Rugii

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Rugians redirects here. For the Slavic tribe, see Rani (Slavic tribe)

Settlement areas of the Rugii: Rogaland, Pomerania (since 1st century), Rugiland (5th century); Rügen (uncertain)

The Rugii, also Rugians, Rygir, Ulmerugi, or Holmrygir (Norwegian: Rugiere, German: Rugier) were an East Germanic tribe, who in the first century lived at the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in what is now Pomerania, and in the 5th century lived in a kingdom in what is now Austria, which at times was a client of the Hun empire. Rugii also lived in Norwegian Rogaland, yet the connection to the continental Rugii is unknown. The Rugii joined the Ostrogoths in the late 5th century.

[edit] Ethymology

The tribal name "Rugii" or "Rygir" is a derivate of the Old Norse term for rye, rugr, and is thus translated "rye eaters" or "rye farmers".^[1] Holmrygir and Ulmerugi are both translated as "island Rugii".^[1]

[edit] Rogaland

Rogaland or Rugaland is a region in southern Norway. Rogaland translates "Land of the Rygir" (Rugii), the transition of rygir to roga is sufficiently explained with the general linguistic transitions of the Norse language.^[1] Scholars suggest a migration either of Rogaland Rugii to the southern Baltic coast, the other way around, or an original homeland on the islands of Denmark in between these two regions.^[1] None of these theories is so far backed by archaeological evidence.^[1] Another theory suggests that the name of one of the two groups was adapted by the other one later without any significant migration taking place.^[1] Scholars regard it very unlikely that the name was invented twice.^[1]

[edit] In Pomerania

The Roman empire under Hadrian (ruled 117-38): the Rugii inhabit a region corresponding to modern Pomerania (northern Germany and Poland)

The Rugii were first mentioned by Tacitus^[2] in the late first century.^[1][3][4] Tacitus' description of their contemporary settlement area, adjacent to the Goths at the "ocean", is generally seen as the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, the later Pomerania.^[1][3][4] Tacitus characterized the Rugii as well as the neighboring Goths and Lemovii saying they carried round shields and short swords, and obeyed their regular authority.^[1][3][4] Ptolemaeus^[5] in 150 AD mentions a place named Rhougion (also transliterated from Greek as Rougion, Rugion, latinized Rugium or Rugia) and a tribe named Routikleioi in the same area, both names have been associated with the Rugii.^[1][4] Jordanes^[6] says the Goths upon their arrival in this area expelled the Ulmerugi.^[1][4] and makes other, retrospect references to the Rugii in his Getica^[7] of the 6th century.^[1] The 9th century Old English Widsith, a compilation of earlier oral traditions, mentions the tribe of the Holmrycum without localizing it.^[1] Holmrygir are mentioned in an Old Norse Skaldic poem, Hákonarmál,^[8] and probably also in the Haraldskvæði.^[1]

Many Rugii had left the Baltic coast during the migration period. it is assumed that Burgundians, Goths and Gepids with parts of the Rugians left Pomerania during the late Roman Age, and that during the migration period, remnants of Rugians, Vistula Veneti, Vidivarii and other, Germanic tribes remained and formed units that were later Slavicized.^[9] The Vidivarii themselves are described by Jordanes in his Getica as a melting pot of tribes who in the mid-6th century lived at the lower Vistula.^[10][11] Though differing from the earlier Willenberg culture, some traditions were continued.^[11] One hypothesis, based on the sudden appearance of large amounts of Roman solidi and migrations of other groups after the breakdown of the Hun empire in 453, suggest a partial re-migration of earlier emigrants to their former northern homelands.^[11]

[edit] Archaeological cultures

The Oxhöft culture is associated with parts of the Rugii and Lemovii.^[4] The archaeological Gustow group of Western Pomerania is also associated with the the Rugii.^[12][13] The remains of the Rugii west of the Vidivarii, together with other Gothic, Veneti, and Gepid groups, are believed to be identical with the archaeological Debczyn group.^[9]

[edit] In Pannonia, Rugiland and Italy

In the beginning of the 4th century, large parts of the Rugii moved southwards and settled at the upper Tisza in ancient Pannonia, in what is now modern Hungary. They were later attacked by the Huns but took part in Attila's campaigns in 451, but at his death they rebelled and created a kingdom of their own in Rugiland, a region presently part of lower Austria (ancient Noricum), north of the Danube.^[14] The Rugii of Rugiland were led by king Feletheus, also called Feva, and his wife Gisa.^[14] Yet other Rugii had already become foederati of Odoacer, who was to become the first Germanic king of Italy.^[14] Feletheus' Rugii were utterly defeated by Odoacar in 487; many came into captivity and were carried to Italy, and subsequently, Rugiland was settled by the Lombards.^[14] Records of this era are made by Procopius,^[15] Jordanes and others.^[1]

Two years later, Rugii joined the Ostrogothic^[16] king Theodoric the Great when he invaded Italy in 489. In Italy, they formed their own client^[16] division and disappeared with the Ostrogoths.

[edit] Rügen, Rugini

Uncertain and disputed is the association of the Rugii with the name of the isle of Rügen and the tribe of the Rugini. Though some scholars suggested that the Rugii passed their name to the isle of Rügen in modern Northeast Germany, other scholars presented alternative hypotheses of Rügen's ethymology associating the name to the medival Rani (Rujani) tribe.^[1][4]

The Rugini were only mentioned once, in a list of tribes still to be christianised drawn up by the English monk Bede (Beda venerabilis) in his Historia ecclesiastica of the early 8th century.^[1][17] Whether the Rugini were remnants of the Rugii is speculative.^[1] The Rugini were also associated with the Rani.^[17][18]

[edit] References

This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904–1926 now in public domain.

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