Frisian people
The Frisians are a group of people of northwestern Europe, living in an area known as Frisia. They are mainly in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia. They said to be a tall, big-boned and light-haired people and they have a rich history and folklore.
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History[change]
In Roman times[change]
The Frisians were able to make a treaty with the Romans at the River Rhine in 28. Sixteen years late they defeated the Romans under Tiberius at the Battle of Baduhennawood. The Frisii were known and respected by the Romans and written about by several writers. Tacitus wrote about the Germanic peoples in 69, describing the habits of the Germanic people, as well as listing numerous tribes by name.[1] Of the many tribes he listed, the Frisians are the only ones that have kept their ancient name.[2]
They were probably a people of seafarers. The North Sea from Britain to Eastern Denmark, was called Mare Frisia at that time. Small groups of Frisians settled the surrounding lands and their settlements have been found in England, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France and obviously The Netherlands.
Their territory followed the coast of the North Sea from the mouth of the Rhine river up to that of the Ems, their eastern border according to Ptolemy's Geographica.
In the 5th century, many of them joined the migration of the Anglo-Saxons who went through Frisian territory to invade Great Britain, while those who stayed in Europe moved into the newly-emptied lands previously lived in by the Anglo-Saxons.
Famous Frisians[change]
See also[change]
Other websites[change]
References[change]
- ↑ "Tacitus - Characteristics of Germanic people". i-Friesland. http://www.i-friesland.com/Tacitus_traits.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
- ↑ "History: Tacitus - Tribes of Germania". i-Friesland. http://www.i-friesland.com/Tacitus_tribes.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
