Carl Theodor von Piloty Thusnelda im Triumphzug des Germanicus

Thusnelda (; 10 BC – after AD 17) was a Germanic Cheruscan noblewoman who was captured by the Roman general

Germanicus Germanicus Julius Caesar (24 May 15 BC – 10 October AD 19) was an ancient Roman general, known for his campaigns in Germania. The son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia the Younger, Germanicus was born into an influential branch of the Patric ...

during his invasion of

Germania Germania ( ; ), also called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman province of the same name, was a large historical region in north- ...

. She was the wife of

Arminius Arminius ( 18/17 BC – 21 AD) was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe who is best known for commanding an alliance of Germanic tribes at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, in which three Roman legions under the command of ge ...

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historiography, Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his t ...

and

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

cite her capture as evidence of both the firmness and restraint of Roman arms.

Biography

Thusnelda was the daughter of the pro-Roman Cheruscan prince

Segestes Segestes was a nobleman of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusci involved in the events surrounding the Roman attempts to conquer northern Germany during the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus. Arminius, the Cheruscan noble and military leader, had m ...

. In 9 AD,

, Thusnelda's future husband, who had been given by his father to the Romans as a child and raised as a Roman military commander serving under

Publius Quinctilius Varus Publius Quinctilius Varus (Cremona, 46 BC – Teutoburg Forest, AD 9) was a Roman general and politician under the first Roman emperor Augustus. Varus is generally remembered for having lost three Roman legions when ambushed by Germanic tribes l ...

, switched sides to the Germans, and led a coalition of

Germanic tribes The Germanic peoples were historical groups of people that once occupied Central Europe and Scandinavia during antiquity and into the early Middle Ages. Since the 19th century, they have traditionally been defined by the use of ancient and ear ...

that defeated the legions of Varus at the

Battle of the Teutoburg Forest The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, described as the Varian Disaster () by Ancient Rome, Roman historians, took place at modern Kalkriese in AD 9, when an alliance of Germanic peoples ambushed Roman legions and their auxiliaries, led by Publius ...

. The conflict between the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

and the Germanic tribes continued after the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, and Arminius abducted and impregnated Thusnelda circa 14 AD, likely as a result of a dispute with her pro-Roman father. In May 15 AD, Thusnelda was captured by

, who commanded the invasion of Germania. She was pregnant and staying with her father, who had seized her from Arminius at some point. It was Segestes who delivered her to Germanicus, after the latter saved the former by driving off Arminius' forces, who had besieged Segestes. Arminius grieved his loss of Thusnelda deeply and did not marry again. According to Tacitus, Arminius was "driven to frenzy" by the loss of his wife. During her captivity, Thusnelda gave birth to her and Arminius' only child,

Thumelicus Thumelicus (born 15 AD; died before 47 AD, probably in 30 or 31) was the only son of the Cherusci leader Arminius and his wife Thusnelda, daughter of the pro-Roman tribal leader Segestes. In May 15 AD, Arminius besieged Segestes at his stronghold ...

. At the

Battle of the Weser River The Battle of the Weser River, sometimes known as the First Battle of Minden or Battle of Idistaviso, was fought in 16 AD between Roman legions commanded by Roman Emperor Tiberius's heir and adopted son, Germanicus, and an alliance of Germanic ...

, Arminius engaged in a famous dispute with his brother

Flavus Flavus is the Latin word for yellow or blond and has given the name to many, more or less yellow, objects: * Subrius Flavus, a failed Roman conspirator against the Emperor Nero * Flavus, brother of Arminius See also * Flavius * Flava (disambi ...

, who was still serving in the Roman army. Flavus informed Arminius that Thusnelda was being well-treated — as, he claimed, was typical of Rome. On May 26, 17 AD, Thusnelda and her son

were displayed as prized trophies of the

triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...

granted to Germanicus. During the triumphal parade, her father watched from the stands, Tacitus suggests with mixed feelings. Contemporary historians evince discomfort with her display as evidence of Roman victory in Germania, as Arminius had resisted capture.

wrote that he would report on Thumelicus' fate "at the proper time" — i.e., when he discussed the year in question in his chronicle.Tacitus, The Annals 1.58 The main gap in the text of the

Annals Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...

is for 30 and 31 AD, so it could be that Thumelicus died then, aged 15 or 16. Details of Thusnelda's life after the triumph of 17 AD and her date of death are unknown.

In popular culture

In the 2020 German Netflix series ''

Barbarians A barbarian (or savage) is someone who is perceived to be either uncivilized or primitive. The designation is usually applied as a generalization based on a popular stereotype; barbarians can be members of any nation judged by some to be less c ...

'', Thusnelda is played by French-German actress Jeanne Goursaud. Thusnelda (under the name of Rosalinda) and other figures of the conflict between Arminius and Germanicus were immortalized by the Italian composer Nicola Porpora in his opera ''

Germanico in Germania ' is an opera in three acts composed by Nicola Porpora to an Italian-language libretto by Nicola Coluzzi. It premiered in February 1732 at the Teatro Capranica in Rome with an all-male cast. The leading male roles were taken by two of the most pro ...

''. She was also a character in the novel "Roman Mask", part one of the Cassius Chronicles, by Thomas MD Brooke.

References

External links

''Thusnelda''
part of the ''Encyclopædia Romana'' by James Grout. {{Authority control 10s BC births 17 deaths 1st-century BC births 1st-century deaths 1st-century BC Germanic people 1st-century Germanic people Cherusci women Arminius Women in 1st-century warfare Women in ancient European warfare 1st-century women