Segimer (died 9 AD) was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe during the early 1st century AD, and the father of Arminius and Flavus.
Biography[]
Segimer was born to the Germanic Cherusci tribe of present-day Hanover during the 1st century BC, and he rose to be the chieftain of the tribe. He allied himself with the Roman Empire, giving over his sons Arminius and Flavus as hostages to show goodwill. In 3 AD, he was left alone in his village by the death of his wife from fever, and, in 9 AD, he was enraged when the new Roman governor, Publius Quinctilius Varus, demanded that the Germanic tribes pay a tribute of 20 cows or 50 centners of grain. Segimer had Segestes summon the other Germanic tribes to a meeting out of defiance towards the Romans' demands, and the peace pearty won out at the ensuing council. The Romans later humiliated Segimer by forcing him to kiss their imperial standard. Segestes' daughter Thusnelda and the young warrior Folkwin Wolfspeer stole the Roman standard, war broke out. Shortly after, Arminius returned to the Cherusci lands, and Segimer helped him resolve his feud with Berulf. Segimer later engaged in talks with Governor Varus, but the Romans massacred Folkwin's family when the Germans refused to return the Roman standard. The Romans threatened to crucify anyone who took Folkwin's family members down from their crosses, leading to Thusnelda criticizing Segimer for his inaction; the two ultimately cut down the crucified Germans in defiance of the Romans. Later, the Romans returned and demanded slaves if the Germans could not provide their tribute. Segimer refused, so Varus instead proposed that Segimer make way for Arminius, a former officer in the Roman Army, to become the new Reik (chieftain) of the Cherusci. Segimer agreed, as he sought for his son to be able to remember him fondly, so he walked through his hometown, took one last look, and submerged himself in a bog, committing suicide by drowning. Arminius promptly succeeded his father as chieftain.
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