2000 years Varus Battle

The Special exhibition »CONFLICT«

What was the role of warfare and armed conflict in the Germanic world after the Varus Battle? This is the central question around which the special exhibition has been designed. Based on extraordinary exhibits, it is going to present a multi-facetted portrait of the Germanic tribes, outlining the development from the Germanic warrior around the time of Christ’s birth to the Germanic rulers of the 5th century AD. Warfare and armed conflicts played a pivotal role in this process. They brought about significant changes in the centuries after the Varus Battle. The Imperium Romanorum lost more and more of its influence, whereas in Germania certain parts of society became increasingly powerful. They eventually aspired to leadership and would come to determine the political fate of the Roman world later on.

So what made the Germanic tribes seek out further confrontations with the Romans, whose military was, after all, superior to theirs? The answer can be found in Germania: It was about power, but whoever wanted to gain power had to find followers – men fit for battle. In order to ensure the consistent loyalty of such followers, their leader had to offer them quite a bit, because these men needed to be fed and kept in good spirits. Germania did not have the economic means to guarantee this. Raids were a more promising option, and thus the rich neighbor to the South became the focus of their attention once more.

Yet the followers of Germanic leaders did not only attack their Roman neighbors: From the 3rd to the 5th century AD a series of wars shook the Western Baltic coasts.  Where new power structures had to be established, battle ensued inevitably. Here, thousands of weapons and pieces of armor were plunged into lakes. Archaeological excavations brought them back to light. Today they allow us detailed insights into both the choice of weapons and structure of Germanic fighting units.

In the course of centuries, these armed conflicts were carried out in a more and more »professional« manner. Germanic warriors acquired comprehensive military know-how as mercenaries in the Roman army. Some had outstanding careers and became high-ranking officers and generals – ranks that naturally imparted them extensive knowledge of Roman military techniques, logistics and administration. From the 5th century AD onward, the first Germanic kingdoms emerged in Roman territory. The former »Barbarians« inherited the Roman Empire, and the rich gold treasures which decorate the graves of their kings leave no doubt about their claim to power. In this context, the special exhibition also challenges the common image of the Germanic tribesman. The Germanic warrior, only too often caricatured as a ragged-looked Barbarian wearing fur and a horned helmet, appears mostly to have been an adventurer and a soldier of fortune, who eventually turned into a clever and versatile »homo politicus«.

Why warfare?