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Gaius Julius Caesar, the statesman and general most important to the growth of the power of Rome, took up the name Germani and made it popular – with consequences that stretch all the way to the present. He declared the Rhine to be the border between the Celtic Gauls living to the west of the river, and the Germanic tribes living to the east. Since he had subdued Gaul (which became a Roman province comprised of large parts of France, the Benelux area, Germany east of the Rhine, and Switzerland), the Romans and the German tribes stood face to face. For over half a millennium the two were drawn into confrontation. To be sure, the long period was marked not only by war and power politics, but also by mutual influence. The Germanic tribes were fascinated by the superior Roman high culture, even though they rejected the swift acceptance of Roman ways that prevailed in Gallic territories. Rome abandoned the barbarian plains to the east of the Rhine after unsuccessful attempts at domination. They were regarded as cultures on the fringe on antiquity, with no large cities, no money, and based on agricultural yields that supported a life that more often turned out bad than good. However, since there was only narrow contact, the chiefs of the Germanic tribes readily accepted only parts of the Roman culture, such as weapons, luxury items, and clothing. However, they often hired out as soldiers for the Roman Empire, which was certainly lucrative. In the course of the centuries, the Germans achieved the higher ranks in the Roman army, until they became known as excellent soldiers.

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