Veleda against the Romans - Unknown artist/date

"It stands on record that armies already wavering and on the point of collapse have been rallied by the women, pleading heroically with their men, thrusting forward their bared bosoms, and making them realize the imminent prospect of enslavement - a fate which the Germans fear more desperately for their women than for themselves. Indeed, you can secure a surer hold on these nations if you compel them to include among a consignment of hostages some girls of noble family. More than this, they believe that there resides in women an element of holiness and a gift of prophecy; and so they do not scorn to ask their advice, or lightly disregard their replies. In the reign of the emperor Vespasian we saw Veleda long honoured by many Germans as a divinity; and even earlier they showed a similar reverence for Aurinia and a number of others - a reverence untainted by servile flattery or any presence of turning women into Goddesses."

-Tacitus, Germania

Veleda against the Romans - Unknown artist/date.

Source:

https://itarocchidibimbasperduta.org/2018/05/09/velleda-la-veggente-dei-germani/

 

Quote:

https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~wstevens/history331texts/barbarians.html