16. The Batavi were praised by Rome as the greatest of all the warrior tribes and their strength across water was legendary
The Roman historian Tacitus wrote that they were the bravest of all the tribes outside of Rome. So much so, in fact, that the Roman Empire made them allies rather than enemies. Due to their unique fighting skills, several Emperors employed the Batavi as their own personal bodyguards on the occasion they traveled outside of Rome itself – and thus, away from the protection offered by their own Praetorian Guard. In the end, however, like many of Rome’s one-time allies, the mighty Batavi revolted against the ancient superpower, trying to kill the men they once protected.
The Batavi were one of a number of tribes found in modern-day West Germany, close to the River Rhine. While almost all of these tribes were feared and respected by Rome, the Batavi were seen as uniquely fearsome. As such, efforts were made to get them on the right side of the Empire. Julius Caesar employed a cohort of men from the tribe to fight for him at the Battle of Strasbourg in 357. They not only fought with skill and bravery, but they gained a reputation for their discipline and loyalty. After that, a cohort was regularly employed by Emperors as they traveled through the Empire.
Above all, the Batavi were renowned for their horsemanship as well as for their strength in the water. It was said that a Bataci warrior could swim across a large river in full body armor – though it may well be that they used their wooden shields as flotation devices. This skill allowed them to carry out surprise attacks on enemy expecting the Romans to arrive by boat, as was the case when Emperor Caligula used them to attack the island of Anglesey in Wales in the third century. Nero was also a fan of the Batavi. The infamous Emperor reasoned that, since they were not from Rome, they could not be corrupted by internal politics and were, therefore, more reliable than other troops, including the Praetorian Guard.
In return, the Batavi showed great loyalty to Nero. So, when Nero was overthrown by Galba in the year 68AD, the new Emperor disbanded the Batavi bodyguard unit. The warriors were so insulted that they revolted. Joined by some Celtic and Galician tribes, they fought Rome for more than a year, inflicting a series of humiliating defeats on the Empire before they were finally submitted.