Juthungi
TheJuthungi(Ancient Greek:Ιούθουγγοι,Latin:Iuthungi) were aGermanic tribein the region north of the riversDanubeandAltmühlin what is now the modern German state ofBavaria.
The tribe was mentioned by theRomanhistoriansPublius Herennius DexippusandAmmianus Marcellinus.Their name appears together with that of theSemnoni,leading some people to believe that they might have been one and the same. This, however, there is no etymological or historical proofs to prove or even indicate, they most likely just raided together a few times since the Semnoni is said to have become a part of theAlamanniby the 3rd century whom the Juthungi were almost constantly associated with. Their name is likely related to that of the "Jutes",with the classical Germanic" -Ungi "suffix added. Meaning" Jute-Ungi/Juthungi ", the Jutings. Like the danish" Scyldings ", which in Danish is pronounced" Skjoldunger "(" Skjold "meaning = Shield, and" -Unger "meaning =" -Ings ").[citation needed]
The Juthungi invadedItalyin 259–260, but on their way back they were defeated nearAugsburgon 24–25 April 260 byMarcus Simplicinius Genialis(this is recorded on a Roman victory altar found in 1992). At this time theRoman Empirelost control of this part of thelimes.
The Juthungi invaded Italy again in 271, defeating the Romans at theBattle of Placentia,but they were repulsed byAurelianafter theBattle of FanoandBattle of Pavia.
Between 356 and 358 the Juthungi and the Alamanni invaded the province ofRaetia,and destroyedCastra Regina(Regensburg),which was the Roman capital of the province, and one of the biggest Roman military camps in south Germany, with massive stone walls and a village.
A second invasion ofRaetiain 383 was repelled by an army ofAlansandHuns.Between 429 and 431 the Roman generalAëtiusalso fought against the Juthungi in Raetia. He was unsuccessful, however, and so the Romans never tried or got the chance to fight them again.
Due to a lot of different Germanic tribes being generalised as Alamanni, Franks or Bavarians, during the 4th and 5th centuries AD, their fate is ultimately unknown. But it is likely that the Juthungi became a part of one of these so called "coalitions" of people, and most likely the Alamanni, since they multiple times were mentioned together.
No leader of the tribe was ever recorded, but it is likely that they were ruled under one king in the beginning, whereas they later might have split off into several groups all being led by different leaders set in different places.
Historical sources
[edit]- Augsburg Victory Altar(around 260)
- Dexippus,FGrHist100 (around 270/271)
- Panegyrici LatiniVIII 10.4 (around 297)
- Ammianus Marcellinus17,6 (around 375)
- Sidonius Apollinaris,c. 7, 233 (around 429/430)
