Concetti Chiave
- Roman foreign policy during the Empire remained largely unchanged from the time of Augustus, maintaining a focus on combating external threats from the Germans in the North and the Parthians in the East.
- The Germanic tribes, composed of various Indo-European speaking groups, posed a continuous threat to Rome, leading to frequent conflicts along the Rhine and Danube frontiers.
- Despite numerous triumphs over the Germans, Rome never fully subdued them, as they were considered untamable and resistant to Romanization, holding onto their ancient traditions.
- Roman fortifications, known as the limes, were constructed to defend against Germanic incursions, resulting in the establishment of military camps that evolved into cities like Cologne and Belgrade.
- The presence of Roman soldiers along the borders led to the Romanization of these regions, with many soldiers settling there after their service, integrating Roman culture and demographics.
Hostility and foreign policy
If within the Roman State, the distances between the various peoples were reduced in proportion, however, generally deepen hostility toward foreign peoples. Hostilities with the Roman foreign policy outlined at the time of Augustus and remained substantially unchanged for five centuries until the fall of the Empire. Rome was forced to fight on two fronts: to the North had to fight against the Germans in the East against the Parthians. The Northern frontiers, established along the Rhine and Danube, excluded by the Germanic peoples.
Threat of the Germans
The incursions of the barbarians, however, remained for the Romans always looming threat: "our town – Tacitus writes in his book Germany – was in its six hundred and forty eight year since its Foundation (i.e. in 113 BC) When for the first time we heard of the Cimbri.
Then they were consuls Caecilius Metellus and Papirius Carbo. From that year until the second consulship of the Emperor Trajan (i.e. in 97 ad) there are about two hundred years: how long have we to win the Germany! The Germans we celebrated many triumphs without ever actually beaten them. "
Germanic tribes and Roman relations
But who were the Germans, in which Tacitus saw the impetuous representatives of a free people and indomitable? They did not constitute a single nation, but a collection of Indo-European speaking tribes, settled mainly in the regions between the Rhine and the Elbe River and along the Danube; they don't ever, in ancient times, a national standard of living, but lived in scattered villages, in an area covered with forests and little suited to agriculture which offered minimum subsistence items.
For this reason, from time to time, Germanic peoples raiding tried crossing the borders Romans; or, as soon as possible, they serve as socii in the Roman army, which produced evidence of their courage and great military qualities, so much so that sometimes the personal guard of the emperors was recruited exclusively within them.
For the Romans, Germanic peoples, stationed beyond the limes were really "the other", i.e. the primitive that does not manage to civilize (i.e. "romanize") and which remained absolutely loyal to their ancient traditions, as well as insensitive to enticements of Greco-Roman civilization.
Roman fortifications and settlements
To counter the threat of the Germans were already in century a.d. to build a fortification system (the limes) that ran along the border and was garrisoned by the Roman army.
This had significant consequences from the demographic point of view and conditioned geography next: many Roman camps sprung up along the Rhine and the Danube were developed and gave rise to a city (including, for example, Cologne and Belgrade). In addition, many soldiers, after long years of service at the borders, once discharged established in those regions, which were then been romanized.
Domande da interrogazione
- How did Roman foreign policy evolve during the time of Augustus and beyond?
- How did the Romans perceive the Germanic peoples, and what was their relationship like?
Roman foreign policy, established during Augustus's reign, remained largely unchanged for five centuries until the Empire's fall. Rome faced hostilities on two fronts: against the Germans in the North and the Parthians in the East.
The Romans viewed the Germanic peoples as "the other," primitive and resistant to Romanization. Despite this, some Germanic tribes served as allies in the Roman army, showcasing their courage and military skills, and even forming the personal guard of emperors at times.
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