Germanicus

 one version anyway - but look at the names of tribes in Germany/Austria

Could Romans have conquered Germany? If so, how would world history be different today?

There is no doubt, that the Romans could have taken over Germania. However, the answer is way more complicated.

First of all, people widely mention , that the Romans were defeated at the battle of Teutoburg forest. It is a popular belief, that it stopped the movement of Rome. However, after the battle , the Roman got their revenge, not once, but several times. After the battle of Teutoburg forest, the Rome launched a new campaign. The young promising military leader Tiberius Claudius Nero, aka Nero Claudius Drusus, aka Julius Caesar Claudian (name change is associated with his adoption by Tiberius), commanded the Roman troops.  But later they began to call him by an honorary nickname - Germanicus.

Germanicus defeated the Marsaci tribe, they also repelled an assault from several Germanic tribes, like Bructeri, Tubantes and Usipetes.  Finally, the Romans were able to catch Arminius on the Weser river.

Battle of Idistaviso

The 35,000-strong Roman army headed for the Weser. The supply fleet sailed through the Drusus Canal and followed the course of the River Ems. The Cherusci were waiting for the Romans in the Idistaviso valley on the right bank of the Weser. The Romans defeated the Cherusci vanguards. The next day, the Roman infantry marching along the Weser was attacked from the hills by the Germans. Germanicus sent cavalry against the enemy. She struck at the flanks and rear of the Germans, and the legions and auxiliary cohorts stormed the hillsides. The Germanics tribes were defeated, and Armunius barely survived, but he was severely injured.

Arminius second defeat

Arminius, with fresh forces, marched between Damme and Hunteburg . The Germanics tribes took up a defense on a narrow strip between the river and the embankment. The Roman used light infantry, arrows and slingers, who advanced forward, fired stones and lead bullets at the enemy for a long time. The legions then launched an assault and, after a fierce battle, drove the Germans out of their position. The Rome won the day.

According to Tacit:

“The Germanics fought with no less courage than the Romans, but the conditions of the battle and their weapons were unfavorable for them: squeezed in a multitude in a narrow space, they could neither strike with their excessively long spears, nor quickly draw them back, nor use attacks using their mobility and dexterity; on the contrary, the Roman soldiers, whose shield was tightly pressed to their chest, and their hand firmly held the hilt of the sword, pierced the huge bodies of the barbarians and their unprotected faces.”

However, Arminius escaped again, however, he was no more a threat, he died after 5 years of the mentioned events, his wife was taken as a captive to the ROMAN Germanicus, and their son was raised in Ravenna.

Conclusion

The battle of Teutoburg forest was no decisive, and in strategical sense had zero impact. There is no doubt, the Romans could have achieved in conquest of Germania. There would be no army to stop them. From my point of view , the problem was a political will, rather than logistics, unsuitable lands. Despite, the fact, the Germania was not added to the Roman territories, the Romans won culturally anyway. Look at the history of Germany, Austria. One of the most important part of their history was a foundation of the Holy Roman Empire, whose rulers considered themselves as successors of the Roman Caesars.

 

GERMAN TRIBES 

Archaeologically defined group of Germanic tribes (including the Semnones, Hermunduri, Quadi, Marcomanni and Lombards) From the Elbe estuary on both sides of the river to Bohemia and Moravia