9/9/09 . . . 2000 years ago today~

[Not A Nice Person]

The most important battle in history you've probably never heard of was waged in the Teutoburg Wald (forest) of what would later become Germany. Arminius, leader of a German cavalry troop serving Rome, secretly united the tribes of Germania and lured Varus and his three Roman legions into a devastating ambush.

They killed Roman soldiers for three days. ALL of them.

Because of this, the lands north of the Rhine remained largely free from Rome and Roman influences for the next 1000 years, and English (along with the rest of Germanic languanges) developed unimpeded by Latin.

Well, until another decisive battle, at Hastings, much later. But that is a story for another time.

~Boar

 

[StatHaldol]

Interesting! Thanks for the history lesson!

 

[LarryH]

Then I have to thank Arminius for being here! Good stuff! :thumbs:

 

[DesertRat]

Neat story and you are right, i had never heard of the battle.

Wiki has some rather extensive info on it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest

 

[Not A Nice Person]

More sites:

http://historywarsweapons.com/battle-of-teutoburg-forest/

http://www.livius.org/te-tg/teutoburg/teutoburg01.htm

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/imperialbattles/a/031209Varus.htm

http://www.unrv.com/early-empire/teutoburg-forest.php

~Boar

 

[thechenman]

Thanks for the history lesson.

 

[Bsneed51]

Totally!