Fortissimi and Validissimi

Fortissimi and Validissimi, the strongest and bravest, was how Roman writers described the Batavians. Natives of the Lower Rhine, they were a community of soldiers who supplied the Roman army with men. Led by their native aristocracy, loyal and fierce, they became elite soldiers, personal bodyguards to the emperors and the empire’s most valued European auxiliaries.

The book draws on many sources, Roman historical writings, Latin inscriptions and archaeological finds. The author is a coordinator of the excavations at the site of a camp of a Batavian cavalry troop. The history of the Batavians in Roman service includes remarkable events: a rebellion against Rome on the Lower Rhine, a bloody battle with the Caledonians in Britannia, a cavalryman crossing the Danube in full armour in front of the Emperor Hadrian, and a troop commander being called ‘rex’ while being asked for more beer for his men.

Fortissimi and Validissimi is a compelling history for academic historians, enthusiasts of history and re-enactment communities.

"There is much here that would be of interest even to those well read in the period as the author is very much at the cutting edge of the archaeology of the subject matter. I congratulate Varga on her excellent and easy to read English style with just a few tell‐tales that she is not a native speaker. This useful and informative book is divided into five chapters, each of which considers a different aspect of the subject....In conclusion an excellent and up to date book on the subject." Slingshot Magazine Issue 364, May/June 2026