“Sicambrians,” si-cam´bri-ans. In early German history one of the most powerful tribes. They lived in Westphalia, between the Rhine and Weser.
“Chatti,” or “Catti,” so called from an old German word cat or cad, meaning “war.” They dwelt south of the Sicambrians in the modern state of Hesse.
“Batavi.” A Celtic people who had settled in the portion of the present Netherlands lying at the mouth of the Rhine. Their chief city was Leyden. The country was afterward extended and called Batavia.
P. 64, c. 1.—“Salzburg,” sälts´boorg; “Ratisbonne,” ra´tis-bon; “Augsburg,” owgs´boorg; “Basle,” bâl, or “Basel,” bä´zel; “Baden,” bä´den; “Spires,” spīr´es; “Metz,” mĕts; “Treves,” treevz.
“Ammianus,” am´mi-a´nus mar´cel-li´nus. A Greek serving under the emperor Julian 363. Later we find him in Rome where he wrote a history from the time of Nerva, 96, to the death of Valens, 378. Many of the events were contemporaneous, so that the descriptions and incidents are particularly valuable.
P. 64, c. 2.—“Vandals.” This tribe first appeared in the north of Germany, from whence they went to the Reisengebirge, sometimes called from them the Vandal Mountains. In the fifth century they worked their way from Pannonia into Spain, marched southward and founded the once powerful kingdom of Andalusia (Vandalusia). In 429 they conquered Africa. An hundred years afterward Belisarius overthrew their power, and the race disappeared. Many claim that descendants of the Vandals are to be seen among the Berber race, with blue eyes and light hair.
“Troyes,” trwä.
“Catalaunian,” cat´a-lau´ni-an. A people formerly living in northeastern France, their capital the present Châlons-sur-Marne.
“Méry-sur-Seine,” mā-rē-sur-sane.
“Visigoths.” In the fourth century the Goths were divided into the Ostrogoths and Visigoths or the Eastern and Western Goths; the latter worked their way from the Danube westward to France and Spain where they built up a splendid kingdom which lasted until 711, when it was overthrown by the Moors.