Istvánovits Eszter: International Connections... (Jósa András Múzeum Kiadványai 47. Aszód-Nyíregyháza, 2001)
Andrea Vaday: Military system of the Sarmatians
Transiugitani and some of the Quadi; the other led some of the Sarmatians. Ammianus also reported that these peoples were "closely united by the same frontiers and like savagery". 20 This phrase also hinted at the long-standing alliance between the barbarians. The Romans separated those who asked for peace over the protests of the barbarians, and first discussed the case of the Quadi led by Araharius. The second was Usafer, who was the leader of the Sarmatian group that had earlier been subdued by their Quadian neighbours. 21 Araharius protested, saying that his case should be dealt with separately from that of the Sarmatians. He pleaded that the peace conditions he had won should be applied to Usafer too, who "was of inferior rank and accustomed to obey his commands." 22 The Sarmatae Liberi were taken separately to the Emperor 23 , who said that from that time on they were to "yield obedience to none save himself and the Roman generals. 24 And to give their restoration to freedom an increase of dignity, he set over them as their king Zizais..." 25 The Quadian King Viduarius and his entourage followed only after these peace negotiations. He had been defeated during the campaign launched from Brigetio, and the peace was concluded with the delegation led by Viduarius's son Vitrodorus and his vassal Agilimundus. The description of this event is important for our purposes since it may help in the localisation of the territories of the tribal leaders under discussion. The Quadian kingdom of Vidarius can be located in the region facing Brigetio. Araharius's Quadian-Transiugitanian confederate kingdom was to the east, somewhere at the Danube Knee. Usafer reigned in the northern part of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve, while Zizais's people ruled the remainder of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve. There are no direct data to determine if the lands east of the Tisza and north of the Maros belonged to Zizais's tribe or were occupied by the Arcaragantes together with the Banat. The latter is more probable. The Arcaragantes fled to the Vandali, who lived north of them, i.e. not to Sarmatian territory. If Zizais's people had lived north of either the Maros or the Körös, they would have sought refuge with them if allowed to do so. The indirect datum that the Emperor later appointed Zizais to be the king of the Sarmatae Liberi (before concluding negotiations with the Limigantes) also implies that the Emperor's decree allowed them to return to the Sarmatian territory, although not to their former home but to Zizais's kingdom. They were to occupy their former home in the Banat only later, after the defeat of the Limigantes, thereby increasing the territory of Zizais's kingdom. The above suggest, at the same time, that the territory of the Arcaragantes must have been outside the kingdom of Zizais's father before the rebellion. The western border of the territory abandoned by the fleeing Sarmatae Liberi, i.e. the border of the Vandali, is also problematic, more specifically the question 20 Ammian. XVII. 12. 12: "Araharius et Vsafer...quorum alter Transiugitanorum Quadrumqueparti, alter quibusdam Sarmatispraeerat, locorum confiniis et feritate iunctissimis." 21 Up to this point, the Sarmatians had been considered to be a unified nation; but this note by Ammianus suggests that "earlier" some of the Sarmatians had become subdued by the Quadi. 22 Ammian. XVII. 12. 14: "Vsafer in preces admissus est, Arahario pertinaciter obstrepente, firmanteque pacem quam ipse meruit, ei quoque debere proficere, utparticipi licet inferiori, et obtemperare suis imperils consueto." 21 Ammian XVII. 12. 17. They are not mentioned in the text by name, but it is certain from the context referring to the rebellion that they are the Sarmatae Liberi. M Ammian. XVII. 12 19: "...sibi ducibusque Romanis." 25 Ammian. XVII. 12. 20: "...Zizaim regem eisdempraefecit."
