Editing Marcomanni (section)

==Near extermination by the Romans (9 BC)==
In the time of [[Augustus]] (reigned 27 BC – 14 AD), major invasions of [[Germania]] were launched, giving the Romans effective control of the part between the Rhine and Elbe rivers, until the rebellion of [[Arminius]] in 9 AD. During this period the Marcomanni suffered at least one major defeat and subsequently moved themselves into a more remote area surrounded by mountains and forests.

In the ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti]]'' which celebrates the reign of Augustus, it is boasted that among the many kings who took refuge with Augustus as suppliants, there was a king of the Marcomanni Suebi. The name of this king is no longer legible on the ''[[Monumentum Ancyranum]]'', but it ended with "-rus".<ref>{{harvtxt|Kehne|2001a|p=293}} citing ''Monumentum Ancyranum'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Augustus/Res_Gestae/6*.html 6]</ref>

The Roman historians [[Florus]], and [[Orosius]] reported that [[Nero Claudius Drusus|Drusus the elder]] almost wiped out the Marcomanni as part of a bloody and difficult campaign, and then erected a mound of Marcomanni spoils. This was during his campaigns of 12–9 BC, after he had defeated the [[Tencteri]] and [[Chatti]], and before next turning to confront an alliance of the [[Cherusci]], [[Suevi]], and [[Sicambri]].<ref>{{harvtxt|Kehne|2001a|p=293}} citing Florus and Orosius. Florus: [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Florus/Epitome/2H*.html#12.23 2.30.24-25]: "Drusus was sent into the province and conquered the [[Usipetes]] first, and then overran the territory of the Tencturi and Catthi. He erected, by way of a trophy, a high mound adorned with the spoils and decorations of the Marcomanni. Next he attacked simultaneously those powerful tribes, the Cherusci, Suebi and Sicambri, who had begun hostilities after crucifying twenty of our centurions". Orosius: [https://www.attalus.org/latin/orosius6B.html 6.21.15-16]: "Drusus, in Germany, first subdued the Usipetes, then the Tencteri and Chatti. He almost exterminated the Marcomanni. Later, he conquered the strongest nations, those whose natural strength and customary experience gave them considerable power, such as the Cherusci, Suebi, and Sugambri, all in a single war (''bellum''), but also with great difficulty."</ref> Another Roman source, [[Cassius Dio]], describes the sequence of events somewhat differently, but does not mention the Marcomanni by name:<ref>Dio Cassius, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/55*.html 55.6.2]</ref>
:Drusus, [...] invaded the country of the Chatti and advanced as far as that of the Suebi, conquering with difficulty the territory traversed and defeating the forces that attacked him only after considerable bloodshed. From there he proceeded to the country of the Cherusci, and crossing the [[Weser]], advanced as far as the Elbe, pillaging everything on his way. [...] Drusus undertook to cross this river, but failing in the attempt, set up trophies and withdrew. 
There are doubts, therefore, about the exact sequence of events, and also about the locations of the battles. Scholars are not unanimous about whether the victory over the Marcomanni happened in 9 BC, which was the year of the victory over the Cherusci, Suebi and Sugambri, and also the year that Drusus died after reaching the Elbe. The location of the Marcomanni battle is often assumed to be in [[Franconia]] but an alternative hypothesis is that it was closer to the Cherusci, in the area of northeastern [[Hesse]] and western [[Thuringia]].{{sfn|Kehne|2001a|pp=291-292}} There are also scholars who propose that the Suebi defeated in the 9 BC campaign were in fact the same as the Marcomanni.{{sfn|Möller|1986|p=209}}