Description
Most of the northern European tribes were not naval powers, but there were still able seafarers to be found amongst them. Shipbuilding techniques were well understood, so while many vessels were small leather-skinned boats for inland and inshore use, bigger sea-going vessels were also made. Shipwrights used heavy planking for hulls, stitched together and then fastened to a wooden skeleton to create sturdy craft able to cope with Atlantic conditions. Julius Caesar was surprised at the quality of the enemy ships when his fleet clashed with the Veneti from modern-day Brittany. The Veneti vessels had flat bottoms to cope with shallows, but were also of heavy oak construction to cope with rough seas. This made them tough opposition for Roman galleys, and capable of shrugging off a ramming attack. Caesar said that the enemy ships "...were constructed of planks a foot in breadth, fastened by iron spikes the thickness of a man's thumb; the anchors were secured fast by iron chains instead of cables”. When the Romans were forced to board, they faced fearsome warriors used to close-quarters fighting at sea.
The German warrior was exposed on an open, flat battlefield but, when fighting in hills and woodland, he had the advantage. Most were raised as hunters in dense forests, so became expert at stealthy manoeuvres and laying ambush. Whilst their battle tactics were proven, their longbows, often two metres in length and made of yew, lacked the power and accuracy of composite bows made in the east. Their ammunition was also somewhat lacking: limited iron supplies meant these men often fired bone-tipped arrows that struggled to pierce enemy armour. On the battlefield, archers lined up behind slingers - afforded some protection by the shields of the warriors in front of them.
