A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
TEUTOBURG FOREST, 9 AD
THREE ROMAN LEGIONS ARE ADVANCING TOWARDS GERMANIA
[dramatic music playing]
THE LARGEST ARMY IN THE WORLD
IS MET WITH MANY QUARRELING TRIBES
THE ROMANS CALLED THEM BARBARIANS
THEIR ENCOUNTER
CHANGED
THE COURSE OF HISTORY
[children clamoring and laughing]
[Ansgar] Come on, I'll get you!
Come on!
Come on, guys!
[children hooting and hollering]
[children laughing]
[Berulf] Ansgar!
[Irmina] Ansgar!
[laughing and clamoring continue]
Ansgar, stop!
Hey, little brother.
Are you hunting?
Show me what a good hunter you are!
Come on. Show me what a good hunter you are!
A mouse? A frog?
- Come on. - [both laughing]
[Ansgar exclaiming]
[Thusnelda] Father.
Thusnelda, leave your brother alone. Let's go.
He'll be here any minute.
Let your hair down.
[Irmina] Welcome to the Cherusci, Reik Hadgan.
Your long journey was not in vain. We've been waiting for you.
The hips are a bit small.
Good teeth.
Hmm, strong muscles.
And a firm fist.
Don't touch her hair, Hadgan. She's not yours yet.
There's the matter of the price.
Don't start again, Hadgan. The bridal price is set. Five mares.
In times like these?
For a woman so skinny?
[Segestes] Think it over.
I'll walk you to the gate.
Should I stab him for you?
[softly] I can take care of him.
It's a steep price, but I'll take her.
You're buying more than a wife, Hadgan. You're buying an ally.
In half a moon, I'll return for her.
She'll obey. You'll see.
[fire crackling]
[horses neighing]
- [villagers clamoring] - [man] Romans!
[dramatic music playing]
[in Latin] Augustus, emperor of the holy city of Rome,
has appointed a new governor for Germania.
Senator Publius Quinctilius Varus.
[in English] Do you understand what he's saying?
No.
[scoffs]
[in Latin] Fuck, these brutes don't understand a word.
From now on...
Rome will no longer waive your tribute.
[in English] Segestes, what is it?
The Romans want tribute.
[Metellus in Latin] Varus requires every tribe to pay the value
of 20 cows
or 50 centners of grain.
[in English] They want cattle and grain.
[villagers exclaiming]
Are you blind?
Does it look like there's anything to take from us?
[Metellus in Latin] What?
Say that again.
[in English] He wants you to say that again.
[in Latin] You have three days.
[in English] They're giving us three days.
What?
Why are the Romans breaking our agreement? We made peace with Rome!
Without any tribute.
Enough!
Rome is bleeding us dry even after I gave them my sons.
What do you want to do?
The Romans have the upper hand
and I don't need to remind you by how much.
Indeed you don't, Segestes.
- The mother of your sons... - Do not speak of my wife.
Do not speak of my sons.
Send out messengers.
To every tribe.
We'll put it to them. Everyone will have a vote.
That's useless.
You know the tribes will never unite.
I will commit them all to fight.
The Romans won't take any more.
[scoffs]
You're the reik.
[Segimer] Reiks!
The Romans are now demanding taxes from all Germanic peoples.
[villagers muttering]
[Segimer] We have to decide tonight.
Will we let the Romans subjugate us...
or will we fight back?
[Hadgan] "Germanic"?
Since when are we Germanic?
The Romans call us that...
- because they can't tell us apart. - [all laughing]
Then they're blind!
I've got nothing in common with you Cherusci.
- Or with those damn cattle-thieving Marsi. - Take that back, Hadgan.
- I'd rather drink piss. - [all laugh]
Then open your mouth!
- Come on! - [Segimer] Stop it!
- [all clamoring] - [Segimer] What's wrong with you?
No blood shall be spilled when we meet.
[indistinct chatter]
[sheathing swords]
What do we get if we pay this tribute, anyway?
- Right. - Even more overfed Romans.
I say enough is enough.
- I say we fight them! - [all shouting]
You want to rise up against the greatest army in the world?
You may as well smash your own heads in.
There are 10,000 Romans here.
5,000 coming across the Lippe. Do you get it or are you all stupid?
It's peace that we need.
Your idea of peace amounts to a reeking pile of shit.
[all laugh]
[Gernot] I'll pay no tribute!
Never!
[all] Never!
[Segestes] We need a decision, reik.
We have an alliance with Rome.
And you gave a great deal for it.
Aldarich of the Marsi.
No war with the Romans!
We haven't heard from Hadgan of the Chatti.
[sighs]
No war with the Romans.
[Segestes] The tribes disagree.
What do you say, reik?
Will the Cherusci go to war... without the support of every tribe?
We'll keep the peace.
[spits]
[branch snaps]
[breathing heavily]
[Thusnelda grunting angrily]
Were you spying?
So what?
You won't be saying that once you've been punished.
It's better than being touched by you.
[groans]
[Thusnelda grunts]
[Folkwin sighs]
- Not one of you has any balls. - [groans]
My little brother's braver than all those asses.
Yes, but you're his sister.
And you're a woman.
- And our reik isn't a real man. - Careful, Thusnelda.
I've sworn Segimer an oath.
You know that.
We've sworn each other an oath, too.
Or does this not mean anything?
Report me to the reik.
I'm going to.
- I'm waiting. - I'm going to.
Yes, please do.
- I will. - Please.
- Yeah, I'm going to. - Then do it.
- Do it. Do it. - I will. I will.
- Yes, I will. - Yeah?
- I will. - Yeah?
- I will. I'm going to. - Do it.
[Folkwin] Hey.
[both chuckle]
- [Thusnelda] I have to go. - Mmm-hmm. Yeah.
[Folkwin sighs]
I'm so tired of meeting in secret.
[sighs] Folkwin...
Yeah?
My father has a bridegroom for me.
Who?
A reik.
Who?
Hadgan.
The ugly Chatti?
The Reik of the Chatti.
A man like you...
Your father's a brewer.
- My father is a lord. - Your father is a damn Roman-lover
who's just waiting for his opportunity to stab our reik in the back and who...
sells you like an ox.
And what should we do about it?
Just run away?
Yeah.
I'll steal you.
Here and now.
[chuckles]
Come on.
Come on. Come on.
Folkwin.
I want you...
but they'll banish us.
You don't want that.
Maybe the Romans will kill him.
- [dramatic music playing] - [horses neighing]
[indistinct shouting]
[in Latin] You're finally here, my son.
Welcome to Germania.
It's good to see you again after all this time.
I could really use your strategic advice in this crazy land.
[flies buzzing]
[sighs]
[in English] Come here, you little berserker.
[both laugh]
Do you know what day it is today?
Today is the day
that you get sacrificed to the gods.
First, I'll throw you in the bog,
and then comes Woden.
And he will gnaw the flesh... [snarls]
...from your bones.
And bless us with sunshine for days and days.
Oh, no, no. No.
Hey. Hey.
[chuckles]
As long as I live,
no harm will come to you.
Okay, little brother?
Promise. What's a wolf say?
- [howling] - [door opens]
[Folkwin] What's a wolf say?
- [Vegis howling] - [Folkwin chuckles]
Folkwin, we have to gather the tribute.
- Order of the reik. - No.
[both sigh]
Get.
We don't even have enough to feed ourselves, Mother.
We'll give our last goat to keep the peace if the reik asks us.
[goat bleating]
[villager sobbing] No, no, no...
Sheep are going, too.
Where's the rest?
I asked you a question. Where is the rest?
- Slurp it up by yourself at home. Just go. - [Folkwin] Leave my father alone.
You are not the reik.
[horn blowing]
[horses trotting]
[sighs]
[in Latin] That's not even enough to wipe my ass with.
[in English] He praises our efforts toward mutual friendship...
but he's not satisfied.
[in Latin] Go!
[drawing blade]
- [in English] What's going on? Wait. - [villagers murmuring]
- Segestes, tell them to stop. - [soldier barking orders]
We have nothing more to give you!
[sheep and goats bleating]
You can't do this!
[in Latin] This isn't even close to what Rome requires.
[in English] He says it's not enough.
We kept our part of the deal and Rome is now going to.
[in Latin] Governor Varus expects a demonstration of your loyalty to Rome.
Your leader should kiss our standard.
[in English] They demand that you kiss their eagle.
[in Latin] Go on.
[tense music playing]
On your knees.
[in English] Reik.
[sighs]
[chuckles]
- [screaming] No! No! - [Segestes] Stop it.
- Enough! Calm down, Thusnelda. - [Thusnelda] What are you doing?
- Don't! - [Segestes] Not now.
[screaming]
- [Folkwin growling] Let go of me! - [villager] Hold him down!
[Thusnelda] Ansgar!
[Irmina screams]
[Irmina crying]
Rome wants a sign of our friendship?
Fine!
[panting]
[in Latin] Rome victorious!
[soldiers] Rome victorious!
[Irmina sobbing]
[in English] No, no, no, no...
Please!
[Runa chanting]
- [mournful music playing] - [chanting continues]
[Thusnelda] Mother, I didn't want this to happen.
[birds screeching]
[Thusnelda] Women of the woods...
take my sacrifice.
Mother of Blood...
give me bravery...
and strength...
until my brother is avenged.
[inhales deeply] Mother of Fire...
misgivings and doubt be burned...
until my brother is avenged.
And Sister of Wrath...
grant me cruel twins...
death and doom.
And be a good sister to me now...
though I was not.
Though I was not.
[sobbing]
[indistinct chatter]
[Metellus in Latin] Most of the tribes have submitted and paid the tribute.
[groans]
[Metellus] But not him.
But not him.
I'll give you one more chance, barbarian.
[laughs softly]
[spits]
[Gernot grunting]
- [Varus] Metellus. - [Gernot panting]
The tribes don't understand this.
According to their law, a man cannot sentence another man to die.
There is no Germanic law.
There is only Rome.
They must learn.
[tense music playing]
[whimpers]
[gasps]
[sobbing]
[melancholy music playing]
[muttering incoherently]
[muttering continues]
[Runa in English] Ansgar is a favorite of the gods.
Because he survived?
Because he's been to the Kingdom of Death, and he returned.
It seems he still has a task to complete up here.
What task must I complete?
What do the gods want?
Only Woden, the father of the gods, can see what will happen.
That's why he sacrificed his own eye.
If you are truly meant to fight, the gods will send you a sign.
The past shadows...
become the light of coming days.
[Folkwin] A sign?
It's complete bullshit. I hate oracles.
You don't believe the gods send us signs?
I believe in my sword.
And I will do everything I can
to avenge your brother, if you want that.
- I don't want to wait for a sign. - Then let's make our own.
We'll capture the most valuable thing to them.
Their holy symbol.
- How will you do that? - Not me.
Us.
Then they'll all see that you're more than just a swordsman.
And we show everyone that Rome is not invincible.
Let's go bird hunting.
[tense music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
[wolf growling]
[howling in distance]
[horse neighing]
[Folkwin] If we don't do something now...
then soon everything here will belong to them.
But if we manage this...
we're not just taking the Roman eagle,
we're taking our people's fear away.
Yes, of course.
I mean, there are worse reasons to die, but...
So this is the plan?
The four of us raid the Roman fort?
[Hanno] How will we even get in?
[Thusnelda] You go through the back, the two of us through the front.
I've got what every legionnaire wants.
Hello.
[clears throat]
For...
Metellus.
A slave.
For Centurion Metellus.
- [in Latin] I wasn't told about this. - Who is this slave?
[Folkwin] Shh. Shh.
[in English] A prostitute... a sex slave.
[in Latin] Let them in.
If Metellus doesn't have her, he'll have you.
[chuckles]
[in English] Yeah.
Yeah.
Call me a sex slave once more and I'll cut your balls off.
- [Eigil] Say we manage to get inside. - [Folkwin] Mmm.
We just walk up and take the eagle with us or what?
No, we'll take care of that.
- [in Latin] Halt. - [Folkwin in English] Hello.
Hello.
You want an orgy? An orgy?
Orgy? Huh? Huh?
[horses neighing]
[in English] Roman shits.
[sniffing]
You go first.
Next time, I wanna go through the front.
[Folkwin] You can touch her, too. Go ahead. Yeah, yeah. Come.
Here, look, yes. Yes.
She's all yours. Look at her.
Everything's exactly where it should be, right?
You two will make sure we have a way out.
And how?
- [winces] - [sewage splashing]
[gagging]
[inhales deeply]
[all laughing]
[both grunting]
[grunting]
[Thusnelda groaning]
[grunting]
[panting]
- [grunts] - [neck snaps]
[indistinct chatter]
Quick.
Greetings.
[sighs]
I found one.
[Arminius in Latin] Secure the camp.
[yelling] Secure the camp!
[soldiers clamoring]
[Folkwin in English] Hungry wolves surround you.
Teeth bared, ready to mangle you.
What do you do?
[soldier in Latin] Close the gate!
Quickly!
[soldiers clamoring]
[in English] We have to be hungrier than all the wolves.
Steadfast.
If we're ready to give everything...
[soldier in Latin] Fetch water!
Hurry!
[soldiers shouting]
[in English] Then we get what we want, and the Romans get...
what they deserve.
[indistinct shouting]
[dramatic music playing]
[Varus in Latin] The eagle is sacred!
The guards will all be punished, just as Mars will punish us.
Give me a hundred legionaries, Governor.
Oh, yes?
I will bring it back.
How do you know where to go?
There are hundreds, thousands of barbarian villages.
I will burn them down, one after another.
And provoke a rebellion?
That's exactly what they want.
I'll look for them.
Give me the Germanic mercenaries.
I'll have the eagle back by tomorrow.
Go to Adjunct Prefect Talio.
I want you to ride out at dawn.
[indistinct chatter]
[man 1 in English] The Romans feast on meat, and we only get the bones.
[man 2] Shh! Just be quiet.
[in Latin] Where can I find the leader of your cohort, Talio?
[indistinct shouting]
[men fighting]
[shouting]
[soldiers yelling]
What is this?
What the hell are you doing?
The barbarian started it, dominus.
Is that true?
[panting]
I asked you if that was true.
Forgive me... dominus.
They may wear Roman armor, they may get Roman pay...
but they are and will remain damned barbarians!
[spits]
You're not exactly a model soldier, either.
Dismissed!
[sniffs]
I have a mission from Varus himself.
You and your men will be my support.
We ride out at dawn.
[in English] Men! Ready your mounts!
We're off come sunrise.
We have to lick Rome's stinking cunt again.
[men laughing]
Is that your humble opinion of our empire, then?
You speak our language?
[whip cracking]
[breathing heavily]
- [wincing] - [Arminius in Latin] That's enough.
[Vegis in English] They have the eagle! They have the eagle!
The eagle! They have the eagle!
[uplifting music playing]
[villagers beating rhythmically]
[man] Long live Folkwin!
[all cheering]
[man] Long live Thusnelda!
[all cheering]
[man] Long live Hanno and Eigil!
[all cheering]
[beating continues]
[all roaring]
[yelling]
[crowd cheering]
[breathing heavily]
[sighs]
You know what this means, don't you?
Yeah.
That we can beat them.
It means blood.
A lot of blood.
Revenge is certain.
How will they even find us, huh?
Between us and the Romans, there are hundreds of villages.
Look there.
Just look.
They're all waiting for a sign! Look!
[romantic music playing]
[horses neighing]
[Arminius in Latin] You go this way, and you, that way.
[drums beating]
[in English] Come on. Come on.
[villager] Romans! Romans!
Romans!
[all clamoring]
Bring it inside.
Close it!
[tense music playing]
Open the gate.
Open the gate!
[dramatic music playing]
[in Latin and English] Hello, Father.
[epic music playing]