Giuseppe Zecchini

Augustus continued Caesar’s expansionist policy, and Germany, instead of Britain, was his goal. A province of Germania existed between 7 B.C. and 9 A.D., and, even after Teutoburg, Augustus did not give up the plan of extending the empire borders to the Elbe. Germanicus aimed at recovering Germany, but Tiberius stopped him, lest a powerful Germanicus could threaten his own throne. Gaius Caligula probably intended to retake Germany, but his successor Claudius chose Britain. Nero had to face and stifle Boudica’s rebellion in Britain. Vespasian annexed the agri decumates (part of Baden-Württemberg), but Domitian, and Trajan, turned to Dacia and the Danube region. Therefore Tiberius’s temporary suspension of conquest of Germany became final, essentially because the army and prestige of a governor of Germania would make him a potential usurper. Reasons concerning Rome’s domestic affairs caused Arminius to be haud dubie liberator Germaniae for ever.