|
Dear Reader,
Thank you for tuning in to this new website
informing you about the Varus Battle of AD9 and the discovery of an ancient Roman-German battle site of international importance.
My
name is Tony Clunn, I am a retired British Army Major and live in Northern Germany just minutes from the battle site which
is located in Kalkriese near the town of Osnabrück. I discovered the site in 1987 and have been working with the German archaeological
authorities since that time. There has been some 17 years of intensive excavations completed so far and work is planned to
continue for the next ten years at least. We continue to uncover marvellous and astounding treasures from this site on a weekly
basis.
The discovery has become something of a world-beater in terms of “Great Discoveries of the 20th Century” and
receives continuous publicity as more and more finds are unearthed. Currently I am opening doors in America to promote the
site and there is already great interest being shown to include this place on the American itinerary of Battlefield Tours.
Essentially,
the subject matter of the event is a fascinating story of the Lost Legions of Varus. As you most likely know it is where in
AD a small Roman Army of three Legions under the command of the then Governor of Germany, Quinctilius Varus, on their way
back from Summer Camp on the River Weser in Germany to winter quarters near the Rhine, disappeared into the depths of the
German Highlands. They were never to be seen again and were by all accounts totally annihilated by a large force of German
tribes under the command of Arminius, or more affectionately known as Herman the Cherusker. Effectively the Roman Army disappeared
into the mists of time. The battle has been known as “The Varusschlacht”, or the “Varus Battle” or “The Battle of the Teutoburger
Wald”.
In 1875, a huge bronze statue was erected in Germany to commemorate the event on what was believed to be the
immediate area of the battle. The “Hermann’s Denkmal” (Memoria) is to be found on a high hill near Detmold, facing south towards
Rome, with sword held aloft, and foot pinning the Roman eagle to the floor. As a point of interest a similar statue was built
in New Ulm, Minnesota, USA, in 1897, by German immigrants and settlers, to commemorate their settlement in America. (Some
35% of the American population is of German descent).
Since the discovery of the annals of the Roman Historian, Tacitus,
recovered in Germany in the 1300’s, over 650 sites had been suggested as the true site of the battle, but with no real remains
ever being found to support any of them.
During the last 17 years I have continued my investigations into the size
and scope of the battlefield. As a result the archaeological investigations have been extended to some 10 km to the east of
the centre of the engagement, (the direction from which the Romans came), and some 3 km to the west, after which all traces
of activity peter out.
After much encouragement over the years I produced a book about the events surrounding the
battle. It combines a diary of real-time events over the years since 1987, highlighting both my work and the professional
expertise and excavations carried out by the resident archaeologist, Professor Schlüter, and his team, combined with a fictional
overview and my perception of the events leading up to extracts from both Tacitus and Cassius Dio, and one or two other early
historians, lend weight to the overall continuity of the work.
The original book is called “In Quest of the Lost Legions”.
It was first published in German in July 1998 and since has become a best seller in hard-back here in Germany. The English
version was subsequently first printed a two years ago and an American version with an updated edition has just been launched
in April this year. A Dutch edition will also be available in due course.
Since the grand opening of the Museum and
Park Kalkriese the site has attracted a large amount of visitors – some 200,000 visitors each year! There is a lot to see
and take in when you visit the battle site, and the guided tours are very popular. So, if you dear reader are interested in
world history please go and visit the Roman battle site in Kalkriese. We’re looking forward to seeing you there.
Greetings
from Germany,
Tony Clunn
|
