Re: [tied] Harii/Hirri into (H)eruli?

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, george knysh <gknysh@...> wrote:

>
> --- "Troels Brandt <trbrandt@...>"
> <trbrandt@...> wrote:
> the name of the first Herul -
> > Naulobates - shows up
> > to be the name of a Bosporan co-ruler 35 years
> > earlier. This
> > indicates that groups of Bosporans joined the Heruls
> > - which makes
> > sense as the Heruls and Goths used the Bosporan
> > navy. Therefore the
> > Bosporan language may have had a role in the
> > development of the name
> > of the Heruls - especially as the first Roman
> > contact had a Bosporan
> > name.
>
> ******GK: Troels, I must admit that this is news to
> me. What is your source for a Bosporan "Naulobates"
> ca. 233 AD? Are you sure this isn't a misread of
> "Sauromatos"?*****
>

This is based on following information from Dirk Faltin:

"The name Naulobates usually defies interpretation. It is almost
certaintly not Germanic" ... "In fact, in a publication by the Odessa
Numismatic Museum a rare or unique coin was presented, showing the
twin portraits of the well known Bosporan king Sauromates with a co-
ruler named Naulobates. The coin is believed to belong to Sauromates
III (229-233), hence this Naulobates can hardly be the later
Elurian/Erulian commander. Nevertheless, the name of this commander
is likely Bosporan as well. In fact, compared to other Bosporan names
like Sauromates it even seems to bear a superficial resemblence."

I have not had a chance to check the source myself yet, but I regard
Dirk as a specialist in coins.

Troels