What happened when Drusus got stuck at river Ems in 12 B.C.?

[Cornelius Quintus]

Ave omnes,

on http://www.teudogar.com/lex039.htm I found this description of Drusus campaing in 12 B.C., ending abruptly at the river Ems.

Immediately afterwards (summer 12 B.C.) Drusus set out with his fleet, reached the North Sea over his channel, and now sailed eastwards along the Germanic coast. The Germanic Frisians were so impressed by his fleet and army that they immediately asked for peace. Drusus made them pay a mild tribute (they would have to deliver a certain number of cattle skins every year), and accepted them as allies: During the rest of this campaign, a Frisian army marched along the coast, accompanying the Roman fleet, which was slowly sailing further eastwards.

Arriving at the delta of the river Ems, Drusus' plan probably was to subdue the Germanic Chaucians, who settled there. Then he might have sailed upstream towards the south, defeating the Ampsivarians, who settled along the Ems. Leaving his fleet and marching further southwards, he might have attacked the Bructerians, who settled between Ems and Rhine, and finally once more the Sugambrians along the Rhine, in whose territory he had started this campaign.

But during low tide, his fleet ran aground near the Ems delta, and was now stuck. If the Frisians hadn't rushed to assist the Romans, the onsetting high tide could have caused a catastrophe for fleet and army. But the Romans still seem to have suffered considerable casualties: For Drusus immediately retreated (it's unclear whether with the remainder of his fleet or on foot), without daring even a single battle against a single tribe. He then returned to Rome to spend the winter there.

This was new to me, and because I was born in the city of Emden (located at the mouth of the river Ems), it is very interesting. I never learned a Roman naval expedition got stuck in that very area.

Are there more detailed sources about that topic? The coastline around there was moving and changing a lot due to storm tides in the last two thousand years, so perhaps finding out the location might be as difficult as finding the true Varrian disaster place ;-) ) . Was Tiberius also visiting that site on his expedition in 5 A.D.?

[Jona Lendering]

As far as I can see, the story is more or less accurate. It is at least in line with the story as told by Cassius Dio. Germanicus got himself into trouble in the same area too.

[Cornelius Quintus]

Ave Jona,

thanks for the keywords! Germanicus indeed got into the same trouble, as some tourists every year in that area even today, because the are not familiar with the dangers of the wadden sea.

So people living at the Dutch, German and Danish coast can imagine what happened to the Roman legionaries in 14 A.D., described by Tacitus (Annals I, 70 English translation from http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/tacit ... als01.html )

[1.70] Of the legions which he had conveyed by ship, Germanicus gave the second and fourteenth to Publius Vitellius, to be marched by land, so that the fleet might sail more easily over a sea full of shoals, or take the ground more lightly at the ebb-tide.

Vitellius at first pursued his route without interruption, having a dry shore, or the waves coming in gently. After a while, through the force of the north wind and the equinoctial season, when the sea swells to its highest, his army was driven and tossed hither and thither. The country too was flooded; sea, shore, fields presented one aspect, nor could the treacherous quicksands be distinguished from solid ground or shallows from deep water.

Men were swept away by the waves or sucked under by eddies; beasts of burden, baggage, lifeless bodies floated about and blocked their way. The companies were mingled in confusion, now with the breast, now with the head only above water, sometimes losing their footing and parted from their comrades or drowned. The voice of mutual encouragement availed not against the adverse force of the waves. There was nothing to distinguish the brave from the coward, the prudent from the careless, forethought from chance; the same strong power swept everything before it.

At last Vitellius struggled out to higher ground and led his men up to it. There they passed the night, without necessary food, without fire, many of them with bare or bruised limbs, in a plight as pitiable as that of men besieged by an enemy. For such, at least, have the opportunity of a glorious death, while here was destruction without honour. Daylight restored land to their sight, and they pushed their way to the river Visurgis, where Caesar had arrived with the fleet. The legions then embarked, while a rumour was flying about that they were drowned. Nor was there a belief in their safety till they saw Caesar and the army returned.

Perhaps they’ve met the power of a storm tide, while marching on the coast not far away from the ships. Also possible, that they ‘only’ underestimated how quick the whole environment may change, when the tide is turning in the wadden sea. At ebb tide one can walk from the coast to the islands and there are only some small kinds of river beds, where the water still flows. When the flow comes, there’s no clear visible line of waves approaching. Without warning, you suddenly might find yourself surrounded by fast flowing, powerful streams of water. Modern tourists, who tried the trip without an experienced guide, often survive only by help of their mobile phone and the fastness of a search and rescue cruiser. Even with today’s strong dykes, a storm tide can flood and devastate an huge area of ‘main-land’, when the dyke breaks, carrying away barns, cattle and cars.

Horrible to think about two full equipped Roman legions caught in such a situation.