Much of our information about Sarmatians in Gaul is contained in Notitia Dignitatum, which details a list of Roman civil and military settlements in the Roman Empire. This document was written under Honorius (395-423).
The Notitia Dignitatum contains 6 Praefecti Sarmatorum in Gaul. The end of the list is missing. These are:
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium et Taifalorum gentilium Pictavis : POITIERS
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentium a Chora Parisios usque : From La Cure to PARIS
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium inter Remos et Ambianos : From REIMS to AMIENS
- Praefectus sarmatarum gentilium per tractum Rodunenses et Alaunorum : ROANNE
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium Lingonas : LANGRES
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium Au… : the end of the name can’t be read, and most historians understand it as Augustodunum : AUTUN
Most toponymists consider that several dozens of French place-names are related to Sarmatians. These place-names are Sermaize, Sermoise, Sermage,…These place-names are attested between the 10th and 13th centuries as Sarmasia, Sermasia, Sarmacia, Sarmatii castrum, Villa Sarmatica, Sarmace,…
The map hereafter indicates the 6 known Praefecti Sarmatarum in Gaul and the concentration of “Sarmatian” place-names in nowadays French Regions. The most important concentration is in the Burgundy Region.
Roughly, the location of the Sarmatarum Praefecti fits quite well with the nowadays “Sarmatians” place-names.
The Notitia Dignitatum contains 6 Praefecti Sarmatorum in Gaul. The end of the list is missing. These are:
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium et Taifalorum gentilium Pictavis : POITIERS
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentium a Chora Parisios usque : From La Cure to PARIS
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium inter Remos et Ambianos : From REIMS to AMIENS
- Praefectus sarmatarum gentilium per tractum Rodunenses et Alaunorum : ROANNE
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium Lingonas : LANGRES
- Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium Au… : the end of the name can’t be read, and most historians understand it as Augustodunum : AUTUN
Most toponymists consider that several dozens of French place-names are related to Sarmatians. These place-names are Sermaize, Sermoise, Sermage,…These place-names are attested between the 10th and 13th centuries as Sarmasia, Sermasia, Sarmacia, Sarmatii castrum, Villa Sarmatica, Sarmace,…
The map hereafter indicates the 6 known Praefecti Sarmatarum in Gaul and the concentration of “Sarmatian” place-names in nowadays French Regions. The most important concentration is in the Burgundy Region.
Roughly, the location of the Sarmatarum Praefecti fits quite well with the nowadays “Sarmatians” place-names.