Germany, Part 1: Rome and Religion

Over the summer, I developed a one-hour presentation on the history and culture of Germany. I have adapted that presentation for this format and plan to present it this month over six or seven posts. In some cases, I'll present the PowerPoint slides I used during that talk. In others, I will provide hyperlinks for those interested in mentioned books, travel locations, or events.
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Our story begins in Roman times, for it was Rome who first wrote about the Germans, and (for English speakers) Rome who named them.

In Roman times, Central Europe was inhabited by many Germanic tribes. The Roman Empire was always questing to expand their territory or consolidate and protect their gains. They fought against the Germanic peoples for over 200 years, starting around 100BC. In 50BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rhein in the quest to expand the Empire in “Germania,” The Roman name for the region (perhaps named after a specific tribe they had once encountered). Subsequent campaigns would get so far as the Elbe River, but the gains wouldn’t last. In 9AD, the Romans were defeated at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest. They withdrew to the Rhine River, where they set up a border called the Limes Germanicus.

Borders of the Roman Empire- note the fortified areas

The Rhine River (and just north of it) was the boundary (“Limes”) of the Roman Empire for centuries. Some Imperial borders were protected by a wall (Hadrian’s Wall in England being a notable example). Here in Germany, the Romans built intermittent watchtowers and fortifications (like earthen ditches,  mounds, and wooden barriers). Reconstructions and remnants of earthworks can be seen today through this region, just ten miles north of Wiesbaden- see below. More major fortifications, with larger garrisons, were placed at intervals- you can visit Saalburg (north of Frankfurt) to get a glimpse of what these were like.

The Romans had several important towns in the region. Mainz was big, as its location at the confluence of the Rhein & Main Rivers was an important hub. Trier was another large Roman town; both were regional capitals. The Romans were here in Wiesbaden (or, as it was then known, “Aquae Mattiacorum”- the waters of the Mattiaci, a regional people). Its hot springs (Wiesbaden means “meadow baths”) and location near the border meant it was both a frontier and spa town, in a sense.

Our first knowledge of the Germanic peoples comes from Tacitus, a Roman historian writing around 100AD. Quotes in this section are from his Germania. He describes the Germans as “always the same: fierce blue eyes, red hair, and large bodies.” They were a free people, and thus were more aggressive than those ruled by despots. “Even the kings do not have absolute power, and their commanders lead by example . . .” They loved to fight, but if they weren’t waging war, they’d hunt, sleep, and eat. They were a simple and straightforward people, telling you frankly what was on their mind. And as regards food: “No other people indulges more lavishly in feasting and entertainment.” “Their food is plain . . . they satisfy their hunger without elaborate preparation or seasonings. But as far as thirst is concerned they are less constrained . . .” “no one things it disgraceful to carry on drinking all day and all night.” “For drink they have a liquid made out of barley or other grain [beer], fermented into a certain resemblance to wine. Those who live nearest to the river-bank [the Rhine] buy wine as well.”

Before we move on from Rome, we need to talk religion. Information in this section is quoted or paraphrased from Justo Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity: Volume 1. For the first 300 years of its existence, the Christian church was a persecuted minority. Yet Germany, like much of Europe, is culturally Christian today. Why?

Around 310AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity (sort of, anyway- his sincerity was questioned). His conversion heralded a drastic change. Persecution against Christians immediately ceased. Imperial edicts granted the church privileges- things like tax exemption, judicial powers for leaders, the possibility to accept property as gifts, and more.  But there was a catch.

Constantine saw himself as above the church- a bishop of bishops- and interfered in theology, appointed bishops, and had a hand in other church matters. It led to changes in worship and other things (like churches and priestly garb becoming much fancier). He wanted to use Christianity to unite the Empire, so he gave them benefits and then had a hand in directing their affairs. Predictably, the rising power of church leaders led to corruption- people buying offices, non-Christians seeking the same, and more. A flood of converts overwhelmed the church (people do follow the leader). It was hard to instruct such numbers in the faith. As a result, for some, Christianity became more cultural than seriously understood or practiced. There were differing opinions within the church of what this all meant, and whether it was good. Some “tended to see the new developments as a process of corruption of the church . . .” and in fact, some left to become monks, which was the rise of the monastic movement.

The ultimate result of Constantine’s actions: the state became intertwined with the church, in a way that would prove detrimental to both institutions over the centuries. “Soon the powerful- those who controlled politics and the economy- would also control the church.” You can trace the Christianity of Europe back to Constantine.  About 1200 years later, Germany would be center stage for a reaction against this corruption- but that’s later in our story.

The Western Roman Empire would fall in 476 to Germanic invaders. The church would fill the pan-national power vacuum, and Europe would again become a patchwork of autonomous tribal regions for several centuries, with regional kings holding sway over varying sizes of territory. But then came Charlemagne- the next chapter in our story.