Figure 1.--.

The Angles is a modern term for the Germanic tribe the Romans called the Anglii. The term appears to have originated from the area where the tribe originated, at least in Roman times, This appears to be Angeln, which is now located in Schleswig, the northern German province bordering Denmark. The origins of the term are debated, but appears to have derived from a proto-German term meaning people who lived by a narrow river. The modern tern "angling" may be rekated suggesting that fishing was important to the early Anglii. The Anglii are first mentioned by the Romans. [Tacitus] They apparently were not a major tribe as both Strabo and Pliny (Roman geographers) are silent about them. Tacitus mentions the Anglii only in passing, but does indicate that they abnd some other tribes worshipped Nerthus whose sanctuary was situated on "an island in the Ocean"--possibly Sjælland (Zealand). This suggests a orientation to the sea that many other larger Germsanic tribes did not have. Tacitus suggests that there territory inckuding rivers, inlets, woods, islands, and marshes made them difficult if not impossible to attack. Modern scholars believe the Anglii lived along the Baltic coast in southern Jutland. Archelogical work in Schleswig has found pottery with similrities to Anglii pottery found in heathen graves in England. The Anglii played a major tole in the Germanic invasions of Btiton. The Britons tended to call the Germanic invaders Saxons. The name England of course comes from the Anglii. Angles is the root of Norman words Angleterre (Angleland or England) and Anglais (English). The Angles played an important role in forming the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of early medeval Briton. The Anglii settlements in England evolved into the kingdoms of East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. [Bede] The Germanic tribes had no centralized organizatun and it is thus understandable that they would not found a centralized kingdom in England. Medieval sources, both written sources such as the Bede and oral traditions in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, clearly indicate that the Annglii or Angles played a major role in the invasion and colonization of Britain. It is no clear why such arelatively small group, especially one located on the Baltic shore of Jutland came to play such an important role. Particularly interesting is that between Britain and the Anglii were the Frisians, a much more powerful tribe. The Anglii would have to pass through Frisian territory to reach Britain. But the Frisians are not mentioned in the medieval chronicles. There is a tale told about Pope Gregory I (540–604) concerning the Anglii. Gregory apparently saw a group of Anglii children from Deira. They were being dold as slaves in a Roman market. He was reportedly struck by their fair complexions and piercing blue eyes and asked about them. When he learned that they wer Anglii he punned “Non Angli, sed angeli” , meaning "Not Angles, but angels"). Impressed by their beauty he is said to have resolved to convert their people to Christianity.

Sources

Bede.

Tacitus. Germania Chapter 40..