10-03-2009, 04:13 AM
Hailog, Benjamin and Ron
Both of you have brought up good points. It does appear that the Britons were "healthy" enough to colonize the major chunk of Armorica, plus parts of the Loire Valley. Interestingly, these colonies were directly adjacent to the Alans (who settled along their Eastern border) and the Taifali (who settled in the Loire Valley). Gregory of Tours mentions that the revered holy-man Senoch was a Taifal. Within such "neighbors," we also find a longstanding cavalry tradition, principally from the steppes.
I recall Benjamin mentioning that the given name "Alan" also meant "deer" (roebuck?). Just as well, the name shows up in the fourth generation of the Salomon gens. David Nash Ford has described Salomon as "very obscure;" odd that we know nothing about the father of the famed Aldrien of Arthurian tradition, who also appears as the father of John Budic, aka Emyr Llydaw and John Rieth, the principal contender for "Riothamus" (at least Geoffrey Ashe thought so).
This is theory, not history, but Salomon may have arrived through the Roman cavalry in the same fashion that the original Theithfallt did. Salomon may have been in the large Alan recruitment conducted by Gratian in the early 380s. The name is not Celtic. Interestingly, if we are to believe medieval pedigrees :roll: , his son Aldrien married the sister of Bishop Germanus, a lady named Rhineguilda. Here again we see "outside" influence. Within this family of Salomon, we find the name "Alan" introduced in the fourth generation and in evey other generation thereafter.
As Ron pointed out (above), the name continued and perhaps the "Alan of Brittany" of William the Bastard's time may have extended from this Salomon family, which also had an earlier Alan I of Brittany. If so, the Breton/Alanic/Taifal cavalry tradition never died out. And odd as it seems, Bretons were probably involved in "recolonizing" an island they originally came from :wink: , plus the hints of "Alanisms" as in the newer name of Fitz-Alan.
When you take all the "smoking gun evidence," yet including newer stuff introduced though recent genetic studies, we find a longstanding cavalry tradition incorporated into early British society. On the isle, we now have more than hints of Thracian blood, then Iazyge, then Taifali and Gothic, all of it revolving around military horsemanship. In the end, it might appear that the Britons were a little less "insular"-- a little less "Celtic"-- than we once thought they were.
hock:
Both of you have brought up good points. It does appear that the Britons were "healthy" enough to colonize the major chunk of Armorica, plus parts of the Loire Valley. Interestingly, these colonies were directly adjacent to the Alans (who settled along their Eastern border) and the Taifali (who settled in the Loire Valley). Gregory of Tours mentions that the revered holy-man Senoch was a Taifal. Within such "neighbors," we also find a longstanding cavalry tradition, principally from the steppes.
Quote:Despite the lack of definitive supporting evidence, it's not far-fetched to posit a continuity of mounted warrior tradition in both Britannia and Brittany (formerly Armorica)... Paradoxically, the mounted warrior tradition was re-introduced to Britain in 1066. Among William of Normandy's forces were those of Alan of Brittany (a suggestive name given the role of the Alans in that same area as the Western Empire folded).
I recall Benjamin mentioning that the given name "Alan" also meant "deer" (roebuck?). Just as well, the name shows up in the fourth generation of the Salomon gens. David Nash Ford has described Salomon as "very obscure;" odd that we know nothing about the father of the famed Aldrien of Arthurian tradition, who also appears as the father of John Budic, aka Emyr Llydaw and John Rieth, the principal contender for "Riothamus" (at least Geoffrey Ashe thought so).
This is theory, not history, but Salomon may have arrived through the Roman cavalry in the same fashion that the original Theithfallt did. Salomon may have been in the large Alan recruitment conducted by Gratian in the early 380s. The name is not Celtic. Interestingly, if we are to believe medieval pedigrees :roll: , his son Aldrien married the sister of Bishop Germanus, a lady named Rhineguilda. Here again we see "outside" influence. Within this family of Salomon, we find the name "Alan" introduced in the fourth generation and in evey other generation thereafter.
As Ron pointed out (above), the name continued and perhaps the "Alan of Brittany" of William the Bastard's time may have extended from this Salomon family, which also had an earlier Alan I of Brittany. If so, the Breton/Alanic/Taifal cavalry tradition never died out. And odd as it seems, Bretons were probably involved in "recolonizing" an island they originally came from :wink: , plus the hints of "Alanisms" as in the newer name of Fitz-Alan.
When you take all the "smoking gun evidence," yet including newer stuff introduced though recent genetic studies, we find a longstanding cavalry tradition incorporated into early British society. On the isle, we now have more than hints of Thracian blood, then Iazyge, then Taifali and Gothic, all of it revolving around military horsemanship. In the end, it might appear that the Britons were a little less "insular"-- a little less "Celtic"-- than we once thought they were.
hock:
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
