Airmanareiks, King of the Goths

According to the Wikipedia page on Ukrainian Rulers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ukrainian_rulers

Greuthungi

The Amali dynasty, Amals, Amaler, or Amalings of the Greuthungi ("steppe dwellers" or "people of the pebbly coasts"), called later the Ostrogothi.

Ermanaric (Hermanaric, Ermanarich, Hermanarik), born ca. 303 in Ukraine, king of the Getae/Greutungi/Ostrogoths (335 or 350 - 375 or 376)

From the English Wikipedia page on Ermanaric:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermanric

Ermanaric (died 376), was a king of the Gothic Greuthungi at the eve of the Migration Period.

Historical accounts

Ermanaric is mentioned in two Roman sources; the contemporary writings of Ammianus Marcellinus and in Getica by the 6th century historian Jordanes.

According to Ammianus, Ermanaric is "a most warlike king" who eventually commits suicide, facing the aggression of the Alani and of the Huns, who invaded his territories in the 370s. All that Ammianus says about the extent of Ermanric's domain is that his lands were rich and wide.[1][2]

According to Jordanes' Getica, Ermanaric ruled of the realm of Oium (the Chernyakhov Culture). Jordanes also states that the king put to death a young woman named Sunilda with the use of horses, because of her infidelity. Thereupon her two brothers, Sarus and Ammius, severely wounded Ermanaric leaving him unfit to defend his kingdom from Hunnic incursions.

Variations of this legend had a profound effect on medieval Germanic literature, including that of England and Scandinavia (see Jonakr's sons).

Jordanes claims that he successfully ruled the Goths until his death at the age of 110.

Tales

In many Germanic tales, Ermanaric is ill-advised by Bicke, Bikka or Sifka, who wants revenge for the rape of his wife by Ermanaric. Also in some tales of Dietrich of Bern, Ermanaric is Dietrich's uncle who stole the kingdom. This adviser advised Ermanaric to kill those closest to him.

Ermanaric's names

Ermanaric's name in his native Gothic was probably Aírmanareiks. However, because he is referred to in literature throughout the Germanic world right up until the 13th century his name takes many forms:

Latin names:

in Jordanes' Getica he is Ermanaricus.

Germanic names:

in the Old English epic Beowulf he is Eormenric,

in Old Norse he is Jörmunrekkr,

in Middle High German Ermenrich.

He is also called Hermanaric, Erminrich, Emmerich, Ermanrik and many other names.[3]

Since the name Heiðrekr was rather synonymous with Ermanaric [citation needed], he is possibly identical to Heiðrekr Ulfhamr of the Hervarar saga, who was said to have ruled the Goths for a long time.

Descendants

The Solovjovs, Barons of the Russian Empire from 1727 (known as von Solowhoff or Solowhoff von Greutungen in the German-speaking sources) claimed Ermanaric as their ancestor.

Footnotes

1.^ Michael Kulikowski (2007), Rome's Gothic Wars, pp. 111,112, ISBN 0251846331

2.^ Ammianus Marcellinus, Thayer, ed., Res Gestae XXXI 3, http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/31*.html#3

3.^ The Name of Emmerich Pt. 1

References

Auerbach, Loren and Simpson, Jacqueline. Sagas of The Norsemen: Viking and German Myth. TIME-LIFE books.

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From the German Wikipedia page on Ermanarich:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermanarich

Ermanarich (gotisch Aírmanareiks, altnordisch Jörmunrek(kr), über lateinisch Ermanaricus zu mittelhochdeutsch Ermenrîch; † 376) war der erste historische König der Greutungen aus dem Geschlecht der Amaler.

Leben

Die Goten waren auf ihrer Wanderung spätestens 238 im Raum nördlich des Schwarzen Meeres angekommen. Wiederum spätestens seit 291 war die Spaltung in einen westlichen (Terwingen) und östlichen Teil (Greutungen) bekannt. Ermanarich war der erste historische und gleichzeitig der letzte König der Greutungen vor dem Hunneneinfall 375.

Die Ausdehnung seines Reiches ist nicht genau bekannt, sein Einflussbereich war möglicherweise enorm: Angeblich reichte es vom Kerngebiet in Südrussland am Schwarzen Meer bis zur Ostsee, vom Don bis zum Dnister; ob dies den Tatsachen entspricht, ist jedoch mehr als fraglich.[1] Eine vom Geschichtsschreiber Jordanes im 6. Jahrhundert überlieferte Liste der unterworfenen Völker zählt jedenfalls u.a. die Merens und Mordens auf, die mit den Meriern und Mordwinen identisch sein könnten.

Über seinen Tod berichten zwei Geschichtsschreiber: Jordanes und Ammianus Marcellinus. Laut Ammianus beging er angesichts der Niederlage gegen die Hunnen Selbstmord.[2] Gemäß Jordanes, bei dem sich bereits viele Fakten mit Mythen vermischen, ließ Ermanarich die Rosomonin Sunilda aus Rache über die Desertion ihres Mannes hinrichten, woraufhin ihre Brüder, Sarus und Ammius, ihm eine schwere Wunde in der Seite zufügten.[3] Wegen dieser Wunde sei er nicht in der Lage gewesen gegen die Hunnen zu kämpfen und kurz darauf im Alter von 110 Jahren gestorben.

Nach seinem Tod floh ein Teil der Greutungen um seinen Nachfolger Vithimiris, der wohl kein Amaler war, Richtung Westen, wo Vithimiris im Kampf gegen Alanen und Hunnen fiel. Der größere Teil der Greutungen wurde bis zur Schlacht auf den Katalaunischen Feldern 451 Teil der hunnischen Geschichte.

Ermanarich-Sage

In der germanischen Heldendichtung ist Ermanarich eine wichtige Gestalt. Vor allem in den Sagenzyklus der mittelhochdeutschen Dietrichepik des 13. Jahrhunderts übernimmt er die Rolle des Widersachers des Dietrich von Bern, die im älteren Hildebrandslied des 9. Jahrhunderts von Odoaker wahrgenommen wird. Ein zweiter Traditionsstrang stellt Ermanarich einem Brüderpaar gegenüber, das an ihm Rache nimmt für die Ermordung ihrer Schwester (Sunilda-, Schwanhildsage). Ein erster Beleg für diese Sage findet sich bereits bei Cassiodor/Jordanes (s. o.), dann in den Quedlinburger Annalen (die Namen lauten hier Hemidus, Serila, [1]) und bei Ekkehard von Aura (Hamidiecus, Sarelo; Ammius, Sarus). Literarisch wird diese Sage in Deutschland nie, dafür in Skandinavien (die Namen lauten hier Hamðir, Sörli und Svanhild, die hier als Kinder der Attila-Witwe Gudrun erscheinen). In der älteren Edda ist Jörmunrek Protagonist in den Heldenliedern Guðrúnarhvöt und Hamðismál. Die Sage findet sich in verschiedenen Varianten aber auch bei Snorri, in der Völsunga saga und bei Saxo Grammaticus.

Darüber hinaus kommt Ermanarich auch im altenglischen Heldenepos Beowulf, in Widsith und Deor vor[4]. Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass in die mittelhochdeutsche Ermenrichsage neben dem Gotenkönig auch Überlieferungen zum gleichnamigen Suebenkönig Ermenrich, einem bedeutenden germanischen Heerführer der Völkerwanderung des frühen 5. Jahrhunderts, eingeflossen sind.

Ermanarich bei Jordanes

Jordanes berichtet in seiner 551 entstandenen Gotengeschichte (die ältesten Abschriften stammen allerdings erst aus dem 8. oder 9. Jahrhundert), dass der gotische König Ermanarich eine Frau namens Sunilda aus Wut über die Flucht ihres Mannes (aus dem Volk der unterworfenen "treulosen" Rosmonen, die ihn bei Ankunft der Hunnen hintergingen) an wilde Pferde binden und auseinanderreißen ließ. Deren Brüder Sarus und Ammius rächten Sunilda und verwundeten Ermanerich mit dem Schwert. An diesen Wunden und weil er die Einfälle der Hunnen nicht ertragen konnte, soll er nach Jordanes mit 110 Jahren gestorben sein [5].

Ermanarich in der Edda

In einigen Heldenliedern der älteren Edda (13. Jahrhundert) wird eine ganz ähnliche Geschichte erzählt. In Gudruns Sterbelied und dem Alten Hamdirlied wird erzählt, dass Sigurds Tochter Swanhild (wird mit Jordanes Sunilda gleichgesetzt) den König Jörmunrek heiratete und dessen Ratgeber Bikki (entspricht Sibich) sie dann des Ehebruchs mit Jörmunreks Sohn Randwer bezichtigte. Daraufhin ließ Jörmunrek seinen Sohn hängen und Swanhild unter Pferdehufen zertrampeln. Swanhilds Mutter Gudrun (entspricht der Krimhild des Nibelungenliedes) fordert ihre Söhne Sörli (wird mit dem bei Jordanes genannten Sarus gleichgesetzt), Hamdir (wird mit Ammius gleichgesetzt) und Erp auf, dass sie ihre Halbschwester rächen sollten. Sie schlagen Jörmunrek die Gliedmaßen ab, werden aber wenig später von Jörmureks Männern getötet. Der dritte Sohn Gudruns, Erp, wird von seinen Brüdern Hamdir und Sörli bereits auf dem Weg zu Jörmunrek erschlagen. Auch die Edda des Snorri Sturluson kennt die Geschichte von den Gudrunsöhnen Sörli und Hamdir, die ihre Halbschwester Swanhild rächen wollen und dabei ihr Leben verlieren.

Ermanarich in der Thidrekssaga

In der Thidrekssaga, deren älteste Zeugnisse aus dem 13. Jahrhundert stammen, ist Ermenrich (auch Ermenrik) ein König, der über Rom herrscht. In dieser Überlieferung ist er der Sohn von Samson und der Onkel Dietrich von Berns. Ermenrich vergreift sich an der Frau seines Beraters Sifka (entspricht Sibich), der sich rächt, indem er ihn dazu treibt seine nächsten Verwandten umzubringen. Sifka beginnt seinen Racheplan, indem er Ermenrich einredet, seinen Sohn Fridrec (auch Frederik) loszuschicken um Schatzung von einem Wilkinenland zu fordern. Auf dieser Reise wird Fridrec von einem Getreuen Sifkas erschlagen. Ähnlich redet Sifka dem König ein, seinen zweiten Sohn Reginbald (auch Ragbald) loszuschicken, der auf Sifkas Rat ein schlechtes Schiff nimmt und ertrinkt. Seinen dritten Sohn Samson erschlägt Ermenrich selbst vor Wut, als Sifka ihm erzählt, dieser wolle seiner Tochter Gewalt antun. Als weiteren Racheakt redet Sifkas Frau der Königin (Ermenrichs Frau) ein, dass ein Sohn von Ermenrichs Bruder Ake ihr beiliegen wolle. König Ermenrich will daraufhin ausziehen, um die beiden Brüder Egard und Ake, die Söhne Akes und nun Stiefsöhne Wittichs, zu hängen. Ein Mann namens Fritila warnt sie vorher, doch beide kommen im Kampf gegen Ermenrichs Männer ums Leben. Nach diesem Vorfall redet Sifka seinem König ein, dass dieser seinen Neffen Dietrich aus Bern vertreiben solle. Daraufhin zieht Ermenrich gegen Bern und Dietrich muss ins Exil zu König Attila ziehen. In der Schlacht bei Gränsport unterliegt Ermerichs Heer zwar dem von Dietrich, doch gelingt es diesem nicht, sein Berner Reich zurückzuerobern. Als Dietrich später nach Bern zieht, siecht Ermenrich bereits dahin. Sifka gibt nun den Rat, ihn aufzuschneiden um das Fett aus seinem Leib "herauszuwinden". Kurz darauf stirbt Ermenrich, aber auch Sifka wird wenig später von Dietrich besiegt, nachdem dieser Einzug in Bern hielt und ein Heer hinter sich bringen konnte.

Ermanarich in den Quedlinburger Annalen

Die Quedlinburger Annalen sind um die Jahrtausendwende entstanden, aber nur in einer einzigen Handschrift aus dem 16. Jahrhundert überliefert. Sie berichten von einem gotischen König Ermanarich, der nach dem Tod seines einzigen Sohnes Friedericus seine Neffen Embrica und Fritila am Galgen aufhängen ließ. Auch zwang er seinen Neffen Theodericus (entspricht Dietrich von Bern) auf Anstiften seines (anderen) Neffen Odoaker, aus Verona zu fliehen und bei König Attila ins Exil zu gehen. Ermanarich starb nach dieser Quelle durch die Brüder Heimdo, Serila und Addacarus, die ihm Hände und Füße abhauen ließen, weil er ihren Vater getötet hatte.

Ermanarich in Ermenrichs Tod

Im 16. Jahrhundert wird im niederdeutschen Sprachraum die Ballade Koninc Ermenrîkes Dôt mit stark verändertem Inhalt auf einem fliegenden Blatt gedruckt.

Denkmäler

Eine Gedenktafel für ihn fand Aufnahme in die Walhalla bei Regensburg.

Literatur

Bernd Belzer: Wandel und Kontinuität. Zur Entstehung der ältesten Ermanarichsage und ihrer Wanderung nach dem Norden. Roderer, Regensburg 1993, ISBN 3-89073-662-9 (zugl. Dissertation,. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München 1993)

Walter Haug: Ermenrikes dot. In: Verfasserlexikon. Bd. 2 (1980), Sp. 611–617 (mit Literatur zur Ermanarich-Sage).

Peter J. Heather: Goths and Romans. Oxford 1991.

Herwig Wolfram und Heinrich Beck: Ermanarich. In: Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde. Bd. 7, S. 510–515.

Weblinks]

mittelalter-genealogie.de

Belege

1. ↑ Siehe Heather, Goths and Romans, S. 87ff.

2. ↑ Ammian 31,3,1f.

3. ↑ Jordanes, Getica 24, 129.

4. ↑ Beowulf: Ein altenglisches Heldenepos. Übersetzt und herausgegeben von Martin Lehnert, Stuttgart: Reclam 2004, (S. 192) ISBN 3-15-018303-0

5. ↑ Alexander Heine (Hg.): Jordanis Gotengeschichte nebst Auszügen aus seiner Römischen Geschichte. Übersetzt von Wilhelm Martens. Dunker, Leipzig 1884, Dyk, Leipzig 1913, Phaidon, Essen-Stuttgart 1985/1986. ISBN 3-88851-076-7.

In English:

Ermanarich (Gothic: Airmanareiks, Old Norse Jormunrek, Latin Ermanaricus, Middle High German Ermenrich, d. 376) was the first historical king of the Greutungi from the House of Amali.

Biography

The Goths migrated to the area north of the Black Sea, arriving later than 238. In 291, they split into Western (Tervingi) and Eastern (Greutungen) parts. Ermanarich was the first historical and also the last king of the Greutungen before the Hun Invasion of 375.

The extent of his kingdom is not exactly known, but his influence must have been enormous. Apparently it was enough to extend from a core area in southern Russia on the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, from the Don to the Dniester rivers, if one takes for reality some questionable facts. [1] Historian Jordanes in the 6th century gave what has become the traditional list of subject people in one list, including the Merens and Mordens, which may translate to Meriem and Mordvins.

Two historians reported on Ermanarich's death: Jordanes and Ammanius Marcellinus. According to Ammianus, he committed suicide in the face of defeat by the Huns. [2] According to Jordanes, who already lets many facts mingle with myths, Ermanarich took revenge over the desertion of King Rosomonin on his wife Sunilda. Her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, attacked Ermanarich, inflicting a severe wound on his side. Because of this wound, he was not able to fight the Huns and died shortly after at the age of 110.

After his death, Vithiminis, his successor, fled toward the west, where the Amali were not altogether welcome, and it was there that Vithiminis fell to the Alans and the Huns. The greater part of the history of the Greutungen up to the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields in 451 was also that of the Huns.

Ermanarich Saga

In German heroic poetry, Ermanarich is an important figure. Particularly in the legends of the Middle High German cycle, Dietrichepik (from the 13th century), he assumes the role of an adversary of Dietrich von Bern, the old song of Hildebrand from the 9th century by Odoacer is perceived. A second strand is the tradition that the brothers gang up on Ermanarich to take revenge for their sister (Sunilda, or Schwanhildsage). This legend first emerged according to Cassiodorus and Jordanes (see above), and then in the Quedlinburg annals (the names here are Hernidus, Serila, etc):

http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/bsb00000870/images/index.ht...

And Ekkehard von Aura (Hamidiecus, Sarelo; Ammius, Sarus). Literature, never beginning in Germany but rather in Scandinavia (the names here are Hamdir, Sorli, and Svanhild - they are portrayed as the children of Attila's widow, Gudrun). In the older Edda, Jormunrek is the protagonist in heroic songs "Guthrunarhvot and Homthismal". The legend is found in several variations, and also from Snorri, in the Volsunga saga and Saxo Grammaticus.

In addition, Ermanarich is also found in the Old English epic poem Beowulf, in Widsith and Deor before [4]. It is likely that in the Middle High German Ermenrichsage is included next to Gothic traditional Suebenkonig Ermenrich, a major German military leader in the Great Migration of the early 5th century.

Ermanarich in Jordanes

Jordanes first writes in 551 that the Story of the Goths (the oldest copies of this are now only from the 8th and 9th centuries) that the Gothic King Ermanarich calls upon Sunilda, angered about the escape of her husband (from the people of the conquered "faithless" Rosmonen defected to support the Huns), tie her to horses and have them tear her apart. Their brothers, Sarus and Ammius, retaliate on the part of Sunhilda by wounding Ermanerich with a sword. These wounds prevent him from participating in resisting the Hun invasion, but he lives according to Jordanes to 110. [5]

Ermanarich in the Edda

In some heroic songs of the older Edda (13th century) a very similar story is told. Gudrun dies in a song, and in the Old Hamdirlied is said that Sigurd's daughter Swanhild (Jordanes equates her to Sunilda) married King Jormunrek on the advice of his Advisor Bikki (equivalent to Sibich), the Jormunrek accuses her of adultery with Randver. As punishment, Jormunrek orders his son to trample Swanhild to death under the hooves of horses. Swanhild's mother Gudrun (corresponding to Krimhild in the Nibelunglied) calls on her sons Sorle (Jordanes refers to him as Sarus) and Hamdir (equated to Ammius) and Erp to avenge their half-sister. They tear Jormunrek's limbs off, but later Jormurek's men proved ineffectual in battle without him. The third son of Gudrun, Erp, along with his brother Hamdir and Sorle, are killed by order of Jormunrek. The Edda of Snorri Sturluson tells the story of the sons of Gudrun, Sorle and Hamdir, avenging their half-sister Swanhild and losing their lives in the process.

Ermanarich in the Thidrekssaga

In the Thidrekssaga, the oldest version of which is from the 13th century, Ermenrich (also Ermenrik) is a king who rules over Rome. In this tradition, he is the son of Samson and the uncle of Dietrich of Bern. Ermenrich steals away the wife of his adviser Sifka (equivalent to Sibich) who avenges himself by driving him to kill his close relatives. Sifka begins his revenge by persuading Ermenrich to send off his son Fridrec (or Fred) to Wilkinenland. On this trip, Fridrec is slain by a henchman of Sifka. Similiarly, Sifka convinces the king to send off his second son Reginbald (or Ragbald), and by Sifka's counsel, he takes a leaky ship and drowns. Ermenrich kills his third son, Samson, when Sifka tells him that he wanted to do violence to his daughter. As a further act of revenge, Sifka speaks with Ermanrich's widow, the queen, saying that a son of Ermanrich's brother, Ake, would accompany her. As a result of this arrangement, Sifka convinces Ermenrich to hang both Egard and Ake, Ake's sons, and stepson Wittich. A man named Fritila warns them ahead of time, but both Egard and Ake are killed. After this incident, Sifka tells the king that Dietrich of Bern wished to sell his nephew into slavery. Ermenrich sends Dietrich of Bern into exile with King Attila. In the Battle of Gransport, Ermer attempts to kill Dietrich, but fails to do so, and instead, Dietrich of Bern regains his kingdom. When Dietrich of Bern is restored, Ermenrich is already wasting away. Sifka convinces the king that the fat should be cut from his body to cure him. Shortly after, Ermenrich dies, but later Sifka is defeated by Dietrich after he sends an army against him.

Ermanrich in the Quedlinburg anals

The Quedlinburg annals are built around the turn of the millennium, but only a single manuscript from the 16th century has survived. They tell of a Goth king Ermanarich, the death of his only son, and how his nephew Friedericus Embrica Fritla was let to hang on the gallows afterward. He also forced his nephew Theodericus (equivalent to Dietrich von Bern), at the instigation of his other nephew Odoacer, to escape from Verona (Bern) and go into exile with King Attila. Ermanarich died in the spring at the hands of brothers Heimdo, Serila, and Addacarus, his hands and feet cut from him because he had killed their father.

Ermanarich in Ermenrich's Death

In the 16th century in the Low German-speaking world, the ballad "Koninc Ermenrikes Dot" was printed, with heavily modified content from the above on a flying sheet.

Monuments

A commemorative plaque for him was taken in the Walhalla in Regensburg.

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From Die Genealogie der Franken und Frankreiches, von Karl-Heinz Schreiber:

http://www.mittelalter-genealogie.de/_voelkerwanderung/e/ermanarich...

Ermanarich

König der Ostgoten (350-376)

um 266 † 376

Sohn des Ostgoten-Königs Achiulf

Lexikon des Mittelalters:

• *******************

Ermanarich, König der Ostgoten aus dem Geschlecht der Amaler

†

Begründer eines Großreichs in Süd-Rußland. Beim Einfall der Hunnen und Alanen tötete er sich 376 selbst (Amm. 31, 3, 1f.). Seine Taten und sein Tod sind schon im 6. Jh. Gegenstand der Sage (Jordanes, Getica) und gehen in die Heldendichtung des Mittelalters ein (Dietrich von Bern, Ermenrichs Tod).

J. Gruber

Dahn Felix: Seite 45

• *********

"Die Völkerwanderung. Germanisch-Romanische Frühgeschichte Europas."

So machtvoll die Heldensage Macht und Umfang des Reichs, das der Eroberer Ermanarich, Geberichs Nachfolger, etwa 350-376 gründete, ausdehnt - feststeht immerhin, daß dieser "herrlichste der AMALER" (seit Ostrogota wieder der erste König aus diesem Haus) eine große Zahl benachbarter Völker in volle oder lockere Abhängigkeit gebracht hat. Wohl nur ein leichtes Band der Bundesgenossenschaft hatte die Westgoten mit dem Reich des AMALERS verknüpft, aber die raschen, ebenfalls gotischen Heruler wurden durch Krieg unterworfen und viele finnische un slawische Völkerschaften (Veneti, Anntes, Sklöaveni) mußten die Oberhoheit des Ostgoten anerkennen.

Gegen Ende seines Lebens aber trübt sich der Stern des mächtigen Herrschers. Die Westgoten hatten nach einem Zerwürfnis mit den Ostgoten ihre Abhängigkeit bis auf das geringste Maß gelockert, roxalanische Fürsten erfolgreich sich empört, mag auch die Verwundung des Königs durch Sarus und Ammius, die bluträchenden Brüder der Fürstin dieses Volkes, Svanhild, die der König aus Zorn über Abfall und Flucht ihres Gatten von wilden Hengsten habe zerreisen lassen, lediglich Sage sein, die überhaupt Ermanarichs Ende mit ihrem Efeugerank geschmückt zugleich und verhüllt hat. Denn über das Reich des AMALERS ergoß sich nun zunächst die furchtbare Wode der hunnischen Reitervölker.

Die gotische Sage ertrug es nicht, das Erliegen des Volkes vor den Hunnen lediglich aus deren Übermacht zu erklären. Das Siechtum des Königs gibt erst den Feinden Mut zum Angriff. Ermanarich, unfähig, diesen Anprall abzuwehren, stirbt 110 Jahre alt. Und erst nach dem Tod des Königs gelingt den Hunnen die Unterjochung des Volkes.

oo Sunilda

† um 375

In English:

Ermanarich, King of the Ostrogoths (350-376)

Born 266, d. 376 (apparently according to Jordanes)

Son of the Ostorogoth King Achiulf

Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages:

Ermanarich, King of the Ostrogoths, from the House of Amali

Founder of an empire in southern Russia. After the invasion of the Huns and Alans, he killed himself in 376 (Amm. 31, 3, 1f.). His actions and death are the subject of a 6th century saga (Jordanes' Getica) and within the poetry of the Middle Ages (Dietrich von Bern, Ermenrich's Death).

J. Gruber

---

Dahn Felix: Pg. 45

"The Great Migration: Germanic-Roman early history of Europe"

No matter how powerful the heroic saga of power, and scope of the kingdom of conqueror Ermanrich, which Geberich places around 350-376, it is after all for the "Glory of the Amal" (which has existed since Ostrogota, the first king of that house), which are large in numbers or not, depending on which neighboring nation is consulted. They probably had only a small band linked by alliance to the Visigoths, and also the Gothic Heruli people were subjects to them in war, and many Finnish and Slavic people (Veneti, Antes, Skloaveni) recognized their supremacy.

Toward the end of his life, however, the star of the mighty leader is obscured. The Visigoths had a quarrel with the Ostrogoths, and so their alliance loosened up, a Rosomoni (Roxalanisch) prince successfully rebelled, and the wounding of the king by Sarus and Ammius, blood-avenging brothers of Princess Svanhild, which the king in anger over the escape of her husband had ripped her apart by wild stallions in legend. This happened because the first of the Hun horsement under the terrible Wode began pouring into the country. The Gothic saga had to explain the reason they could not halt the Huns in some other way than they were just militarily superior. This is done by the infirmity of the king, who was the only one with the courage to attack the enemies. Ermanarich, unable to stop this collapse, died at age 110. And only after the death of the king did the Huns succeed in subjugating the Gothic people.

Married Sunilda, d. c.375. (Ben M. Angel notes: This perhaps confuses legends, as Sunilda or Svanhild was the wife of the Roxalanish prince that he had torn apart in legend.)

Literatur:

Dahn Felix: Die Völkerwanderung. Germanisch-Romanische Frühgeschichte Europas. Verlag Hans Kaiser Klagenfurt 1977 Seite 45,85,157,163,175,176

Ensslin Wilhelm: Theoderich der Große. F. Bruckmann KG München 1959 Seite 335

Günther Rigobert: Römische Kaiserinnen. Zwischen Liebe, Macht und Religion. Militzke Verlag Leipzig 2003 Seite 24

Jordanis: Gotengeschichte. Phaidon Verlag GmbH Essen

Offergeld Thilo: Reges pueri. Das Königtum Minderjähriger im frühen Mittelalter. Hahnsche Buchhandlung Hannover 2001 Seite 68-70,72,73,134

Riehl Hans: Die Völkerwanderung. Der längste Marsch der Weltgeschichte. W. Ludwig Verlag 1988 Seite 136,137, 139,145

Schreiber Hermann: Die Hunnen. Attila probt den Weltuntergang. Econ Verlag Wien-Düsseldorf 1990 Seite 31-37,43,206,327

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From Bullfinch's Mythology page on Theodoric of the Ostrogoths:

http://bulfinch.englishatheist.org/theodoric/chapter1.htm

Two great Emperors of Illyrian origin, Claudius and Aurelian, succeeded, at a fearful cost of life, in repelling the invasion and driving back the human torrent. But it was impossible to recover from the barbarians Trajan's province of Dacia, which they had overrun, and the Emperors wisely compromised the dispute by abandoning to the Goths and their allies all the territory north of the Danube.

This abandoned province was chiefly occupied by the Visigoths, the Western members of the confederacy, who for the century from 275 to 375 were the neighbours, generally the allies, by fitful impulses the enemies, of Rome. With Constantine the Great especially the Visigoths came powerfully in contact, first as invaders and then as allies (fœderati) bound to furnish a certain number of auxiliaries to serve under the eagles of the Empire.

Meanwhile the Ostrogoths, with their faces turned for the time northward instead of southward, were battling daily with the nations of Finnish or Sclavonic stock that dwelt by the upper waters of the Dnieper, the Don, and the Volga, and were extending their dominion over the greater part of what we now call Russia-in-Europe.

The lord of this wide but most loosely compacted kingdom, in the middle of the fourth century, was a certain Hermanric, whom his flatterers, with some slight knowledge of the names held in highest repute among their Southern neighbours, likened to Alexander the Great for the magnitude of his conquests. However shadowy some of these conquests may appear in the light of modern criticism, there can be little doubt that the Visigoths owned his over-lordship, and that when Constantius (II, 337-361) and Julian ("The Apostate", 361-363) were reigning in Constantinople, the greatest name over a wide extent of territory north of the Black Sea was that of Hermanric the Ostrogoth.

When this warrior was in extreme old age, a terrible disaster befell his nation and himself. It was probably about the year 374 that a horde of Asiatic savages made their appearance in the south-eastern corner of his dominions, having, so it is said, crossed the Sea of Azov in its shallowest part by a ford. These men rode upon little ponies of great speed and endurance, each of which seemed to be incorporated with its rider, so perfect was the understanding between the horseman, who spent his days and nights in the saddle, and the steed which he bestrode.

Little black restless eyes gleamed beneath their low foreheads and matted hair; no beard or whisker adorned their uncouth yellow faces; the Turanian type in its ugliest form was displayed by these Mongolian sons of the wilderness. They bore a name destined to be of disastrous and yet also indirectly of most beneficent import in the history of the world; for these are the true shatterers of the Roman Empire. They were the terrible Huns.

Before the impact of this new and strange enemy the Empire of Hermanric--an Empire which rested probably rather on the reputation of warlike prowess than on any great inherent strength, military or political--went down with a terrible crash. Dissimilar as are the times and the circumstances, we are reminded of the collapse of the military systems of Austria and Prussia under the onset of the ragged Jacobins of France, shivering and shoeless, but full of demonic energy, when we read of the humiliating discomfiture of this stately Ostrogothic monarchy--doubtless possessing an ordered hierarchy of nobles, free warriors, and slaves--by the squalid, hard-faring and, so to say, democratic savages from Asia.

The death of Hermanric, which was evidently because of the Hunnish victory, is assigned by the Gothic historian to a cause less humiliating to the national vanity. The king of the Rosomones, "a perfidious nation", had taken the opportunity of the appearance of the savage invaders to renounce his allegiance, perhaps to desert his master treacherously on the field of battle. The enraged Hermanric, unable to vent his fury on the king himself, caused his wife, Swanhilda, to be torn asunder by wild horses to whom she was tied by the hands and feet. Her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, avenged her cruel death by a spear-thrust, which wounded the aged monarch, but did not kill him outright.

Then came the crisis of the invasion of the Huns under their King Balamber. The Visigoths, who had some cause of complaint against Hermanric, left him to fight his battle without their aid; and the old king, in sore pain with his wound and deeply mortified by the incursion of the Huns, breathed out his life in the one hundred and tenth year of his age. All of which is probably a judicious veiling of the fact (as mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus) that the great Hermanric was defeated by the Hunnish invaders, and in his despair laid violent hands on himself.

The huge and savage horde rolled on over the wide plains of Russia. The Ostrogothic resistance was at an end; and soon the invaders were on the banks of the Dniester threatening the kindred nation of the Visigoths. Athanaric, "Judge" (as he was called) of the Visigoths, a brave, old soldier, but not a very skilful general, was soon out-manœuvred by these wild nomads from the desert, who crossed the rivers by unexpected fords, and by rapid night-marches turned the flank of his most carefully chosen positions.

The line of the Dniester was abandoned; the line of the Pruth was lost. It was plain that the Visigoths, like their Eastern brethren, if they remained in the land, must bow their heads beneath the Hunnish yoke. To avoid so degrading a necessity, and if they must lose their independence, to lose it to the stately Emperors of Rome rather than to the chief of a filthy Tartar horde, the great majority of the Visigothic nation flocked southward through the region which is now called Wallachia, and, standing on the northern shore of the Danube, prayed for admission within the province of Mœsia and the Empire of Rome.

In 376 an evil hour for himself Valens, the then reigning Emperor of the East, granted this petition and received into his dominions the Visigothic fugitives, a great and warlike nation, without taking any proper precautions, on the one hand, that they should be disarmed, on the other, that they should be supplied with food for their present necessities and enabled for the future to become peaceful cultivators of the soil.

The inevitable result followed. Before many months had elapsed the Visigoths were in arms against the Empire, and under the leadership of their hereditary chiefs were wandering up and down through the provinces of Mœsia and Thrace, wresting from the terror-stricken provincials not only the food which the parsimony of Valens had failed to supply them with, but the treasures which centuries of peace had stored up in villa and unwalled town.

In 378 they achieved a brilliant, and perhaps unexpected, triumph, defeating a large army commanded by the Roman Emperor Valens in person, in a pitched battle near Adrianople. Valens himself perished on the field of battle, and his unburied corpse disappeared among the embers of a Thracian hut which had been set fire to by the barbarians. That fatal day (August 9, 378) was admitted to be more disastrous for Rome than any which had befallen her since the terrible defeat of Cannæ, and from it we may fitly date the beginning of that long process of dissolution, lasting, in a certain sense, more than 1,000 years, which we call the Fall of the Roman Empire.

From Jordanes' Getica:

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/jordgeti.html#visi

XIV

(79) Now the first of these heroes, as they themselves relate in their legends, was Gapt, who begat Hulmul. And Hulmul begat Augis; and Augis begat him who was called Amal, from whom the name of the Amali comes. This Amal begat Hisarnis. Hisarnis moreover begat Ostrogotha, and Ostrogotha begat Hunuil, and Hunuil likewise begat Athal. Athal begat Achiulf and Oduulf. Now Achiulf begat Ansila and Ediulf, Vultuulf and Hermanaric. And Vultuulf begat Valaravans and Valaravans begat Vinitharius. Vinitharius moreover begat Vandalarius;

(80) Vandalarius begat Thiudimer and Valamir and Vidimer; and Thiudimer begat Theodoric. Theodoric begat Amalasuentha; Amalasuentha bore Athalaric and Mathesuentha to her husband Eutharic, whose race was thus joined to hers in kinship.

(81) For the aforesaid Hermanaric, the son of Achiulf, begat Hunimund, and Hunimund begat Thorismud. Now Thorismud begat Beremud, Beremud begat Veteric, and Veteric likewise begat Eutharic, who married Amalasuentha and begat Athalaric and Mathesuentha. Athalaric died in the years of his childhood, and Mathesuentha married Vitiges, to whom she bore no child. Both of them were taken together by Belisarius to Constantinople. When Vitiges passed from human affairs, Germanus the patrician, a cousin of the Emperor Justinian, took Mathesuentha in marriage and made her a Patrician Ordinary. And of her he begat a son, also called Germanus. But upon the death of Germanus, she determined to remain a widow. Now how and in what wise the kingdom of the Amali was overthrown we shall keep to tell in its proper place, if the Lord help us.

---

XXIII

(116) Soon Geberich, king of the Goths (House of the Balti, future rulers of the Visigoths), departed from human affairs and Hermanaric, noblest of the Amali, succeeded to the throne. He subdued many warlike peoples of the north and made them obey his laws, and some of our ancestors have justly compared him to Alexander the Great. Among the tribes he conquered were the Golthescytha, Thiudos, Inaunxis, Vasinabroncae, Merens, Mordens, Imniscaris, Rogas, Tadzans, Athaul, Navego, Bubegenae, and Coldae.

(117) But though famous for his conquest of so many races, he gave himself no rest until he had slain some in battle and then reduced to his sway the remainder of the tribe of the Heruli, whose chief was Alaric. Now the aforesaid race, as the historian Ablabius tells us, dwelt near Lake Maeotis in swampy places which the Greeks call Hele; hence they were named Heluri. They were a people swift of foot, and on that account were the more swollen with pride,

(118) for there was at that time no race that did not choose from them its light-armed troops for battle. But though their quickness often saved them from others who made war upon them, yet they were overthrown by the slowness and steadiness of the Goths; and the lot of fortune brought it to pass that they, as well as the other tribes, had to serve Hermanaric, king of the Getae.

(119) After the slaughter of the Heruli, Hermanaric also took arms against the Venethi. This people, though despised in war, was strong in numbers and tried to resist him. But a multitude of cowards is of no avail, particularly when God permits an armed multitude to attack them. These people, as we started to say at the beginning of our account or catalogue of nations, though off-shoots from one stock, have now three names, that is, Venethi, Antes and Sclaveni. Though they now rage in war far and wide, in punishment for our sins, yet at that time they were all obedient to Hermanaric's commands.

(120) This ruler also subdued by his wisdom and might the race of the Aesti, who dwell on the farthest shore of the German Ocean, and ruled all the nations of Scythia and Germany by his own prowess alone.

XXIV

(121) But after a short space of time, as Orosius relates, the race of the Huns, fiercer than ferocity itself, flamed forth against the Goths. We learn from old traditions that their origin was as follows: Filimer, king of the Goths, son of Gadaric the Great, who was the fifth in succession to hold the rule of the Getae after their departure from the island of Scandza,--and who, as we have said, entered the land of Scythia with his tribe,--found among his people certain witches, whom he called in his native tongue Haliurunnae. Suspecting these women, he expelled them from the midst of his race and compelled them to wander in solitary exile afar from his army.

(122) There the unclean spirits, who beheld them as they wandered through the wilderness, bestowed their embraces upon them and begat this savage race, which dwelt at first in the swamps,--a stunted, foul and puny tribe, scarcely human, and having no language save one which bore but slight resemblance to human speech. Such was the descent of the Huns who came to the country of the Goths.

(123) This cruel tribe, as Priscus the historian relates, settled on the farther bank of the Maeotic swamp. They were fond of hunting and had no skill in any other art. After they had grown to a nation, they disturbed the peace of neighboring races by theft and rapine. At one time, while hunters of their tribe were as usual seeking for game on the farthest edge of Maeotis, they saw a doe unexpectedly appear to their sight and enter the swamp, acting as guide of the way; now advancing and again standing still.

(124) The hunters followed and crossed on foot the Maeotic swamp, which they had supposed was impassable as the sea. Presently the unknown land of Scythia disclosed itself and the doe disappeared. Now in my opinion the evil spirits, from whom the Huns are descended, did this from envy of the Scythians.

(125) And the Huns, who had been wholly ignorant that there was another world beyond Maeotis, were now filled with admiration for the Scythian land. As they were quick of mind, they believed that this path, utterly unknown to any age of the past, had been divinely revealed to them. They returned to their tribe, told them what had happened, praised Scythia and persuaded the people to hasten thither along the way they had found by the guidance of the doe. As many as they captured, when they thus entered Scythia for the first time, they sacrificed to Victory. The remainder they conquered and made subject to themselves.

(126) Like a whirlwind of nations they swept across the great swamp and at once fell upon the Alpidzuri, Alcildzuri, Itimari, Tuncarsi and Boisci, who bordered on that part of Scythia. The Alani also, who were their equals in battle, but unlike them in civilization, manners and appearance, they exhausted by their incessant attacks and subdued.

(127) For by the terror of their features they inspired great fear in those whom perhaps they did not really surpass in war. They made their foes flee in horror because their swarthy aspect was fearful, and they had, if I may call it so, a sort of shapeless lump, not a head, with pin-holes rather than eyes. Their hardihood is evident in their wild appearance, and they are beings who are cruel to their children on the very day they are born. For they cut the cheeks of the males with a sword, so that before they receive the nourishment of milk they must learn to endure wounds.

(128) Hence they grow old beardless and their young men are without comeliness, because a face furrowed by the sword spoils by its scars the natural beauty of a beard. They are short in stature, quick in bodily movement, alert horsemen, broad shouldered, ready in the use of bow and arrow, and have firm-set necks which are ever erect in pride. Though they live in the form of men, they have the cruelty of wild beasts.

(129) When the Getae beheld this active race that had invaded many nations, they took fright and consulted with their king how they might escape from such a foe. Now although Hermanaric, king of the Goths, was the conqueror of many tribes, as we have said above, yet while he was deliberating on this invasion of the Huns, the treacherous tribe of the Rosomoni, who at that time were among those who owed him their homage, took this chance to catch him unawares. For when the king had given orders that a certain woman of the tribe I have mentioned, Sunilda by name, should be bound to wild horses and torn apart by driving them at full speed in opposite directions (for he was roused to fury by her husband's treachery to him), her brothers Sarus and Ammius came to avenge their sister's death and plunged a sword into Hermanaric's side. Enfeebled by this blow, he dragged out a miserable existence in bodily weakness.

(130) Balamber, king of the Huns, took advantage of his ill health to move an army into the country of the Ostrogoths, from whom the Visigoths had already separated because of some dispute. Meanwhile Hermanaric, who was unable to endure either the pain of his wound or the inroads of the Huns, died full of days at the great age of 110 years. The fact of his death enabled the Huns to prevail over those Goths who, as we have said, dwelt in the East and were called Ostrogoths.

---

Ben M. Angel's summary: Airmanareiks, spelled as Hermanaric by Jordanes, or Ermanarich by German sources, or Jormurek by Norse sources, was the first historical Amal king to be identified by more than one source. Jordanes, of course, draws a lineage all the way back to Gapt, but Ammianus Marcellinus, the Roman historian, also identifies him.

As the Wikipedia page on Ukrainian Rulers says, Airmanareiks is the spelling that likely would have been representative of how his name would have phonetically sounded in Gothic. His death date is much more certain than his birth date - set at 375-376, shortly after the Hun invasion and occupation of his kingdom (which Jordanes describes as a military empire that subjugated all the tribes surrounding it). The Getica sets his birth date based on his death date, in which Jordanes (a Goth himself) claims that the Goth king lived 110 years. Ammianus paints a different and more realistic picture of the end of his life, in which he had killed himself after the Hun invasion at something far less than 110 years of age.

The Wikipedia page on Ukrainian Rulers sets his birth date at c.303, without any explanation or sources. This would put him at age 73 at death.

Events in his life would include his succession from Geberic, the last of the House of Balti to rule over all the Goths. After Airmanareiks suicide, the House of Balti would lead the Thervingi, or Forest Goths, to Dacia and further south into the Roman Empire. The succession is figured to be about 10 years after the Thervingi invaded Dacia, or roughly 350.

After this, for two decades, Airmanareiks built up his empire, subjugating not only all rivals among the Gothic people, but also the nearby Slavic people as well. Then came the event in 370 that changed everything - the Huns crossed the Volga River and spent the next five years subjugating the Alans. Once this buffer was gone, the Huns invaded Goth territory, assimilating them over the space of a year into their growing empire.

Likely around 374 or 375, if Jordanes is to be believed, Airmanareiks faced a crucial defection by one of his vassals, the Rosomoni. Their king sold himself out to the Hun Emperor Bulümar (Balamber) "Sheke" (ruled c.360-378), but left most of his family behind. His wife, Sunilde soon faced the wrath of an angry Airmanareiks, who ordered her torn apart by stallions pulling in different directions (something similar to draw and quartering practiced by the English over 1,000 years later). This angered her family to the point where her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, attacked the Goth King, severely wounding him and leaving him unfit to lead his troops against the approaching Huns (at of course a cost of their own lives).

This is the reason for the quick assimilation of the Goths into the Hun empire given by Jordanes. A number of modern historians disregard this as a convenient explanation for an embarrassing episode in Gothic history. Jordanes also explains that though the king suffered defeat at the hands of the Huns, he still lived to the age of 110. Ammianus recorded that he committed suicide after the fall of his kingdom.

The Goth history is then followed up by the rise of Airmanareiks grand-nephew Vinitharius, who briefly carried out a campaign that destroyed the Slavic Antes tribal leadership and prompted a response by the Hun Emperor. But at that time, the Gothic nation had effectively split in two, with the Visigoths fleeing across the Carpathian Mountains into Dacia (present Romania), and the Ostrogoths remaining behind in Scythia (present Ukraine). Airmanareiks was the last king of both tribes.

Airmanareiks, or Ermanarich or Jormunrek, would inspire a wealth of Norse sagas and Germanic tales; both the Norse and the Germans claim kinship to this Goth king (as apparently do the Spanish, through the Visigoths who eventually settled in Iberia).

---------------------------

From Italy and Her Invaders 476-535, by Thomas Hodgkin, Volume III, Book IV, the Ostrogothic Invasion (1896 Clarendon Press):

http://www.archive.org/stream/italyandherinva00unkngoog#page/n15/mo...

The Ostrogoths were that member of the great East German family of nations which first attained to widely extended dominion. Through the greater part of the third century after Christ, theirs was the chief controlling influence in the vast plains between the Baltic and the Euxine that form the Lithuania and Southern Russia of modern history. Like the other German nations at that time, they were probably passing or had recently passed from the nomadic to the settled form of society, from dependence on flocks and herds to dependence upon the tillage of the ground as their chief means of support. The head of this powerful but loosely compacted state was Hermanric [1] the Amal, sprung from the seed of gods, still true to the martial religion of Odin and Thor; a Goth of Goths and a Teuton of Teutons. Under his orders moved to battle the hosts of the Visigoths who dwelt between him and the Danube, of the Gepidae who perhaps occupied the plains of Central Russia in his rear. The forecast of European history that then seemed probable would have been that a great Teutonic Empire stretching from the Danube to the Don would take the place which the colossal Slav Empire now holds in the map of Europe, and swould be ready, as a civilized and Christianized power, to step into the place of Eastern Rome when in the fullness of centuries the scepter should drop from the nerveless hands of the Caesars of Byzantium.

All these possible speculations as to the future were upset and the whole course of human history to the latest generations was modified by the rush of the swarthy dwarfish Huns over the shallows of the Sea of Azof and the impetuous charge of their light cavalry upon the unwieldy masses of the army of Hermanric. The defeat of the Ostrogothic army is acknowledged by the national historian. The death of the Ostrogothic king, who was in very advanced age, is not quite so honestly related. It is attributed to a wound received from rebellious subjects, but seems tohave been in truth the death of a suicide, in despair at the sudden overthrow of his power.

The collapse of the power of Hermanric did not bring with it so disastrous ruin to his people as would have been the case with a more highly organized state. The Hunnish monarch needed soldiers, and the Ostrogoths could supply them. He cared little about law and government, and therefore the Ostrogoths might keep such political institutions as they had. They were pushed somewhat westward, probably over the Carpathian mountains, and they no longer possessed the suzerainty over the vast and loose confederacy of nations who roamed over the plains of Sarmatia (present Ukraine). Otherwise, there was little change, only their king escorted the chariot of the conqueror instead of filling it. There are even indications that the Hun, regarding at first by his Gothic antagonist with blended feelings of fear and disgust, became somewhat less hateful as he was better known. Balamber, the monarch of the Huns at the time of their great migration, married Vadamerca, an Ostrogothic princess[2]; and the bold attempt of Winithar, and after his death, fo the guardians of his infant son Wideric, to shake off the Hunnish yoke[3], seems to have met with but a faint and partial response among their countrymen. Hunimund, the son of Hermanric, who as vassal of the conquerors, ruled over the great mass of the Ostrogothic people, is described as an active warrior, conspicuous for his manly beauty and as having fought successfully against the Suevic nation, probably situated on his northern or northwestern border[4].

[1] Or Hermanaric. See vol i. p. 77.

[2] Who, however, can hardly have been, as stated by Jordanes, grand-daughter of Winithar. Winithar is already two generations below Hermanric, and his grandson Theodimir died in 474, nearly a century after the Hunnish irruption. We may lessen, but hardly remove, the difficulty by translating "neptem" as niece.

[3] See i. 248.

[4] Zeuss (Die Deutschen und die Nachbarstämme, p. 457) suggest that these Suevi are perhaps the Semnones of Tacitus.

---------------------------

From the English Wikipedia page on Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis VI, the last king of the Bosporus Kingdom (present Crimea):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_Julius_Rhescuporis_VI

The King of the Goths Ermanaric had conquered the Bosporan Kingdom. Ermanaric killed Rhescuporis VI (co-rule began 303, died 342); subjected the kingdom and the citizens to his rule. When Rescuporis VI died, he was buried in a royal tomb in the original capital city of the Bosporan Kingdom Panticapaeum (modern Kerch). Placed in the tomb with Rhescuporis VI was his various possessions, which included a golden mask and ornament plates. The golden mask and ornament plates that were placed in the tomb of Rhescuporis VI, are now on display at the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

[edit]See also

Bosporan Kingdom

External links

Coinage of Rhescuporis VI

http://www.s110120695.websitehome.co.uk/SNG/sng_reply2.php?crit_rul...

Sources

Greek and Roman gold and silver plate By Donald Emrys Strong

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=X4AOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA195&lpg=PA195...

Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (for Rhescuporis I-V):

http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2983.html

Odessa Numismatics Museum page:

http://www.museum.com.ua/en/istor/sev-vost/bospor/bospor.htm

The (St. Petersburg, Russia) Hermitage Collection from the 19th century (mentions Rhescuporis' death mask and other items):

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/05/hm5_4_2_2_1.html

(No longer a functional link):

http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Egypt/ptolemies/cleopatra_vii.htm#Cleo...

---

According to the WordIQ entry on the Cimmerian Bosporus:

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Cimmerian_Bosporus

The 342 date may have come from the date of the last known coin under Rhescuporis, which was in 341. The only question is whether Airmanareiks conquered them as king. Perhaps he established his supremacy from having already conquered the Bosporan Kingdom - this of course is purely speculation (you simply can't tell that much from a complete or possibly incomplete set of coins).

---------------------------

Ben M. Angel on the photo: Despite how popular that Airmanareiks (Ermanarich, Jormunrek, etc.) has been in literature, there are very few images relating to him. The image I'd have preferred would have been the plaque dedicated to him from the Walhalla in Donaustauf in Bavaria, but no one has bothered to post a photograph of it on the web. However, the good folks at "Dragon - Action Figuren" came up with a solution - yes, the "Ermanrich the Goth" action figure. That's right, if this is your ancestor, then one of your ancestors has his own actual action figure - how cool is that?

Ermanarik (død 376) var en østgotisk konge. Som konge skal han ha hersket over et stort imperium i dagens Ukraina. De nøyaktige grensene for hans territorium er derimot uklare, men det ser ut til å ha strukket seg sør for Pinsk-myrene mellom Don og Dnestr-elvene.

Hans navn på hans morsmål gotisk var antagelig Aírmanareiks. Han blir referert til gjennom hele den germanske verden helt opp til det 13. århundre. På grunn av dette tar hans navn mange former: i Jordanes' Getica er han Ermanaricus, i det gammelengelske eposet Beowulf er han Eormenric, på norrønt er han Jörmunrekkr og på middelhøytysk Ermenrich. Siden navnet Heiðrekr var nokså synonymt med Ermanarik, er han muligens identisk med Heiðrekr Ulfhamr (Heidrek Ulveham) i Hervors saga som var sagt å ha styrt goterne i lang tid.

Ermanarik er nevnt i to romerske kilder, fra skriftene til Ammianus Marcellinus og i Getica av historikeren Jordanes i det 6. århundre.

Ifølge Ammianus var Ermanarik «en hovedsakelig krigersk konge» som til slutt begikk selvmord da han stod overfor aggresjonen til hunnerne som invaderte hans territorium i 370-årene. [1] Hans kongedømme ble ødelagt og hans folk ble hunnernes undersåtter i rundt 75 år.

Jordanes sier at kongen drepte en ung kvinne som het Sunilda ved å binde henne til fire ville hester og drive dem fra hverandre fordi hennes ektemann hadde forrådt ham. Etter dette skadet hennes to brødre, Sarus og Ammius, Ermanarik alvorlig. Variasjoner av denne legenden hadde en betydelig effekt på middelaldersk germansk litteratur, inkludert den i England og Skandinavia. Jordanes hevder at han styrte goterne med stor suksess til han døde 110 år

https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermanarik

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/HUNGARY.htm#Theodemirdied474A

According to the Wikipedia page on Ukrainian Rulers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ukrainian_rulers

Greuthungi

The Amali dynasty, Amals, Amaler, or Amalings of the Greuthungi ("steppe dwellers" or "people of the pebbly coasts"), called later the Ostrogothi.

Ermanaric (Hermanaric, Ermanarich, Hermanarik), born ca. 303 in Ukraine, king of the Getae/Greutungi/Ostrogoths (335 or 350 - 375 or 376)

From the English Wikipedia page on Ermanaric:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermanric

Ermanaric (died 376), was a king of the Gothic Greuthungi at the eve of the Migration Period.

Historical accounts

Ermanaric is mentioned in two Roman sources; the contemporary writings of Ammianus Marcellinus and in Getica by the 6th century historian Jordanes.

According to Ammianus, Ermanaric is "a most warlike king" who eventually commits suicide, facing the aggression of the Alani and of the Huns, who invaded his territories in the 370s. All that Ammianus says about the extent of Ermanric's domain is that his lands were rich and wide.[1][2]

According to Jordanes' Getica, Ermanaric ruled of the realm of Oium (the Chernyakhov Culture). Jordanes also states that the king put to death a young woman named Sunilda with the use of horses, because of her infidelity. Thereupon her two brothers, Sarus and Ammius, severely wounded Ermanaric leaving him unfit to defend his kingdom from Hunnic incursions.

Variations of this legend had a profound effect on medieval Germanic literature, including that of England and Scandinavia (see Jonakr's sons).

Jordanes claims that he successfully ruled the Goths until his death at the age of 110.

Tales

In many Germanic tales, Ermanaric is ill-advised by Bicke, Bikka or Sifka, who wants revenge for the rape of his wife by Ermanaric. Also in some tales of Dietrich of Bern, Ermanaric is Dietrich's uncle who stole the kingdom. This adviser advised Ermanaric to kill those closest to him.

Ermanaric's names

Ermanaric's name in his native Gothic was probably Aírmanareiks. However, because he is referred to in literature throughout the Germanic world right up until the 13th century his name takes many forms:

Latin names:

in Jordanes' Getica he is Ermanaricus.

Germanic names:

in the Old English epic Beowulf he is Eormenric,

in Old Norse he is Jörmunrekkr,

in Middle High German Ermenrich.

He is also called Hermanaric, Erminrich, Emmerich, Ermanrik and many other names.[3]

Since the name Heiðrekr was rather synonymous with Ermanaric [citation needed], he is possibly identical to Heiðrekr Ulfhamr of the Hervarar saga, who was said to have ruled the Goths for a long time.

Descendants

The Solovjovs, Barons of the Russian Empire from 1727 (known as von Solowhoff or Solowhoff von Greutungen in the German-speaking sources) claimed Ermanaric as their ancestor.

Footnotes

1.^ Michael Kulikowski (2007), Rome's Gothic Wars, pp. 111,112, ISBN 0251846331

2.^ Ammianus Marcellinus, Thayer, ed., Res Gestae XXXI 3, http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/31*.html#3

3.^ The Name of Emmerich Pt. 1

References

Auerbach, Loren and Simpson, Jacqueline. Sagas of The Norsemen: Viking and German Myth. TIME-LIFE books.

--------------------------

From the German Wikipedia page on Ermanarich:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermanarich

Ermanarich (gotisch Aírmanareiks, altnordisch Jörmunrek(kr), über lateinisch Ermanaricus zu mittelhochdeutsch Ermenrîch; † 376) war der erste historische König der Greutungen aus dem Geschlecht der Amaler.

Leben

Die Goten waren auf ihrer Wanderung spätestens 238 im Raum nördlich des Schwarzen Meeres angekommen. Wiederum spätestens seit 291 war die Spaltung in einen westlichen (Terwingen) und östlichen Teil (Greutungen) bekannt. Ermanarich war der erste historische und gleichzeitig der letzte König der Greutungen vor dem Hunneneinfall 375.

Die Ausdehnung seines Reiches ist nicht genau bekannt, sein Einflussbereich war möglicherweise enorm: Angeblich reichte es vom Kerngebiet in Südrussland am Schwarzen Meer bis zur Ostsee, vom Don bis zum Dnister; ob dies den Tatsachen entspricht, ist jedoch mehr als fraglich.[1] Eine vom Geschichtsschreiber Jordanes im 6. Jahrhundert überlieferte Liste der unterworfenen Völker zählt jedenfalls u.a. die Merens und Mordens auf, die mit den Meriern und Mordwinen identisch sein könnten.

Über seinen Tod berichten zwei Geschichtsschreiber: Jordanes und Ammianus Marcellinus. Laut Ammianus beging er angesichts der Niederlage gegen die Hunnen Selbstmord.[2] Gemäß Jordanes, bei dem sich bereits viele Fakten mit Mythen vermischen, ließ Ermanarich die Rosomonin Sunilda aus Rache über die Desertion ihres Mannes hinrichten, woraufhin ihre Brüder, Sarus und Ammius, ihm eine schwere Wunde in der Seite zufügten.[3] Wegen dieser Wunde sei er nicht in der Lage gewesen gegen die Hunnen zu kämpfen und kurz darauf im Alter von 110 Jahren gestorben.

Nach seinem Tod floh ein Teil der Greutungen um seinen Nachfolger Vithimiris, der wohl kein Amaler war, Richtung Westen, wo Vithimiris im Kampf gegen Alanen und Hunnen fiel. Der größere Teil der Greutungen wurde bis zur Schlacht auf den Katalaunischen Feldern 451 Teil der hunnischen Geschichte.

Ermanarich-Sage

In der germanischen Heldendichtung ist Ermanarich eine wichtige Gestalt. Vor allem in den Sagenzyklus der mittelhochdeutschen Dietrichepik des 13. Jahrhunderts übernimmt er die Rolle des Widersachers des Dietrich von Bern, die im älteren Hildebrandslied des 9. Jahrhunderts von Odoaker wahrgenommen wird. Ein zweiter Traditionsstrang stellt Ermanarich einem Brüderpaar gegenüber, das an ihm Rache nimmt für die Ermordung ihrer Schwester (Sunilda-, Schwanhildsage). Ein erster Beleg für diese Sage findet sich bereits bei Cassiodor/Jordanes (s. o.), dann in den Quedlinburger Annalen (die Namen lauten hier Hemidus, Serila, [1]) und bei Ekkehard von Aura (Hamidiecus, Sarelo; Ammius, Sarus). Literarisch wird diese Sage in Deutschland nie, dafür in Skandinavien (die Namen lauten hier Hamðir, Sörli und Svanhild, die hier als Kinder der Attila-Witwe Gudrun erscheinen). In der älteren Edda ist Jörmunrek Protagonist in den Heldenliedern Guðrúnarhvöt und Hamðismál. Die Sage findet sich in verschiedenen Varianten aber auch bei Snorri, in der Völsunga saga und bei Saxo Grammaticus.

Darüber hinaus kommt Ermanarich auch im altenglischen Heldenepos Beowulf, in Widsith und Deor vor[4]. Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass in die mittelhochdeutsche Ermenrichsage neben dem Gotenkönig auch Überlieferungen zum gleichnamigen Suebenkönig Ermenrich, einem bedeutenden germanischen Heerführer der Völkerwanderung des frühen 5. Jahrhunderts, eingeflossen sind.

Ermanarich bei Jordanes

Jordanes berichtet in seiner 551 entstandenen Gotengeschichte (die ältesten Abschriften stammen allerdings erst aus dem 8. oder 9. Jahrhundert), dass der gotische König Ermanarich eine Frau namens Sunilda aus Wut über die Flucht ihres Mannes (aus dem Volk der unterworfenen "treulosen" Rosmonen, die ihn bei Ankunft der Hunnen hintergingen) an wilde Pferde binden und auseinanderreißen ließ. Deren Brüder Sarus und Ammius rächten Sunilda und verwundeten Ermanerich mit dem Schwert. An diesen Wunden und weil er die Einfälle der Hunnen nicht ertragen konnte, soll er nach Jordanes mit 110 Jahren gestorben sein [5].

Ermanarich in der Edda

In einigen Heldenliedern der älteren Edda (13. Jahrhundert) wird eine ganz ähnliche Geschichte erzählt. In Gudruns Sterbelied und dem Alten Hamdirlied wird erzählt, dass Sigurds Tochter Swanhild (wird mit Jordanes Sunilda gleichgesetzt) den König Jörmunrek heiratete und dessen Ratgeber Bikki (entspricht Sibich) sie dann des Ehebruchs mit Jörmunreks Sohn Randwer bezichtigte. Daraufhin ließ Jörmunrek seinen Sohn hängen und Swanhild unter Pferdehufen zertrampeln. Swanhilds Mutter Gudrun (entspricht der Krimhild des Nibelungenliedes) fordert ihre Söhne Sörli (wird mit dem bei Jordanes genannten Sarus gleichgesetzt), Hamdir (wird mit Ammius gleichgesetzt) und Erp auf, dass sie ihre Halbschwester rächen sollten. Sie schlagen Jörmunrek die Gliedmaßen ab, werden aber wenig später von Jörmureks Männern getötet. Der dritte Sohn Gudruns, Erp, wird von seinen Brüdern Hamdir und Sörli bereits auf dem Weg zu Jörmunrek erschlagen. Auch die Edda des Snorri Sturluson kennt die Geschichte von den Gudrunsöhnen Sörli und Hamdir, die ihre Halbschwester Swanhild rächen wollen und dabei ihr Leben verlieren.

Ermanarich in der Thidrekssaga

In der Thidrekssaga, deren älteste Zeugnisse aus dem 13. Jahrhundert stammen, ist Ermenrich (auch Ermenrik) ein König, der über Rom herrscht. In dieser Überlieferung ist er der Sohn von Samson und der Onkel Dietrich von Berns. Ermenrich vergreift sich an der Frau seines Beraters Sifka (entspricht Sibich), der sich rächt, indem er ihn dazu treibt seine nächsten Verwandten umzubringen. Sifka beginnt seinen Racheplan, indem er Ermenrich einredet, seinen Sohn Fridrec (auch Frederik) loszuschicken um Schatzung von einem Wilkinenland zu fordern. Auf dieser Reise wird Fridrec von einem Getreuen Sifkas erschlagen. Ähnlich redet Sifka dem König ein, seinen zweiten Sohn Reginbald (auch Ragbald) loszuschicken, der auf Sifkas Rat ein schlechtes Schiff nimmt und ertrinkt. Seinen dritten Sohn Samson erschlägt Ermenrich selbst vor Wut, als Sifka ihm erzählt, dieser wolle seiner Tochter Gewalt antun. Als weiteren Racheakt redet Sifkas Frau der Königin (Ermenrichs Frau) ein, dass ein Sohn von Ermenrichs Bruder Ake ihr beiliegen wolle. König Ermenrich will daraufhin ausziehen, um die beiden Brüder Egard und Ake, die Söhne Akes und nun Stiefsöhne Wittichs, zu hängen. Ein Mann namens Fritila warnt sie vorher, doch beide kommen im Kampf gegen Ermenrichs Männer ums Leben. Nach diesem Vorfall redet Sifka seinem König ein, dass dieser seinen Neffen Dietrich aus Bern vertreiben solle. Daraufhin zieht Ermenrich gegen Bern und Dietrich muss ins Exil zu König Attila ziehen. In der Schlacht bei Gränsport unterliegt Ermerichs Heer zwar dem von Dietrich, doch gelingt es diesem nicht, sein Berner Reich zurückzuerobern. Als Dietrich später nach Bern zieht, siecht Ermenrich bereits dahin. Sifka gibt nun den Rat, ihn aufzuschneiden um das Fett aus seinem Leib "herauszuwinden". Kurz darauf stirbt Ermenrich, aber auch Sifka wird wenig später von Dietrich besiegt, nachdem dieser Einzug in Bern hielt und ein Heer hinter sich bringen konnte.

Ermanarich in den Quedlinburger Annalen

Die Quedlinburger Annalen sind um die Jahrtausendwende entstanden, aber nur in einer einzigen Handschrift aus dem 16. Jahrhundert überliefert. Sie berichten von einem gotischen König Ermanarich, der nach dem Tod seines einzigen Sohnes Friedericus seine Neffen Embrica und Fritila am Galgen aufhängen ließ. Auch zwang er seinen Neffen Theodericus (entspricht Dietrich von Bern) auf Anstiften seines (anderen) Neffen Odoaker, aus Verona zu fliehen und bei König Attila ins Exil zu gehen. Ermanarich starb nach dieser Quelle durch die Brüder Heimdo, Serila und Addacarus, die ihm Hände und Füße abhauen ließen, weil er ihren Vater getötet hatte.

Ermanarich in Ermenrichs Tod

Im 16. Jahrhundert wird im niederdeutschen Sprachraum die Ballade Koninc Ermenrîkes Dôt mit stark verändertem Inhalt auf einem fliegenden Blatt gedruckt.

Denkmäler

Eine Gedenktafel für ihn fand Aufnahme in die Walhalla bei Regensburg.

Literatur

Bernd Belzer: Wandel und Kontinuität. Zur Entstehung der ältesten Ermanarichsage und ihrer Wanderung nach dem Norden. Roderer, Regensburg 1993, ISBN 3-89073-662-9 (zugl. Dissertation,. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München 1993)

Walter Haug: Ermenrikes dot. In: Verfasserlexikon. Bd. 2 (1980), Sp. 611–617 (mit Literatur zur Ermanarich-Sage).

Peter J. Heather: Goths and Romans. Oxford 1991.

Herwig Wolfram und Heinrich Beck: Ermanarich. In: Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde. Bd. 7, S. 510–515.

Weblinks]

mittelalter-genealogie.de

Belege

1. ↑ Siehe Heather, Goths and Romans, S. 87ff.

2. ↑ Ammian 31,3,1f.

3. ↑ Jordanes, Getica 24, 129.

4. ↑ Beowulf: Ein altenglisches Heldenepos. Übersetzt und herausgegeben von Martin Lehnert, Stuttgart: Reclam 2004, (S. 192) ISBN 3-15-018303-0

5. ↑ Alexander Heine (Hg.): Jordanis Gotengeschichte nebst Auszügen aus seiner Römischen Geschichte. Übersetzt von Wilhelm Martens. Dunker, Leipzig 1884, Dyk, Leipzig 1913, Phaidon, Essen-Stuttgart 1985/1986. ISBN 3-88851-076-7.

In English:

Ermanarich (Gothic: Airmanareiks, Old Norse Jormunrek, Latin Ermanaricus, Middle High German Ermenrich, d. 376) was the first historical king of the Greutungi from the House of Amali.

Biography

The Goths migrated to the area north of the Black Sea, arriving later than 238. In 291, they split into Western (Tervingi) and Eastern (Greutungen) parts. Ermanarich was the first historical and also the last king of the Greutungen before the Hun Invasion of 375.

The extent of his kingdom is not exactly known, but his influence must have been enormous. Apparently it was enough to extend from a core area in southern Russia on the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, from the Don to the Dniester rivers, if one takes for reality some questionable facts. [1] Historian Jordanes in the 6th century gave what has become the traditional list of subject people in one list, including the Merens and Mordens, which may translate to Meriem and Mordvins.

Two historians reported on Ermanarich's death: Jordanes and Ammanius Marcellinus. According to Ammianus, he committed suicide in the face of defeat by the Huns. [2] According to Jordanes, who already lets many facts mingle with myths, Ermanarich took revenge over the desertion of King Rosomonin on his wife Sunilda. Her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, attacked Ermanarich, inflicting a severe wound on his side. Because of this wound, he was not able to fight the Huns and died shortly after at the age of 110.

After his death, Vithiminis, his successor, fled toward the west, where the Amali were not altogether welcome, and it was there that Vithiminis fell to the Alans and the Huns. The greater part of the history of the Greutungen up to the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields in 451 was also that of the Huns.

Ermanarich Saga

In German heroic poetry, Ermanarich is an important figure. Particularly in the legends of the Middle High German cycle, Dietrichepik (from the 13th century), he assumes the role of an adversary of Dietrich von Bern, the old song of Hildebrand from the 9th century by Odoacer is perceived. A second strand is the tradition that the brothers gang up on Ermanarich to take revenge for their sister (Sunilda, or Schwanhildsage). This legend first emerged according to Cassiodorus and Jordanes (see above), and then in the Quedlinburg annals (the names here are Hernidus, Serila, etc):

http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/bsb00000870/images/index.ht...

And Ekkehard von Aura (Hamidiecus, Sarelo; Ammius, Sarus). Literature, never beginning in Germany but rather in Scandinavia (the names here are Hamdir, Sorli, and Svanhild - they are portrayed as the children of Attila's widow, Gudrun). In the older Edda, Jormunrek is the protagonist in heroic songs "Guthrunarhvot and Homthismal". The legend is found in several variations, and also from Snorri, in the Volsunga saga and Saxo Grammaticus.

In addition, Ermanarich is also found in the Old English epic poem Beowulf, in Widsith and Deor before [4]. It is likely that in the Middle High German Ermenrichsage is included next to Gothic traditional Suebenkonig Ermenrich, a major German military leader in the Great Migration of the early 5th century.

Ermanarich in Jordanes

Jordanes first writes in 551 that the Story of the Goths (the oldest copies of this are now only from the 8th and 9th centuries) that the Gothic King Ermanarich calls upon Sunilda, angered about the escape of her husband (from the people of the conquered "faithless" Rosmonen defected to support the Huns), tie her to horses and have them tear her apart. Their brothers, Sarus and Ammius, retaliate on the part of Sunhilda by wounding Ermanerich with a sword. These wounds prevent him from participating in resisting the Hun invasion, but he lives according to Jordanes to 110. [5]

Ermanarich in the Edda

In some heroic songs of the older Edda (13th century) a very similar story is told. Gudrun dies in a song, and in the Old Hamdirlied is said that Sigurd's daughter Swanhild (Jordanes equates her to Sunilda) married King Jormunrek on the advice of his Advisor Bikki (equivalent to Sibich), the Jormunrek accuses her of adultery with Randver. As punishment, Jormunrek orders his son to trample Swanhild to death under the hooves of horses. Swanhild's mother Gudrun (corresponding to Krimhild in the Nibelunglied) calls on her sons Sorle (Jordanes refers to him as Sarus) and Hamdir (equated to Ammius) and Erp to avenge their half-sister. They tear Jormunrek's limbs off, but later Jormurek's men proved ineffectual in battle without him. The third son of Gudrun, Erp, along with his brother Hamdir and Sorle, are killed by order of Jormunrek. The Edda of Snorri Sturluson tells the story of the sons of Gudrun, Sorle and Hamdir, avenging their half-sister Swanhild and losing their lives in the process.

Ermanarich in the Thidrekssaga

In the Thidrekssaga, the oldest version of which is from the 13th century, Ermenrich (also Ermenrik) is a king who rules over Rome. In this tradition, he is the son of Samson and the uncle of Dietrich of Bern. Ermenrich steals away the wife of his adviser Sifka (equivalent to Sibich) who avenges himself by driving him to kill his close relatives. Sifka begins his revenge by persuading Ermenrich to send off his son Fridrec (or Fred) to Wilkinenland. On this trip, Fridrec is slain by a henchman of Sifka. Similiarly, Sifka convinces the king to send off his second son Reginbald (or Ragbald), and by Sifka's counsel, he takes a leaky ship and drowns. Ermenrich kills his third son, Samson, when Sifka tells him that he wanted to do violence to his daughter. As a further act of revenge, Sifka speaks with Ermanrich's widow, the queen, saying that a son of Ermanrich's brother, Ake, would accompany her. As a result of this arrangement, Sifka convinces Ermenrich to hang both Egard and Ake, Ake's sons, and stepson Wittich. A man named Fritila warns them ahead of time, but both Egard and Ake are killed. After this incident, Sifka tells the king that Dietrich of Bern wished to sell his nephew into slavery. Ermenrich sends Dietrich of Bern into exile with King Attila. In the Battle of Gransport, Ermer attempts to kill Dietrich, but fails to do so, and instead, Dietrich of Bern regains his kingdom. When Dietrich of Bern is restored, Ermenrich is already wasting away. Sifka convinces the king that the fat should be cut from his body to cure him. Shortly after, Ermenrich dies, but later Sifka is defeated by Dietrich after he sends an army against him.

Ermanrich in the Quedlinburg anals

The Quedlinburg annals are built around the turn of the millennium, but only a single manuscript from the 16th century has survived. They tell of a Goth king Ermanarich, the death of his only son, and how his nephew Friedericus Embrica Fritla was let to hang on the gallows afterward. He also forced his nephew Theodericus (equivalent to Dietrich von Bern), at the instigation of his other nephew Odoacer, to escape from Verona (Bern) and go into exile with King Attila. Ermanarich died in the spring at the hands of brothers Heimdo, Serila, and Addacarus, his hands and feet cut from him because he had killed their father.

Ermanarich in Ermenrich's Death

In the 16th century in the Low German-speaking world, the ballad "Koninc Ermenrikes Dot" was printed, with heavily modified content from the above on a flying sheet.

Monuments

A commemorative plaque for him was taken in the Walhalla in Regensburg.

--------------------------

From Die Genealogie der Franken und Frankreiches, von Karl-Heinz Schreiber:

http://www.mittelalter-genealogie.de/_voelkerwanderung/e/ermanarich...

Ermanarich

König der Ostgoten (350-376)

um 266 † 376

Sohn des Ostgoten-Königs Achiulf

Lexikon des Mittelalters:

• *******************

Ermanarich, König der Ostgoten aus dem Geschlecht der Amaler

†

Begründer eines Großreichs in Süd-Rußland. Beim Einfall der Hunnen und Alanen tötete er sich 376 selbst (Amm. 31, 3, 1f.). Seine Taten und sein Tod sind schon im 6. Jh. Gegenstand der Sage (Jordanes, Getica) und gehen in die Heldendichtung des Mittelalters ein (Dietrich von Bern, Ermenrichs Tod).

J. Gruber

Dahn Felix: Seite 45

• *********

"Die Völkerwanderung. Germanisch-Romanische Frühgeschichte Europas."

So machtvoll die Heldensage Macht und Umfang des Reichs, das der Eroberer Ermanarich, Geberichs Nachfolger, etwa 350-376 gründete, ausdehnt - feststeht immerhin, daß dieser "herrlichste der AMALER" (seit Ostrogota wieder der erste König aus diesem Haus) eine große Zahl benachbarter Völker in volle oder lockere Abhängigkeit gebracht hat. Wohl nur ein leichtes Band der Bundesgenossenschaft hatte die Westgoten mit dem Reich des AMALERS verknüpft, aber die raschen, ebenfalls gotischen Heruler wurden durch Krieg unterworfen und viele finnische un slawische Völkerschaften (Veneti, Anntes, Sklöaveni) mußten die Oberhoheit des Ostgoten anerkennen.

Gegen Ende seines Lebens aber trübt sich der Stern des mächtigen Herrschers. Die Westgoten hatten nach einem Zerwürfnis mit den Ostgoten ihre Abhängigkeit bis auf das geringste Maß gelockert, roxalanische Fürsten erfolgreich sich empört, mag auch die Verwundung des Königs durch Sarus und Ammius, die bluträchenden Brüder der Fürstin dieses Volkes, Svanhild, die der König aus Zorn über Abfall und Flucht ihres Gatten von wilden Hengsten habe zerreisen lassen, lediglich Sage sein, die überhaupt Ermanarichs Ende mit ihrem Efeugerank geschmückt zugleich und verhüllt hat. Denn über das Reich des AMALERS ergoß sich nun zunächst die furchtbare Wode der hunnischen Reitervölker.

Die gotische Sage ertrug es nicht, das Erliegen des Volkes vor den Hunnen lediglich aus deren Übermacht zu erklären. Das Siechtum des Königs gibt erst den Feinden Mut zum Angriff. Ermanarich, unfähig, diesen Anprall abzuwehren, stirbt 110 Jahre alt. Und erst nach dem Tod des Königs gelingt den Hunnen die Unterjochung des Volkes.

oo Sunilda

† um 375

In English:

Ermanarich, King of the Ostrogoths (350-376)

Born 266, d. 376 (apparently according to Jordanes)

Son of the Ostorogoth King Achiulf

Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages:

Ermanarich, King of the Ostrogoths, from the House of Amali

Founder of an empire in southern Russia. After the invasion of the Huns and Alans, he killed himself in 376 (Amm. 31, 3, 1f.). His actions and death are the subject of a 6th century saga (Jordanes' Getica) and within the poetry of the Middle Ages (Dietrich von Bern, Ermenrich's Death).

J. Gruber

---

Dahn Felix: Pg. 45

"The Great Migration: Germanic-Roman early history of Europe"

No matter how powerful the heroic saga of power, and scope of the kingdom of conqueror Ermanrich, which Geberich places around 350-376, it is after all for the "Glory of the Amal" (which has existed since Ostrogota, the first king of that house), which are large in numbers or not, depending on which neighboring nation is consulted. They probably had only a small band linked by alliance to the Visigoths, and also the Gothic Heruli people were subjects to them in war, and many Finnish and Slavic people (Veneti, Antes, Skloaveni) recognized their supremacy.

Toward the end of his life, however, the star of the mighty leader is obscured. The Visigoths had a quarrel with the Ostrogoths, and so their alliance loosened up, a Rosomoni (Roxalanisch) prince successfully rebelled, and the wounding of the king by Sarus and Ammius, blood-avenging brothers of Princess Svanhild, which the king in anger over the escape of her husband had ripped her apart by wild stallions in legend. This happened because the first of the Hun horsement under the terrible Wode began pouring into the country. The Gothic saga had to explain the reason they could not halt the Huns in some other way than they were just militarily superior. This is done by the infirmity of the king, who was the only one with the courage to attack the enemies. Ermanarich, unable to stop this collapse, died at age 110. And only after the death of the king did the Huns succeed in subjugating the Gothic people.

Married Sunilda, d. c.375. (Ben M. Angel notes: This perhaps confuses legends, as Sunilda or Svanhild was the wife of the Roxalanish prince that he had torn apart in legend.)

Literatur:

Dahn Felix: Die Völkerwanderung. Germanisch-Romanische Frühgeschichte Europas. Verlag Hans Kaiser Klagenfurt 1977 Seite 45,85,157,163,175,176

Ensslin Wilhelm: Theoderich der Große. F. Bruckmann KG München 1959 Seite 335

Günther Rigobert: Römische Kaiserinnen. Zwischen Liebe, Macht und Religion. Militzke Verlag Leipzig 2003 Seite 24

Jordanis: Gotengeschichte. Phaidon Verlag GmbH Essen

Offergeld Thilo: Reges pueri. Das Königtum Minderjähriger im frühen Mittelalter. Hahnsche Buchhandlung Hannover 2001 Seite 68-70,72,73,134

Riehl Hans: Die Völkerwanderung. Der längste Marsch der Weltgeschichte. W. Ludwig Verlag 1988 Seite 136,137, 139,145

Schreiber Hermann: Die Hunnen. Attila probt den Weltuntergang. Econ Verlag Wien-Düsseldorf 1990 Seite 31-37,43,206,327

--------------------------

From Bullfinch's Mythology page on Theodoric of the Ostrogoths:

http://bulfinch.englishatheist.org/theodoric/chapter1.htm

Two great Emperors of Illyrian origin, Claudius and Aurelian, succeeded, at a fearful cost of life, in repelling the invasion and driving back the human torrent. But it was impossible to recover from the barbarians Trajan's province of Dacia, which they had overrun, and the Emperors wisely compromised the dispute by abandoning to the Goths and their allies all the territory north of the Danube.

This abandoned province was chiefly occupied by the Visigoths, the Western members of the confederacy, who for the century from 275 to 375 were the neighbours, generally the allies, by fitful impulses the enemies, of Rome. With Constantine the Great especially the Visigoths came powerfully in contact, first as invaders and then as allies (fœderati) bound to furnish a certain number of auxiliaries to serve under the eagles of the Empire.

Meanwhile the Ostrogoths, with their faces turned for the time northward instead of southward, were battling daily with the nations of Finnish or Sclavonic stock that dwelt by the upper waters of the Dnieper, the Don, and the Volga, and were extending their dominion over the greater part of what we now call Russia-in-Europe.

The lord of this wide but most loosely compacted kingdom, in the middle of the fourth century, was a certain Hermanric, whom his flatterers, with some slight knowledge of the names held in highest repute among their Southern neighbours, likened to Alexander the Great for the magnitude of his conquests. However shadowy some of these conquests may appear in the light of modern criticism, there can be little doubt that the Visigoths owned his over-lordship, and that when Constantius (II, 337-361) and Julian ("The Apostate", 361-363) were reigning in Constantinople, the greatest name over a wide extent of territory north of the Black Sea was that of Hermanric the Ostrogoth.

When this warrior was in extreme old age, a terrible disaster befell his nation and himself. It was probably about the year 374 that a horde of Asiatic savages made their appearance in the south-eastern corner of his dominions, having, so it is said, crossed the Sea of Azov in its shallowest part by a ford. These men rode upon little ponies of great speed and endurance, each of which seemed to be incorporated with its rider, so perfect was the understanding between the horseman, who spent his days and nights in the saddle, and the steed which he bestrode.

Little black restless eyes gleamed beneath their low foreheads and matted hair; no beard or whisker adorned their uncouth yellow faces; the Turanian type in its ugliest form was displayed by these Mongolian sons of the wilderness. They bore a name destined to be of disastrous and yet also indirectly of most beneficent import in the history of the world; for these are the true shatterers of the Roman Empire. They were the terrible Huns.

Before the impact of this new and strange enemy the Empire of Hermanric--an Empire which rested probably rather on the reputation of warlike prowess than on any great inherent strength, military or political--went down with a terrible crash. Dissimilar as are the times and the circumstances, we are reminded of the collapse of the military systems of Austria and Prussia under the onset of the ragged Jacobins of France, shivering and shoeless, but full of demonic energy, when we read of the humiliating discomfiture of this stately Ostrogothic monarchy--doubtless possessing an ordered hierarchy of nobles, free warriors, and slaves--by the squalid, hard-faring and, so to say, democratic savages from Asia.

The death of Hermanric, which was evidently because of the Hunnish victory, is assigned by the Gothic historian to a cause less humiliating to the national vanity. The king of the Rosomones, "a perfidious nation", had taken the opportunity of the appearance of the savage invaders to renounce his allegiance, perhaps to desert his master treacherously on the field of battle. The enraged Hermanric, unable to vent his fury on the king himself, caused his wife, Swanhilda, to be torn asunder by wild horses to whom she was tied by the hands and feet. Her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, avenged her cruel death by a spear-thrust, which wounded the aged monarch, but did not kill him outright.

Then came the crisis of the invasion of the Huns under their King Balamber. The Visigoths, who had some cause of complaint against Hermanric, left him to fight his battle without their aid; and the old king, in sore pain with his wound and deeply mortified by the incursion of the Huns, breathed out his life in the one hundred and tenth year of his age. All of which is probably a judicious veiling of the fact (as mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus) that the great Hermanric was defeated by the Hunnish invaders, and in his despair laid violent hands on himself.

The huge and savage horde rolled on over the wide plains of Russia. The Ostrogothic resistance was at an end; and soon the invaders were on the banks of the Dniester threatening the kindred nation of the Visigoths. Athanaric, "Judge" (as he was called) of the Visigoths, a brave, old soldier, but not a very skilful general, was soon out-manœuvred by these wild nomads from the desert, who crossed the rivers by unexpected fords, and by rapid night-marches turned the flank of his most carefully chosen positions.

The line of the Dniester was abandoned; the line of the Pruth was lost. It was plain that the Visigoths, like their Eastern brethren, if they remained in the land, must bow their heads beneath the Hunnish yoke. To avoid so degrading a necessity, and if they must lose their independence, to lose it to the stately Emperors of Rome rather than to the chief of a filthy Tartar horde, the great majority of the Visigothic nation flocked southward through the region which is now called Wallachia, and, standing on the northern shore of the Danube, prayed for admission within the province of Mœsia and the Empire of Rome.

In 376 an evil hour for himself Valens, the then reigning Emperor of the East, granted this petition and received into his dominions the Visigothic fugitives, a great and warlike nation, without taking any proper precautions, on the one hand, that they should be disarmed, on the other, that they should be supplied with food for their present necessities and enabled for the future to become peaceful cultivators of the soil.

The inevitable result followed. Before many months had elapsed the Visigoths were in arms against the Empire, and under the leadership of their hereditary chiefs were wandering up and down through the provinces of Mœsia and Thrace, wresting from the terror-stricken provincials not only the food which the parsimony of Valens had failed to supply them with, but the treasures which centuries of peace had stored up in villa and unwalled town.

In 378 they achieved a brilliant, and perhaps unexpected, triumph, defeating a large army commanded by the Roman Emperor Valens in person, in a pitched battle near Adrianople. Valens himself perished on the field of battle, and his unburied corpse disappeared among the embers of a Thracian hut which had been set fire to by the barbarians. That fatal day (August 9, 378) was admitted to be more disastrous for Rome than any which had befallen her since the terrible defeat of Cannæ, and from it we may fitly date the beginning of that long process of dissolution, lasting, in a certain sense, more than 1,000 years, which we call the Fall of the Roman Empire.

From Jordanes' Getica:

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/jordgeti.html#visi

XIV

(79) Now the first of these heroes, as they themselves relate in their legends, was Gapt, who begat Hulmul. And Hulmul begat Augis; and Augis begat him who was called Amal, from whom the name of the Amali comes. This Amal begat Hisarnis. Hisarnis moreover begat Ostrogotha, and Ostrogotha begat Hunuil, and Hunuil likewise begat Athal. Athal begat Achiulf and Oduulf. Now Achiulf begat Ansila and Ediulf, Vultuulf and Hermanaric. And Vultuulf begat Valaravans and Valaravans begat Vinitharius. Vinitharius moreover begat Vandalarius;

(80) Vandalarius begat Thiudimer and Valamir and Vidimer; and Thiudimer begat Theodoric. Theodoric begat Amalasuentha; Amalasuentha bore Athalaric and Mathesuentha to her husband Eutharic, whose race was thus joined to hers in kinship.

(81) For the aforesaid Hermanaric, the son of Achiulf, begat Hunimund, and Hunimund begat Thorismud. Now Thorismud begat Beremud, Beremud begat Veteric, and Veteric likewise begat Eutharic, who married Amalasuentha and begat Athalaric and Mathesuentha. Athalaric died in the years of his childhood, and Mathesuentha married Vitiges, to whom she bore no child. Both of them were taken together by Belisarius to Constantinople. When Vitiges passed from human affairs, Germanus the patrician, a cousin of the Emperor Justinian, took Mathesuentha in marriage and made her a Patrician Ordinary. And of her he begat a son, also called Germanus. But upon the death of Germanus, she determined to remain a widow. Now how and in what wise the kingdom of the Amali was overthrown we shall keep to tell in its proper place, if the Lord help us.

---

XXIII

(116) Soon Geberich, king of the Goths (House of the Balti, future rulers of the Visigoths), departed from human affairs and Hermanaric, noblest of the Amali, succeeded to the throne. He subdued many warlike peoples of the north and made them obey his laws, and some of our ancestors have justly compared him to Alexander the Great. Among the tribes he conquered were the Golthescytha, Thiudos, Inaunxis, Vasinabroncae, Merens, Mordens, Imniscaris, Rogas, Tadzans, Athaul, Navego, Bubegenae, and Coldae.

(117) But though famous for his conquest of so many races, he gave himself no rest until he had slain some in battle and then reduced to his sway the remainder of the tribe of the Heruli, whose chief was Alaric. Now the aforesaid race, as the historian Ablabius tells us, dwelt near Lake Maeotis in swampy places which the Greeks call Hele; hence they were named Heluri. They were a people swift of foot, and on that account were the more swollen with pride,

(118) for there was at that time no race that did not choose from them its light-armed troops for battle. But though their quickness often saved them from others who made war upon them, yet they were overthrown by the slowness and steadiness of the Goths; and the lot of fortune brought it to pass that they, as well as the other tribes, had to serve Hermanaric, king of the Getae.

(119) After the slaughter of the Heruli, Hermanaric also took arms against the Venethi. This people, though despised in war, was strong in numbers and tried to resist him. But a multitude of cowards is of no avail, particularly when God permits an armed multitude to attack them. These people, as we started to say at the beginning of our account or catalogue of nations, though off-shoots from one stock, have now three names, that is, Venethi, Antes and Sclaveni. Though they now rage in war far and wide, in punishment for our sins, yet at that time they were all obedient to Hermanaric's commands.

(120) This ruler also subdued by his wisdom and might the race of the Aesti, who dwell on the farthest shore of the German Ocean, and ruled all the nations of Scythia and Germany by his own prowess alone.

XXIV

(121) But after a short space of time, as Orosius relates, the race of the Huns, fiercer than ferocity itself, flamed forth against the Goths. We learn from old traditions that their origin was as follows: Filimer, king of the Goths, son of Gadaric the Great, who was the fifth in succession to hold the rule of the Getae after their departure from the island of Scandza,--and who, as we have said, entered the land of Scythia with his tribe,--found among his people certain witches, whom he called in his native tongue Haliurunnae. Suspecting these women, he expelled them from the midst of his race and compelled them to wander in solitary exile afar from his army.

(122) There the unclean spirits, who beheld them as they wandered through the wilderness, bestowed their embraces upon them and begat this savage race, which dwelt at first in the swamps,--a stunted, foul and puny tribe, scarcely human, and having no language save one which bore but slight resemblance to human speech. Such was the descent of the Huns who came to the country of the Goths.

(123) This cruel tribe, as Priscus the historian relates, settled on the farther bank of the Maeotic swamp. They were fond of hunting and had no skill in any other art. After they had grown to a nation, they disturbed the peace of neighboring races by theft and rapine. At one time, while hunters of their tribe were as usual seeking for game on the farthest edge of Maeotis, they saw a doe unexpectedly appear to their sight and enter the swamp, acting as guide of the way; now advancing and again standing still.

(124) The hunters followed and crossed on foot the Maeotic swamp, which they had supposed was impassable as the sea. Presently the unknown land of Scythia disclosed itself and the doe disappeared. Now in my opinion the evil spirits, from whom the Huns are descended, did this from envy of the Scythians.

(125) And the Huns, who had been wholly ignorant that there was another world beyond Maeotis, were now filled with admiration for the Scythian land. As they were quick of mind, they believed that this path, utterly unknown to any age of the past, had been divinely revealed to them. They returned to their tribe, told them what had happened, praised Scythia and persuaded the people to hasten thither along the way they had found by the guidance of the doe. As many as they captured, when they thus entered Scythia for the first time, they sacrificed to Victory. The remainder they conquered and made subject to themselves.

(126) Like a whirlwind of nations they swept across the great swamp and at once fell upon the Alpidzuri, Alcildzuri, Itimari, Tuncarsi and Boisci, who bordered on that part of Scythia. The Alani also, who were their equals in battle, but unlike them in civilization, manners and appearance, they exhausted by their incessant attacks and subdued.

(127) For by the terror of their features they inspired great fear in those whom perhaps they did not really surpass in war. They made their foes flee in horror because their swarthy aspect was fearful, and they had, if I may call it so, a sort of shapeless lump, not a head, with pin-holes rather than eyes. Their hardihood is evident in their wild appearance, and they are beings who are cruel to their children on the very day they are born. For they cut the cheeks of the males with a sword, so that before they receive the nourishment of milk they must learn to endure wounds.

(128) Hence they grow old beardless and their young men are without comeliness, because a face furrowed by the sword spoils by its scars the natural beauty of a beard. They are short in stature, quick in bodily movement, alert horsemen, broad shouldered, ready in the use of bow and arrow, and have firm-set necks which are ever erect in pride. Though they live in the form of men, they have the cruelty of wild beasts.

(129) When the Getae beheld this active race that had invaded many nations, they took fright and consulted with their king how they might escape from such a foe. Now although Hermanaric, king of the Goths, was the conqueror of many tribes, as we have said above, yet while he was deliberating on this invasion of the Huns, the treacherous tribe of the Rosomoni, who at that time were among those who owed him their homage, took this chance to catch him unawares. For when the king had given orders that a certain woman of the tribe I have mentioned, Sunilda by name, should be bound to wild horses and torn apart by driving them at full speed in opposite directions (for he was roused to fury by her husband's treachery to him), her brothers Sarus and Ammius came to avenge their sister's death and plunged a sword into Hermanaric's side. Enfeebled by this blow, he dragged out a miserable existence in bodily weakness.

(130) Balamber, king of the Huns, took advantage of his ill health to move an army into the country of the Ostrogoths, from whom the Visigoths had already separated because of some dispute. Meanwhile Hermanaric, who was unable to endure either the pain of his wound or the inroads of the Huns, died full of days at the great age of 110 years. The fact of his death enabled the Huns to prevail over those Goths who, as we have said, dwelt in the East and were called Ostrogoths.

---

Ben M. Angel's summary: Airmanareiks, spelled as Hermanaric by Jordanes, or Ermanarich by German sources, or Jormurek by Norse sources, was the first historical Amal king to be identified by more than one source. Jordanes, of course, draws a lineage all the way back to Gapt, but Ammianus Marcellinus, the Roman historian, also identifies him.

As the Wikipedia page on Ukrainian Rulers says, Airmanareiks is the spelling that likely would have been representative of how his name would have phonetically sounded in Gothic. His death date is much more certain than his birth date - set at 375-376, shortly after the Hun invasion and occupation of his kingdom (which Jordanes describes as a military empire that subjugated all the tribes surrounding it). The Getica sets his birth date based on his death date, in which Jordanes (a Goth himself) claims that the Goth king lived 110 years. Ammianus paints a different and more realistic picture of the end of his life, in which he had killed himself after the Hun invasion at something far less than 110 years of age.

The Wikipedia page on Ukrainian Rulers sets his birth date at c.303, without any explanation or sources. This would put him at age 73 at death.

Events in his life would include his succession from Geberic, the last of the House of Balti to rule over all the Goths. After Airmanareiks suicide, the House of Balti would lead the Thervingi, or Forest Goths, to Dacia and further south into the Roman Empire. The succession is figured to be about 10 years after the Thervingi invaded Dacia, or roughly 350.

After this, for two decades, Airmanareiks built up his empire, subjugating not only all rivals among the Gothic people, but also the nearby Slavic people as well. Then came the event in 370 that changed everything - the Huns crossed the Volga River and spent the next five years subjugating the Alans. Once this buffer was gone, the Huns invaded Goth territory, assimilating them over the space of a year into their growing empire.

Likely around 374 or 375, if Jordanes is to be believed, Airmanareiks faced a crucial defection by one of his vassals, the Rosomoni. Their king sold himself out to the Hun Emperor Bulümar (Balamber) "Sheke" (ruled c.360-378), but left most of his family behind. His wife, Sunilde soon faced the wrath of an angry Airmanareiks, who ordered her torn apart by stallions pulling in different directions (something similar to draw and quartering practiced by the English over 1,000 years later). This angered her family to the point where her brothers, Sarus and Ammius, attacked the Goth King, severely wounding him and leaving him unfit to lead his troops against the approaching Huns (at of course a cost of their own lives).

This is the reason for the quick assimilation of the Goths into the Hun empire given by Jordanes. A number of modern historians disregard this as a convenient explanation for an embarrassing episode in Gothic history. Jordanes also explains that though the king suffered defeat at the hands of the Huns, he still lived to the age of 110. Ammianus recorded that he committed suicide after the fall of his kingdom.

The Goth history is then followed up by the rise of Airmanareiks grand-nephew Vinitharius, who briefly carried out a campaign that destroyed the Slavic Antes tribal leadership and prompted a response by the Hun Emperor. But at that time, the Gothic nation had effectively split in two, with the Visigoths fleeing across the Carpathian Mountains into Dacia (present Romania), and the Ostrogoths remaining behind in Scythia (present Ukraine). Airmanareiks was the last king of both tribes.

Airmanareiks, or Ermanarich or Jormunrek, would inspire a wealth of Norse sagas and Germanic tales; both the Norse and the Germans claim kinship to this Goth king (as apparently do the Spanish, through the Visigoths who eventually settled in Iberia).

---------------------------

From Italy and Her Invaders 476-535, by Thomas Hodgkin, Volume III, Book IV, the Ostrogothic Invasion (1896 Clarendon Press):

http://www.archive.org/stream/italyandherinva00unkngoog#page/n15/mo...

The Ostrogoths were that member of the great East German family of nations which first attained to widely extended dominion. Through the greater part of the third century after Christ, theirs was the chief controlling influence in the vast plains between the Baltic and the Euxine that form the Lithuania and Southern Russia of modern history. Like the other German nations at that time, they were probably passing or had recently passed from the nomadic to the settled form of society, from dependence on flocks and herds to dependence upon the tillage of the ground as their chief means of support. The head of this powerful but loosely compacted state was Hermanric [1] the Amal, sprung from the seed of gods, still true to the martial religion of Odin and Thor; a Goth of Goths and a Teuton of Teutons. Under his orders moved to battle the hosts of the Visigoths who dwelt between him and the Danube, of the Gepidae who perhaps occupied the plains of Central Russia in his rear. The forecast of European history that then seemed probable would have been that a great Teutonic Empire stretching from the Danube to the Don would take the place which the colossal Slav Empire now holds in the map of Europe, and swould be ready, as a civilized and Christianized power, to step into the place of Eastern Rome when in the fullness of centuries the scepter should drop from the nerveless hands of the Caesars of Byzantium.

All these possible speculations as to the future were upset and the whole course of human history to the latest generations was modified by the rush of the swarthy dwarfish Huns over the shallows of the Sea of Azof and the impetuous charge of their light cavalry upon the unwieldy masses of the army of Hermanric. The defeat of the Ostrogothic army is acknowledged by the national historian. The death of the Ostrogothic king, who was in very advanced age, is not quite so honestly related. It is attributed to a wound received from rebellious subjects, but seems tohave been in truth the death of a suicide, in despair at the sudden overthrow of his power.

The collapse of the power of Hermanric did not bring with it so disastrous ruin to his people as would have been the case with a more highly organized state. The Hunnish monarch needed soldiers, and the Ostrogoths could supply them. He cared little about law and government, and therefore the Ostrogoths might keep such political institutions as they had. They were pushed somewhat westward, probably over the Carpathian mountains, and they no longer possessed the suzerainty over the vast and loose confederacy of nations who roamed over the plains of Sarmatia (present Ukraine). Otherwise, there was little change, only their king escorted the chariot of the conqueror instead of filling it. There are even indications that the Hun, regarding at first by his Gothic antagonist with blended feelings of fear and disgust, became somewhat less hateful as he was better known. Balamber, the monarch of the Huns at the time of their great migration, married Vadamerca, an Ostrogothic princess[2]; and the bold attempt of Winithar, and after his death, fo the guardians of his infant son Wideric, to shake off the Hunnish yoke[3], seems to have met with but a faint and partial response among their countrymen. Hunimund, the son of Hermanric, who as vassal of the conquerors, ruled over the great mass of the Ostrogothic people, is described as an active warrior, conspicuous for his manly beauty and as having fought successfully against the Suevic nation, probably situated on his northern or northwestern border[4].

[1] Or Hermanaric. See vol i. p. 77.

[2] Who, however, can hardly have been, as stated by Jordanes, grand-daughter of Winithar. Winithar is already two generations below Hermanric, and his grandson Theodimir died in 474, nearly a century after the Hunnish irruption. We may lessen, but hardly remove, the difficulty by translating "neptem" as niece.

[3] See i. 248.

[4] Zeuss (Die Deutschen und die Nachbarstämme, p. 457) suggest that these Suevi are perhaps the Semnones of Tacitus.

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From the English Wikipedia page on Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis VI, the last king of the Bosporus Kingdom (present Crimea):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_Julius_Rhescuporis_VI

The King of the Goths Ermanaric had conquered the Bosporan Kingdom. Ermanaric killed Rhescuporis VI (co-rule began 303, died 342); subjected the kingdom and the citizens to his rule. When Rescuporis VI died, he was buried in a royal tomb in the original capital city of the Bosporan Kingdom Panticapaeum (modern Kerch). Placed in the tomb with Rhescuporis VI was his various possessions, which included a golden mask and ornament plates. The golden mask and ornament plates that were placed in the tomb of Rhescuporis VI, are now on display at the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

[edit]See also

Bosporan Kingdom

External links

Coinage of Rhescuporis VI

http://www.s110120695.websitehome.co.uk/SNG/sng_reply2.php?crit_rul...

Sources

Greek and Roman gold and silver plate By Donald Emrys Strong

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=X4AOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA195&lpg=PA195...

Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (for Rhescuporis I-V):

http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2983.html

Odessa Numismatics Museum page:

http://www.museum.com.ua/en/istor/sev-vost/bospor/bospor.htm

The (St. Petersburg, Russia) Hermitage Collection from the 19th century (mentions Rhescuporis' death mask and other items):

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/05/hm5_4_2_2_1.html

(No longer a functional link):

http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Egypt/ptolemies/cleopatra_vii.htm#Cleo...

---

According to the WordIQ entry on the Cimmerian Bosporus:

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Cimmerian_Bosporus

The 342 date may have come from the date of the last known coin under Rhescuporis, which was in 341. The only question is whether Airmanareiks conquered them as king. Perhaps he established his supremacy from having already conquered the Bosporan Kingdom - this of course is purely speculation (you simply can't tell that much from a complete or possibly incomplete set of coins).

---------------------------

Ben M. Angel on the photo: Despite how popular that Airmanareiks (Ermanarich, Jormunrek, etc.) has been in literature, there are very few images relating to him. The image I'd have preferred would have been the plaque dedicated to him from the Walhalla in Donaustauf in Bavaria, but no one has bothered to post a photograph of it on the web. However, the good folks at "Dragon - Action Figuren" came up with a solution - yes, the "Ermanrich the Goth" action figure. That's right, if this is your ancestor, then one of your ancestors has his own actual action figure - how cool is that?