[gothic-l] Whence the Eruli

[george knysh]

They emerge into history under their own name in the
260's as prime participants in the barbarian raids
against the Roman Empire across the Black Sea.
It seems probable that they were included among the
"Boradoi" or "Boranoi" (="northern peoples")mentioned
by the sources as to the raids of the 250's.
The appellative "Eliuroi" is almost certainly a Greek
folk rendition of "Eruli", facilitated by the fact
that the Eruli staged their raids from the area of the
Bosporan Kingdom, i.e. from the "Maeotian swamps".
Their primary settlements were east of the Vistula
since the Vita Claudii VI.2 lists them among the
"Scythian" peoples.
Archaeologically, the only known Germanic cultures
east of the Vistula in the classic Roman era are:
Psheworsk, Wielbark, and Chernyakhiv (the latter
shared with other ethna).
It is absolutely impossible for the Erulian
settlements to have been located "at the Maeotis" (as
per Ablabius). This was geographically the preserve of
nomadic Iranic (Alanic) tribes, a fact conclusively
confirmed by extensive archaeological research. We
must seek them further north and northwest, in the
area of the Chernyakhiv culture, where they are
indistinguishable from Goths and Gepids in the period
250-400.
The Chernyakhiv culture was initiated by Getan and
Scytho-Sarmatian tribes close to the Roman borders. It
began in the first half of the 2nd c. AD. Newly
incoming Germanic groups assimilated to this culture
as of the 2nd half of the 3rd c. In the first phase of
their residency east of the Vistula, these Germanic
groups were either "Wielbark" or "Psheworsk" in their
cultural orientation. There are no other recovered
archaeological identities. Certainly none from
Scandinavia directly. This means that the incoming
Eruli must have initially also have been either
"Wielbark" or "Psheworsk". The Wielbark culture began
to form in northern Poland and was in place no later
than the 2nd c. BC. It is usually associated with the
Goths and Gepids. If the Erulian component is to be
sought here then the same arguments developed with
respect to the origin of the Goths would apply to the
Eruli. The Psheworsk culture began to form in Western
Poland and was in place also no later than the 2nd c.
BC. It is usually associated with the Vandals. If the
Eruli came from here, then a possible historical link
to the "Harii" or "Hirri" might be entertained. One
further point is also clear: whatever one makes of
Jordanes' statement that "Dani...Herulos propriis
sedibus expulerunt" I must amend my earlier belief
that this could have happened in the 3rd c. There is
no evidence either in the Psheworsk or Wielbark areas
of a significant "northern" influx at that time. We
must therefore either go back further in time (I don't
know if archaeology allows this, it might), or agree
with some later (probably 6th c.) scenario for the
event.



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