Basic knowledge about the Franks

First Franks

The Franks are first attested in Pannonia where a stone inscription written by a Frank was
found*. This inscription was written in Latin and not in Germanic.

* "FRANCVS EGO CIVES ROMANVS MILES IN ARMIS EGREGIA VIRTVTE TVLI BELLO MEA DEXTERA
SEMER"

-HD068602 - Epigraphische Datenbank Heidelberg, 250 AD, Pannonia Inferior

Homeland of the Franks

The first historian of the Franks*, namely Gregory of Tours, mentions that ancient historians all
place their homeland in Pannonia*. This match the claim of Niketas Chroniates who mentions
that there is place in Pannonia named Frangochorion(modern-day Fruska Gora in Serbia**) i.e.
"country of the Franks" in Greek***.

This also explain, the several artifacts of Pannonian origin found in the the Merovingian burial
site of Borgharen****.

*: "This is the evidence that the historians who have been named have left us about the Franks,
and they have not mentioned kings. Many relate that they came from Pannonia..."

-Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, Book 2, Chapter 9

**: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruška_Gora#Name

***: "John stayed on in enemy territory. Showing himself to be more persevering than ever
before, he capture Frangochorion, the richest land in Hungary, which lies among plains suited to
the driving of horses, between the Sava and Istros rivers."

-Niketas Choniatēs, Annals, Book 1, Chapter 18

****:"Clues to their origins are the artifacts found in the graves: late Roman early Merovingian
pottery, Venus Aphrodite hangers, Avar like horse equipment that seems to be found in Europe
along the Danube and Rhine"

https://j2-m172.info/2015/04/three-j2-found-at-merovingian-buriel-site-roman-frankish-
transitional-period/

Frankish Identity
Aside from claming a Pannonian origin, the Franks claimed being Gaulish and considered
themselves as distinct from the Germanics*. Furthermore, they considered the Germanics as
their servants**.

The Romans

*: "but also the neighbouring provinces of Pannonia, Noricum, Rhætia, or in other words the
Germans and the Franks or Gauls. Then too the kings of the Franks or Gauls"

-The Monk of Saint Gall, The Life of Charlemagne, Book 2

**: This distinction of status between Franks and the Germanics is attested in Old High German,
in which, Franks are named "Edil Franko" i.e. Noble Franks, as opposed to Theod i.e. the
Germans.

Frankish Tribal Confederacy

The Franks were a confederacy of several tribes, namely the Attuari*, the Chamavi**, and the
ruling-tribe of the Salii***. Attuari and Chamavi were Germanic tribes, however, the Salii were a
Gallic tribe****.

*: "Then crossing the Rhine, he suddenly entered the district belonging to a Frank tribe, called
the Attuarii, men of a turbulent character, who at that very moment were licentiously plundering
the districts of Gaul."

-Ammianus Marcellinus, Roman History, Book 20, Chapter 10

**: "The Hamavi, who are Franks"

-Peutinger Map

***:"After these preparations he first of all aimed at the Franks, those namely whom custom
calls the Salii"

-Ammianus Marcellinus, Roman History, Book 17, Chapter 8

****: "Junior Gallic Salii"

-Notitia Dignitatum, Qui numeri ex praedictis per infrascriptas provincias habeantur, Intra
Hispenias cum uiro spectabili comite

****: "Gallic Salii"

-Notitia Dignitatum, Insignia viri illustris magistri peditum, Auxilia palatina sexaginta quinque