The History of English Podcast Episode 25: Germanic Markings and the Runes
May 28, 2013
Explore the expansion of Germanic tribes into the Danube region and their encounter with the Etruscan alphabet. Learn about the migration and settlement of Germanic tribes, including the Angli and Friesi, and their linguistic connections. Discover the history and linguistic descendants of the Markamani and Quatii tribes. Delve into the development of the Germanic runic inscriptions and the significance of words found in runic inscriptions.
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Runes Originated From Border Contact
- The Germanic runes arose after contact with literate Romans and Etruscans along the Danube frontier.
- Germans adapted angular letters to carve easily on wood and bone, creating the runic system.
Marcomannic Wars Exploited Roman Weakness
- The Marcomannic Wars (c.166–180) saw Germanic tribes cross the Danube during a Roman plague crisis.
- Romans ultimately repelled them but later fortified the Rhine and Danube, reshaping Roman–Germanic relations.
Mercenary Ties Spread Literacy North
- After the wars Rome increasingly recruited German mercenaries and allowed some tribes to settle as foederati.
- This deepened trade, military ties, and cultural exchange, enabling alphabetic literacy to spread north.
