Ambrones [GER]

The Ambrones (Latin: Ambrones) were a tribal group in ancient Germania. At the end of the 2nd century BC, parts of the tribe migrated south with the Cimbri and Teutons, where they were perceived as a threat by the Romans (Cimbri Wars).

The word "Ambrones"
There is currently no satisfactory explanation for the origin of the term "Ambrones." The most important clue appears to be the syllable of the Indo-European ambr-, which translates as "water" or "rain." However, the Anglo-Saxon Widsith poetry also mentions a tribe of the ymbre, whose name could be derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for "child," umbor.

Origin:
Closely related to the meaning of the word is the question of the origin of the Ambrones. A relationship with the Italian Umbrians has not been ruled out. Plutarch mentioned them in connection with the Ligurians, and Rufius Festus used the term as a synonym for "rabble." On the other hand, many place and river names in present-day German-speaking areas suggest a possible origin. For example, the settlement area could have been located both in Bavaria on the Amper River and on the North Sea coast, where the name of the island of Amrum (then Ambrum) suggests a possible connection.
Although the Roman historian Rufius Festus counted the Ambrones among the Gauls, today it is more likely that they belonged to the Germanic tribes. Since they joined the Teutonic movement that set out from present-day Jutland, the coastal region is the most likely place of settlement.

History:
For unknown reasons, around 120 BC, some of the Ambrones joined the Cimbri and Teutons moving south. They traveled with them through Central Europe and participated in numerous battles against the Romans, remaining closely aligned with the Teutons. Their first notable mention in history was their participation in the Battle of Noreia. In 105 BC, the troop defeated the Romans at the Battle of Arausio. Together with the Teutons, they were supposedly around 30,000 strong and were annihilated in 102 BC at the Battle of Aquae Sextiae (now Aix-en-Provence). In fact, it is quite possible that some groups had previously settled on the upper Vistula, where Claudius Ptolemy later located a tribe of ombrones. From the later Anglo-Saxon tradition of the ymbre, it can be concluded that parts of the tribe probably remained on the coast in the north as well.