The Vangiones – Germani on the Rhine around Worms

History & Finds The Vangiones: Guardians on the Rhine around Worms

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The Vangiones were a Germanic tribe on the left bank of the Rhine, in the area of today's Worms. Tacitus counts them, with the Nemetes and Triboci, among the Germanic peoples of the Gaulish Rhine side.

Rhine frontier and Roman order

Rome settled the Vangiones as a border people and made their capital Borbetomagus a civitas capital. Vangionian horsemen served in Roman auxiliary units as far as Britain.

From Borbetomagus to Worms

From Borbetomagus came Worms – the city that later entered the Nibelung saga as the royal seat of the Burgundians. Thus the small Rhine tribe links Germanic antiquity with the great heroic poetry.

"The Vangiones, Triboci and Nemetes, without doubt Germani, inhabit the bank of the Rhine."after Tacitus, Germania 28 (public domain, own translation)

What is documented: Vangiones as a Germanic Rhine tribe (Tacitus, Germania 28), Borbetomagus/Worms as a civitas capital and Vangionian horsemen in Roman service (inscriptions, military diplomas).

What is interpretation: There is no continuity between the ancient Vangiones and the later Burgundians in Worms – they are different peoples in the same place. "Germanic" here is a Roman ascription.

The Vangiones belong to the Rhine peoples between Germania and Rome. Continue with the Nemetes and Burgundians.

Glanz & Gravur — From our workshop: Germanic motifs on natural slate, laser-engraved. To the shop →

Sources & literature

Tacitus, Germania 28; Roman inscriptions/military diplomas; quote public domain (own translation).

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The Vangiones: Guardians on the Rhine around Worms

Rhine frontier and Roman order

From Borbetomagus to Worms

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Sources & literature

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