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An ABC of Barbarian tribes (and their sources)
Danubian provinces and Barbarian tribes at the end of the 4th century AD.]
Alani
Iranian tribes, nomadic. In AD 370 beaten by Huns along Danube; joined
them to raid Eastern Roman Empire. In AD 406 crossed Rhine, and took
land in Spain (Ammianus Marcellinus).
Antes
Dneiper tribe, largest of two Venesthae branches, “live where the
Pontic sea is curved” (Jordanes). In late 4c AD, led by King Boz, moved
west along Danube, fought a war with Ostrogoths.
Avars
Turkish tribes, nomadic. Early 6c AD in Ukraine (Jordanes). AD 570
defeated Gepidae in Pannonia (Hungary), founded Avarian empire; raided
Byzantium. Defeated by the Franks and Bulgars in the 8c.
Bastarnae
Possibly spoke an East Germanic language. In 182 BC after allying with
Macedonians, raided Thrace. In 28 BC raided Macedonia with Gethians. At
end of 2c AD driven away from Macedonia by Goths. Between the 2-4 c AD
migrated to the Danube and Black Sea areas and settled in Dacia and
Thrace (Jordanes; RGA)
Carpi 2c AD in Carpathians. AD 273 raided Danubian region (Moesia) w/ Goths and Sarmatians (Ammianus; RGA).
Dacians
Indo-European tribes N of Danube in Romania. Capital by 100 BC was
Sarmizeguthusa, destroyed by Romans in AD 106 (Pliny, Tacitus).
Franks
Germanic tribes. Early 5c AD expanded S from Rhine into Gaul. AD 481
Clovis defeated last Roman army in Gaul and the invading Allemanni. By
AD 509 Clovis founded Merovingian kingdom from the Pyrennes to the
Rhine (Gregory of Tours).
Gepidae
Germanic tribes 2-1c BC in lower Vistular; 4c AD reached Danube;
defeated by Huns, allied with them. After AD 452 setted along Tisza; in
AD 567 were defeated by Avars (Procopius).
Goths
East Germanic tribes, first known along Vistula river (today's north
Poland) in area of the Wielbark culture. In 1-2c AD moved S to Black
Sea; 3c AD invaded Balkans, settled N of Danube after Romans left
Dacia; adopted Christianity in 4c; split into Ostrogoths and Visigoths
or E and W Goths (Pliny, Ammianus, Claudianus; RGA).
Heruli
Germanic tribes (Eastern and Western Heruls). In late 4c AD defeated by
Huns, then Ostrogoths. After AD 452 East Heruls founded a kingdom N of
Danube in Moravia; invaded Illyria and Italy, led by Odoacer. Western
Heruls lived on lower Rhine (Cassiodorus; RGA).
Huns
Asiatic tribes who in AD 370 overran the Alani, Heruli and Goths; in
376 invaded Dacia, pushing Ostrogoths against Visigoths, and driving
the latter across the Danube. In early 5c settled in Pannonia; raided
Roman provinces in Balkans and Europe. After Attila died in AD 453,
split into hordes. (Ammianus, Jordanes, Priscus, Procopius).
Jazygai
(or Lazyges) Iranian, Sarmatian tribes. 1c BC settled along
Tisza. By AD 375 lived on left bank of Danube; defeated by Valentinian
(Ammianus).
Lombards (or
Langobardi) East Germanic tribes who invaded and ruled
northern Italy after AD 475. (Cassiodorus) Defeated by Charlemagne in
AD 780.
Marcomanni
Germanic tribes. Mid 1c BC lived in valley of Mainz River. AD 166-180
moved to Pannonia, began invasions of Rome (Pliny, Tacitus, Ammianus).
Ostrogoths
Germanic tribes. In AD 372 lived on E bank of Dneister, conquered by
Huns. In AD 488 they conquered northern Italy under Theodoric
(Ammianus, Claudianus, Cassiodorus, Jordanes).
Roxolani
Asiatic tribes. In 4c BC, moved west to Volga R. In 2c BC joined
Sarmatians to attack Black Sea towns. In 1c AD invaded lower Moesia;
and in late 3c AD invaded Pannonia (Ammianus.).
Sarmatians
Iranian tribes; 4-2c BC ruled S. Russia. After 1c BC invaded Dacia,
raided lower Danube area. By the 4c AD fell to Goths and Huns.
Scythians Generic name for tribes near the Black Sea, skilled horsemen and warriors (Cassiodorus).
Vandals
East Germanic Tribes. Crossed the Rhine ca. AD 405 after Romans
withdrew. Invaded Rome in AD 455, and occupied Ravenna until Odoacer
was defeated by Ostrogoths in AD 488-493. Also settled in Spain and N.
Africa (Cassiodorus).
Visigoths
Germanic tribes, 4c AD on W bank of the Dneister. After being pushed
across Danube in AD 372 by Huns, settled in Roman provinces, then
revolted against Rome under Alaric (Ammianus, Claudianus, Cassiodorus,
Jordanes).
[Sources: Pliny the Elder, Natural History (AD 77); Tacitus, Germania (AD 98) and Annals (AD 115); Claudius Ptolemaeus, Geographical Outline (2c AD); Sextus Aurelius Victor, Epitome de Caesaribus (AD 360); Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum gestarum libri (AD 390); Claudius Claudianus, Carmina (AD 404); Eusebius Hieronimus, Epistolae (AD 410); Priscus, History (AD 474); Procopius, History (AD 542); Cassiodorus, Getica (AD 560); Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks (AD 575); Jordanes Getica and Romana (AD 580).; RGA: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (1973)]
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