People can tolerate some suppression, but there are
limits. Tacitus tells in his Annales
IV.72 how the Frisians were forced by the Romans to pay taxes in the form of
hides. The Frisians are the neighbours of the province I live (Groningen), but
in Roman times and later the area they lived in was much larger. The North-West
part of Germany is called Ostfriesland and though they don’t speak Frisian
there but Saxon (Plattdeutsch, Frisian is close Old-English) the name indicates
that Frisians wielded power at that region during some time of history – the
very early Middle Ages.
There were no Roman forces in Frisia, but they were near
enough by to show their teeth and demand tribute. At first it was quite
moderate: Drusus just wanted some hides. But then a new commander came: Olennius.
He wanted more than they could give, namely hides matching those of aurochs
(singular and plural the same in English, though aurochsen, aurochses are
attested), but their domesticated cows were much smaller and aurochs were
rather rare here. Olennius must have known that, so his demand was just a
display of power combined with sadism (how modern!). Being unable to provide
the hides, the Frisians were punished by forcing to give away their cattle,
fields and finally even their wives and children for slavery. And then the
Frisians resented. Not without some amusement and sympathy for the Frisians, Tacitus
describes what happened at 28 AD.
[72] Eodem anno Frisii, transrhenanus popolus, pacem
exuere, nostra magis avaritia quam obsequii impatientes. tributum iis Drusus
iusserat modicum pro angustia rerum, ut in usus militaris coria boum penderent,
non intenta cuiusquam cura quae firmitudo, quae mensura, donec Olennius e
primipilaribus regendis Frisiis impositus terga urorum delegit quorum ad formam
acciperentur. id aliis quoque nationibus arduum apud Germanos difficilius
tolerabatur, quis ingentium beluarum feraces saltus, modica domi armenta sunt.
ac primo boves ipsos, mox agros, postremo corpora coniugum aut liberorum
servitio tradebant. hinc ira et questus et postquam non subveniebatur remedium
ex bello. rapti qui tributo aderant milites et patibulo adfixi: Olennius
infensos fuga praevenit receptus castello cui nomen Flevum; et haud spernenda
illic civium sociorumque manus litora Oceani praesidebat.
(Chapter 73 tells how the Romans tried to take revenge,
but were terribly beaten by the Frisians, with a great loss of lives.)
transrhenanus:
from the other side (i.e. north) of the Rhine
exuo exui exutum:
to cast of (exuere = exuerunt)
nostra avaritia:
abl.
impatiens –entis
(+ gen.): not willing to bear
pro angustia rerum:
in accordance with the poverty of means
in usus militaris:
e.g. for making tents
corium: skin,
hide
pendo pependi
pensum: to pay
non intenta cura:
abl. abl. while no care was being taking by anyone which quality, which measure
primipilaris:
kind of centurion
regendis Frisiis:
with impositus
terga = coria
quorum ad formam
acciperentur: the measure of which they had to accept
arduus:
difficult
quis = quibus
belua: beast,
monster
ferax –acis
(+gen.): fertile, abounding
saltus –us (m.):
forest
armentum: horned
cattle
questus –us (m.): complaint
subvenio: to
come to help (non subveniebatur:
subject Olennius)
patibulum:
wooden bar
infensos fuga
praevenit: he was the enemies ahead by flight
Flevum: most
likely near modern Velzen, in the Dutch province of Noord-Holland
sperno sprevi
spretum: to despise
manus –us (f.):
band
Translation by Alfred John Church and William Jackson
Brodribb (1876)
That same year the Frisii, a nation beyond the Rhine,
cast off peace, more because of our rapacity than from their impatience of
subjection. Drusus had imposed on them a moderate tribute, suitable to their
limited resources, the furnishing of ox hides for military purposes. No one
ever severely scrutinized the size or thickness till Olennius, a first-rank
centurion, appointed to govern the Frisii, selected hides of wild bulls as the
standard according to which they were to be supplied. This would have been hard
for any nation, and it was the less tolerable to the Germans, whose forests
abound in huge beasts, while their home cattle are undersized. First it was
their herds, next their lands, last, the persons of their wives and children,
which they gave up to bondage. Then came angry remonstrances, and when they
received no relief, they sought a remedy in war. The soldiers appointed to
collect the tribute were seized and gibbeted. Olennius anticipated their fury
by flight, and found refuge in a fortress, named Flevum, where a by no means
contemptible force of Romans and allies kept guard over the shores of the
ocean.
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