From: stlatos
Message: 68588
Date: 2012-02-22
>There are many problems w what you wrote. First, see:
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> Equating the medieval and modern Hessen with Tacitus's Chatti involves three phonological problems. The latter presumably represents Germanic *Xatto:z, which has the wrong declension, the wrong internal consonantism, and nothing to umlaut the /a/. If Tacitus had actually known about any ancient Hessen, and their name was native, his term should have been *Chationes.
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> Modern <Kassel> apparently continues Latin <castellum> 'fortress'. The local development -st- > -ss- suggests that <Hessen> could similarly continue Lat. *hastio:ne:s 'spear-men', from <hasta> 'spear'. A parallel Gmc. borrowing is seen in Old English <cempa> 'soldier, warrior' from Lat. <campio:> '(battle)field-man', in turn from <campus> 'field'.
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> Kassel, of course, is well beyond the Rhine. What I propose is that Roman colonization was under way in Augustan times, and a fortress was established there. Local warriors were hired as elite guards for the Roman officials in the area, and were known as *Hastio:ne:s, since they carried spears. Then Arminius's attack changed everything, and Augustus in panic ordered the withdrawal of Romans from farther Germany. But the *Hastio:ne:s remained in a privileged position among the native military, and quickly established themselves as the ruling class of the Kassel area after the Romans left.
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