Garam Éva szerk.: Between East and West - History of the peoples living in hungarian lands (Guide to the Archaeological Exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum; Budapest, 2005)

HALL 7 - The early Migration period: the Huns and the Germanic peoples (c. 420-568 A.D.) (Ágnes B. Tóth)

93. Silver gilt brooches, probably from Transylvania. Late 5th century 8-10. GERMANIC KINGDOMS IN THE CARPATHIAN BASIN (455-568 A.D.) Following the collapse of the Hun Empire in 455, the subdued Germanic peoples and the Sarmatians created their own kingdoms in the Carpathian Basin. Led by their king Ardarich, the driving force behind the coalition forged against the Huns, the Gepids seized the central territories of their former overlords; they settled in Dacia and gradually occupied the region east of the Tisza River. After the departure of the Ostrogoths in 473, they extended their control over the Srem. The remnants of the Huns withdrew to the Ostrogoths' former territories in the Pontic after the latter were settled in Pannónia by the East Roman emperor in accordance with the terms of the alliance between them. The Lacum Pelsois (Lake Balaton) lay on the fringes of their new homeland. The archaeological record indicates that the royal centre lay in the Fenékpuszta fort - it is believed that Theoderich the Great was bom here. The royal seat was moved to the Srem by King Valamer. Until 473, the Ostrogoths' settlement territory extended from Lake Balaton to the Sava mouth. The written sources record that the Scirs settled in the southern part of the DanubeTisza Interfluve. It is from this region that Odoacer, son of King Edica, set off to become the first barbarian king of Italy. The Suebians kept their former territories north of the Danube and extended their rule to northern Transdanubia. The Heruls occupied the area to the north and west of Lake Fertő until about 510, while the Rugians lived to their west, opposite the former province of Noricum. The Sarmatians moved to the southern Banat, settling near Singidunum/Belgrade for about a decade. The Ostrogoths turned out to be the most militant of these peoples. In the 460s, they waged wars against all of their neighbours (Suebians, Scirs, Sarmatians). The peoples of the Carpathian Basin united against them for the final battle, but the Ostrogoths emerged victorious from the clash by the Bolia River in 469. In spite of their victory, they left Pannónia: one group joined their Visigothic brethren in Gaul, the others, led by Theoderich the Great, marched to the Balkanic provinces of the East Roman Empire from where they began the conquest of Italy in 489. The colourful ethnic mosaic of the Carpathian Basin during these eventful years, spanning a brief two decades, is barely reflected in the archaeological record. It is immensely difficult to date finds within such a short period of time - moreover, the changes in jewellery and costume fashion were not always immediately adopted. The most important assemblages of this period come from the burials of Germanic noblewomen, whose costume shows a remarkable uniformity after the Hun period. Their garments were pinned at the shoulder with two large silver brooches. Their belt was