Vidivarii

The Vidivarier (Latin Vidivarii ) were a mixed people who lived in ancient times, on the Vistula Lagoon.

Tradition

The Vidivarier are only mentioned by the Gothic historian Jordanes. They were the Ästiern adjacent and lived on the islands called Gepidoios (" Gebidenauen "), which were inhabited by the Gepids vormalen.

"Ad litus oceanic, ubi tribus faucibus fluenta Vistulae fluminibus ebibuntur, Vidivarii resident ex diversis nationibus aggregati; post quos ripam oceanic item Aesti tenent, pacatum hominum genus omnino. "

" On the coast of the sea, where in three mouths of the Vistula River pours into this, locate the Vidivarier, which are composed of different peoples; behind these also live near the sea, the Ästier, a very peace-loving people. "

" Nunc eam, ut Fertur, insulam assets Vidivaria incolit ... Qui Vidivarii ex diversis nationibus ac si in unum collecti asylum sunt et gentem fecisse noscantur. "

"Well inhabit, as they say, this island the Vidivarier ... This Vidivarier have collected from various nations such as on a Zufluchtsortt there and so were a separate people. "

To 880 the Anglo-Saxon merchants Wulfstan visited the location on the Vistula Lagoon commercial city Truso, where he mentions Witland, which lies east of the Vistula:

" The Vistula ( Wisle ) is a large river, and she shares Witland of Weonodland, and Witland heard the branches ( Estas ). "

As early early research between Witland and Vidivariern establishes a link.

Name and interpretation

The name is a typical Germanic formation on Germanic * warijôz " residents ," as it occurs in several Germanic tribal name ( Ampsivarier, Angrivarii, Bavarians, Chattuarier, Rätovarier ). The first part could be put to Germanic * Widu " forest ", but it is also conceivable that in the first part there is a non- Germanic element. Since the Vidivarier were a mixed people according to Jordanes, it is assumed that they were formed from Germans and Balts or Ästiern.