The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Will the riddle of the Varus Battle finally be solved?

2020-08-10T23:07:28.481Z


In the year 9 AD the Germanic peoples inflicted a devastating defeat on the Roman legions. But where? This is still debated today. Now a chemist is trying to solve the riddle.


Icon: enlarge

Photo: 

JUDAICA collection / picture alliance / dpa

Helmut Förster is retired chief physician and holder of the Grand Latinum. As a senior student, he listened to Roman history for four semesters and read many of the original writings of Tacitus and Florus.

On a rainy day in February, he walks up the stairs of his house in Essen, opens the door of his "study" and sits on a high-backed swivel chair with leather cover, surrounded by stacks of books with yellow sticky notes sticking out of them.

DER SPIEGEL 12/2020

Photo: 

cgs

Are we ready?

49 questions and answers - a Corona special

Right arrow to output

For years, the 78-year-old has devoted himself to one of the greatest puzzles in historical research in the room under the sloping roof: the legendary Varus Battle. Förster has published a book on the subject and has given numerous lectures, including at adult education centers. He is probably one of the busiest lay historians in Germany and does not shy away from discussions with all the other professional and after-work researchers who are working on the legendary event from the year 9 AD.

In the slaughter, which was allegedly accompanied by torrential rains, the Teutonic Arminius and his followers are said to have slaughtered around 15,000 members of the legions of the governor Publius Quinctilius Varus. Arminius, who, according to Roman sources, belonged to the Cheruscan tribe, is considered by some to be a Germanic liberator who broke into the Romans "a kind of ancient Stalingrad", as Förster calls it.

Mirror Plus

Good reading. Understand more.

Special reports, analyzes and background information on topics that affect our society - from reporters from all over the world.

Your advantages with SPIEGEL +:

  • Icon: Check

    Unrestricted access

    to all content on all your devices

    Exclusive content

    from the weekly magazine

  • Icon: Check

    Including digital edition

    of the weekly magazine

    Flexible term

    can be canceled at any time

  • Icon: Check

    Flexible term

    can be canceled online at any time

    A price

    only € 19.99 per month

Start Free Month Buy Now Right Arrow Sign Up Now Right Arrow

Restore iTunes subscription

SPIEGEL + is processed via your iTunes account and paid for with a purchase confirmation. 24 hours before it expires, the subscription is automatically renewed for one month at the current price of € 19.99. You can cancel the subscription at any time in the settings of your iTunes account. To use SPIEGEL + outside of this app, you must link the subscription to a SPIEGEL ID account immediately after purchase. With the purchase you accept our general terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-08-10

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.