Civilized Germanics

[Primus Pilus]

I received an email request from a graduate student at the University of Chicago requesting some help on Germanic research. The email is as follows:

 

Hello,

 

I am a graduate student at the University of Chicago and am wondering if

I can use your forum to request help.

 

I am looking for a piece of ancient text (Tacitus, other?) about

Germanic society but cannot remember the author or book.

 

The reference I am interested in mentions briefly the fact that Germans

were gradually becoming more civilized because they were settling and

having markets.

 

I am afraid I have no more than this.

 

I hope you can help as this reference has alluded me for too long.

 

Thank you.

 

Warm regards,

 

Karim

kmata@uchicago.edu

[Primus Pilus]

While Tacitus makes sense, I couldn't think of an immediate reference, but Caesar jumped to mind immediately. In de Bello Gallico book 4 chapter 3, Caesar says:

 

"On the other side they border on the Ubii, whose state was large and

flourishing, considering the condition of the Germans, and who are somewhat

more refined than those of the same race and the rest [of the Germans], and

that because they border on the Rhine, and are much resorted to by

merchants, and are accustomed to the manners of the Gauls, by reason of

their approximity to them."

 

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Caesar/CaesarGal04.html

 

I sent this along, but I was asked if I could post the question to the forum, so if anyone has any better references, please do post them. Karim also asked that I post his direct email address if anyone would like to send info along directly. kmata@uchicago.edu

[Sequens]

It sounds like he is remembering Tacitus's 'Germania'. It is often on the shelves of larger bookstores, as a Roman History classic. It is about the longest discussion of Germanic customs and culture that I am aware of. I believe it does mention certain tribes along the Rhine that did trade with the romans.