteilungen and other local magazines are based onHartmann’shistorical andcultural studiesand research.HisbookBilderaus Westfalen (Pictures from Westfalia), published in 1870, describesmyths and legends, public and family celebrations of festivities, localtraditions, superstitions, national history, and the cultural history ofOsnabrückandWestfalia.Hartmanncollectedlocallegendsandpublishedthe book Sagenschatz Westfalens (Westfalia’s Treasure of Legends) in1883,andacollectionofpoems.HediedonJanuary26,1901,inLintorf.

SequenceofEvents

27BC—BirthofAugustusCaesar.12BC—DrususcarriesoutforagingactiontotheWeser.11BC—Drusus invadesGermanyeastof theRhineRiver, and later

advancestotheElbe.9BC—Drusus fights four successive campaigns inGermany before

dyingonhisreturnjourneyfromtheElbe.6-2BC—TiberiuscommandsanexpeditiontotheElbe.AD4-6—TiberiusengagedinfightinginGermany.AD7—VarusappointedGovernorofGermany.AD9—DefeatoftheVaruslegions(TheVarusschlacht).AD10—TiberiusengagedincampaignsagainsttheGermansafterthe

defeatoftheVaruslegions.AD14—DeathofAugustusCaesar.TiberiusappointedEmperor.AD15—GermanicusvisitsthesiteoftheVarusschlacht.Alsoattacks

andannihilatestheChattitribeanddestroystheircapitalatMattium.AD 16—Battle of Idistaviso (near Hameln on the Weser) between

Germanicus and Arminius, who commands the Cherusker, Chatten,Brukterer,andMarsertribes.Outcomeindecisive.

AD 19—Fighting between Arminius and Marobodus. Although theoutcomewas indecisive,Marobodus lostmuch of his power.Arminius’end was also nearing. A chieftain of the Chatti Tribe, Adgandestrius,madeanoffertotheRomanstopoisonArminius,butitwasnotaccepted.DeathofGermanicus.

AD21—DeathofArminius.AD37—DeathofTiberius.

TheRomanForts/Lager(notallhavebeenconfirmed)

Tulifurdum:Minden:Varus’ summer camp on thewest bank of theWeser.

CastraCivitas:Hoxter/CorveyontheWeser.CastraVindecima:BrakelinWeserland.CastraDecima:NeuenheerseintheTeutoburgerWald.CastraNonaNeuenbeken/BenhausenintheTeutoburgerWald.CastraOcta:Anreppen.ByPaderbornontheLippe.CastraSeptima:KappelontheLippe.CastraSexta:LippborgontheLippe.CastraOvinta:KentropontheLippe.CastraOvarta:OberadenontheLippe.CastraTrenta:DattelnontheLippe.CastraSecunda:HalternontheLippe.CastraPrima:HolsterhausenontheLippe.CastraAliso:Locationunknown.Possibly at thewestern endof the

LippeacrosstheRhinefromXanten,orduenortheasttowardOsnabrück(andKalkriese).

CastraVetera:Xanten.ByWeselontheRhineoppositethemouthoftheLippe.

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AboutTheQuestfortheLostRomanLegions

In9AD,the17th,18th,and19thRomanLegionsandtheirauxiliarytroops under command of Publius Quinctilius Varus vanished in theboggy wilds of Germania. They were killed over several days in acarefully planned running ambush led by Arminius, a Roman-trainedGermanwarriordeterminedtostopRome’seastwardadvancebeyondtheRhine River. By the time it was over, some 25,000 men, women, andchildren were dead and the course of European history was foreveraltered.“QuinctiliusVarus,givemebackmylegions!”EmperorAugustusagonizedaloudwhenhelearnedofthedevastatingloss.

As the decades passed, the location of one of theWestern world’smost important battlefieldswas lost to history for nearly two thousandsyears.

Fueledbyanunshakeablecuriosityandburninginterest,TonyClunn,aBritishofficerstationedinGermany,delvedintothenooksandcranniesof times long past. By sheer persistence and good luck, he turned thefoundation of German national history on its ear. Convinced the battletookplacenorthofOsnabrück,Germany,Clunnsetouttoprovehispoint.His discovery of large numbers of Roman coins in the late 1980s,followedbyafloodofthousandsofotherartifacts(includingweaponsandhumanremains)endedthemystery.Today,amulti-milliondollarstate-of-the-artmuseum houses and interprets these priceless historical treasuresontheverysiteVarus’s legionswere lost.Todate,onlyasmallsliceofthebattlefieldhasbeenarchaeologicallystudied.

The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions is a masterful retelling ofClunn’ssearchtodiscovertheVarusbattlefield.Hiswell-paced,carefullyconceived, and vivid writing style makes for a compelling read as healternatesbetweenhisincrediblemodernquestandtheancienttaleoftheRomanoccupationofGermanythatultimatelyendedso tragically in thepeatbogsofKalkriese.

AbouttheAuthor:TonyClunnjoinedthearmyatage15,andat17joined the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment. After twenty-two years of

regimentalservicehe tookaQueen’scommissionforafurther tenyearsandretiredinthelate1990swiththerankofmajor.HeisemployedbytheBritishArmyinOsnabrückandservesasaconsultantatKalkriese,thesiteoftheVarusdisaster.In1996,ClunnwaspresentedwiththeMemberoftheRoyalOrderoftheBritishEmpirebyQueenElizabethII,TheGermanOrderofMeritin1997,andtheGermanMedalofHonorin1999.

FootNotes

1Newfindsweremadein1997northwestofKalkrieseonthebanksoftheEms.1It is worth noting that the effectiveness and strength of the Roman legion command structureprovedsoefficientthatmuchofitstillexistsinmodernarmiesoftoday:Westillfindthesoldierwhoworkshiswayupthroughtheranks,changesandextendshisservicefromawarrantofficertotakeuptheQueen’sCommissionasanOfficer.HeisnearlyalwaysappointedasanAdministrationOfficer,oraQuartermasterinchargeofsupportelementsandlogistics.1Whatmightnowbediscoveredthere?Duringthesucceedingmonths,Dr.CosackandIcarriedoutadditional surveys in the lager and adjacent fields. Thiswork promptedDr.Cosack to launch aseries of archaeological projects that are still ongoing. As with all important historicalinvestigations, it is always prudent to confirm the facts before speculative statements aremadepublic.Hopefully, one day in the not-so-distant future,we hope anothermissing link ofRomanhistorywillberevealed.1Much of today’s modern warfare and engineering works in pontoon bridging derived fromCaesar’samazingfeatsofengineeringandtacticalmilitaryskillshonedduringthisperiod.1Onethousandfourhundredyearslater,afullywalledGermanpermanentcampwouldbebuiltatthe Krebsburg, most likely in order to have the same controlling elements on the north– southpassesthatArminiusmadeuseof.1TheheavypoundingstormsthatsweptGermanyandmuchofnorthernEuropein1981,andagainin1984,maywellhavebeenanexampleoftheconditionsthatprevailedatthetimeoftheVarusbattle.1ThisimpliedthatArminiuswasnotnecessarilyengagedinthispartoftheGermaninsurrection,asheundoubtedlyhadtheRomanexpertiseandknowledgetoenablehimtoinstructhismeninthenecessarytacticalaspectsofcontainmentofanestablished,welldefendedposition1In recognition ofMajor Clunn’s discoveries and subsequent support to ongoing archaeologicalworks in Germany, in 1997 the German authorities awarded him the first recipient of theCertificateofMerit,nowanannualawardforMeritoriousServicetotheGermanCommunity.Thiswasfollowedin1999bytheprestigiousawardoftheGermanMedalofHonor.