: : : I am so intrigued by the glimpses of the history of the germanic tribes that we get through our different sources.
: : : Lotte Hedeager has written some very interesting works on the subject. I think some have been translated.
: : : ;-) Neithan

: : The old Teutonic tribes seem to have been quite fluid institutions. Some at least having Celtic names, such as the Usipetes ("Good horsemen"). To the chagrin of Hitler, had he looked closely enough, they showed little racial chauvanism - the Vandals merged with a portion of the Iranian Alans - the Franks and Burgudians with the Gallo-Romans, the Marcomanni with the Celtic Boii to form the Bavarians (Baiuvars - dwellers in the Boii land) and of course the Anglo-Saxons with the Romano-British.

: I know what you mean Martin, but please call them "Germanic" as the Teutons were a specific tribe who participated in the first migration of Germanic tribes the Romans encountered and who slaughtered every roman army sent against them save the last, led by Gaius Marius. Just a Idunnowhat, I am a descendant of them so I like things right and proper;-).
: :-) Neithan

What's in a name?

The usage of teutonic is a little old fashioned, but it does put a little distance from the modern state of Germany, which is a distinction I like to draw.

Many ancient cultural groups received their names from obscure representatives, the Hellenes were originally a small tribe in Thessaly, and the Graeci were a portion of the Greek settlers at Cumae near Naples, but both terms came to be used for the Greek speakers in general.

I seeem to remember the king of the Teutoni having a Celtic name.
Anyway there was a lesser god called Teutates, I think, which would form a parallel with the example of the Saxons getting their name from the god Seaxneat (Saxsnot).

I cannot remember the origin of the term Germani, but the Romans made somewhat indescriminate use of it often lumping the Sarmatians and Alans under the same name. After all to the Romans one bunch of barbarians north of the rivers was much the same as another.