Germanen und Kelten zwischen Rhein und Maas

Hier einige Informationen zu den zwischen Rhein und Maas, speziell aber im Aachener Umfeld und der Euregio ansässigen barbarischen Stämmen.

Merke:
Barbar kann man übrigens nicht nur vom lateinischen "barbartus" (barttragend), sondern auch von "bar bar" oder "bähr bähr" (blöcken, stottern) ableiten.

Auszugsweise Textquellen:
Julius Caesar "De bello gallico": Buch I - Buch II - Buch V / VI
Hier eine etwas modernere Kommentierung:
Holmes' commentaries on Caesar's Bellum Gallicum

Strabo (64 BC - 24 AD) griechischer Geograph
Diodorus Siculus(60 - 30 BC) griechischer Geograph
Cassius Dio(Buch 39-40)
Plinius der Ältere leider noch nicht übersetzt, beschreibt aber die Stämme zu Zeiten Augustus

Interessantes aus Caesars "De bello gallico" zu den Belgern Buch I:

...
Gallien in seiner Gesamtheit ist in drei Teile geteilt, von denen den einen die Belgier bewohnen, den anderen die Aquitaner und den dritten,
die welche in ihrer eigenen Sprache Kelten, in unserer Gallier heißen.  Diese alle sind nach Sprache, Einrichtungen und Gesetzen
untereinander verschieden. Die Gallier trennt von den Aquitanern der Fluß Garonne (Garunna), von den Belgiern die Marne (Matrona)
und die Seine (Sequana). Von diesen allen die tapfersten sind die Belgier, deswegen weil sie von der Lebensweise und Bildung der
römischen Provinz am weitesten entfernt sind, keineswegs bei ihnen Kaufleute häufig ein- und ausgehen und das, was zur Verweichlichung
der Gemüter dient, und weil sie am nächsten benachbart den Germanen sind, die jenseits des Rheines (Rhenus) wohnen, mit denen sie
ununterbrochen Krieg führten.
...
Das Gebiet der Belger beginnt an den äußersten Grenzen Galliens; es erstreckt sich bis zum unteren
Teile des Rheines; es schaut (ist gerichtet) nach Nordosten.
...

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Buch II:

Als Caesar sich bei ihnen nach den einzelnen Stämmen, der zahlenmäßigen Stärke ihres Heeres und nach ihrer Kampfkraft erkundigte, erfuhr er, dass die meisten Belger von den Germanen abstammten und in der Vergangenheit über den Rhein gekommen waren. Sie hätten sich wegen der Fruchtbarkeit des Bodens dort angesiedelt und die Gallier, die dort lebten, vertrieben. Zur Zeit unserer Väter seien sie die einzigen gewesen, die die Cimbern und Teutonen daran gehindert hätten, in ihr Gebiet einzudringen, als diese das gesamte übrige Gallien verheert hätten. Die Erinnerung daran habe dazu geführt, dass sie großen Einfluß für sich in Anspruch nähmen und sich im Krieg sehr viel zutrauten.
.....
Die Atrebaten wollten 15000 Mann stellen, die Ambianer 10000, die Moriner 25000, die Menapier 9000, die Caleten, Veliocasser und Viromanduer je 10000, die Atuatucer 19000; die Condrusen, Eburonen, Caeroser und Caemanen - sie alle heißen Germanen - stellten vermutlich 40000 Mann
....
Die Belger gehen bei der Belagerung genauso vor wie die Gallier: Sobald sie die Mauern völlig mit einer starken Streitmacht eingeschlossen haben, fangen sie an, von allen Seiten Steine auf die Mauern zu schleudern. Sobald die Mauern von Verteidigern entblößt sind, bilden sie ein Schilddach, rücken gegen die Tore vor und versuchen, die Mauern zum Einsturz zu bringen. (3) Eben dies gelang damals mühelos. Denn als eine so gewaltige Anzahl von Gegnern Steine und Wurfgeschosse schleuderte, konnte sich niemand mehr auf den Mauern halten.
...
Die oben erwähnten Atuatucer, die unterwegs waren, um den Nerviern zu Hilfe zu kommen, machten auf die Nachricht von der Schlacht hin kehrt und zogen in die Heimat zurück. (2) Sie verließen alle Städte und kleineren befestigten Orte und brachten ihre gesamte Habe in eine einzige Stadt, die durch ihre Lage hervorragend geschützt war. (3) Ringsum fielen die Felsen auf allen Seiten steil ab und boten eine gute Fernsicht. Nur an einer Stelle ließen sie einen Zugang frei, der sanft abfiel und nicht mehr als 200 Fuß breit war. Diesen Ort hatten die Atuatucer mit einer überaus hohen doppelten Mauer befestigt. jetzt verstärkten sie die Mauer mit Felsblöcken von gewaltigem Gewicht und mit zugespitzten Pfählen. (4) Die Atuatucer stammten von den Cimbern und Teutonen ab. Diese hatten bei ihrem Zug in unsere Provinz und nach Italien alles Hinderliche, was sie nicht mit sich nehmen konnten, diesseits des Rheins untergebracht und eine Abteilung von 6000 Mann dort zur Bewachung und zum Schutz zurückgelassen. (5) Nach ihrem Untergang wurde dieser Teil des Stammes viele Jahre lang von den in der Nähe lebenden Stämmen umhergetrieben. Nachdem sie jedoch immer wieder selbst Angriffe unternommen oder sich gegen fremde verteidigt hatten, kamen alle Parteien überein, in Frieden miteinander zu leben. Die Cimbern und Teutonen hatten sich dann diesen Ort zum Wohnsitz ausgewählt.

nach oben

Buch V und VI:

Eine Legion, die er erst kürzlich nördlich des Po
ausgehoben hatte, sandte er mit weiteren fünf Cohorten ins Land der Eburonen, deren Hauptgebiet zwischen Maas und Rhein liegt und die
damals unter der Herrschaft des Ambiorix und Catuvolcus standen.

(in diesen Büchern wird die Schlacht des Ambiorix und die Vernichtung der Eburonen und Atuatucer weiter geschildert)

.....

Darauf teilte er seine Truppen in drei Teile und ließ den Troß aller Legionen
nach Atuatuca bringen; der Name bezeichnet ein Castell; (4) dieses lag fast im Zentrum des eburonischen Landes. Titurius und
Antunculeius hatten sich dort festgesetzt, um zu überwintern.
.........

interessantes von Strabo zu den Belgae

(Buch 4 -  Kapitel 4) (wird noch übersetzt)

Of these people, they say, the Belgae are bravest (who have been divided into fifteen tribes, the tribes that live along the ocean between the Rhenus and the Liger); consequently they alone could hold out against the onset of the Germans — the Cimbri and Teutones. But of the Belgae themselves, they say, the Bellovaci are bravest, and after them the Suessiones. As for the largeness of the population, this is an indication: it is found upon inquiry, they say, that there are as many as three hundred thousand of those Belgae (of former times) who are able to bear arms; and I have already told the number of the Elvetii, and of the Arverni, and of their allies,— from all of which the largeness of the population is manifest, as is also the thing of which I spoke above — the excellence of the women in regard to the bearing and nursing of children. The Gallic people wear the "sagus," let their hair grow long, and wear tight breeches; instead of tunics they wear slit tunics that have sleeves and reach as far as their private parts and the buttocks. The wool of their sheep, from which they weave the coarse "sagi" (which they call "laenae"), is not only rough, but also flocky at the surface; the Romans, however, even in the most northerly parts raise skin-clothed flocks with wool that is sufficiently fine. The Gallic armour is commensurate with the large size of their bodies: a long sabre, which hangs along the right side, and a long oblong shield, and spears in proportion, and a "madaris," a special kind of javelin. But some of them also use bows and slings. There is also a certain wooden instrument resembling the "grosphus" (it is hurled by hand, not by thong, and ranges even farther than an arrow), which they use particularly for the purposes of bird-hunting. Most of them, even to the present time, sleep on the ground, and eat their meals seated on beds of straw. Food they have in very great quantities, along with milk and flesh of all sorts, but particularly the flesh of hogs, both fresh and salted. Their hogs run wild, and they are of exceptional height, boldness, and swiftness; at any rate, it is dangerous for one unfamiliar with their ways to approach them, and likewise, also, for a wolf. As for their houses, which are large and dome-shaped, they make them of planks and wicker, throwing up over them quantities of thatch. And their flocks of sheep and herds of swine are so very large that they supply an abundance of the "sagi" and the salt-meat, not only to Rome, but to most parts of Italy as well. The greater number of their governments used to be aristocratic — although in the olden time only one leader was chosen, annually; and so, likewise, for war, only one man was declared general by the common people. But now they give heed, for the most part, to the commands of the Romans. There is a procedure that takes place in their assemblies which is peculiar to them: if a man disturbs the speaker and heckles him, the sergeant-at-arms approaches him with drawn sword, and with a threat commands him to be silent; if he does not stop, the sergeant-at-arms does the same thing a second time, and also a third time, but at last cuts off enough of the man's "sagus" to make it useless for the future. But as for their custom relating to the men and the women (I mean the fact that their tasks have been exchanged, in a manner opposite to what obtains among us), it is one which they share in common with many other barbarian peoples.

nach oben

interessantes von Cassius Dio zu den Belgae

..... The Belgae, who dwelt near the Rhine in many mixed tribes and extended even to the ocean opposite Britain, though they had previously been at peace with the Romans, or, in the case of some, had paid no heed to them, observing now Caesar's success and fearing that he might advance against them also, came together and by common agreement, except on the part of the Remi, devised plans against the Romans and formed a league, placing Galba at their head.

Caesar learned this from the Remi and stationed outposts to watch them; later he encamped besides the river Axona, where he concentrated his troops and drilled them. Yet he did not venture to come close quarters with the enemy, though they were overrunning Roman territory, until in their contempt for him, believing him to be afraid, they undertook to occupy the bridge and to put a stop to the conveyance of grain, which the allies brought across it. He was apprised beforehand by deserters that this was to be done, and so at night sent against the foe the light-armed troops and the cavalry. These fell upon the barbarians, taking them by surprise, and killed many of them, so that the following night they all withdrew to their own land, especially since the Aedui were reported to have invaded it. Caesar perceived what was going on, but through ignorance of the country did not venture to pursue them immediately. At daybreak, however, taking the cavalry, and bidding the infantry follow on behind, he came up with the fugitives; and when they offered battle, supposing he had come with his cavalry alone, he delayed them until his infantry arrived. In this way, having his whole army, he surrounded them, cut down the larger part, and received the surrender of the remainder. Thereupon he won over a number of their towns, some without fighting and some by war.

The Nervii voluntarily retired before him from the level country, as they were no match for his forces, and betook themselves into the most densely wooded mountains; then, when . . . . they charged down upon them unexpectedly. In the part of the battle where Caesar himself was they soon turned and fled, but with the larger part of their army they proved superior and captured the camp without a blow. When Caesar, who had advanced a little way in pursuit of those he had routed, became aware of this, he turned back and came upon them as they were engaged in pillage within the entrenchments, where he surrounded and slaughtered them. After this success he found it no great task to subdue the rest of the Nervii.

Meanwhile the Aduatuci, near neighbours of theirs, who belonged to the Cimbri by race and temperament, set out to assist them, but were overpowered before they accomplished anything, whereupon they withdrew, and leaving all their other sites, established themselves in one fortified town, the strongest they had. Caesar assaulted it, but was for many days repulsed, until he turned to the construction of engines. Then for a time they gazed at the Romans cutting wood and constructing the machines and in their ignorance of what was taking place, scoffed at them. But when the machines were finished and heavy-armed soldiers upon them were advanced from all sides at once, they became panic-stricken, since they never before had seen anything of the kind; so they made overtures, supplied some of the soldiers with provisions, and threw some of their arms from the wall. When, however, they saw the machines stripped of men again and noticed that the latter had given themselves over to pleasure, as after a victory, they changed their minds, and recovering courage, made a sortie by night, thinking to cut them down unawares. But Caesar was carefully managing everything all the while, and when they fell on the outposts from every side, they were beaten back. Not one of the survivors could any longer obtain pardon, and they were all sold.

allgemeines von Diodorus zu den Galliern

28. The Gauls are very tall with white skin and blond hair, not only blond by nature but more so by the artificial means they use to lighten their hair. For they continually wash their hair in a lime solution, combing it back from the forehead to the back of the neck. This process makes them resemble Satyrs and Pans since this treatment makes the hair thick like a horse's mane. Some shave their beards while others allow a short growth, but nobles shave their cheeks and allow the mustache to grow until it covers the mouth. The result is that their mustaches become mixed with food while they eat, but serve as a sort of strainer when they drink. They do not sit in chairs when they dine, but sit on the ground using the skins of wolves or does. While dining they are served by adolescents, both male and female. Nearby are blazing hearths and cauldrons with spits of meat. They honour the brave warriors with the choicest portion, just as Homer says that the chieftains honoured Ajax when he returned having defeated Hector in single combat. They also invite strangers to their feasts, inquiring of their identity and business only after the meal. During feasts it is their custom to be provoked by idle comments into heated disputes, followed by challenges and single combat to the death. They do not fear death, but subscribe to th'e docfrine of Pythagoras that the human spirit is immortal and will enter a new body after a fixed number of years. For this reason some will cast letters to their relatives on funeral pyres, believing that the dead will be able to read them.

¶ 29. In both journeys and battles the Gauls use two-horse chariots which carry both the warrior and charioteer. When they encounter cavalry in battle they first hurl their spears then step down from the chariot to fight with swords. Some of them think so iittle of death that they fight wearing only a loincloth, without armour of any kind. They use free men from the poorer c!asses as charioteers and shield-bearers in battle. When two armies are drawn up for battle, it is their custom to step before the front line and challenge the best of'their opponents to single combat while they brandish their weapons in front of them to intimidate the enemy. When an opponent accepts their challenge, they recite the brave deeds of both their ancestors and themselves, at the same time mocking the enemy and attempting to rob him of his fighting spirit. They decapitate their slain enemies and attach the heads to their horses' necks. The blood-soaked booty they hand over to their attendants, while they sing a song of victory. The choicest spoils they nail to the walls of their houses just like hunting trophies from wild beasts. They preserve the heads of their most distinguished enemies in cedar oil and store them carefully in chests. These they proudly display to visitors, saying that for this head one of his ancestors, or his father, or he himself refused a large offer of money. It is said that some proud owners have not accepted for a head an equal weight in gold, a barbarous sort of magnanimity. For selling the proof of one's valor is ignoble, but to continue hostility against the dead is bestial.

¶ 30. The Gauls wear stunning clothing shirts which have been dyed in various colours, and trousers which they call bracae. They also wear striped cloaks with a checkered pattern, thick in winter and thin in summer, fastened with a clasp. They use uniquely decorated, man-high shields in battle, some with projecting bronze animals of superb workmanship. These animal-figures serve for defensive purposes as well as decoration. Their helmets have large figures on top -- horns which form a single piece with the helmet, or the heads of birds and four-footed animals -- which give an appearance of added height to the warrior. Their trumpets are also of a peculiar and barbaric kind which produce a harsh, reverberating sound suitable to the confusion o battle. Some use iron breast-plates in battle, while others fight naked, trusting only in the protecttion which nature glves. They do not use short swords, but prefer a longer variety which are hung on their right sides by chains of iron or bronze. Some wear gold or silver-plated belts around their tunics. Their spears, called lanciae, have iron heads a cubit [18 inches] or more in length and slightly less than two palms in width. Their swords are as long as the spears of other peoples, and their spears have heads longer than others' swords. Some of the spears have straight heads, but others are twisted in their entire length so that a blow not only cuts but mangles the flesh and withdrawal tears the wound open.