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European Kingdoms
Barbarians
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The Alans (Alani / Geloni)
These were originally an Iranian steppe people who settled in Scythia
in the fourth century BC, displacing the Scythians, a similar Iranian
Steppe culture. Scythia consisted of the plains which stretch from the
north of the Black Sea over to the Caspian Sea. The Alani are first
mentioned by the
Roman historian,
Josephus, in the first century AD. He calls them a Scythian tribe living
near the Don (Tanais) and the Sea of Azov. They seem to be indivisible from
the Samartians and the Geloni of the same region. Herodotus
mentions the Geloni (Gilans), so they were either closely related, or more
likely the same peoples.
Conquered by the Huns, they
became allies, and most travelled west with the Huns. Split by the Hunnic
attacks, some Alani tribes remained behind, dispersed across the steppes.
They were forced by further waves of invaders to migrate into the Caucuses.
They eventually founded the regionally powerful kingdom of Alania, but were
defeated by the Mongols
in the eleventh century. They re-emerged as the Ossetians, based in Georgia
and southern Russia.
(Additional information taken from The Oxford History of England: Roman
Britain, Peter Salway.) |
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fl AD 70 |
Külük |
Defeated the
Medians and
Armenians
in a raid south. |
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175 |
The
Roman Emperor,
Marcus Aurelius, defeats the Iazyges tribe of Alans. He takes them into
Roman service and settles them in Northern Britain, at Ribchester, south
of Lancaster. The Alans are assigned to the VI Legion Victrix, commanded
by the Alani warlord who is renamed Lucius Artorius Castus. |
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372 |
The
Huns burst into Scythia and defeat the
Alans. The Alans ally themselves with the Huns. |
372 - 407 |
The Huns and Alans
arrive in the territory north of the Danube. The Huns eventually unify into
a single cohesive force and begin to threaten the Western
Roman Empire.
They start by clashing with the Ostrogoths. |
fl 407 |
Respendial |
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407 - 409 |
Following the dream
of most barbarians, the majority of Alans cross the Rhine at Mainz in
407 into the Roman Empire.
They move in association with the Suevi &
Vandals. The Vandals are attacked by the
Franks at the crossing of the Rhine, but
the Alans come to their rescue and save the day. The Alans and Vandals initially settle
in southern Gaul (around Orleans and Valence), but all three tribes move to Spain by 409,
disrupting the Gallic Empire of
Constantine III. |
c.411 - c.413 |
Goar |
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411 - 413 |
Gundahar of the
Burgundians and Goar set up Jovinus as their puppet
Roman usurper.
He is defeated by the Visigoths,
and as they subsequently move southwards, an important group
of Alans joins them. |
c.413 - 415 |
Addac |
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?415 - 426 |
Attaces |
Killed in battle against the
Visigoths. |
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426 |
The
Suevi
settle in northwestern Iberia. With the Visigoths becoming more powerful
in southern Gaul and northern Spain, the weakened Alans merge with the Asding
Vandals,
and move further south. |
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442 |
Two groups of Alans had been settled by
Rome in Gaul,
sharing the land with the Gallo-Roman inhabitants. One of these, possibly on
the Loire, leads to a major clash in which the Alans have to eject the
Gallo-Roman owners. While the deal proves good for Rome in that this group
of Alans remains available for military service, it isn't so favourable for
provincial landowners. |
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