Alamanni: Encyclopedia - Alamanni

Alamanni

The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were an alliance of warbands formed from Germanic tribes, first mentioned by Dio Cassius when they fought Caracalla in 213. They apparently dwelt in the basin of the Main, to the south of the Chatti.

Alamanni - Tribal connections

The Alamanni emerged from the Irminones. According to Asinius Quadratus their name —"all men"—indicates that they were a conglomeration of various tribes formed into warbands, similar to the contemporary Huns. Another source ^{[citation needed]} claims the root of Alamann is al- from which are also derived Greek allos "other, alien" and Old High German Elisâzzo ", Elsaz or Alsace): "the land on the other side of the Rhine". There can be little doubt, however, that the ancient Hermunduri formed the bulk of the composite nation. Other groups included the Brisgavi, Juthungi, Bucinobantes, Lentienses, and perhaps the Armalausi. Close allies of the Alamanni were the East Germanic Suebi, or Suabi (hence Swabia). The Hermunduri had apparently belonged to the Suebi, but it is likely enough that reinforcements from new Suebic tribes had now moved westward. In later times the names Alamanni and Suebi seem to become synonymous, although some of the Suebi later migrated to Hispania and established an independent kingdom there that endured well into the 6th century.

Alamanni - Conflicts with the Roman Empire

The Alamanni were continually engaged in conflicts with the Roman Empire. They launched a major invasion of Gaul and northern Italy in 268, when the Romans were forced to denude much of their German frontier of troops in response to a massive invasion of the Goths. Their depredations in the three parts of Gaul remained traumatic: Gregory of Tours (died ca 594) mentions their destructive force at the time of Valerian and Gallienus (253–260), when the Alemanni assembled under their "king", whom he calls Chrocus, "by the advice, it is said, of his wicked mother, and overran the whole of the Gauls, and destroyed from their foundations all the temples which had been built in ancient times. And coming to Clermont he set on fire, overthrew and destroyed that shrine which they call Vasso Galatae in the Gallic tongue," martyring many Christians (Historia Francorum Book I.32–34). Thus 6th century Gallo-Romans of Gregory's class, surrounded by the ruins of Roman temples and public buildings, attributed the destruction they saw to the plundering raids of the Alemanni.

In the early summer of 268, the Emperor Gallienus halted their advance in Italy, but then had to deal with the Goths. When the Gothic campaign ended in Roman victory at the Battle of Naissus in September, Gallienus' successor Claudius II Gothicus turned north to deal with the Alamanni, who were swarming over all Italy north of the Po River.

After efforts to secure a peaceful withdrawal failed, Claudius forced the Alamanni to battle at the Battle of Lake Benacus in November. The Alamanni were routed, forced back into Germany, and did not threaten Roman territory for many years afterwards.

Their most famous battle against Rome took place in Argentoratum (Strasbourg), in 357, where they were defeated by Julian, later Emperor of Rome, and their king Chnodomar ("Chonodomarius") was taken prisoner.

On January 2, 366 the Alamanni crossed the frozen Rhine in large numbers, to invade the Gallic provinces.

In the great mixed invasion of 406, the Alamanni appear to have crossed the Rhine river, conquered and then settled what is today Alsace and a large part of Switzerland. Fredegar's Chronicle gives an account. At Alba Augusta (Aps) the devastation was so complete, that the Christian bishopric was removed to Viviers, but Gregory's account that at Mende in Lozère, also deep in the heart of Gaul, bishop Privatus was forced to sacrifice to idols in the very cave where he was later venerated may be a generic literary trope epitomizing the horrors of barbarian violence.

Alamanni - List of battles between Romans and Alamanni

• 268, Battle of Lake Benacus — Romans under Emperor Claudius II defeat the Alamanni.
• 271
  • Battle of Placentia — Emperor Aurelian is defeated by the Alamanni forces invading Italy
  • Battle of Fano — Aurelian defeats the Alamanni, who begin to retreat from Italy
  • Battle of Pavia (271) — Aurelian destroys the retreating Alamanni army.
• 298
  • Battle of Lingones — Caesar Constantius Chlorus defeats the Alamanni
  • Battle of Vindonissa — Constantius again defeats the Alamanni
• 356, Battle of Reims — Caesar Julian is defeated by the Alamanni
• 357, Battle of Strasbourg — Julian expels the Alamanni from the Rhineland
• 367, Battle of Solicinium — Romans under Emperor Valentinian I defeat yet another Alamanni incursion.
• 378, Battle of Argentovaria — Western Emperor Gratianus is victorious over the Alamanni, yet again.

Alamanni - Alamanni and Franks

The kingdom (or duchy) of Alamannia between Strasbourg and Augsburg lasted until 496, when the Alamanni were conquered by Clovis I at the Battle of Tolbiac. The war of Clovis with the Alamanni forms the setting for the conversion of Clovis, briefly treated by Gregory of Tours (Book II.31) Subsequently the Alamanni formed part of the Frankish dominions and were governed by a Frankish duke.

In 746, Carloman ended an uprising by summarily executing all Alemannic nobility at the blood court at Cannstatt, and for the following century, Alamannia was ruled by Frankish dukes. Following the treaty of Verdun of 843, Alamannia became a province of the eastern kingdom of Louis the German, the precursor of the Holy Roman Empire. The duchy persisted until 1268.

Alamanni - List of Alamannic rulers

Kings

• Chrocus 306
• Mederich (father of Agenarich, brother to Chnodomar)
• Chnodomar 350, 357
• Vestralp 357, 359
• Ur 357, 359
• Agenarich (Serapio) 357
• Suomar 357, 358
• Hortar 357, 359
• Gundomad 354 (co-regent of Vadomar)
• Ursicin 357, 359
• Makrian 368–371
• Rando 368
• Hariobaud 4th c.
• Vadomar vor 354–360
• Vithicab 360–368
• Priarius ?–378
• Gibuld (Gebavult) c. 470

Dukes under Frankish rule

• Butilin 539–554
• Leuthari I before 552–554
• Haming 539–554
• Lantachar until 548 (Avenches diocese)
• Magnachar 565 (Avenches diocese)
• Vaefar 573 (Avenches diocese)
• Theodefrid
• Leutfred I until 588
• Uncilin 588–607
• Gunzo 613
• Chrodobert 630
• Leuthari II 642
• Gotfrid until 709
• Willehari 709–712 (in Ortenau)
• Lantfrid 709–730
• Theudebald 709–744

Alamanni - Christianization

Christianization of the Alamanni took place during Merovingian times (6th to 8th centuries). Sources are sparse, but in the mid-6th century, the Byzantine chronicler Agathias of Myrina records, in the context of the wars of the Goths and Franks against Byzantium, that the Alamanni fighting among the troops of Frankish king Theudebald were like the Franks in all respects except religion, since they

also adding the particular ruthlessness of the Alamani in destroying Christian sanctuaries and plundering churches while the genuine Franks were respectful towards those sanctuaries. Agathias expresses his hope that the Alamanni would assume better manners through prolongued contact with the Franks, which is by all appearances what eventually happened.

Apostles of the Alamanni were Saint Columbanus and his disciple Saint Gall. Jonas of Bobbio records that Columbanus was active in Bregenz, where he disrupted a beer sacrifice to Wodan. For some time, the Alamanni seem to have continued their pagan cult activities, with only superficial or syncretistic Christian elements. In particular, there is no change in burial practice, and tumulus warrior graves continued to be erected throughout Merovingian times. Syncretism of traditional Germanic animal-style with Christian symbolism is also present in artwork, but Christian symbolism becomes more and more prevalent during the 7th century. Unlike the later Christianization of the Saxon and of the Slavs, the Alamanni seem to have adopted Christianity gradually, and voluntarily, spread by emulation of the Merovingian elite.

From ca. the 520s to the 620s, there was a surge of Alamannic Elder Futhark inscriptions. About 80 specimens have survived, roughly half of them on fibulae, others on belt buckles (see Pforzen buckle) and other jewellry and weapon parts. Use of runes subsides with the advance of Christianity.

The establishment of the bishopric of Constance cannot be dated exactly and was possibly undertaken by Columbanus himself (before 612). In any case, it existed by 635, when Gunzo appointed John of Grab bishop. Constance was a missionary bishopric in newly converted lands, and did not look back on late Roman church history (unlike Basel, episcopal seat from 740, which continued the line of Bishops of Augusta Raurica, see Bishop of Basel, and the Raetian bishopric of Chur, established 451). The establishment of the church as an institution recognized by worldly rulers is also visible in legal history. The early 7th century Pactus Alamannorum marginally mentions special privileges of the church, while Lantfrid's Lex Alamannorum of 720 has an entire chapter reserved for ecclesial matters.

See also: Germanic Christianity.

Alamanni - Modern Alemanni

Allemania lost its distinct jurisdictional identity when Charles Martel absorbed it into the Frankish empire, early in the 8th century. Today, Alemannic is a linguistic term, referring to Alemannic German, encompassing the dialects of the southern two thirds of Baden-Württemberg (German State), in western Bavaria (German State), in Vorarlberg (Austrian State), Swiss German in Switzerland and the Alsatian language of the Alsace (France).

The word "Frankish" eventually gave its name to France and Franconia, while the Alamanni gave their name for "German" in French (Allemand), Spanish (Alemán) and Portuguese (Alemão).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Alamanni", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki