First Century Germania

“People fear what they don't understand and hate what they can't conquer.” This is a quote from Andrew Smith, an American author. When referring to Tacitus’s account of First Century Germania, these words could not be any more true. Tacitus’s accounts are second-hand, based solely on other’s written documents and interviews from peoples who had traveled and lived in the region. Through these accounts we can begin to grasp a better understanding of Germanian economy, politics, society, culture, and why this region, that was never a “single nation” was perceived to be barbaric in nature. 
 Germanians were feared by the Romans due to their military skills. They preferred war over tending to the land and were said by Tacitus to be “less able to
bear laborious work.” Cultivating of the land and management of the household were left to the elderly and the women. There are no cities, only scattered villages. They began a tribute system between clans that created ties. However, they did not lend money at interest. 
 As for the political systems, the kings had limited powers and the generals ruled more by example than by authority. Whereas the kings were chosen by birth, the generals were chosen by merit. The battalions were formed by families and clans, and blood feuds were common among the clans. A tribute system based on gifts defined the political relationships within and between tribes. In addition, priests were charged with punishing criminals through a mandate from God.
 At the top of the social order were kings, generals and priests. Slaves existed in society, however, they were given management of a house and home and were expected to give their masters certain quantities of grain, cattle, and clothing each year. Moreover, land was occupied by the whole community and then split between families according to rank. Women are respected and participate in public, as when they rally troops in battle or participate in counsel.
As for the culture, Tacitus reports Germans have a like-appearance, as they all have “blue eyes, red hair, and huge frames.” In comparison to other regions, who’s elites were well-dressed, the Germans possessed simple clothing. Their chief God was Mercury, to whom they sacrificed human victims. Augury and divination were practiced and they used songs to transmit stories. There were no cities, only scattered settlements. There was no use of stone or tile, only that of wood. Of all these things Tacitus seemed to admire and hold with high-regard is that of matrimony. They had a strict marriage code based on monogamy and there were strict laws against adultery. 
 On one hand Tacitus could be viewed as judgmental towards the germanic peoples whom he has never personally encountered with his implications that these peoples are “barbaric”, lazy, and stupid. On the other hand, Tacitus recounts some redeeming qualities of these peoples. Could it be because he did not simply understand their way of living? Or rather because this region posed a threat to the Roman empire. After all, although these peoples may appeared to have been barbaric, they were a formidable enough enemy to be worth fighting. Tacitus’s description of the German’s warlike nature seems to place emphasis on the threat they presented to the
Roman Empire.