#batavi

The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis and the Batavians in the Schakerbos | The Conspiracy of Julius Civilis and the Batavians in a Sacred Grove

Exomna

Exomna was a Goddess worshiped by the Batavi people in modern day Southern Netherlands. Unfortunately we do not know anything about this Goddess since we only have one altar stone on which she is mentioned.

The Batavi were originally part of the Chatti tribe but for some unknown reason, internal conflict most likely, a part of the Chatti tribe broke off and migrated to what is now the Southern Netherlands. They settled there around 100-50BC. We know that the Batavi were Germanic in origin because of the Chatti but it seems that they started to worship Celtic influenced deities as well, perhaps a consequence of living so close to Celtic territories.

The chief God of the Batavi was Hercules Magusanus, about whom I have written a post before. Hercules Magusanus was the Latanized version of the thundergod Donar/Thor. Several inscriptions to this God, including statues have been found in Batavi territory. The God Wodan/Odin was worshipped by the Batavi as well under the name of Mercurius Friausius. Archeologists however found several altar stones with inscriptions of completely unknown deities which still leave us puzzled until this day.

This photo of an altar stone, which dates back to around 150-300AD is the only inscription that we have of the unknown Goddess Exomna. The inscription reads: "Aunius Vitalis has fulfilled his vow to the goddess Exomna, gladly and with good reason."

The name Exomna is Celtic so she might have been one of the many unknown native southern Dutch Goddesses worshiped by earlier tribes like the Eburones who were destroyed by Julius Caesar. The Batavi people settled in former Eburones territory. What is also interesting is that the location where this stone was found, also is the site where a little statue of the God Mercurius has been found.

Hurstgra

Hurstgra is also one of the many Batavi Goddesses who has been almost forgotten in history. Similar to Exomna and Haeva, only one altar stone has been discovered that mentions the name of the Goddess. This altar stone in particular was discovered near Kapel Avezaath, the Netherlands. The stone is dated back to somewhere between 150-250AD.

The inscription on the stone reads: "For the goddess Hurstaga, according to her order, Valerius Silvester, municipal councilor of (the) Municipium der Bataven, founded (this altar), and with good reason."

Unfortunately we do not have a single clue who Hurstgra and what her exact role was in the Batavi pantheon. It is however very likely that all these native Dutch deities like Hurstgra, Nehalennia, Exomna, Haeva and a few others are actually much older than the Germanic culture itself. They might have been worshipped by the ancient Dutch people before even the Celts spread their influence in the low countries.

In case you were wondering why all these altar stones end with 'for good reason' is because they were basically seen as a contract. One would ask a favour of a particular deity and if that favour was granted, you had to give an offering in return. Most likely the common people offered an animal or food but the wealthier people, especially those influenced by Roman culture or working with the Romans, made these type of altar stones as an offering to the deity to thank him/her for the favour that had been granted.

It is too bad that we only have these altar stones with their names on them but at least we know of their existence. If the Batavi people wouldn't have copied Roman ways of life, we would have never known about these Gods and they would have been forever lost in time.

Haeva

Haeva is another almost forgotten Goddess of the Batavi people who lived in the southern Netherlands. Just like with Exomna, we have only found one single inscription of her name but if we look at the surrounding area, we might make a guess who Haeva exactly was.

The Tabula Peutingeriana, an old Roman map, indicates that a possible Roman fort was located near modern day Wijk bij Duurstede, Utrecht, the Netherlands. The name mentioned on the map is Levefano. The exact location of this Roman fort is still unclear, it could be Wijk bij Duurstede or another possible location is Rijswijk. In any case, the name might be a reference to Haevae Fanum which means sanctuary of Haeva.

The Germanic people never built temples, altar stones or wrote inscriptions before the arrival of the Romans. The Batavi lived in Germania Inferior, a province controlled by the Romans but the Romans didn't interfere with the local traditions of the Germanic people so the Batavi were free to continue to worship their own pantheon of Gods. Over time, they started to copy Roman traditions and architecture and that is why we are so fortunate enough to find a few Roman-styled altar stones with inscriptions of unknown native Gods and Goddesses.

The inscription on which Haeva was named, also mentions the name of the God Hercules Magusanus, Donar/Thor. Which can provide us with a clue of Haeva's role in the Germanic pantheon. Maybe Haeva was the wife of Donar/Thor. There is also a possible connection between her name and the Proto-Germanic word 'hwan', which means to marry. Haeva might have been the Goddess of marriage and the wife of Donar.

That awkward moment when Caligula entered the Netherlands and declared war on Neptune, ordering his soldiers to hack in the sea and collect sea shells as a trophy. Even the Batavi present in this area called out on his bullshit during the Batavi revolt.

Postumus

The Roman empire split during the crisis of the third century, between 260AD-274AD. The Western part of the Empire broke away from Rome and established its own line of emperors. This part of the empire was renamed as the Gallic empire, it included Germania Inferior, Gallica, Britannia and Hispania. The man responsible for this split was Postumus.

Not much is known about the life of Postumus but it is believed that he was a Batavi. Some suggestions point to Diessen, the Netherlands as his place of birth but that is quite uncertain. As a Batavi man, he joined the Roman army like so many other young Batavi men did. He played an active role in the conflicts between the Roman army and the invading Franks and Alemanni.

Postumus played an important role apparently in the recapture of Augusta Treverorum (modern day Trier) because he was given the rank of Legatus, a high-ranking Roman officer equivalent to today's rank of General officer.

In the year 259AD, the emperor, Valerianus I, sent his army to the east of the Roman empire, forced to undergo a military campaign against the Sassanids. This campaign went horribly wrong and the Sassanids managed to capture the emperor. As soon as the news reached the West of the Roman empire, the Germanic tribes saw their chance and invaded.

Within only a few months, Frankish and Alemanni armies stood in Northern Italy but were pushed back near Mediolanum (modern day Milan). Postumus fought a battle against the invading Franks near the Temple of Hercules Magusanus (local variant of Donar/Thor) in Empel, the Netherlands. I have written a post about this temple for those who are curious.

Postumus managed to bring heavy casualties to the Franks, he even allowed some of the beaten Franks to settle on the land as farmers with the promise of their support against future Germanic invasions. When the successor of Valerianus I, named Saloninus heard of Postumus' success, he demanded all the captured loot to be delivered to his house in Colonia Agrippina (Modern day Cologne).

This demand was a terrible mistake of Saloninus and the soldiers who served under Postumus declared Postumus as emperor in their anger. Postumus besieged Colonia Agrippina with his army and managed to break through the walls. Saloninus died during this siege but it is unclear whether he died by Postumus' hands or if he was murdered by his own troops. The conquest of Colonia Agrippina marks the start of the Gallic empire now ruled by a Batavi emperor.

It was clear that Postumus still believed in the Germanic Gods because under his reign, he produced coins with the image of Hercules Magusanus on them. He was recognized as a legitimate emperor by several provinces like Hispania, Germania Inferior, Brittania and Gallica.

His main purpose as an emperor seemed to be the restoration of the Roman border near the Rhine. He was very succesfull in this, he earned the admiration of several classical authors and massively improved the economy in the border regions.

Postumus also started recruiting Frankish warriors and used them to fight other Franks. He spent 4 years driving the Franks out of Gaul. Postumus also allied himself with the Thuringi tribe. Unfortunately there are no written sources about this alliance but hundreds of coins have been found on Thuringi lands with a depiction of Postumus on them.

Postumus reigned until 269AD. In that year he captured Mogontiacum (modern day Mainz) in order to kill Laelianus. Laelianus was declared as emperor by his own troops inside this city, an act, which of course, was not supported by Postumus. Postumus however didn't allow his army to plunder the city, his soldiers turned against him and murdered Postumus and his son.

After his death, the Gallic empire lost the control over Britannia and Hispania, the remainder of the empire continued to exist until 274AD, the year in which the Gallic empire was dismantled and added back to the Roman empire.

Postumus certainly was an interesting person, born as a Germanic Batavi, he managed to become an important and respected Roman officer and eventually became an emperor himself.

Cologne During The Batavi Revolt

In the year 70AD, during the Batavi revolt, Civilis managed to capture Castra Vetera, a Roman fort in modern day Xanten. He promised the Roman soldiers free passage out but the Germanics attacked them only a few kilometers outside of the fort and destroyed the Roman garrison. The most important Roman officers were captured and gifted to Veleda, the unmarried and deeply respected seeress, for she predicted that the Batavi would win this revolt. 

Civilis was spurred on by his success to move towards Agrippina, (Rome already lost two legions by now because of this revolt) but he was hesitant to let the Germanics plunder the Roman city of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (modern day Cologne, Germany). 

Plundering the city would not be good for Civilis' reputation and at the start of the Batavi rebellion, his son was captured and treated with honour in Agrippinensium. But this Roman city was however hated by the tribes above the Rhine. The Tencteri sent envoys into Agrippina in order to let their demands be known. The fiercest of the Tencteri spoke and delivered one hell of a speech:

"You belong to the greater part once more, you are Germanic again! We therefore thank all of our  Gods and Tyr, our main God, and congratulate you. Finally you shall be free amongst the free. Until today the Romans closed off the rivers, land and in a certain way the sky, to stop all contact and traffic with us. Or it was to humiliate, us men born for weapons, further. Unarmed, practically naked, we would live under supervision and meet for a fee.

But so that our friendship and alliance may be everlasting, we demand that you tear down the walls of your colony, the bulwark of your slavery (even wild animals forget their virtue when locked up), that you slaughter all Romans within your bounderies. Freedom and slave masters do not easily mix. Let the goods of those killed be coded into a common store, so that no one hides anything or separates his own interest.

We and you must have the right to settle on either bank of the Rhine, as our forefathers did in the past. Nature has granted every man the privilege of light and day, not less has she given brave warriors access to every land.

Take back the traditions and customs of your own land again and cast out this luxery. This comfort gives the Romans more power over their subjects than their weapons! In this way you become a pure and unspoiled people, you forget slavery and become equally entitled, if not more powerful than others."

The inhabitants of Agrippina however couldn't accept or refuse these demands. They replied as follow:

"When the first opportunity for freedom was given, we took it up more eagerly than cautiously, so that we would be joined to you and all other Germanics, our kinsmen.

This is the fatherland for those colonists who at one time came and united with us by marriage and for those who were the offspring soon after. We do not judge you to be so prejudiced that you would wish our fathers, brothers and sons to be killed by us."

The citizens of Agrippina exclaimed to be supportive of the Germanic cause but refused to kill the Roman colonists for they already married and had families with Germanic people, they couldn't possibly kill their own families. 

They allowed the Germanics free entrance through the city but only when they were unarmed. Further they wanted to confirm the agreements with Civilis and Veleda. This is how the citizens of Agrippina managed to calm the Tencteri down and prevent the plunder of the city. In return the city would join Civilis and his Batavi revolt.