The Batavians, who lived in the Netherlands around the beginning of our era, were much more Roman than previously thought. Already after a few decades of Roman rule, the Batavians were so Romanized that they cooked, built and bathed in Roman times. This is apparent from archaeological research by NWO scientist Stijn Heeren. He will receive his PhD at the VU University Amsterdam on September 23.
Heeren examined excavated finds and traces of settlements and burial fields near Tiel. The Batavians have often been presented in Dutch history as brave people who resisted a cruel oppressor. But Stijn Heeren now shows that these 'simple people' had also adopted a lot of Roman traits. According to him, the small farming communities turned into villages where Roman customs were introduced.
Roman at the table and in the bath
By studying the chronology of the sites and analyzing some specific categories of finds, Heeren was able to show how and when the local population took part in the economic, military and cultural structures of the Roman Empire. The archaeologist discovered that within a few decades of Roman rule, the Batavians were already using Roman ingredients in cooking, that the farmers used make-up and oil like the Romans did in their bathhouses and that they built their farms after the Roman example.
Money and war
According to Heeren, the integration of the Batavians was caused by two important facts. The Roman army camps were an important source of income for the Batavians. The Batavian farmers produced food for the Roman soldiers and in turn could also purchase Roman utensils.
Thus the Batavian economy became dependent on the Romans. But the role played by the Batavians in the Roman army may have been even more important for the integration of the Batavians. Many young men served in the Roman army for 25 years, bringing with them Roman artifacts and customs after completing their military service. Although Heeren's research was limited to the rural community of Tiel-Passewaaij, these communities can serve as models for rural communities elsewhere in the Batavian world.
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