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The 'Cherusci' () were a Germanic tribe inhabiting parts of the northern Rhine valley and the plains and forests of northwestern Germany (between near modern Osnabrück and Hanover) during the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. The name describes a deer, .
Their first known documentary mention occurs in Caesar's "De Bello Gallico", Book 6.10, which deals with events in 53 BC.
As Rome tried to expand its reach in northern Europe beyond the Rhine, it exploited divisions within the tribal leadership of the Cherusci, and for some time the tribe was considered a Roman ally. By about AD 8, however, the advocates of independence gained the upper hand.
In AD 9, in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, an army of allied Germanic tribes (the Cherusci, Bructeri, Marsi, and Chatti) under the young Cheruscian war leader Arminius (''Hermann der Cherusker'') annihilated three Roman legions commanded by Publius Quinctilius Varus.
Germanicus defeated Arminius at the Battle of the Angrivarian Walls in 18 and Arminius was assassinated in 19 by German Princes allied of Rome.

Contents

Aftermath

Possible Celtic Origin

Aftermath

Obtaining the defeat of Arminius was costly to Rome who no more wanted to rule directly in Germany at the East of the Rhine Valley and at the North of the Danube Valley;
Roman preferred to rule indirectly through Client Kings, so the Client King Italicus, nephew of Arminius, was appointed king of the Cherusci; Vangio and Sido became vassal princes of the powerful Suebi, (etc.),
according to the Annals of Tacitus, Book 12 [verse 27 to 31]
Under prudent Emperor Hadrian, the Limes fortification was built to close the gap between the two river borders and prevent raids subsequent to uprisings in unstable Outer Germany.

Possible Celtic Origin

The name "Cherusci" may also point to a Celtic origin for the tribe as it ends similarly to the names of other Celtic tribes sucha as the Norisci, Taurisci, Scordisci. Celts were known to inhabit Germany from early times before Germanic migrations changed the ethnic makeup of the region. Germanicization of these pre-German Celtic tribes would have occurred gradually. Other tribes in Germany known to be of Celtic origin include the Cimbri, Ambrones, Sicambri, Volcae Tectosages and Boii (in Bohemia).http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/tac/a12020.htm
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