A 2,000-Year-Old Golden Horse Head Suggests Romans Actually Got Along Wth German 'Barbarians'
The sculpture fragment suggests Romans lived peacefully alongside Germans until a decisive defeat at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest
The restored horse head is on view for the first time since its discovery in 2009 (Courtesy of Hessian Ministry of Science and Art)
By Meilan Solly
smithsonian.com
August 21, 2018 7:00AM
Some 2,000 years ago, a monumental bronze sculpture of the Roman emperor Augustus and his trusted steed welcomed visitors to the central marketplace of Waldgirmes, an ancient settlement near modern-day Frankfurt, Germany. Made of bronze covered in gold leaf and weighing an estimated 900 pounds, the equestrian statue was an imposing presence in the newly annexed province. It reminded viewers of imperial might with symbols like the Roman war god Mars affixed onto the horse’s bridle.
Today, a gilded horse head and miscellaneous small fragments are all that remain of the sculpture. But as Andrew Curry reports for National Geographic, the 55-pound head retains much of its majestic power. Now on view just north of Frankfurt at the Saalburg Roman Fort, the sculpture introduces a twist in the established story of Roman-Germanic relations.
Prior to the launch of excavations at Waldgirmes in 1993, historians believed the Roman Empire limited its engagement with German affairs to the occasional military raid, Science Magazine notes. Lacking evidence of early Roman settlements across Germany, researchers identified the Battle of Teutoburg Forest as the turning point in Rome’s empire-building trek across Europe. They speculated that the embarrassing defeat delineated the borders of the Roman frontier.
According to Karen Schousboe of Ancient History Encyclopedia, the battle took place late in the year 9 A.D. German warriors ambushed three legions of Roman soldiers led by general Publius Quinctilius Varus. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Germans annihilated their enemies. The battered Romans retreated, setting up a northern perimeter along the Rhine River.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sculpted-horse-head-complicates-legendary-roman-conquest-german-barbarians-180970077/#4HUlsCUw6JToYAST.99
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