History Cimbri

1 history

1.1 origins
1.2 migration
1.3 invading gaul
1.4 attacking roman republic
1.5 defeat
1.6 descendants

history
origins

archaeologists have not found clear indications of mass migration jutland in iron age. gundestrup cauldron, deposited in bog in himmerland in 2nd or 1st century bc, shows there sort of contact southeastern europe, uncertain if contact can associated cimbrian expedition.

advocates northern homeland point greek , roman sources associate cimbri peninsula of jutland. according res gestae (ch. 26) of augustus, cimbri still found in area around turn of 1st century ad:

my fleet sailed mouth of rhine eastward far lands of cimbri, which, time, no roman had ever penetrated either land or sea, , cimbri , charydes , semnones , other peoples of germans of same region through envoys sought friendship , of roman people.

the contemporary greek geographer strabo testifies cimbri still existed germanic tribe, presumably in cimbric peninsula (since said live north sea , have paid tribute augustus):

as cimbri, things told them incorrect , others extremely improbable. instance, 1 not accept such reason having become wandering , piratical folk while dwelling on peninsula driven out of habitations great flood-tide; in fact still hold country held in earlier times; , sent present augustus sacred kettle in country, plea friendship , amnesty of earlier offences, , when petition granted set sail home; , ridiculous suppose departed homes because incensed on account of phenomenon natural , eternal, occurring twice every day. , assertion excessive flood-tide once occurred looks fabrication, when ocean affected in way subject increases , diminutions, these regulated , periodical.

on map of ptolemy, kimbroi placed on northernmost part of peninsula of jutland., i.e., in modern landscape of himmerland south of limfjorden (since vendsyssel-thy north of fjord @ time group of islands). himmerland (old danish himbersysel) thought preserve name, in older form without grimm s law (pie k > germ. h). alternatively, latin c- represents attempt render unfamiliar proto-germanic h = [x] (latin h [h] becoming silent in common speech @ time), perhaps due celtic-speaking interpreters (a celtic intermediary explain why germanic *Þeuðanōz became latin teutones).

the origin of name cimbri unknown. 1 etymology pie *tḱim-ro- inhabitant , tḱoi-m- home (> english home), derivation tḱei- live (> greek κτίζω, latin sinō); then, germanic *himbra- finds exact cognate in slavic sębrъ farmer (> croatian, serbian sebar, russian сябёр syabyor).

the name has been related word kimme meaning “rim”, i.e., people of coast . finally, since antiquity, name has been related of cimmerians.

because of similarity of names, cimbri have been @ times associated cymry, welsh name themselves. however, welsh cymry derived brittonic *kombrogi, meaning “compatriots”, , linguistically unrelated cimbri.

migration

journey of cimbri , teutones

l cimbri , teuton defeats

w cimbri , teuton victories

some time before 100 bc many of cimbri, teutons , ambrones migrated south-east. after several unsuccessful battles boii , other celtic tribes, appeared ca 113 bc in noricum, invaded lands of 1 of rome s allies, taurisci.

on request of roman consul gnaeus papirius carbo, sent defend taurisci, retreated, find deceived , attacked @ battle of noreia, defeated romans. storm, separated combatants, saved roman forces complete annihilation.

invading gaul

now road italy open, turned west towards gaul. came frequent conflict romans, came out losers. in commentarii de bello gallico aduaticii—belgians of cimbrian origin—repeatedly sided rome s enemies. in 109 bc, defeated roman army under consul marcus junius silanus, commander of gallia narbonensis. in 107 bc defeated roman army under consul gaius cassius longinus, killed @ battle of burdigala (modern day bordeaux) against tigurini, allies of cimbri.

attacking roman republic

it not until 105 bc planned attack on roman republic itself. @ rhône, cimbri clashed roman armies. discord between roman commanders, proconsul quintus servilius caepio , consul gnaeus mallius maximus, hindered roman coordination , cimbri succeeded in first defeating legate marcus aurelius scaurus , later inflicted devastating defeat on caepio , maximus @ battle of arausio. romans lost many 80,000 men, according livy, mommsen thought excluded auxiliary cavalry , non-combatants brought total loss closer 112,000. other estimates smaller, account large roman army routed.

rome in panic, , terror cimbricus became proverbial. expected see new gauls outside of gates of rome. desperate measures taken: contrary roman constitution, gaius marius, had defeated jugurtha, elected consul , supreme commander 5 years in row (104-100 bc).

defeat

the defeat of cimbri alexandre-gabriel décamps

in 104-103 bc, cimbri had turned iberian peninsula pillaged far , wide, until confronted coalition of celtiberians. defeated, cimbri returned gaul, joined allies, teutons. during time c. marius had time prepare and, in 102 bc, ready meet teutons , ambrones @ rhône. these 2 tribes intended pass italy through western passes, while cimbri , tigurines take northern route across rhine , later across central eastern alps.

at estuary of isère river, teutons , ambrones met marius, well-defended camp did not manage overrun. instead, pursued route, , marius followed them. @ aquae sextiae, romans won 2 battles , took teuton king teutobod prisoner.

the cimbri had penetrated through alps northern italy. consul quintus lutatius catulus had not dared fortify passes, instead had retreated behind river po, , land open invaders. cimbri did not hurry, , victors of aquae sextiae had time arrive reinforcements. @ battle of vercellae, @ confluence of sesia river po river, in 101 bc, long voyage of cimbri came end.

it devastating defeat, 2 chieftains, lugius , boiorix, died on field, while other chieftains caesorix , claodicus captured. women killed both , children in order avoid slavery. cimbri annihilated, although may have survived return homeland population name residing in northern jutland in 1st century ad, according sources quoted above. of surviving captives reported have been among rebelling gladiators in third servile war.

however, justin s epitome of trogus, 38.4, has mithridates great state cimbri ravaging italy while social war going on, i.e. @ time in 90 - 88 bce, more decade later, after having sent ambassadors cimbri request military aid; judging context must have been living in north eastern europe @ time.

descendants

according julius caesar, belgian tribe of atuatuci descended cimbri , teutoni, who, upon march our province , italy, set down such of stock , stuff not drive or carry them on near (i.e. west) side of rhine, , left 6 thousand men of company there guard , garrison (gall. 2.29, trans. edwards). founded city of atuatuca in land of belgic eburones, whom dominated. ambiorix king of eburones paid tribute , gave son , nephew hostages atuatuci (gall. 6.27). in first century ad, eburones replaced or absorbed germanic tungri, , city known atuatuca tungrorum, i.e. modern city of tongeren.

the population of modern-day himmerland claims heirs of ancient cimbri. adventures of cimbri described danish nobel prize–winning author johannes v. jensen, himself born in himmerland, in novel cimbrernes tog (1922), included in epic cycle den lange rejse (english long journey, 1923). so-called cimbrian bull ( cimbrertyren ), sculpture anders bundgaard, erected on 14 april 1937 in central town square in aalborg, capital of region of north jutland.

a german ethnic minority speaking cimbrian language, having settled in mountains between vicenza, verona, , trento in italy (also known 7 communities), called cimbri. hundreds of years isolated population , present 4,400 inhabitants have claimed direct descendants of cimbri retreating area after roman victory on tribe. however, more bavarians settled here in middle ages. linguists remain committed hypothesis of medieval (11th 12th century ad) immigration explain presence of small german-speaking communities in north of italy. genetic studies seem prove celtic, not germanic, descent inhabitants in region reinforced gaulish toponyms such ending suffix -ago < celtic -*ako(n) (e.g. asiago same place name numerous variants - azay, aisy, azé, ezy - in france, of derive *asiacum < gaulish *asiāko(n)). on other hand, original place names in region, localized language known cimbro still in use alongside more modern names today. these indicate different origin (e.g., asiago known original cimbro name of sleghe). cimbrian origin myth popularized humanists in 14th century.

despite these connections southern germany, belief in himmerland origin persisted modern times. on 1 occasion in 1709, instance, frederick iv of denmark paid region s inhabitants visit , greeted king. population, kept independence during time of venice republic, later severely devastated world war i. result, many cimbri have left mountainous region of italy, forming worldwide diaspora.