Marcomanni facts for kids
The Marcomanni were a Germanic group who created a strong kingdom north of the Danube River. This was near what is now Bohemia, during the time when the Roman Empire was at its most powerful. Ancient writers like Tacitus and Strabo said they were part of the Suebi people.
Where the Marcomanni Came From
The name "Marcomanni" might come from old Germanic words meaning "border" and "men." So, they were like "border men" or "people of the border."
The Marcomanni first appear in history helping another Germanic leader, Ariovistus. They fought against Julius Caesar in Gaul (modern France). At that time, they had crossed the Rhine River from what is now southern Germany. We don't know their exact home then.
Later, the Marcomanni moved into a large area once lived in by the Boii people. This region was called Baiohaemum, and it was possibly in modern Bohemia. Their allies, the Quadi, also lived there.
Around 6 BC, their king, Maroboduus, built a powerful kingdom in this area. The Roman emperor Augustus saw this as a threat. However, a big rebellion in Illyria stopped Augustus from acting. Maroboduus was later removed from power and sent away in 19 AD. Other kings followed, sometimes chosen by Rome.
The Marcomannic Wars
In the 100s AD, the Marcomanni joined with other groups like the Quadi, Vandals, and Sarmatians. They formed a large alliance against the Roman Empire. This war likely started because bigger tribes, like the Goths, were moving around.
The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius fought against this alliance for three years. The fighting happened near a Roman fort called Carnuntum, in a Roman province called Pannonia. This war was very serious for Rome. It included big Roman defeats and the deaths of two important Roman commanders.
The war started in 166 AD. The Marcomanni broke through Roman defenses and attacked Roman lands. They reached almost to Aquileia, a city on the Adriatic Sea. The war lasted until Marcus Aurelius died in 180 AD. Rome won, but it was a limited victory. The Danube River remained the border of the Roman Empire until the Western Roman Empire fell much later.
What Happened Later
The Marcomanni started to become Christian around the mid-300s AD. Their queen, Fritigil, even wrote to a famous Christian leader, Ambrose of Milan, to help with this change. This is the last clear record of the Marcomanni as a separate group. The area around the Danube River soon became very chaotic.
After 400 AD, some Suevi groups, possibly including Marcomanni, moved into the Roman province of Gallaecia (modern Galicia and northern Portugal). They formed the Suebi kingdom of Gallaecia. Their capital was Bracara Augusta, which is now the city of Braga in Portugal.
The Danube area later became the center of Attila the Hun's empire. Many Suebians were part of this empire. After Attila's empire broke apart in 454 AD, some Suevi formed their own group again. They later fought against the Ostrogoths.
Historians believe that after crossing the Danube, the Marcomanni and Quadi stopped using their specific names. They became known simply as Suebi again. These Suebi then lived under the rule of different groups, like the Huns and later the Longobards. Some historians also suggest that the Marcomanni might be ancestors of the Bavarians people.
There are also "Marcomannic runes," which are an old alphabet. However, they are not thought to be directly connected to the Marcomanni people.
Kings
- Maroboduus, around 9 BC – 18 AD
- Catualda, 18 – 20 AD
- Vannius, 20 – around 50 AD
- Vangio and Sido, around 50 AD – ?
- Ballomar, around 166 AD? – 172 or 178 AD?
- Attalus, around 260/262 AD
- Fritigil, mid-4th century, a queen
See also
In Spanish: Marcomanos para niños
