Mannus

Mannus was according to Tacitus the legendary progenitor of the Germanic tribes.

The name Mannus is only in Tacitus ' Germania, c. 2.2 testified:

" Celebrant carminibus antiquis ( quod unum apud Illos memoriae et annalium genus est) Tuisconem Deum et Terra editum filium Mannum originem gentis conditorisque. Manno tris filios assignant, e quorum nominibus Proximi Oceano Ingaevones, medii Herminones, ceteri Istaevones vocentur "

" As ancestors and founder of their nation, they glorify [= the Germans ] in old songs - the only kind of historical tradition that gives it to them - Tuisto, one of the world sprung God, and his son Mannus. They write the Mannus three sons, after whose name the the ocean neighbor Inguionen that should be called in the middle Herminones, the remaining Istävonen. "

He is thus the progenitor of the Inguionen ( Ingaevones ), the Herminones and Istävonen ( Istaevonen ). Lat. - Germ. Mannus, the Latinization of a West Germanic Nom.Sg. * man, man, man ' ( > OHG, AS. you, ae. man [ n], mon [n]), Akk.Sg. * mannun dar. This myth is a typical story of the origin of a tribal society. The result of such myths is that understands the whole society as one big family with common (divine) ancestors.