Warriors: Drusus Germanicus

By Heather Domin

Roman history is full of famous warriors, some factual, some mythical (usually a combination of the two); one of the most interesting is Drusus Germanicus, aka Drusus the Elder, the general who almost conquered Germania. Drusus had all the makings of a legend – he burned bright, died young, and was mourned by an empire – yet only one biography has been written about him in modern times, and that was just last year. His story deserves a little more of the spotlight on the stage of great Roman warriors.

Bust of Drusus; courtesy of Wiki Commons

Nero Claudius Drusus was born in 38BC to Tiberius Claudius Nero and his wife Livia Drusilla – or rather, his ex-wife, as she divorced him while pregnant with Drusus so she could marry the Emperor Augustus. In keeping with paterfamilias, Drusus and his older brother Tiberius remained with their father; after he died when Drusus was five and Tiberius nine, both boys went to live with their mother and stepfather. (Tiberius and Drusus were extremely close – they even named their firstborn sons after each other, which was almost unheard of in the Roman aristocracy at that time.)

Augustus obviously saw potential in his young stepson; Drusus was allowed to begin his career five years before he reached the minimum age, and at 22 he was leading large-scale military campaigns in Raetia. For the next seven years Drusus was the rock star of the Roman army – subduing tribes, gaining territory, leading battles on land and sea, and collecting accolades, including the cognomen Germanicus in honor of his victories. He was good-looking, charismatic, and smart; his troops adored him, his colleagues respected him, and Augustus held him up to the public as a paragon of conservative Roman manhood. It was even said (amazingly enough) that he was faithful to his wife, Antonia, the daughter of Marc Antony.

In 10BC the Chatti attacked Drusus' summer camp, but he fended them off and took his vengeance the following summer with another overwhelming victory. But then, in August of 9BC, as he planned his next campaign, the bright star of Rome was cut down in his prime by a strange and unexpected death. According to Suetonius, Drusus was thrown from his horse, and a month later he was dead –  that's it. No one knows exactly what happened in the weeks between his accident and his death at the age of just 29. Just like that, the hero of the legions was gone.

Drususstein monument in Mainz, Germany;
courtesy of Wiki Commons

Drusus' soldiers dearly mourned him, pooling their money to build a monument to him outside Mainz which still stands today. Tiberius was never the same, and Antonia never remarried for the rest of her life. Their eldest son, Germanicus, would go on to an even more famous career and an even more mysterious death; their younger son, Claudius, would become one of Rome's most well-known emperors. Augustus wrote a biography in tribute to Drusus which has sadly disappeared; after losing two more potential heirs, his imperial crown eventually went to Tiberius, and the rest is history.

Despite the effect Drusus Germanicus had on Rome, there is precious little about him in the historical record. Even from the few bits and pieces we do have, however, it's clear he deserves a place on any list of the most famous Roman warriors.

Further reading:

-Lindsay Powell, Eager for Glory: The Untold Story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror of Germania

-Suetonius, The Life of Tiberius and The Twelve Caesars

-Werner Eck, The Life of Augustus

Heather Domin is the author of The Soldier of Raetia,set in Augustan Rome, and Allegiance, set in 1920s Dublin. She is currently up to her eyeballs in revisions on the sequel to The Soldier of Raetia, in which Drusus Germanicus plays a major role. You can usually find her procrastinating on Twitter, procrastinating on Livejournal, or procrastinating staring at pictures of Tom Hiddleston on Tumblr.

Warriors: Conaire Mor, Connery the Great

By J.S. Dunn

Warriors must have the tools to make war. Human use of fire with stone ores to make copper, then bronze, brought the long knife. Copper daggers and long bronze knives enabled the close-range attack and killing of other humans, made it more efficient. With metal use, ancient cultures saw the rise of warrior societies and fortified dwellings, which contrasted with earlier burial practices and settlement patterns and housing. From Turkey and the Near East, to the Iberian peninsula, and up to the Isles, this pattern holds though making metals developed at different points in time in each region.

The long bronze knife elaborated into bronze dirks, rapiers, and swords. After over a millennium, iron with its superior properties replaced bronze.

At its earliest stages, the privilege of being the people’s warrior-lord carried heavy responsibilities. A layered tale with multiple recensions, The Destruction of Derg’s Hostel relates how Connery the Great ( Ir. Conaire Mor) met his doom. Young Connery walked naked and alone to the Hill of Tara to accept the role of warrior-champion. The story describes many obligations and bans on him, what he must and must not do. See Togail Bruidne da Derga.

Bizarre rituals in the Bronze Age can be heard under the gloss laid on by medieval monks. Connery probably had to touch the Lia Fail, the stone of destiny, said to cry out only at the rightful ruler’s touch.

It is no accident that Tara’s famed Lia Fail has an obvious phallic shape. Earlier megaliths in southern Portugal’s metal-working areas are even taller ( over 5 meters) and more phallic in appearance.  Part of the initiation ritual on Tara involved merging with the land-goddess, a symbol of sovereignty, which in early centuries was a white horse. Yes, you read that right. Writing accurately about the Bronze Age can be tricky. The shining knight’s white horse will never be the same. However, many modern day religious practices could be seen as equally bizarre.

Connery managed to violate all of the rules. Yet the myth states that his reign at Tara brought gladness and prosperity the likes of which were never again seen in the northern isles. His murder was a great misdeed of which people still speak.

J.S. Dunn is the award-wining author of Bending the Boyne, which took first place in the Next generation Indie Book Awards 2011

Warriors: Viking Warriors

By Michelle Styles

In 793 the Vikings exploded on the European stage with their raid on Lindisfarne. The precise cause of the raid is lost in the mists of history,  but something happened to make the Nordic people suddenly decide to export war to other countries. One recent theory is that the belligerent Christianity of the Franks under Charlemagne led to an increase in warlike behaviour from various pagan tribes. Other theories have to do with the increased mobility through technological innovation, in particular the Viking long ship. The word Viking means one who goes out on piratical raids and can be used as a verb — to go Viking. Scholars are divided on the origins of the word. Vik in old Norse means bay or inlet. So it is possible that a Viking was originally used to mean a man from a bay or a man with a ship from a bay. It also could be a reference to the Viken,  a part of southern Norway, pre-unification of Norway in the 10^th century. There is some evidence that the Lindisfarne raid did originate from that area.  In general during this period, the Vikings are referred to as Northmen or Norsemen and eventually the Viking who settled in France became the Normans.  The Viking age ends in 1066 when the last large Viking invasion force is defeated at Stamfordham, shortly before the battle of Hastings.

Were Vikings warriors as fierce some as they are often portrayed in various chronicles? It was a war like age. The Vikings at the beginning of the period were pagan and certainly Christian chroniclers had no reason to  praise the pagans . It is clear from surviving Viking mythology that the society prized warlike behaviour, and dying gloriously in battle. Unlike most other cultures, Viking mythology predicts the Doom of the gods and the destruction of the known world as the gods fight the giants and various other  creatures for supremacy.  In the final battle, Odin’s warriors (those particularly brave warriors who died on the battlefield) will fight. In the meantime, they reside in Valhalla, fighting every day to keep their skills honed and then at night they feast in the great hall.

There is no pure warrior caste in Viking society. In the early part of the Viking period, there was no central government and the region was divided into a series of tribes or countries which shared a common language and religion. However at the start of the Viking period, you do have various countries such as Viken being expansionist and seeking to subject other tribes.  It is a rare king who dies in his bed.  It is clear from the surviving sagas and myths that there was a code of conduct and a concept of honour and shame. Vikings appear to have fought on foot, using horses for transport only.  They used spears, swords,  axes as well as bows and arrows. The shields tend to be round and they wore helms. There is no direct evidence that they wore helmets with horns for fighting. It is thought that the horned helmet is a Victorian invention and misinterpretation of some of the sagas.

Overwhelmingly the warriors were male. There are a few references to female warriors. However,  it is impossible to say if women did fight as the sagas were written down  in post Christianity Iceland.  No grave of a Viking  woman has been yet discovered with weaponry.

 Because of the violent nature of this tribal society, every man had to be prepared to fight and defend his home. The Vikings also were heavily dependant on trade. Scandinavian land can be difficult to farm successfully but it also provided other wealth such as fur, timber, iron and soapstone. The Vikings in the East did follow the trade routes down to Byzantium and because they did not know what they would encounter, they did have to be prepared to fight. Their skill at fighting did not go unnoticed and the Byzantium emperor enlisted various Vikings as his body guard. This guard became known as the Varangian  guard. Var was the god of solemn vows in Norse mythology. Serving in this guard provided disposed Viking warriors the opportunity to acquire wealth and men. Harald Finehair used his time in the Varangian guard to great effect and was able to launch his bid for supremacy of Norway because of his experience.

Many of the Viking ideals about the proper behaviour of a warrior are incorporated into the code of chivalry as the Norman knights are direct descendants of these earlier warriors.

Michelle Styles writes warm, witty and intimate historical romances in a wide range of time periods. Her next Viking set romance will be published in the second half of 2013. Her most current release is a Regency set romance His Unsuitable Viscountess. You can read more about Michelle and her books on www.michellestyles.co.uk

Warriors: The Scottish Border Reivers

By Anita Davison

My recent research into the Massacre of Glencoe led me to delve deeper into the culture of the Scots/English relationship. Right up to the 17th Century, among the Highland Scots clans were Reivers –an old English word for a raider or looter, feared by the Scots as well as the English. Animosity has existed between the two countries for hundreds of years, illustrated by the fact the Scots are now trying to revoke the Act of Union of 1704.

Running a Foray

In 1525, the Archbishop of Glasgow put a curse on the Reivers that was read from every pulpit in the Scottish borderlands. It was hoped the raiders would be ‘swallowed down to hell’.

‘I curse thair heid and all the haris of thair heid…

I curse thaim gangand and I curse thaim rydand…

I curse thair wiffis, their barnis, their catales, their scheip…

May the erd mot oppin, riffle and swelly them quyk to hell!’

The curse continues for another 1458 words!  

The list of Reiving families is long, but the most feared were Armstrongs, Douglas, Grahams, Kerrs, Maxwells, Nixons, and Robsons – who destroyed crops, burned homesteads and murdered or dispersed families. For three hundred years, the borders of Scotland resembled the American Wild West, where the law held little influence, and robbery and blackmail were established ways of life. Regarded with no discredit amongst the Borderers, Reviers’ loyalty was not to King and country, but to his Clan or family name. If one clan member harmed another, the whole of both families would be drawn in, often with terrible consequences. 

'Steill Bonnet' dating from 1570

‘Raids’ or ‘forays’ on their victims homesteads varied from a quick moonlight plunder to forays that lasted days; the aim to take goods and chattels, destroy property and return home with as many cattle as possible. Even successful raids meant driving large numbers of stolen animals home, making riders vulnerable to attack.
Reivers wore padded jackets sewn with metal plates or rings, wore steel bonnets and carried either a lance, or bows and arrows and later on a ‘dag’ (heavy hand gun). Their horses were stockier than today's horses, good in the rough and boggy terrain.

In response to a foray, gangs of landowners and soldiers went "hot trodding" in pursuit of the reivers to reclaim their livestock and hand out summary justice to those they caught. Beacons were sited on Pele towers and hillsides; single fires signalled raiders approaching; four fires, that they rode in great numbers.

In 1249, 'Laws of the Marches' were established for maintaining peace amongst the clans and to deal with complaints.  Appointed from the local gentry, wardens, together with Deputies, Keepers, Captains, Land Sergeants and Troopers, met with their opposite numbers at monthly 'truce days', to administer the Border Laws.

When James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603, his first goal was to restore law and order to the borderlands. On his way to London, he paused in Newcastle and issued a proclamation abolishing the Marches and the Wardens. The term 'the Borders' was forbidden and: "no supply should be given to all rebels and disorderly persons, their wives or their bairnes (children) and that they be prosecuted with fire and sword".

Wanted men were hunted down and executed, many the subject to 'Jeddart Justice'; summary execution without trial, and 140 of the "nimblest and most powerful thieves" were executed within weeks of James' proclamation.

Borderers were forbidden to carry weapons, and could only own horses of a value up to 50 shillings. Reiving families had their land seized, their homes were and the families scattered or deported. Some clans found favour with the King, mainly by joining in the subjugation of the old reiving families, often with poacher-turned gamekeeper enthusiasm. Some were rewarded with gifts of land, and acquired the lands of their former friends and allies. 

The Elliots, Armstrongs and Grahams were singled out for special attention, due to the fact that in the days between the death of Queen Elizabeth and the proclamation of James as King, they had launched a massive raid into Cumbria where they stole nearly 5,000 sheep - known as 'Ill Week'.

Exiled to Ireland, they were forced to live amongst the moors and bogs of Roscommon and Connaught, while any who dared return to Scotland faced the death penalty.

Kinmont Willie by John Faed 1820-1902

The Reiver William Armstrong of Kinmont’s raids into Tynedale, Northumberland, resulted in murder and the loss of thousands of animals, though he always managed to evade the English.

In March 1596, at the behest of his overlord, Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch, Kinmont attended a Truce Day at the Dayholme of Kershope, on the Border between England and Scotland. Everyone who attended were untouchable from dawn of the Truce Day to the sunrise following completion of the trials of felons brought to justice.

Before sunset, as Kinmont rode down the Scottish side of the river Liddel, a party of Englishmen spotted the great Scots Reiver, forded the river and ran Kinmont down, bound him to his horse and took him to Carlisle Castle.

Walter Scott demanded Kinmont’s released as the sanctity of the Day of Truce had been abused by the English. A diplomatic wrangle ensued, with even Queen Elizabeth and King James VI involved, but nothing was settled. Buccleuch gathered a group of Border Reivers and headed for Carlisle, swam across the river Eden, made swollen and fast moving by the torrential rain, and rescued Kinmont.

Some time later, when Walter Scott was on his way to the Low Countries, he met Queen Elizabeth. She asked him how he dared to attack the castle of Carlisle in peacetime. His response:

'What, Madam, is there that a brave man may not dare?'
Elizabeth is reputed to have turned to her courtiers and said:-
'Give me a thousand such leaders and I'll shake any throne in Europe'

Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch, was made a knight in 1606, and died, apparently in his bed around 1611, having never suffered for his attack on Carlisle Castle.

“Sentence first — verdict afterwards,” says the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland; and the trial of the Knave of Hearts

Sources
http://www.bletherskite.net
http://www.reivershistory.co.uk/
http://robertpotts.co.uk/familyhistory/borderreivers.htm