The Germanic Wars were a series of European conflicts fought between the Romans, and later the Byzantine Empire, against various Germanic barbarian tribes (from what is now modern-day Germany, Austria, Switzerland and some surrounding countries of Central Europe). Starting in 113 BC with the Cimbrian War (113 BC — 101 BC) at the time of The Roman Republic and ending with the Byzantine-Lombard Wars (568 AD — 750 AD), the Germanic Wars were one of the longest conflicts in history, lasting even longer than the contemporary Roman-Persian Wars (66 BC — 628 AD). Also coincided with The Migration Period.
Although the nature of these conflicts varied throughout its history, with wars ranging from small raiding parties to full scale invasions, the Germanic Wars ultimately helped pave the way for the downfall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 (an early sign was a major Roman defeat at the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD) and the rise of feudal kingdoms in Western Europe.
Germanic Wars in media:
Art
- The painting Germanic warrior with helmet (1902) by Osmar Schindler depicts a young Germanic warrior holding a Roman helmet level with his groin, in a Visual Innuendo. It alludes to the Germanic Wars and this barbarian youth symbolically sexually dominating the old Roman order.
Comic Books:
- The 14th album of Alix Senator is titled "The Oath of Arminius" and sees the eponymous hero being abducted by Germanic enemies of Rome.
- Asterix and the Goths features Germanic (Goth) incursions in Gaul in 50 BC, which the Romans of that universe don't do much about. René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo actually caricatured 20th century German militarism by giving the Goths pointy helmets reminiscent of Imperial Germany.
Films:
- The Fall of the Roman Empire starts in 180 AD, with the ailing Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius fighting to keep Germanic tribes from invading his northern territories on the Danube frontier.
- Gladiator (sort of a remake of the above) starts with a battle from the Second Marcomannic War near Vindobona (modern-day Vienna, Austria) on the Limes Germanicus in 180 AD, under Marcus Aurelius, again.
Literature:
- Give Me Back My Legions! by Harry Turtledove is a historical novel about the leadup to and aftermath of the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD.
Television:
- Barbarians is set around the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, the first major Roman defeat against Germanic armies (which were commanded by Arminius) following the invasion ordered by emperor Augustus.
- Barbarians Rising, by The History Channel, covers the wars of, respectively, Arminius and Alaric in the last two episodes, "Revenge" and "Ruin".
