Germanic Tribes

[kuura]

I think most of the descriptions by Germanicus of early Germanics tend to play on the bestial and down right barbaric imagery. Plus the fact these were comments made on an eve of battle speech where your hardly going to say that these guys are well over a foot taller than us, stronger and down right nasty. :twisted: To be sure, some of the lower classes probably did use clubs, a favoured weapon of the Aestii on the Baltic coast.

Regarding the Varus disaster. That whole campaign was a well planned and coordinated 'trap' with the Romans being lured piece meal into controlled killing zones. Giving the Romans lack of morale and sheer terror at this point i'm sure wooden clubs and primitive spears (if they had them) would not have changed the outcome. Plus the fact the Germanics were not the ignorant savages the Romans had been led to believe. :wink:

Weapons; Most would have the framea, a throwing spear with a small, sharp narrow head, good for piercing armour. Probably around one in ten had swords of the Celtic La Tene type augumented with captured Roman material.

Helmets and armour were rare except amongst nobles. Even by the 5th century the Germanics were noted for their dislike for armour which they considered effeminate.

Tactics; Scream at the top of ya lungs, (the barritus) starting low and increasing in volume, amplified by round , hexagonal or rectangular shields and then charge in wedge formation at the enemy, trying to cover as much ground as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Check out Osprey's Romes enemies: Germanics and Dacians by Peter Wilcox which will provide you with a basic introduction.