The germania of tacitus is the most extensive account of the ancient germans written during the roman period. Though the germania was an ethnographic study, it is unlikely, according to krebs, that tacitus saw the region firsthand. Newsome october 2, 2012 agricola and germania the agricola and germani is a novel that serves two purposes. The agricola and the germania, by cornelius tacitus, serves two purposes as a historical document. Professor of the greek and latin languages in amherst college. Unlike his histories and annales tacitus doesnt offer a story line to be followed, but instead, he nudges forth an unspoken comparison to be.
I quote here hutton on style and language in germania. Washington post when the roman historian tacitus wrote the germania, a nonetooflattering little book about the ancient germans, he could not have foreseen that centuries later the nazis would extol. Germania fits squarely within the tradition established by authors from herodotus to julius caesar. Description of text new, complete english translation of tacitus agricola and germania with selected illustrations by various artists. Apr 29, 2012 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. It is his own personal account on the germanic peoples everyday lives. Unspoken comparison in tacituss germania essay germania. This edition of the germania and agricola of tacitus is designed to meet the following wants, which, it is believed, have been generally felt by teachers and pupils in american. About a hundred and fifty years after caesar wrote his gallic war, the historian tacitus produced a treatise on the germani. Study questions for tacitus scan 251 study questions for. The agricola and the germania are two important historical works by cornelius tacitus, an ancient roman senator and historian. Unspoken comparison in tacituss germania tacituss germania is a thoroughly itemized ethnographic text detailing the geography, climate and social structure of germany and its people.
Germania is an early work by tacitus circa 56120, whose greatest achievement, the annals, provides our best account of roman history under such bad emperors as tiberius and nero. The roman author tacitus writes his germania 10 in which he gives an account of the divinatory methods of the ancient germanic people. Tacitus germania summary essay example graduateway. Tacitus was a roman historian who is author of this source. The agricola is a biographical account of his fatherinlaws career, with special reference to the governorship of britain 7884 and the later years under domitian.
The germania cisrhenana, divided into the upper and lower, was a part of gallia belgica. Due to his status as agricolas soninlaw, tacitus tells the story of. The agricola and the germania by tacitus goodreads. Germania by cornelius tacitus, 9780199240005, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. We know less about cornelius tacitus than we do about julius caesar. To counteract the germans unfavourable reputation, many of the early german humanists tried, among other things, to instil the model germania with a positive connotation, in part by circulating tacitus germania. Thomas gordon introductory note the dates of the birth and death of tacitus are uncertain, but it is probable that he was born about 54 a. Tacitus was a politician writing about one of romes fiercest and worst enemies, said krebs, so his ethnography is given within the framework of roman political discourse.
Text to this point from tacitus, the agricola and germania, a. The germania, written by the roman historian publius cornelius tacitus around 98 ad and originally entitled on the origin and situation of the germans latin. Jan 14, 2016 the germania, written by the roman historian tacitus around 98 ce and originally entitled on the origin and situation of the germanic peoples latin. Germany 2 is separated from gaul, rhaetia, 3 and pannonia, 4 by the rivers rhine and danube. The power even of the kings is not absolute or arbitrary. Germania full title on the origin and situation of the germans is a book written by the roman historian tacitus around 98 ad tacitus described germanic peoples, emphasizing their virtues, in contrast to the moral laxity of contemporary rome, and the threat that these tribes, if they acted together, could present.
Germania paperback tacitus oxford university press. Germania fits squarely within the tradition established by authors from herodotus to. Washington post when the roman historian tacitus wrote the germania, a nonetooflattering little book about the ancient germans, he could not have foreseen that centuries later the nazis would extol it as a bible and vow to resurrect germany on its grounds. Cornelius tacitus, germany and its tribes, chapter 1. Tacitus goes on to give a geographical account of the locations of the main german tribes. Unspoken comparison in tacitus s germania tacitus s germania is a thoroughly itemized ethnographic text detailing the geography, climate and social structure of germany and its people. This latter effort reflects the intentional establishment of a. Based on tacitus account, he criticizes roman customs by contrasting them with those of the germans, also referred to as barbarians. Cornelius tacitus, alfred john church, william jackson brodriff created date.
Full text of tacitus, the agricola and germania see other formats. It is laudatory yet circumstantial in its description, and it. The country we know under the name of germany is separated from gaul, on the one hand, and from rhaetia and pannonia, on the other, by the rivers rhine and danube, from sarmatia and dacia by the barrier of mutual fear or mountain ranges. Displaying a very readable style, tacitus provides insight into contemporary life and civilizations of the roman world. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. First, the book serves to pay tribute to one of the greatest commanders over britain in roman history, that of commander agricola. The following, which completes the text of the germania, is from an 18thcentury different translation by thomas gordon in the public domain and online.
The agricola is a eulogy praising tacituss fatherinlaw, and commander of britian, agricola. The following, which completes the text of the germania, is from an 18thcentury different translation bythomas gordon. Germania tacitus, an important roman historian, wrote the most detailed early description of the germans at then end of the first century ce. The various peoples of germany are separated from the gauls by the rhine, from the raetians and pannonians by the danube, and from the sarmatians and dacians by mountains or, where there are no mountains, by mutual fear. Een biografie over tacitus van pierre grimal tacite, parijs 1990 is in een nederlandse vertaling van e. The various peoples of germany are separated from the. Tacitus, the agricola and germania, from the 18thcentury translation by thomas gordon. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Ancient text has long and dangerous reach harvard gazette. View notes study questions for tacitus from plpa 200 at university of illinois, urbana champaign. Germany 1 as a whole is separated from the gauls and from raetians 2 and pannonians 3 by the rivers rhine and danube.
The germania of tacitus is the most extensive account of the ancient germans written during the roman period, but has been relatively neglected in the scholarship of the englishspeaking world. Tacitus is one of the great roman historians, and reading the agricola and the germania one can understand why. Elsewhere ocean girds it, embracing broad peninsulas and islands of unexplored extent, where certain tribes and kingdoms are newly known to us, revealed by war. The agricola is a eulogy praising tacitus s fatherinlaw, and commander of britian, agricola. A most dangerous book is a most brilliant achievement. To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the timeline overview on the bottom. The germania, written by the roman historian tacitus around 98 ce and originally entitled on the origin and situation of the germanic peoples latin. The agricola is a biography of the roman general gnaeus julius agricola as well as a geographic and ethnographic history of ancient britain.
Germania cornelius tacitus the earliest beginnings and the land of the germans. The rest is surrounded by an ocean, embracing broad promontories 6 and vast insular tracts, 7 in which our military expeditions have lately discovered various nations and. This is a collection of two books, the agricola and the germania. This new translation, introduction, and commentary provides an uptodate guide to the relevant literary and archaeological evidence, and discusses the methodological issues involved in understanding this important historical source. Publius quinctilius varus is made governor of germania. Cornelius tacitus, germany and its tribes, chapter 44. Also in this work it is presented that although men carried out the rituals tacitus may have witnessed, women were held in high regard for their holiness and gifts of prophecy. In doing so, be warned, he was commenting on the rome of his own time, as much as on the german themselves chapter 1 geography of germany. Essay on tacitus the agricola and the germania 903 words. Tacitus on german women the germans choose their kings for their noble birth, their commanders for their valor. Tacitus germania is by far the fullest and most valuable treatise of its kind which has come down to us from ancient to modern times.