Encyclopedia of Society and Culture in the Ancient World

I shall now deduce the institutions and usages of the
several people, as far as they vary one from another; as
also an account of what nations from thence removed,
to settle themselves in Gaul.

Th at the Gauls were in times past more puissant and
formidable is related by the Prince of authors, the
deifi ed Julius [Julius Caesar], and hence it is probable
that they too have passed into Germany. For what a
small obstacle must be a river, to restrain any nation,
as each grew more potent, from seizing or changing
habitations; when as yet all habitations were common,
and not parted or appropriated by the founding and
terror of Monarchies? Th e region therefore between
the Hercynian Forest and the rivers Moenus [Main]
and Rhine, was occupied by the Helvetians; as was that
beyond it by the Boians, both nations of Gaul. Th ere
still remains a place called Boiemum, which denotes
the primitive name and antiquity of the country,
although the inhabitants have been changed. But
whether the Araviscans are derived from the Osians,
a nation of Germans passing into Pannonia, or the
Osians from the Araviscans removing from thence
into Germany, is a matter undecided; since they both

still use the language, the same customs and the same

laws. For as of old they lived alike poor and alike free,

equal proved the evils and advantages on each side

the river, and common to both people. Th e Treverians

and Nervians aspire passionately to the reputation of

being descended from the Germans; since by the glory

of this original, they would escape all imputation of

resembling the Gauls in person and eff eminacy. Such

as dwell upon the bank of the Rhine, the Vangiones,

the Tribocians, and the Nemetes, are without doubt all

Germans. Th e Ubians are ashamed of their original;

though they have a particular honor to boast, that of

having merited an establishment as a Roman Colony,

and still delight to be called Agrippinensians, after the

name of their founder: they indeed formerly came from

beyond the Rhine, and, for the many proofs of their

fi delity, were settled upon the very bank of the river;

not to be there confi ned or guarded themselves, but to

guard and defend that boundary against the rest of the

Germans.

From: Voyages and Travels: Ancient and

Modern, ed. by Charles W. Eliot (New

York: P. F. Collier and Son, 1910).

 Tacitus: Excerpt from Germania (98 c.e.) 

Europe

BOOK 4

Grinus (they say), the son of Aesanius, a descendant of

Th eras, and king of the island of Th era, went to Delphi

to off er a hecatomb on behalf of his native city. On

Grinus consulting the oracle about sundry matters, the

Pythoness gave him for answer “that he should found

a city in Libya.” When the embassy returned to Th era,

small account was taken of the oracle, as the Th erans

were quite ignorant where Libya was.

Seven years passed from the utterance of the oracle, and

not a drop of rain fell in Th era: all the trees in the island,

except one, were killed with the drought. After a while,

everything began to go wrong. Ignorant of the cause of

their suff erings, they again sent to Delphi to inquire for

what reason they were affl icted. Th e Pythoness in reply

reminded them reproachfully “that if they and Battus

would make a settlement at Cyrene in Libya, things

would go better with them.” So, as there was no help for

it, they sent messengers to Crete, to inquire whether any

of the Cretans, or of the strangers living amongst them,

had ever traveled as far as Libya: and these messengers

fell in with a man named Corobius, a dealer in purple

dye. In answer to their inquiries, he told them that

contrary winds had once carried him to Libya, where he

had gone ashore on a certain island which was named

Platea. So they hired this man’s services, and took him

back with them to Th era. A few persons then sailed from

Th era to reconnoiter. Guided by Corobius to the island of

Platea, they left him there with provisions for a certain

 Herodotus: Excerpt on the founding of

Cyrene (ca. 630 b.c.e.), from Th e Histories (ca. 430 b.c.e.) 

Greece

(cont inued)

migration and population movements: primary source documents 723