were captured and released! Occasionally, they talked about deserting to rejoin their Tribe, but quickly dismissed the idea as too dangerous and, quite frankly, they enjoyed being Romans.
They participated in defeating Vocion’s 6,000 Suevi warriors at Ranggen in July 209 and Ariovistus’ 13,000 man Army the next day at the Battle of Innsbruck. They were commended for bravery in those battles and known throughout the Hastati for their fearlessness. Manius had personally spoken to them and acknowledged their contribution to the victories.
Both Ansi and Atta developed a profound respect for their fellow Legionaries and no longer felt superior to them. Legionaries could fight as hard and as bravely as any Cimbri/Teuton warrior and their leaders were far superior in terms of their strategy and tactics. Similarly, Roman engineering skills were second to none. In their hearts, they both knew that their former Tribes would be badly beaten if they ever went up against a Roman Legion.
They departed the Innsbruck Valley with the Legion shortly after the battle and wintered at Brixia. Unbeknownst to them, the same month they departed Innsbruck, their fellow Tribesmen crossed the Danube and destroyed the three Suevi garrisons at Ulm, Passau, and Regensburg.
Later the next year, Legio XVII marched to assist other Legions fighting Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal at the Battle of the Metaurus River in 207 and by September, the Legion was back at Rome. They had been gone for 30 months and the two were eager to revisit their old haunts and girlfriends as soon as possible.
*******
Summer 209 BC
As the desperate refugees streamed over the mountains into Innsbruck, Bethica faced her first challenge. What to do with them. They were considered kinsmen, but the great mountains that separated them from the main body of Suevi living along the Inn River Valley created a breach in their relationship. At best, the Suevi farmers arriving from the north were viewed as distant cousins. Nevertheless, they shared a common culture, language, and heritage and could not be abandoned.
The farmers all told the same story. The Teutons had evicted them from their farms and told them to go south. They were told that the land now belong to the Cimbri and Teuton tribes. The refugees numbered approximately 100,000 people and they had little food and no shelter. Since they were part of the same Suevi Tribe as those living in Innsbruck, they received a warm welcome as kinsmen, but could not all be accommodated in Innsbruck.
Bethica spoke to Davenhardt first and then decided to call a Council to seek more opinions. During the Council meeting, some suggested that the refugees settle on the other side of the River and spread out to the east and west. Others wanted to keep them on the Innsbruck side of the Inn River and similarly have them go east and west to keep them closer to Innsbruck in case the settlement was attacked.
Finally a compromise was reached where the refugees would be given their choice of where to settle, on the north or south side of the river. Either choice was acceptable to the Council; the refugees just had to vacate the immediate area of Innsbruck as soon as possible. Work began immediately on two bridges spanning the Inn River to accommodate the increased traffic and heavy wagons. Until that was completed, the refugees would have to travel on the Innsbruck side of the Inn River and go east or west.
As Bethica toured the refugee camps, she saw that many of the young men were of military age. She decided to allow them two months, August and September, to help their families prepare for the coming winter before drafting them into the Suevi Army. Her rough count estimated there were at least 20,000 future warriors 18 years or older. Her new Army commander, Nasua, had been a minor chief under Ariovistus, who remained in Innsbruck in command of the garrison to act as a final defense should
They participated in defeating Vocion’s 6,000 Suevi warriors at Ranggen in July 209 and Ariovistus’ 13,000 man Army the next day at the Battle of Innsbruck. They were commended for bravery in those battles and known throughout the Hastati for their fearlessness. Manius had personally spoken to them and acknowledged their contribution to the victories.
Both Ansi and Atta developed a profound respect for their fellow Legionaries and no longer felt superior to them. Legionaries could fight as hard and as bravely as any Cimbri/Teuton warrior and their leaders were far superior in terms of their strategy and tactics. Similarly, Roman engineering skills were second to none. In their hearts, they both knew that their former Tribes would be badly beaten if they ever went up against a Roman Legion.
They departed the Innsbruck Valley with the Legion shortly after the battle and wintered at Brixia. Unbeknownst to them, the same month they departed Innsbruck, their fellow Tribesmen crossed the Danube and destroyed the three Suevi garrisons at Ulm, Passau, and Regensburg.
Later the next year, Legio XVII marched to assist other Legions fighting Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal at the Battle of the Metaurus River in 207 and by September, the Legion was back at Rome. They had been gone for 30 months and the two were eager to revisit their old haunts and girlfriends as soon as possible.
*******
Summer 209 BC
As the desperate refugees streamed over the mountains into Innsbruck, Bethica faced her first challenge. What to do with them. They were considered kinsmen, but the great mountains that separated them from the main body of Suevi living along the Inn River Valley created a breach in their relationship. At best, the Suevi farmers arriving from the north were viewed as distant cousins. Nevertheless, they shared a common culture, language, and heritage and could not be abandoned.
The farmers all told the same story. The Teutons had evicted them from their farms and told them to go south. They were told that the land now belong to the Cimbri and Teuton tribes. The refugees numbered approximately 100,000 people and they had little food and no shelter. Since they were part of the same Suevi Tribe as those living in Innsbruck, they received a warm welcome as kinsmen, but could not all be accommodated in Innsbruck.
Bethica spoke to Davenhardt first and then decided to call a Council to seek more opinions. During the Council meeting, some suggested that the refugees settle on the other side of the River and spread out to the east and west. Others wanted to keep them on the Innsbruck side of the Inn River and similarly have them go east and west to keep them closer to Innsbruck in case the settlement was attacked.
Finally a compromise was reached where the refugees would be given their choice of where to settle, on the north or south side of the river. Either choice was acceptable to the Council; the refugees just had to vacate the immediate area of Innsbruck as soon as possible. Work began immediately on two bridges spanning the Inn River to accommodate the increased traffic and heavy wagons. Until that was completed, the refugees would have to travel on the Innsbruck side of the Inn River and go east or west.
As Bethica toured the refugee camps, she saw that many of the young men were of military age. She decided to allow them two months, August and September, to help their families prepare for the coming winter before drafting them into the Suevi Army. Her rough count estimated there were at least 20,000 future warriors 18 years or older. Her new Army commander, Nasua, had been a minor chief under Ariovistus, who remained in Innsbruck in command of the garrison to act as a final defense should
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