Osi (ancient Tribe)
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The Osi or Osii were an ancient tribe dwelling north of the
Marcomanni The Marcomanni were a Germanic people who lived close to the border of the Roman Empire, north of the River Danube, and are mentioned in Roman records from approximately 60 BC until about 400 AD. They were one of the most important members of th ...
and
Quadi The Quadi were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people during the Roman era, who were prominent in Greek and Roman records from about 20 AD to about 400 AD. By about 20 AD they had a kingdom centred in the area of present-day western Slovakia, north ...
, in a woody and mountainous country. Their national customs, as well as their language, were those of the Aravisci, who Tacitus called
Pannonians This is a list of ancient tribes in the ancient territory of Illyria (; ). The name ''Illyrians'' seems to be the name of a single Illyrian tribe that was the first to come into contact with the ancient Greeks, causing the name Illyrians to be ap ...
. They were tributaries to the Quadi and Sarmatae. The exact districts they inhabited cannot be determined, nor do we know whether they had migrated from
Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...
, or whether they were an ancient remnant of Pannonians in those districts.
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. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...
described the Osi as living "behind" () the Marcomanni, moving north from the river Danube. They were neighbours of the Marsigni, Gotini, and Buri. :Behind them the Marsigni, Gotini, Osi, and Buri, close in the rear of the Marcomanni and Quadi. [] Tacitus described them as a Germanic peoples, Germanic "", using that term in a geographical sense. :Whether however the Aravisci migrated into Pannonia from the Osi, a German race [], or whether the Osi came from the Aravisci into
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, as both nations still retain she same language, institutions, and customs, is a doubtful matter; for as they were once equally poor and equally free, either bank had the same attractions, the same drawbacks.Tacitus, ''
Germania Germania ( ; ), also more specifically called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Superio ...
''
28
In another passage, Tacitus explains that the Osi are nevertheless not really according to Tacitus, who in this case uses language to distinguish them.Tacitus, ''
Germania Germania ( ; ), also more specifically called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Superio ...
''
43
:the Marsigni and Buri, in their language and manner of life, resemble the
Suevi file:1st century Germani.png, 300px, The approximate positions of some Germanic peoples reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 1st century. Suebian peoples in red, and other Irminones in purple. The Suebi (also spelled Suavi, Suevi or Suebians ...
. :The Gotini and Osi are proved by their respective Gallic and Pannonian tongues, as well as by the fact of their enduring tribute, not to be
Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
. [] :Tribute is imposed on them as aliens, partly by the Sarmatians, Sarmatæ, partly by the Quadi. The Gotini, to complete their degradation, actually work iron mines. All these nations occupy but little of the plain country, dwelling in forests and on mountain-tops.


References

{{SmithDGRG, title=Osi Ancient peoples of Europe Ancient history of Austria Ancient tribes in Hungary Ancient Slovakia Early Germanic peoples