What Role Did Tacitus Play In Russia

Tacitus was a Roman historian and senator who lived from around 56 to 120 C.E. During his life, the Roman Empire had expanded as far north as Britain. Through military conquest and Romanization, Roman culture was spread, integrating the inhabiting societies with roman politics, administration, social practices, and the start of the new religion of Christianity. However, up until this period Germany remained untouched from Roman imperialism, and according to Tacitus, was subject to very little emigration due to its difficulty in getting there and unpleasant weather, amongst other things1.

Tacitus’ Germania (c. 98 C.E), is a treatise about the citizens of Rhineland, which describes the social and political practices of Germanic tribes, and

This is different from the Roman structure in that the emperor had complete power, and the senate held power over everyone else because of their financial status. Although the citizens of Rome could elect their officials and consuls, not everyone was considered a citizen unlike the tribespeople of Rhineland. In particular, women had an immensely higher status and role in Germanic society, starting with the fact that they were considered “citizens”. In the eyes of the men, their mothers and wives were the “most sacred witnesses of his bravery”, and were the healers and caregivers of them all6. However, it does seem that the women were not involved with the council, or deliberation process. Tacitus writes, “When the multitude think proper… if they are satisfied they brandish their spears”7, meaning they were the generals and warriors which would not have been women. Priests also have a high status in both cultures; in the tribe they administer religious punishment to inspire the warriors and acted as mediators8, in the Empire they acted more like administrative officials. In battle, they gained courage from their family and clan members who were fighting with them, and they were polytheistic. They also had an initiation process for