Vainius (flourished in 1st century AD) was the king of the Germanic tribe

Quadi The Quadi were a Germanic * * * people who lived approximately in the area of modern Moravia in the time of the Roman Empire. The only surviving contemporary reports about the Germanic tribe are those of the Romans, whose empire had its bord ...

. According to The Annals of

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his two major works—the ...

, Vannius came to power following the defeat of the

Marcomanni The Marcomanni were a Germanic people * * * that established a powerful kingdom north of the Danube, somewhere near modern Bohemia, during the peak of power of the nearby Roman Empire. According to Tacitus and Strabo, they were Suebian. O ...

c king Catualda by the

Hermunduri The Hermunduri, Hermanduri, Hermunduli, Hermonduri, or Hermonduli were an ancient Germanic tribe, who occupied an inland area near the source of the Elbe river, around what is now Bohemia from the first to the third century, though they have als ...

king of Vibilius, establishing the kingdom of Vannius (''regnum Vannianum''). It was the first political unit in the area that is now

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...

. Vannius was a client king of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...

and ruled from 20 AD to 50 AD. Tacitus writes that he was "renowned and popular with his countrymen," but after a long reign, he "became a tyrant, and the enmity of neighbours, joined to intestine strife, was his ruin." Joined by Vangio and Sido, sons of a sister of Vannius, Vibilius of the Hermunduri again led the deposition. Emperor

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor ...

, decided to stay out of the conflict, fearing that the

Lugii The Lugii (or ''Lugi'', ''Lygii'', ''Ligii'', ''Lugiones'', ''Lygians'', ''Ligians'', ''Lugians'', or ''Lougoi'') were a large tribal confederation mentioned by Roman authors living in ca. 100 BC–300 AD in Central Europe, north of the Sude ...

and other Germanic tribes would be attracted by the "opulent realm which Vannius had enriched during thirty years of plunder and tribute." Vannius was easily defeated by the Lugii and the Hermunduri, although he won some credit through being wounded in battle. Vannius managed to flee to his fleet on the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

, and was awarded lands in

Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia. Pannonia was located in the territory that is now west ...

by Claudius. His realm was subsequently divided between his nephews Vangio and Sido. Tacitus writes that Vangio and Sido were "admirably loyal" to the Romans, but among their subjects, by whom they were "much loved" while seeking to acquire power, they became "yet more hated when they acquired it."Tacitus. The Annals.12.30

Notes

Sources

, '' The Annals'' 1st-century monarchs in Europe Quadi rulers Ancient Slovakia Marcomanni {{Slovakia-stub