Sub-Roman Britain (Cavalry etc)

[Alanus]

Hi guys,

I've heard Cagwinn's explanation of the origin of the name "Alan" before. Yet how odd it is that such a "popular" Celtic name does not show up in the pedigrees until about four generations after Saloman, who indeed may not have been Celtic since his own name could easily be taken from the old reference to "salta mon," ie "he who uses salt," oft a nobleman of Germanic or Alanic extraction.

Plenty of inuendo here on the Alans boardering Armorica, but no mention of the Taifali who lived just southwest along the Loire. Here too we have a horse culture. I wonder about the date of the socalled Amorican rebellion of 448. The episode is also in the Life of Saint Germanus, written not long after his death. Germanus personally stopped King Eothar (Goar) from advancing on Roman orders into Armorica. Yet in 448, Germanus was tippering off to the Heavenly Santum, having crapped off in Ravenna.

As for Bachrach, maybe he was a loose-cannon scholar. But he did find Alans under every rock in Gaul, a few more rocks than I think the gravel-pit held. :wink:

PS: And thanks to whomever mentioned that the reference to Britons cutting out Alanic women's tongues was inaccurate and unfounded, especially when we consider the number of intermarriages between the two reasonably close cultures. The old Brut used by Nennius even claimed the Britons descended from "Alanus, the first man in Europe."