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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 Franks & Bulgars in 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).
Fig 1: Danubian provinces and Barbarian tribes at the end of the
4th century AD. 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 & 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).
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Sources (in chronological order): . 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)]
This article appears in Vol.2, No.3 of Athena
Review.
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