Probably the most famous and certainly the most dangerous of the western tribes, the Cherusci are best known for their defeat of Varus and their war of resistance against Germanicus afterwards.

They are first mentioned by Caesar:

They execute the orders, and, a few days having intervened, report that all the Suevi, after certain intelligence concerning the army of the Romans had come, retreated with all their own forces and those of their allies, which they had assembled, to the utmost extremities of their territories: that there is a wood there of very great extent, which is called Bacenis ; that this stretches a great way into the interior, and, being opposed as a natural barrier, defends from injuries and incursions the Cherusci against the Suevi, and the Suevi against the Cherusci: that at the entrance of that forest the Suevi had determined to await the coming up of the Romans.

Caesar, The Gallic War, Bk VI, Ch 10

The Cherusci were subdued in the campaigns of Drusus, but rose in rebellion only to be crushed again. From this point they seem to have adopted a policy of co-operation, with chiefs like Sigimer sending his sons Arminius and "Flavus" to serve in the Roman army and another young Cheruscian noble serving as a priest in the cult of Augustus.

But this policy came to a sudden and bloody end when the Cherusci led warbands from several other tribes in the well-planned uprising against Publius Quintilius Varus and destroyed the XVII, XVIII and XIX legions in 9 AD.

Six years later, after the death of Augustus, Germanicus led a campaign against them, with Arminius fighting a generally successful guerilla war in response, almost wiping out another three legions in the process. He was less successful in open battle, but survived and eventually Germanicus withdrew.

This passage from Tacitus indicates how divided many Germanic loyalties were in this campaign:

The waters of the Visurgis flowed between the Romans and the Cherusci . On its banks stood Arminius with the other chiefs. He asked whether Caesar had arrived, and on the reply that he was present, he begged leave to have an interview with his brother. That brother, surnamed Flavus , was with our army, a man famous for his loyalty, and for having lost an eye by a wound, a few years ago, when Tiberius was in command . The permission was then given, and he stepped forth and was saluted by Arminius, who had removed his guards to a distance and required that the bowmen ranged on our bank should retire. When they had gone away, Arminius asked his brother whence came the scar which disfigured his face, and on being told the particular place and battle, he inquired what reward he had received. Flavus spoke of increased pay, of a neck chain, a crown, and other military gifts, while Arminius jeered at such a paltry recompense for slavery.

Tacitus, The Annals, Bk II, Ch 9

Arminius was eventually assassinated by his own people and the Cherusci were soon wracked by internal divisions. By Tacitus' time they had declined in power and influence and eventually found themselves at the mercy of more powerful neighbours:

On the flank of the Chauci and the Chatti, the Cherusci have been left free from attack to enjoy a prolonged neace, too secure and enervating - a pleasant but perilous indulgence among powerful aggressors, where there can be no true peace. When force decides everything, forbearance and righteousness are qualities attributed only to the strong; and so the Cherusci, once known as 'good, honest people', now hear themselves called lazy fools, while the luck of the victorious Chatti passes for profound wisdom. The fall of the Cherusci involved also the neighbouring tribe of the Fosi, who played second fiddle to them in prosperity but get an equal share of their adversity.

Tacitus, Germania, 36

They are rarely mentioned even in passing in the sources for the Second and Third Centuries and their remnants seem to have been absorbed by the later Saxon confederation.