Blake Campbell

Robert Mckeachie
LBST - 2101 - 204
10 February 2014
Response to Tacitus Germania Regarding Race and Ethnicity
At the very beginning of Tacituss Germania, Tacitus describes Germania as a people
with many similarities. One of these similarities was being fond of travelling fast on foot (57).
Tacitus also uses statements like this, All these peoples are disguised by (55), to contrast the
nations of Germania. These differences separate the nations/peoples of Germania. Tacitus sees
the similarities within the nations of Germania as a race and their traditions that separate them
as their ethnicity.
Tacitus makes it clear that ethnicity plays a huge role in differentiating people within
Germania. For example, the Chatti differ by letting their hair grow long and they can only cut it
when they have slain an enemy (49). That difference is enough to separate them from other
nations and it also shapes their ethnicity. Ethnicity is the heart of the nations of Germania.
Tacitus defines this with his description of the Batavi. Even though they are a part of Germania
due to their location and origin, their ethnicity is in Rome. The Batavi used to be a part of the
Chatti, but they fought a civil war and parted. Tacticus says that even though they are still
technically part of Germania, because they are weapons and armour (48) for Rome in their
soul they are with us (48). This means they are tied to Rome ethnically, because of their
practices, and are Germans by race.
While Tacitus definitions of race were clear throughout Germania, there was a part
where he questioned himself. He was confused on whether to define the nations of Peucini,
Veneti and Fenni as Germani or the Sarmatians (57). The fact that he included his thought
process behind this makes me believe that his decision to define them as Germania is
questionable. Tacitus says that the Peucini take part of Sarmatian ugliness despite this fact he
classifies them as Germans because they have settled houses (57). This shows that Tacitus is
defining a people not based on fact, but his own reasoning. Tacitus shows that the definition of
race is something that an outsider assigns to a nation because it is different than their own.
That person sees a similarity among a people and calls it a race.
There is a point in the Germania where there is a mention of the Suebai. Tacitus depics
them as a nation within a nation. They are a part of Germania, but they can be broken up into
smaller groups. He says that all the smaller nations that make up Suebai have a similarity and
that gives them their name; however, they also have a similarity with Germania, so they are
also part of Germania. Tacitus says, ...all alike are called Suebi (52). This means Tacticus is
classifying all alike into a category defining his definition of race.
Because Germania is not Rome, Tacitus classifies it as a different race. He saw they had
similarities and he saw them as one group of people. Their differences are seen as an exception
to the rule and are, for the most part, overlooked and given the name German. Their ethnicity
is what sets them apart, but they are still German.