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<p>[QUOTE="Tejas, post: 8607585, member: 84905"]This is probably a gross understatement. Between 233 and 235 Germanic warrior bands repeatedly invaded the empire, penetrating several hundred kilometers deep into Roman territory and destroying and plundering numerous Roman forts, settlements and towns.</p><p>The so called "horizon of destruction" reached as far south as Raetia. Excavations show that sometimes forts were taken by complete surprise. At Vetoniana (Pfünz) the soldiers didn't even have time to grab their shields, which were still found stacked up in the remains of a tower. The attack may have come at night. Many large hoard originate from these events, like the treasure of Wiggenbach with 407 silver coins.</p><p>Interestingly, the invasions may have been motivated by more than just the thirst for plunder. Roman altars, statues of deities and stelae were deliberately smashed in many places. The anger may have been directed against everything representing the Roman state. Important settlements and forts, like the eastern fort of Sorviodurum (Straubing) never recovered from the attacks of these years.</p><p>While these events and especially the devastating extend of the destruction are only scarcely mentioned in Roman sources, they can be reconstructed mostly from archaeology (including many coin hoards).</p><p>While Maximianus I Thrax retaliation campaign was celebrated with much pomp in Rome it was probably more of a hit and run affair. The ominous battle in the swamps may have been little more then a skirmish. In general, the Germanic people fled into forests and swamps and it took them a while to gather warriors who could attempt an ambush. The place for this ambush was the Harzhorn. The archaeology suggests that the Roman army managed to break through the Germanic lines, but they apparently they had little appetite for staying in the area for fear that more warriors were on their way.</p><p>In a sense the story reconstructed from archaeology is confirmed by later historical events. Some 20 years after the battle the Roman limes was completely overrun by Germanic invaders and the Rome retreated to a new line of defence in what is now Switzerland.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1514462[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1514463[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Tejas, post: 8607585, member: 84905"]This is probably a gross understatement. Between 233 and 235 Germanic warrior bands repeatedly invaded the empire, penetrating several hundred kilometers deep into Roman territory and destroying and plundering numerous Roman forts, settlements and towns. The so called "horizon of destruction" reached as far south as Raetia. Excavations show that sometimes forts were taken by complete surprise. At Vetoniana (Pfünz) the soldiers didn't even have time to grab their shields, which were still found stacked up in the remains of a tower. The attack may have come at night. Many large hoard originate from these events, like the treasure of Wiggenbach with 407 silver coins. Interestingly, the invasions may have been motivated by more than just the thirst for plunder. Roman altars, statues of deities and stelae were deliberately smashed in many places. The anger may have been directed against everything representing the Roman state. Important settlements and forts, like the eastern fort of Sorviodurum (Straubing) never recovered from the attacks of these years. While these events and especially the devastating extend of the destruction are only scarcely mentioned in Roman sources, they can be reconstructed mostly from archaeology (including many coin hoards). While Maximianus I Thrax retaliation campaign was celebrated with much pomp in Rome it was probably more of a hit and run affair. The ominous battle in the swamps may have been little more then a skirmish. In general, the Germanic people fled into forests and swamps and it took them a while to gather warriors who could attempt an ambush. The place for this ambush was the Harzhorn. The archaeology suggests that the Roman army managed to break through the Germanic lines, but they apparently they had little appetite for staying in the area for fear that more warriors were on their way. In a sense the story reconstructed from archaeology is confirmed by later historical events. Some 20 years after the battle the Roman limes was completely overrun by Germanic invaders and the Rome retreated to a new line of defence in what is now Switzerland. [ATTACH=full]1514462[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1514463[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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