Marsacii
Encyclopedia
The Marsaci or Marsacii were a Germanic tribe in Roman imperial times, who lived within the area of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, under Roman domination. (The river Meuse is the Maas in Dutch, and this name is also often used in English.)
The only relatively clear source concerning the location of this tribe is Pliny the Elder
's Natural History. They are in a list of tribes living in the islands along the Rhine in its river delta
region. First he mentions the islands of the Batavians
and the Cananefates, and then he gives the list of people who he says are stretched out along 100 Roman miles, between Helinius
and Flevus.
The Helinius (or Helinium) is understood to be a southern branch of the Rhine, connecting to the Meuse
, like the modern river Waal
. Flevus (or Flevum) was a Roman fortification, possibly north of the Rhine, mentioned in other sources such as Tacitus, and apparently here also refer to a branch of the Rhine, this time flowing more northerly than the main Rhine, possibly tracing a path similar to the modern Ijssel
, emptying into "lakes", possibly in the location of the modern Zuiderzee.
The tribes of this stretch of delta islands are mentioned in this order: Frisii
, Chauci
, Frisiavones
, Sturii and Marsacii
. Of these:-
About the Marsacii other records mention them being effected by the Batavian revolt confirming that they lived close to the Batavians. Also, like the Batavians and Cugerni
, the Roman emperor
s recruited their horse guard
from both the Frisiavones and the Marsacii.
It has been claimed on the one hand that there might be a link to an earlier named Germanic tribe, from far to the east, known as the Marsi. Somewhat more positively considered is the proposal that the name of the Marsacii is preserved in the name of a medieval gau which was named Marsum. This was to the north of the mouth of the Maas into the North Sea
.
The only relatively clear source concerning the location of this tribe is Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
's Natural History. They are in a list of tribes living in the islands along the Rhine in its river delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
region. First he mentions the islands of the Batavians
Batavians
The Batavi were an ancient Germanic tribe, originally part of the Chatti, reported by Tacitus to have lived around the Rhine delta, in the area that is currently the Netherlands, "an uninhabited district on the extremity of the coast of Gaul, and also of a neighbouring island, surrounded by the...
and the Cananefates, and then he gives the list of people who he says are stretched out along 100 Roman miles, between Helinius
Helinium
Helinium is the latinized name of the rivermouth at the confluence of Rhine and Meuse that variously is located near the Dutch towns Oostvoorne or Hellevoetsluis...
and Flevus.
The Helinius (or Helinium) is understood to be a southern branch of the Rhine, connecting to the Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, like the modern river Waal
Waal
River Waal is the main distributary branch of river Rhine flowing to the central Netherlands for about before joining the Meuse near Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede. It is a major river which serves as the main waterway connecting the Rotterdam harbor and Germany. Nijmegen, Tiel, Zaltbommel...
. Flevus (or Flevum) was a Roman fortification, possibly north of the Rhine, mentioned in other sources such as Tacitus, and apparently here also refer to a branch of the Rhine, this time flowing more northerly than the main Rhine, possibly tracing a path similar to the modern Ijssel
IJssel
River IJssel , sometimes called Gelderse IJssel to avoid confusion with its Hollandse IJssel namesake in the west of the Netherlands, is a branch of the Rhine in the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel...
, emptying into "lakes", possibly in the location of the modern Zuiderzee.
The tribes of this stretch of delta islands are mentioned in this order: Frisii
Frisii
The Frisii were an ancient Germanic tribe living in the low-lying region between the Zuiderzee and the River Ems. In the Germanic pre-Migration Period the Frisii and the related Chauci, Saxons, and Angles inhabited the Continental European coast from the Zuyder Zee to south Jutland...
, Chauci
Chauci
The Chauci were an ancient Germanic tribe living in the low-lying region between the Rivers Ems and Elbe, on both sides of the Weser and ranging as far inland as the upper Weser. Along the coast they lived on artificial hills called terpen, built high enough to remain dry during the highest tide...
, Frisiavones
Frisiavones
The Frisiavones were a Germanic tribe sometimes considered as a subdivision of the Frisii, who in turn are traditionally considered to be ancestors of modern Frisians. Pliny the Elder, however, appeared to distinguish them from the Frisii. They also appear in inscriptions found in Roman Britain...
, Sturii and Marsacii
Marsacii
The Marsaci or Marsacii were a Germanic tribe in Roman imperial times, who lived within the area of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, under Roman domination....
. Of these:-
- The Frisii are traditionally treated as the ancestors of the modern Frisians, although this is questioned, and they also did not necessarily live in the same part or parts of what is now the Netherlands. Pliny is describing them being far to the south of medieval and modern FrisiaFrisiaFrisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
. But Tacitus describes there being two populations of them. - The Chauci are thought to be ancestors of the later SaxonsSaxonsThe Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
who, according to Tacitus, inhabited a large part of northwestern Germany, north of the Rhine. A part of their population stretched into the east of of the Rhine delta area, and had contact with the Roman empire. - The Frisiavones, perhaps related to the Frisii, appear twice in Pliny, once amongst the delta island dwellers, and once amongst the tribes living to the south, in Belgic GaulGaulGaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. For this reason they appear to have lived in the southeast of the delta, towards modern Belgium, neighbouring the Batavians, the TungriTungriThe Tungri were a tribe, or group of tribes, who lived in the Belgic part Gaul, during the times of the Roman empire. They were described by Tacitus as being the same people who were first called "Germani" , meaning that all other tribes who were later referred to this way, including those in...
, and possibly the BetasiiBetasiiThe Betasii was the name of a tribal grouping within the Roman province of Germania Inferior, which later became Germania Secunda...
and Sunuci.
About the Marsacii other records mention them being effected by the Batavian revolt confirming that they lived close to the Batavians. Also, like the Batavians and Cugerni
Cugerni
The Cugerni was a tribal grouping with a particular territory within the Roman province of Germania Inferior, which later became Germania Secunda. More precisely they lived near modern Xanten, and the old Castra Vetera, on the Rhine...
, the Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s recruited their horse guard
Horse guard
The horse guard wasp, Stictia carolina, is a type of sand wasp from the eastern United States which preys primarily upon horse flies. It is a large, colorful, fast-flying wasp, one of 28 species in the genus Stictia , all of which have similar biology...
from both the Frisiavones and the Marsacii.
It has been claimed on the one hand that there might be a link to an earlier named Germanic tribe, from far to the east, known as the Marsi. Somewhat more positively considered is the proposal that the name of the Marsacii is preserved in the name of a medieval gau which was named Marsum. This was to the north of the mouth of the Maas into the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
.