CHAPTER 3
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The First Romans River Elbe
Teutoburg Forest (battle site) Rhine
Saale
MARCOMANNI Mogontiacum (Mainz)
Main
QUADI Danube
Planned Campaign of the Romans
Vindobona Carnuntum
By 5 A.D., the Roman Empire had brought large parts of the Germanic area between the Rhine, the Elbe/Saale, and the Main under its influence. Permanent military bases and towns were erected. North of the Danube, the empire of the Marcomannic king, Marbod, became too powerful for the Romans to tolerate. For the campaign against the Marcomannians, Rome mobilised all twelve legions that were based in Germania, Raetia and Illyricum. The troops based in Germania left Mainz for the Elbe, while Tiberius was to push forward from Carnuntum to Bohemia. The campaign, however, had to be postponed, because a revolt broke out in Pannonia that required the intervention of Tiberius. Previously, he succeeded in negotiating a peace treaty with Marbod, the king of the Marcommani. Shortly after the suppression of the Pannonian revolt, the Roman Empire was dealt one of its largest defeats. In 9 A.D., the Cheruscans destroyed three Roman legions commanded by Varus in the Teutoburg Forest, including auxiliary troops and baggage train. The Romans had to withdraw back to the borders along the Rhine and the Danube, the defence of which kept them occupied for another 400 years. Hence, legionary fortresses were built along the Danube, with Vindobona being one of them.