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The Alemanni or Alamanni were a confederation of Germanic tribes on the Upper Rhine River during the first millennium. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Roman emperor Caracalla of 213, the Alemanni captured the Agri Decumates in 260, and later expanded into present-day Alsace and northern Switzerland, leading to the establishment of the Old High German language in those regions, which by the eighth century were collectively referred to as Alamannia.
Alamannia, or Alemannia, was the kingdom established and inhabited by the Alemanni, a Germanic tribal confederation that had broken through the Roman limes in 213.
This is a chronology of warfare between the Romans and various Germanic peoples between 113 BC and 476. The nature of these wars varied through time between Roman conquest, Germanic uprisings and later Germanic invasions of the Western Roman Empire that started in the late second century BC. The series of conflicts was one factor which led to the ultimate downfall of the Western Roman Empire in particular and ancient Rome in general in 476.
The Battle of Strasbourg, also known as the Battle of Argentoratum, was fought in 357 between the Western Roman army under the Caesar Julian and the Alamanni tribal confederation led by the joint paramount King Chnodomar. The battle took place near Strasbourg, called Argentoratum in Ammianus Marcellinus' account, Argentorate in the Tabula Peutingeriana.
Chrodobert, Crodobert, or Choadebert was an Aleman dux of the early seventh century. He probably ruled in the south of the region later known as Swabia.
Macrian or Makrian was the king of the Bucinobantes, an Alemannic tribe, in the late fourth century and the brother of Hariobaudes. Macrian tried to confederate all the north Germanic and Alemannic tribes together against Rome.
Vestralpus was an Alemannic petty king of the Bucinobantes in the 4th century AD. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz in 359 and concluded peace treaties with the Alemannic kings Vestralpus, Macrian, Hariobaudes, Urius, Ursicinus and Vadomarius after they had returned all Roman prisoners.
Ralph-Johannes Lilie is a German Byzantinist.
Egon Boshof is a German historian. From 1979 to 2002, he held the Chair for Medieval History at the University of Passau.
Hariobaudes was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century AD. The Roman writer Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz in 359 and concluded a peace treaty with the Alemannic kings Hariobaud, Macrian, Urius, Ursicinus, Vadomarius and Vestralpus after they agreed to return all prisoners.
Urius was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century AD. The Roman writer Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz in 359 and concluded a peace treaty with the Alemannic kings Urius, Hariobaudes, Macrian, Vadomarius, Ursicinus and Vestralpus.
Hortarius was an Alemannic king in the 4th century.
Agenaric, also called Serapio, was an Alemannic prince in the 4th century. Agenaric was the son of petty king Mederic and the nephew of another petty king, Chnodomarius. In 357, together with his uncle, Agenaric commanded the Alemannic army at the Battle of Strasbourg, in which the Alemanni were defeated by Julian.
Gundomad or Gundomar, was an Alemannic petty king in the area around Breisgau, Germany in the 4th century. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Gundomad, together with his brother Vadomarius, in 354 concluded a peace treaty at Augst after having been defeated in battle by emperor Constantius II. In 357, Gundomad was killed by his own people for having been to loyal to the Romans. They then made an uprising against emperor Julian.
Mederic was an Alemannic petty king. His brother Chnodomarius was the petty king of another district. Mederic spent much time in Gaul, where he was introduced to ancient Greek culture. Because of this influence, Mederic gave his son Agenaric the name Serapio, after the Graeco-Egyptian god Serapis.
Rando was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century. In 368, Rando invaded the city Mogontiacum, where the Christian festival was being celebrated. Since Roman emperor Valentinian I was stationed at Trier with his troops, Rando was free to raid with impunity. After campaigning against the Brisgavi, who had been rendered leaderless after the murder of their king Vithicabius, Valentinian conducted a revenge campaign against Rando. Rando entrenched himself at a high-altitude fortress and continued his campaign against the Romans. In an ambush at the Battle of Solicinium, Rando almost succeeded in killing Valentinian. Rando's army, which had encamped on a towering mountain, was surrounded by Valentinian's forces. After the Romans scaled the northern slope the Alemanni fled taking heavy casualties.
Vadomarius was an Alemannic king and Roman general, who shared power with his brother Gundomadus. After instigating an indecisive campaign in Gaul against the Romans, Vadomarius and his brother signed a treaty with the Roman emperor Constantius II in AD 356. Encouraged by Constantius II, Vadomarius employed his Alemanni forces in an attack against Julian. Vadomarius then concluded a treaty with Julian, after which, he unsuccessfully attempted to play the two Roman figures against one another. When Julian was made aware of this, he arrested Vadomarius and banished him to Hispania. His son Vithicabius succeeded him as king. Later, Vadomarius allied himself with Rome under emperors Jovian and Valens, leading his forces against the usurper Procopius and fighting the Persians on Rome's behalf.
Ursicinus was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century AD. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus notes that Julian defeated the Alemannic kings Ursicinus, Macrian, Hariobaudes, Urius, Vadomarius and Vestralpus at the Battle of Strasbourg in 357. Apparently, no general Alemannic kingship existed. The groups only acted together in larger military campaigns. According to recent research it is possible that Ursicinus and the other Alemannic commanders only sent troops, rather than participating in the battle themselves. In 359 Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz. After the Romans had devastated Alemannic territory, the Alemanni agreed to return all prisoners and to conduct a peace treaty. Ursicinus is not mentioned in the sources again.
Vithicabius was an Alemannic petty king from 360 to 368. He was a son of Vadomarius, and succeeded his father as king after the latter had been banished to Hispania by emperor Julian. He had grown up in Roman custody. Ammianus Marcellinus describes Vithicabius as a physically weak, but a brave and aggressive leader. Although having promised Julian to maintain peace, Vithicabius continued raiding Roman territory. He was assassinated in 368 under Valentinian I by a bribed servant, but the Alemannic raids on Roman territory continued nevertheless.
References
- Dieter Geuenich: Geschichte der Alemannen (Kohlhammer-Urban-Taschenbücher. 575). 2., überarbeitete Auflage. Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-17-018227-7., pp. 44, 54 (German)
- Thorsten Fischer, Hermann Reichert: Suomar. In: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (RGA). 2. Auflage. Band 30, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2005, ISBN 3-11-018385-4, p. 136 (German).
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