Tacitus was a Roman historian during the 1st century. A couple thoughts on what he wrote about the German nation.

1. The idea of slavery was vastly different than the forced bondage of the civil war era in the United States. Tacitus states:

"The master is not distinguished from the slave by being brought up with greater delicacy. Both live amid the same flocks and lie on the same ground till the freeborn are distinguished by age and recognised by merit."

One can't help but think of the doulos-master relationship that the apostle Paul speaks of in his Epistles. We are slaves of Christ, and that is the best thing we could ever hope for. We live among His flock and lie on the same ground as the Son of God. And this has duel purposes: For Christ to bring us to Himself in salvation and for Christ to give Himself to us through adoption.

2. The warriors that fought for the chief did so out of love and adoration. Again, I can't help but think of the Apostle Paul urging on his readers to fight the good fight and to lay our crowns at his feet, when Tacitus writes:

"When they go into battle, it is a disgrace for the chief to be surpassed in valour, a disgrace for his followers not to equal the valour of the chief. And it is an infamy and a reproach for life to have survived the chief, and returned from the field. To defend, to protect him, to ascribe one's own brave deeds to his renown, is the height of loyalty. The chief fights for victory; his vassals fight for their chief."

This type of writing would have been spread throughout Rome to the literate and the scholars, of which Paul would have found himself. Although Tacitus wrote some time after the Death of Paul, what he wrote about would have been commonplace for a Roman citizen and this information was likely available before Tacitus wrote it, as he succeeded at least two Roman Historians before him.

Germania is a historical book written by the Roman historian Tacitus. The work describes the Germanic people and their way of life from a Roman perspective. It is a fascinating work that is still of great scientific importance today.

In Germania, Tacitus describes the different Germanic tribes and their customs. He provides insights into Germanic society and the way they lived. Their character traits are also described in detail. Although the book was written from a Roman perspective, Tacitus manages to draw a nuanced picture of them.

The book is also remarkable from a literary perspective. Tacitus' writing style is elegant and concise. He knows how to captivate his readers and immerse them in the world of the Germanic way of life. Although the book was written over 2000 years ago, it is still very readable and entertaining.

Above all, Germania is a historical standard work. It is an important source for the history of the Germanic people and offers us valuable insights into the life and culture of these ancient peoples. The significance of the book lies in the fact that it gives us a perspective on the Germanic tribes, even though no written sources from these tribes themselves exist.

Overall, Germania is a fascinating work that is of great literary and scientific importance. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and culture of these tribes.

Good primary source, not much else.

Tai olisi tämä voinut olla viidenkin tähden lukukokemus. Todella huolella toimitettu editio (korjattu painos) Germaniasta. Johdanto, suomenkielinen teksti, alkuperäinen latinalainen ja erinomainen selitysosio, jonka luin ”omana lukunaan” ja toimi hyvin näin. Tacitus kuvaa germaaneja ensin yleisellä tasolla ja sen jälkeen heimoittain mukaan lukien fennit.