P. 63, c. 1.—“Hermann.” The Latinized form of whose name was Arminius.
He had learned the language and the military discipline of the Romans
when he led his tribe as auxiliaries to their legions.
“Varus,” va´rus. He had been consul at Rome in B. C. 13, and afterward
governor of Syria, where he accumulated great wealth. After this battle
Varus put an end to his life.
P. 63, c. 2.—“Alemanni,” al-e-man´ni.
“Sicambrians,” si-cam´bri-ans. In early German history one of the most
powerful tribes. They lived in Westphalia, between the Rhine and Weser.
“Chatti,” or “Catti,” so called from an old German word _cat_ or _cad_,
meaning “war.” They dwelt south of the Sicambrians in the modern state
of Hesse.
“Batavi.” A Celtic people who had settled in the portion of the present
Netherlands lying at the mouth of the Rhine. Their chief city was
Leyden. The country was afterward extended and called Batavia.
P. 64, c. 1.—“Salzburg,” sälts´boorg; “Ratisbonne,” ra´tis-bon;
“Augsburg,” owgs´boorg; “Basle,” bâl, or “Basel,” bä´zel; “Baden,”
bä´den; “Spires,” spīr´es; “Metz,” mĕts; “Treves,” treevz.
“Ammianus,” am´mi-a=´=nus mar´cel-li=´=nus. A Greek serving under the
emperor Julian 363. Later we find him in Rome where he wrote a history
from the time of Nerva, 96, to the death of Valens, 378. Many of the
events were contemporaneous, so that the descriptions and incidents are
particularly valuable.
P. 64, c. 2.—“Vandals.” This tribe first appeared in the north of
Germany, from whence they went to the Reisengebirge, sometimes called
from them the Vandal Mountains. In the fifth century they worked their
way from Pannonia into Spain, marched southward and founded the once
powerful kingdom of Andalusia (Vandalusia). In 429 they conquered
Africa. An hundred years afterward Belisarius overthrew their power,
and the race disappeared. Many claim that descendants of the Vandals
are to be seen among the Berber race, with blue eyes and light hair.
“Troyes,” trwä.
“Catalaunian,” cat´a-lau=´=ni-an. A people formerly living in
northeastern France, their capital the present Châlons-sur-Marne.
“Méry-sur-Seine,” mā-rē-sur-sane.
“Visigoths.” In the fourth century the Goths were divided into the
Ostrogoths and Visigoths or the Eastern and Western Goths; the latter
worked their way from the Danube westward to France and Spain where
they built up a splendid kingdom which lasted until 711, when it was
overthrown by the Moors.
P. 65, c. 1.—“Genseric,” jĕn´ser-ik. A king of the Vandals under whom
the tribe invaded Africa in 429. They conquered the entire country,
capturing Carthage in 439 and making it their capital. After the sack
of Rome, the entire coast of the Mediterranean was pillaged. Genseric
ruled until his death in 477.
“Heruli,” her´u-li; “Sciri,” si´ri; “Turcilingi,” tur-cil-in´gi;
“Rugii,” ru´gi-i.
“Theodoric.” The king of the Visigoths, who in 489 undertook to expel
Odoacer from Italy. He defeated him in several battles and finally laid
siege to Ravenna, where Odoacer had taken refuge. After holding out
three years, Odoacer submitted on condition that he rule jointly with
Theodoric, but the latter soon murdered his rival. For thirty-three
years Theodoric ruled the country. He was a patron of art and learning
and his sway was very prosperous. The porphyry vase in which his ashes
were deposited is still shown at Ravenna.
“Thuringians,” thu-rin´gi-ans. Dwellers in the central part of Germany
between the Harz Mountains and the Thuringian forest.
“Dietrich,” dē-trich; “Hildebrand,” hĭl´de-brand.
“Siegfried,” seeg´freed. See notes on “Nibelungenlied” in this number.
P. 65, c. 2.—“Langobardi” or Lombards. A German tribe which migrated
southward from the river Elbe. In 568 they conquered the plains of
northern Italy and founded a kingdom which lasted two centuries.