# Barritus

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***Barritus*** (*barrītūs)* is a [battle cry](/source/Battle_cry) documented in writing since the [1st century](/source/1st_century) among [Germanic tribes](/source/List_of_early_Germanic_peoples). The technique of *Barritus* later became popular among Germanic auxiliary troops in the [Roman Army](/source/Roman_Army). In the [4th century](/source/4th_century), [Ammianus Marcellinus](/source/Ammianus_Marcellinus) describes *Barritus* as typical for Germanic auxiliary troops. [Publius Cornelius Tacitus](/source/Tacitus) describes the *Barritus* in his work *[Germania](/source/Germania_(book)) (3, 1 as barditus)*.[1][2]

## Spelling and etymology

The terms *Barritus*,[3][4][5] *Baritus*,[6] and *Barditus*[1][2][7] are various spellings of the same word.

*Barditus* from the 1st century probably evolved into *Barritus* by the 4th century. A universally satisfying explanation of the word has not been provided yet. It's interpreted either as "shield-song", derived from Old Norse *bardi* 'shield', or as "beard-way" (the humming in the beard), imitating the thunderous voice of the god [Donar](/source/Thor).[8]

## Characteristics

The *Barritus* opens the battle and is meant to boost the morale of one's own side while intimidating and frightening the opponent.[2][9][10] The battle chant is started by the entire army, beginning with shields held to their mouths, murmuring softly, rebounding off the shield, and then escalating to a loud thundering.[2][9]

It begins with a faint hum, gradually intensifying, like the roaring of the ocean waves crashing against cliffs.

- — Ammianus Marcellinus 16,12,43[11]

The tone rises from low to high notes.[3][7] According to [Tacitus](/source/Tacitus)'s description, it is a song-like battle cry with substance. Tacitus links this battle cry to a religious connection with [Hercules](/source/Hercules). Following the Roman interpretation, "Hercules" can be associated with Donar/Thor. Depending on the strength of the *Barritus*, it either startles and frightens the opponent while igniting one's own courage or reveals weakness and a lack of self-assurance.[9] The troops made predictions on the outcome of the battle based on the nature of the *Barritus*.[2]

The technique of *Barritus* later became popular among Germanic auxiliary troops in the [Roman Army](/source/Roman_Army). In the 4th century, [Ammianus Marcellinus](/source/Ammianus_Marcellinus) describes *Barritus* as typical for Germanic auxiliary troops.[12][3] [Vegetius](/source/Vegetius), also in the 4th century, describes the technique as standard for the Roman Army to initiate the battle. He generally recommends using *Barritus* just before the clash of battle lines, as an early *Barritus* would miss its effect.[4] According to descriptions by Ammianus Marcellinus and Flavius Vegetius Renatus, it seems that in the 4th century, *Barritus* transformed from a battle cry into a rather simple war chant within the Roman Army.

In the late Roman Army, the Germanic auxiliary troop ([Auxilia palatina](/source/Auxilia_palatina)) known as the [Cornuti](/source/Cornuti) was famous for their *Barritus*. The Cornuti are documented from the 4th to the [5th century](/source/5th_century). Their *Barritus* comprised both a battle chant and [dance steps](/source/Dance_steps).[13]

## References

1. ["Gaffiot"](https://micmap.org/dicfro/search/gaffiot/barditus). *micmap.org*. Retrieved 2024-02-11.

1. Publius Cornelius Tacitus (1944), "Tacitus und die wichtigsten antiken Schriftstellen über Deutschland.", 5. Auflage ed., Herbet Ronge (ed.), München: Ernst Heimeran Verlag, p. 17

1. Ammianus Marcellinus & Charles Duke Yonge (1894), "Res gestae", London: George Bell & Sons, pp. [597](https://archive.org/details/romanhistoryof00ammiiala/page/597/mode/1up)

1. Flavius Vegetius Renatus, N. P. Milner (2001), "De Re Militari", *Translated Texts for Historians*. Vol. Band 16, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, p. 101

1. Michael P. Speidel (2004), *Ancient Germanic Warriors: Warrior Styles from Trajan's Column to Icelandic Sagas.*, New York: Routledge, pp. 98–99, ISBN 978-0415311991

1. Boris Johnson (2006), *The Dream of Rome*, Fulham: Harper Collins Publishers, p. 5, ISBN 9780007224418

1. Rudolf Meißner (1930), "Barditus", *Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum und deutsche Literatur*. Vol. 67. Bd, Leipzig: Salomon Hirzel Verlag, pp. 197–206

1. Werner Kohlschmidt, Wolfgang Mohr (2001), *Reallexikon der deutschen Literaturgeschichte*, Vol. Band 1, Berlin: De Gruyter, p. 134, ISBN 9783110172522

1. Julius Cramer (1906), "Die Verfassungsgeschichte Der Germanen Und Kelten: Ein Beitrag Zur Vergleichenden Altertumskunde", Berlin: Verlag der Hofbuchhandlang von Karl Siegismund, p. 34

1. Wilhelm Vollmer (1874), "Dr. Vollmer's Mythologie aller Völker", Stuttgart: Carl Hoffmann Verlag, p. 97

1. Ammianus Marcellinus (1970), "Römische Geschichte", Vol. Band 1, Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, p. 197

1. Henderson, Jeffrey. ["The Surviving Books of the History of Ammianus Marcellinus: Book XXXI: Chapter 7: Section 11"](https://www.loebclassics.com/view/amminanus_marcellinus-history/1939/pb_LCL331.431.xml). *Loeb Classical Library*. Retrieved 2023-12-18.

1. Michael Speidel (2004), *Ancient Germanic warriors: warrior styles from Trajan's column to Icelandic sagas.*, New York: Routledge, p. 116, ISBN 0415311993

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