Throughout the history of mankind, there have been a great many tribes. Some of them did not leave a special mark, passed with their culture and memorable events unnoticed and sunk into oblivion. Others were remembered for centuries due to the fact that they erected huge structures, left scientific discoveries to the new generation, or, as in the case of the vandals, destruction and death.
Tribe of vandals
Vandals are a tribe that existed during the era of the great migration of peoples. It is from their name that the word “vandalism” came, in other words, a painful passion for destruction, which has no meaning. The history of the vandals began in the Vistula and Oder, this was their very first habitat. Different areas divided the people into two parts - sillings and asdings.
Connection with the Slavs
In the Middle Ages, vandals were ranked among the Slavs. There is this opinion and is still among many historians. This was first written by a German researcher named Adam of Bremen in 1075. In his opinion, Slavia was considered a large part of Germany, which is inhabited by Vinula. Once these same vinulas were called vandals. The writer Helmold believed that the Slavs in ancient times were called vandals, and later vinulas and vinites.
In 1253, the monk Flemish Rubric wrote that Vandals are a people speaking the same languages as Rusyns, Poles, Bohemians (modern Czechs). Many other figures have repeatedly confirmed that these tribes had Russian customs, language and religion.
Excellent warriors
Looking at the photos of the vandals (of historical chronicles, of course, only drawings have survived to our times), we can immediately understand that military operations occupied most of their lives. They were known as excellent soldiers, the military commanders of Rome were especially eager to take them into the ranks of their legionnaires. A vandal named Stilichon, who lived in 365-408, became famous thanks to the fact that he became the guardian of the young emperor Honorius, as well as one of the most recent majestic commanders of the Roman Empire. Stilicho, along with other vandals, was able to repel the invasion of the vezegot and defeat the Franks.
In 406, the vandals even went on their personal offensive, no longer in the ranks of the Roman legionnaires. Gunterich led them. They conquered Spain. In 429, they left her to head to North Africa. For ten years, a huge army of vandals, originally consisting of 80,000 soldiers, captured the entire coast from Carthage to Gibraltar.
Having built a powerful fleet, they captured with its help Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. In June 455, they landed in Italy with their powerful army and besieged Rome. The Romans did not even show resistance. In a panic, they stoned the emperor Maxim Petronius and threw his corpse into the Tiber. Only one pope Leo the First came out to meet the formidable conquerors, but even he could not convince them. Exactly fourteen days Geyserich gave his wars so that they plundered the eternal city. Vandals dragged everything that they could carry: household utensils from houses, gold from palaces, icons and candlesticks from temples. Even the roof was removed from the temple of Jupiter of Capitoline. The vandals took with them and the Romans, thousands of them took them to Africa to make them slaves. For several centuries, Rome was empty and frozen.
Geyserich died in 477, and all of his heirs died in idleness in luxury. After the Mediterranean was plundered, and all the wealth accumulated in Carthage, the vandals were engaged only in drinking. Among the concubines, slaves, dancers and musicians, they quickly lost their strength and masculinity. In 533, the Byzantine fleet attacked them, just as unexpectedly as they had once in Rome. The state of vandals disappeared, and therefore the Slavs never settled in Africa.
The mistake that became fatal for the Germans
The theory that vandals have much in common with Slavic tribes leaves no doubt. This proves many facts. But at one time they were mistakenly ranked among the Germans, and this significantly changed the direction of the history of this tribe. The fact that the vandals are Germans, historians judged by this. After the battles of Napoleon Bonaparte, the aristocracy, together with the Bourbon dynasty, returned to the good old France. But only ruined palaces awaited them at home. It was then that they called this action vandalism.
The French felt that the raiding people were Germans. Because of this, the hostility of the Gauls and the German tribe appeared, dangerous, aggressive and cruel, as they mistakenly decided. Historians of that time were all French, therefore, the theory that the Vandals are Germans quickly entered the masses.
And still the Slavs
So the whole world of vandals would have considered the Germans, had it not been for Byzantine historians. They did not rely on their own unsupported theories, but solely on facts. The language of the vandals was really very similar to the Slavic. In addition, only the Slavs never worried about protection against vandals.
Medieval Russian historical works and Slavic folklore prove kinship at the ethnic and linguistic level. Confirmation of this fact can be called the legend of an elder named Sloven and his son, called Vandal.