Ermanaric

Ermanaric
/er man"euh rik/, n.
a fourth-century ruler in the Black Sea area: probably identical with Jormunrek.

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▪ king of Ostrogoths

died , between 370 and 376

      king of the Ostrogoths, the ruler of a vast empire in Ukraine. Although the exact limits of his territory are obscure, it evidently stretched south of the Pripet Marshes between the Don and Dniester rivers.

      The only certain facts about Ermanaric are that his great deeds caused him to be feared by neighbouring peoples and that he committed suicide because he despaired of successfully resisting the Huns, who invaded his territories in the 370s. His kingdom was thereupon destroyed and his people became subject to the Huns for about 75 years.

      At an early date Ermanaric became the centre of popular tradition. According to the 6th-century historian Jordanes, the king put to death a woman named Sunilda by tying her to two wild horses and driving them apart, because her husband had treacherously deserted him. Thereupon her two brothers, Sarus and Ammius, severely wounded Ermanaric. Variations of this legend had a profound effect on medieval Germanic literature, including that of England and Scandinavia. The form of Ermanaric's name differs among authors and dialects: it occurs as Ermenrichus in Ammianus Marcellinus (whose book 31 is the chief source for the king's career), as Hermanaricus in Jordanes, as Jörmunrekr in the Norse writers, and as Eormenric in the Anglo-Saxon.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Ermanaric — (died 376), was a king of the Gothic Greuthungi at the eve of the Migration Period. Historical accounts Ermanaric is mentioned in two Roman sources; the contemporary writings of Ammianus Marcellinus and in Getica by the 6th century historian… …   Wikipedia

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  • Ermanaric — /ɜˈmænərɪk/ (say er manuhrik) noun died 375? AD, king of the Ostrogoths and ruler of an extensive empire in eastern Europe …  

  • Ermanaric — /er man euh rik/, n. a fourth century ruler in the Black Sea area: probably identical with Jormunrek …   Useful english dictionary

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  • 375 — Années : 372 373 374  375  376 377 378 Décennies : 340 350 360  370  380 390 400 Siècles : IIIe siècle  IVe siècle …   Wikipédia en Français

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