Varni Varni Sean Heuston Bridge Category="Ancient Germanic peoples"Category="Ancient Roman enemies and allies"Category="Ethnic groups of Europe"Category="History of the Germanic peoples"Category="Late Antiquity"The Varni (Procopius), Varini (Tacitus), Varinnae (Pliny the Elder), Wærns/Werns (Widsith) and Warnii (the Thuringian Law) probably refer to a little known Germanic tribe. The name would have meant the "defenders", and they may have originated in the south Scandinavian region by their name, Värend, and settled in northern Germany.

The earliest mention of this tribe appears in Tacitus' Germania, where he wrote:

After the Langobardi come the Reudigni, Auiones, Angli, Varini, Eudoses, Suarines and Nuithones all well guarded by rivers and forests. There is nothing remarkable about any of these tribes unless it be the common worship of Nerthus, that is Earth Mother. They believe she is interested in men's affairs and drives among them.

Pliny the Elder wrote Germanorvm genera qvinqve: Vandili, qvorvm pars Bvrgodiones, Varinnae, Charini, Gvtones meaning that there were five Germanic races: the Vandals whom the Burgundians were part of, the Varinnae, the Charini and the Gutones (Goths).

It is likewise mentioned in passing by Procopius who wrote that when the Heruls (Eruli) had been defeated by the Langobards, they returned to Scandinavia (Thule). The crossed the Danube (Ister), passed the Slavs (Sclaveni) and after a barren region, they came to the Varni. After the Varni they passed the Dani, and crossed the sea. In Scandinavia, they settled beside the Geats (Gautoi). Procopius: Book VI, xv.

They also appear in the Anglo-Saxon poem Widsith as the Werns.

lines 24-27:
þeodric weold Froncum, þyle Rondingum,Theodric ruled the Franks, Thyle the Rondings,
Breoca Brondingum, Billing Wernum. Breoca the Brondings, Billing the Werns.
Oswine weold Eowum ond Ytum Gefwulf,Oswine ruled the Eow and the Jutes by Getwulf,
Fin Folcwalding Fresna cynne. Finn Folcwalding the Frisian-kin.

On Ptolemy's map, they are placed in the area of Mecklenburg, where one of the main rivers is Warnow and a town is called Warnemünde. They were crushed by the Franks in 595. When the Slavs arrived, they called themselves the Varnabi, perhaps having assimilated remaining Varnis.

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