The Roman gained glory and empire, the Batavian gained nothing but the hardest blows.

The Batavian cavalry became famous throughout the Republic and the Empire.

They were the favorite troops of Caesar, and with reason, for it was their valor which turned the tide of battle at Pharsalia.

From the death of Julius down to the times of Vespasian, the Batavian legion was the imperial body guard, the Batavian island the basis of operations in the Roman wars with Gaul, Germany, and Britain.
Beyond the Batavians, upon the north, dwelt the great Frisian family, occupying the regions between the Rhine and Ems, The Zuyder Zee and the Dollart, both caused by the terrific inundations of the thirteenth century and not existing at this period, did not then interpose boundaries between kindred tribes.

All formed a homogeneous nation of pure German origin.
Thus, the population of the country was partly Celtic, partly German.