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Curated category

Early Germanic peoples

  • FranksThe name Frank first appeared in the 3rd century AD during a period of crisis when Rome lost control of regions near the lower Rhine.
  • SuebiThe word Suebi first appeared in Roman records during the 1st century BC, when Julius Caesar described a group of Germanic peoples living near the Elbe River.
  • VisigothsThe Gutones, a people believed to have their origins in Scandinavia, migrated southeastwards into eastern Europe. By the middle of the third century AD, they…
  • GothsThe name Goths appears in the writings of Roman authors during the first century AD, describing a people known as Gutones living near the mouth of the…
  • Angles (tribe)The name Angles first appeared in Latin texts as Anglii within the Germania written by Tacitus around 100 AD. This ancient document placed these people…
  • VandalsThe name Vandal first appears in Roman records as Wandali, a term used by Pliny the Elder to describe one of the major groupings of Germanic peoples.
  • JutesThe Jutland Peninsula stands as a possible homeland for the Jutes, yet historians remain divided on their true origins. One hypothesis suggests they…
  • SaxonsThe name Saxon derives from a specific type of knife used during the early medieval period. Old English sources call this blade a seax, while Old High German…
  • LombardsRoman court historian Velleius Paterculus recorded the Lombards between AD 9 and 16 near the Lower Elbe. He described them as a race surpassing other Germans…
  • North Germanic peoplesThe Battle Axe culture emerged in southern Scandinavia during the early 3rd millennium BC. This local variant of the Corded Ware culture itself sprang from…
  • CimbriAncient authors described the Cimbri as a Celtic-Gaulish, Germanic, or even Cimmerian people. Several sources indicate they lived in Jutland, which classical…
  • HeruliJordanes, writing in the sixth century from Constantinople, described Scandinavia as a workshop or womb of nations. He claimed that Heruli had been driven…
  • GeatsThe name Geat derives from the Proto-Germanic word *geutaną, which means to pour. This linguistic root connects the tribe to concepts of flowing water or…