#GERMANIA ETC

[nordic-italian-german]

We need more chapters dedicated to the Ancients + all of them interacting with modern day nations

[arschbiene]

Germania with shorter hair please!

+ a beard too for prosperity + him being young

Thoughts

I know a lot of people hate the canon design but I love it lol, I think though it's fun to switch it up. I don't personally have anything against people who play with the canon designs but after a while familiarity to canon can be lost in the shuffle. It would be nice if Himaruya was better at character diversity but he's not lol. Anyhoo, im sure as an immortal nation, he chopped off his hair, grew his beard, shaved his beard etc and beyond a thousand times.

I wanted to draw another comic where he shaves his beard because he doesn't like that the idk "tension" of his face shifts from his lips/jaw to his eyes and he just looks like the world's saddest man with the beard.

I also laughed thinking about Gilbert bursting into tears at the sight of him with a beard bc little kids don't do well with major changes in a parents appearance.

Also while I'm here my HC for why Germania exists is that he has a function as HRE does and is a representation for a collection. I think each separate people of the german tribes had it's own representative that died out as the new generation was born. I like that draw that he's almost always with Gilbert and HRE because those two get sick and die like tinkerbell if they don't get enough attention.

I kinda maybe HC that he doesn't know what to do with Gilbert because he was born early and his people aren't a collection yet so he ends up carrying the brat everywhere he goes as he travels. anyway xoxo read my old germania disclaimer if this makes you soooo mad, anyway more to come

[kneelingshadowsalome]

NOOOO NOT KONIG AS A SPARTAN/GREEK WARRIOR I CANNOT HAVE THAT IMAGE IN MY BRAIN I STILL NEED TO FUNCTION ON THE DAILY DAMNIT😭😭😭

I am a sucker for the warrior claims his spoils of war trope, the whole achilles/briseis from the troy movie vibes💕😫👌🏻 but with a twist 👀

König, the infamous Germanic warrior and beast of a man who has a unique station as commander in the troops of the romans (or something??? lmao don’t @me my brain rot is not historically accurate) because he possesses the perfect balanced mixture of inhuman strength and a cunning strategic mind. Hacking and slashing his way through battle after battle, some call him Ares, the God of War, because they’re convinced that whatever must be under that helmet and hood can’t be an actual human being. He seems to be living and breathing for war and the shedding of blood. That is until during one of his battles he finds himself in the raided temple of Artemis, face to face with a temple maiden who isn’t raped and pillaged by his men. Whether it’s a curse or a blessing from the Gods, he doesn’t know but he falls, and he falls hard for her. Blood is pumping to his heart, which is about to beat its way through his chest, and racing down to his dick which is even harder than after a successful battle. “An Engel” he mutters to himself, and that’s the first time the God of War takes a spoil of war, his very own temple maiden who from now on will only worship him and him alone.

König would be such a hot Spartan warrior/Greek demigod but PLEASE, you have to listen and listen carefully because… König could easily be a prominent figure in the Roman army! They had auxiliary units, Romans used “foreign” warriors all the time, Gauls and German/ic people and whatever, that’s the whole idea behind their expansion idea: to fatten their army with new recruits to push their campaigns and get more slaves to support their crazy economy etc etc

So König could be situated in say for example Germania Superior/Inferior, Raetia or Noricum auxiliary unit, I don’t know what Romans called Austria back then and if they had a separate aux. unit for them, I need to do some googling, if someone knows more about this please correct me! But *grabs you by your bra straps or shirt or whatever* you need to listen, Romans didn’t send their Auxilia to the troops’ native lands which means König would not be posted in Germania/whatever Austria was called BUT he could fight in basically any other area, and get his captive girl from some other bloody sexy violent awesome campaign!!! (Lol why am I so into this idea of him capturing some poor girl into his tent and having his way with her… I’m sorry I need to straighten my skirt and sit pretty with my knees pressed tightly together, nothing to see here, just sippin’ my tea)

No but srsly, NO, now I have to write this. Brb ->

[salixsociety]

Germanic Paganism Resource Masterlist

Notes: - Updates will be beyond infrequent. - Feel free to pop into my ask box requesting resource recommendations at any moment. - Resources do not reflect my personal beliefs or practice. I may include otherwise great resources that include theories and ideologies I do not support (such as the 'sign of the Hammer'), because I make extensive use of cross-referencing, reflection, etc to determine everything I incorporate into my craft. - I will never consciously add resources written by (Neo-)Nazis and the like. If you spot them, feel free to let me know. - You may notice there is a seemingly disproportionate amount of sources also or primarily talking about Scandinavia and Iceland, and even some primarily covering England. This is because continental Germanic paganism has only barely survived the ravages of time, and one can only learn about it if they supplement their knowledge with the more complete pictures of Anglo-Saxon paganism and Norse paganism.

Legend: [No language identifier means the source is English.] [D] - The resource is written (primarily) in Dutch. [G] - The resource is written (primarily) in German. [ON] - The resource is written (primarily) in Old Norse. [OD] - The resource is written (primarily) in Old Dutch. [OG] - The resource is written (primarily) in Old High German. [L] - The resource is written (primarily) in Latin. [F] - The resource is written (primarily) in French. * - I have not read the resource in its entirety. ** - Read with caution. !! - There is more of the resource available/this is one part of multiple.

Historic Texts and References

Tacitus' Agricola and Germania

Tacitus' Annals

The Prose Edda

The Poetic Edda

The First Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus

Contemporary Books, Essays, Other Media

Myths and symbols in pagan Europe : early Scandinavian and Celtic religions - H.R. Ellis Davidson

Kleinere Altniederdeutsche Denkmälen - Heyne [G]*

Religion and Philosophy in Germany : a Fragment - Heine *

Deutsche Volkskunde - Adolf Bach [G]*

Teutonic Mythology - Grimm

Swedish Legends and Folk Tales - John Lindow

Scandinavian Mythology : an Annotated Bibliography - John Lindow *

Trolls : an Unnatural History - John Lindow

Myths of the Norsemen from the Eddas and Sagas - H.A. Guerber

Northern mythology : comprising the principal popular traditions and superstitions of Scandinavia, North Germany, and The Netherlands - Benjamin Thorpe | VOL 1, VOL 2, VOL 3

From Myth to Fiction : the Saga of Hadingus - Georges Dumézil *

The Stakes of the Warrior - Georges Dumézil **

Gods of the Ancient Norsemen - Georges Dumézil **

Zum Tamfana-Rätsel - Edmund Weber [G]*

De Tijdstippen van de Cultische Jaarfeesten - Boppo Grimmsma [D]**

Nederlansche Volksoverleveringen en Godenleer - Van den Bergh [D, OD]*

Tales and Legends of Tyrol *

Germanic Spirituality - Bil Linzie

Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Auberglaubens - Baechtold-Staubl, Hoffman-Krayer

Goden van de Lage Landen - Gunivortus Goos [D]**

Runic and Heroic Poems of the Old Teutonic Peoples - Dickins *

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe - H.R. Ellis Davidson

Old Norse - Icelandic Literature : a Critical Guide - John Lindow

Vikings : a Very Short Introduction - Richards *

Norse Mythology : a Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals and Beliefs - John Lindow

Antwoord op de Vraag, door het Zeeuwse Genootschap de Wetenschappen - te Water [D]*

Verhandelingen over het Westland, ter opheldering der Loo-en, Woerden en Hoven, benevens de natuurdienst der Batavieren en Friezen - Buddingh [D]*

De Goden der Germanen - de Vries [D]*

Norse Revival: Transformations of Germanic Neopaganism - Stefanie von Schnurbein (in the series Studies in Critical Research on Religion which I highly recommend)

Digital Libraries, Dictionaries and the Like

Digitale Bibliotheek voor Nederlandse Letteren [D]*

Digitised Collection of Historic Sources of the WWU in Münster [G, D, OD, OG]*

Oudnederlands Woordenboek [D, OD]*

Ons volksleven : tijdschrift voor taal-, volks- en oudheidkunde. Jaargang 2-12 [D]*

Het Rad - Digitale Bibliotheek voor Germaans Heidendom, Runen, Seidr [D]*

Volkskunde (search results on Delpher) [D]*

Goden van Eigen Bodem - Digitale bibliotheek voor heidens erfgoed van de lage landen [D]*

Godinnen van Nederland en België [D]**!!

Forgotten Gods - Reginheim **

The Rune Poems *

Kronieken van de Westhoek (Flemish Folk History) [D]*

Brabantse Folklore, bulletin van de provinciale dienst voor geschiedkundige en folkloristische opzoekingen [D]*

Project Gutenberg has a wealth of resources about pre-christian Germanic religion*

Mimisbrunnr.info has a wealth of information including starter guides.

Author Recommendations

J.R.W. Sinninghe [D]

John Lindow

Benjamin Thorpe

H.R. Ellis Davidson

The Grimm Brothers

J. Haver [D]

To be continued.

[nordickies]

First of all, I just want to say how much I love your takes on this blog! your headcanons are really good and I appreciate you giving characters the more complicated parts, since a lot of people don't really do that. But you still manage to make the nordics feel lovable! Also your art is so beautiful!

But I also have a question, and I figured maybe you could help me. I'm in the process of creating an AU where Ancient Scandinavia is Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden's dad. I also have Ancient Britannia for the UK brothers, Rome for the Italy brothers, etc! But I'm struggling with who I should make Finland's father. Sorry if this is a hard question, but since you seem to know history, I thought maybe you'd have an answer. Thank you!

Hi, anon!! I wish nothing but the best with your AU; I think it sounds exciting! And I'm more than happy to help <3 I know the pain of not having clear or helpful sources when it comes to trying to do some research. You're working with a very specific topic, after all. As much as I'm eager to help here, I also have to immediately admit that I don't have a clear answer for you either. But I can try to explain why that is, so you can come up with a solution yourself!

Right off the bat, I don't know how the rules and headcanons apply in your world-building, but I'm making a guess that you work with similar "Ancients" that other people in this fandom have. I know making "Scandinavia" into a personification, and thus the Nordics' parental figure, is somewhat of a popular headcanon! So you're probably looking for some pre-Christian Finnic area as Finland's parental figure?

The first immediate problem is that we simply don't have the sources to tell us about pre-Christian "Finland." There are no written records by the Finns themselves, not even later chronicles or sagas you might be familiar with in Norse history. There are no detailed stories about Finns by the early Christians either since there wasn't consistent contact until the 13th century or so. All we know comes from assumptions based on the surrounding people's history, some archaeological findings, and the few mentions of "Finns" in runestones or Norse/Novgordian sagas

We're also working with language limitations. The few sources that even mention "Finn," "Fenni," or "Finne" are ambiguous because the term itself could have referred to a Sámi, Finnish, or any kind of Finnic person!

The first mention of "Fenni" comes from the Roman historian Tacitus in 98 A.D. in his book Germania, and this is what he has to say. Some historians think he's describing the ancestors of the Sámi people, but regardless of the specific people group described here, it can be assumed that this was the general way of living for the remote Northern European tribes in the first century - or at least how outsiders viewed these people's way of living The first document in which the term "Finns" refers specifically to Finnish people may be Pope Alexander III's papal bull "Gravis Admodum" of 1171 or 1172. It's a letter to the Archbishop of Uppsala, where the pope tells about his disappointment with the Swedes aiding the Finns when they're attacked by enemies (Novgorod). How Finns promise to preserve the Christian faith every time, but as soon as the enemy withdraws, they deny the faith and persecute the Christian preachers. The pope did not find it acceptable that Christians would come to the Finns' aid as long as they kept mocking their religion, and his solution was to create fortifications in the land to stop Finns from abandoning the religion. This letter might have launched the first "crusade" to Finland, but the events and nature of this crusade are heavily debated

The land area that we today call "Finland" was settled from multiple directions by different people groups at many different points in history. The first people came to the peninsula as soon as the last Ice Age ended, around 10,000 years ago

The Baltic Finnic languages are part of the Uralic language family, which are thought to have originated in the Ural mountains - but that doesn't necessarily tell where the modern people came from. The Finnish language is almost like a time capsule, with lots of loan words from Proto-Germanic, Proto-Slavic, and Proto-Baltic, suggesting these people groups must have been at some kind of contact, even if their languages originate from completely different places

It's believed that the split between the Finnish and Estonian languages happened in the first millennium, and it's possible that the two languages may have been mutually intelligible during the Viking Age. The split between Proto-Finnic and Proto-Sámi, however, had happened thousands of years before that

Here's a visualization of the presumed people groups living in Finland around 1000 AD. The deeply forested areas of Fennoscandia were inhabited by nomadic people groups, the ancestors of the modern Sámi people. On the coast lived Swedish settlers, who would eventually become the Swedish-speaking population of Finland. On both sides of the Bothnian Bay is where the somewhat mysterious Kven people are thought to have lived

According to Icelandic and Norwegian sagas, Kvenland was a land inhabited by giants, and the great Norse kings were their descendants. The Orkneyinga saga, written in the 13th century, tells the story of a man named Fornjótr, the king who ruled over "Finnland and Kvenland." Fornjótr's son Nórr is presented as the founder of Norway, and even Harald Fairhair claimed to be his distant descendant. In the modern-day, "Kven" is the name of the Finnish-descent minority who live in Finnmark, Northern Norway.

In the opening of the Finnish translation of the New Testament (1548), Mikael Agricola names the three Finnish tribes; Finns, Tavastians, and Karelians. This subgrouping of the Finnish people can also be determined from the archaeological findings (from the variable styles of weapons and jewelry) during the early Middle Ages and the era of the Finnish Crusades

Tavastian (Hämäläiset) are considered to be directly related to the earlier speakers of Proto-Finnic, who presumably arrived from modern-day Estonia. The Novgordians used the term "ямь/емь" (Yem). The Novgordian sources mention many wars between the Yems and Karelians from the 11th to 13th centuries, in which Novgorod supported the Karelians and the Swedes allied with the Yems. These conflicts evidently contributed to the Swedish conquest of Finland by the 1250s

The Finns (Suomalaiset) are believed to be a more mixed group of people, as the area was under Tavastian, Norse, and Baltic influence. The town of Turku was also a Novgordian trading base, so it was by far the most international corner of the peninsula and thus the first to fall under Christian influence. Also, the Novgordian sources talk about a group called "Sum" fighting alongside the Yems, which could have possibly been these Southwest Finns

Finally, Finnish Karelians (Karjalaiset) are a subgroup of Finnish people who resided on the Northeast coast of Lake Ladoga. Finnish Karelians should not be confused with ethnic Karelians, who are their own Baltic-Finnic people group and speak the Karelian language. But as the shared name may suggest, these two groups have had a close association with one another, probably being partly of the same origin, but were eventually separated by two different spheres of influence (Lutheran Western Karelia and Orthodox Eastern Karelia)

In the 1340s, The Swedes united the recently conquered Western Karelia with the rest of the conquered territories (Finland and Tavastia), and the whole administrative area started to be referred to as "Österland" (Eastland). Since Österland and its Bishopric were administrated from the city of Turku (Åbo), eventually, the whole region under Turku's management just started to be referred to by the name "Finland," and that's where the entire country got its name But obviously, the Finns themselves had a different name for their people and region: Suomi. The term "Suomi" has been in use for a long time, and the first written record of it comes from the Treaty of Nöteborg (1323) when the first official border between Sweden and Novgorod was established The theory some might have heard is that the Finnish name for the country comes from the Finnish words "suo" (swamp) or "suomu" (fish scale). But there's also a theory that the name might actually be a loanword. One possible suggestion is that the name Suomi comes from the Proto-Balto-Slavic word "žemē" (earth, state, territory), from which the names Häme (Tavastia) and Sápmi would also originate. The only other languages that refer to Finland as "Suomi" are other Baltic-Finnic languages like Karelian and Estonian (Suomi/Soome), Sámi languages (Suopma), Latvian (Somija), Lithuanian (Suomija), and surprisingly Scottish Gaelic (Suomaidh).

Also, you might be thinking that since Sámi and Finns seem to get confused with one another so often, does that mean they are the same thing? Well, no. The term "Fenn" probably comes from the Old Germanic term for "hunter-gatherer". The term might have been an umbrella term for all kinds of people who participated in that lifestyle in the Northeast of the Baltic Sea

While agriculture has been practiced in Southern Finland for thousands of years, the Finnish continental climate was rather unforgiving. The cultivation and harvest seasons were short, and the winters were harsh, which meant that before the introduction of better tools and suitable crops, people had to rely on at least partly nomadic lifestyles in some parts of the country. In eastern Finland, the main farming method was slash-and-burn, which also caused people to move constantly in search of new arable lands

Although Sámi and Finns have similar origins and ultimately belong to the same language family, Sámi people had been their own people group by that point, with their own languages, mythology, religions, culture, and, obviously, their own history, which just often gets overlooked and mixed with the rest of Fennoscandian history. Think that the Norse people have Odin and Thor. Karelians and Finns have Kalevala, and Väinämöinen. Estonians have Kalevipoeg, and Vanemuine. Sámi have Maderakka and Beaivi - the difference is clear

All these groups had their own societies and worldviews, but obviously, some similarities can be found. Sámi people had Seida, holy places of worship and homes of gods and deities. Finnic people had Hiisi, which served the same purpose. Sámi people lived in moveable dwellings called Lavvu. Finnic people had Kota (or Laavu in some dialects), a settlement in the courtyard used for cooking and a temporary dwelling during hunting trips. Sámi, Finnic, and Norse people all believed that the world revolved around some kind of world tree, which reached the North Star, and so on

So, the reason for confusion and mix-ups between the Finns and Sámi in old Norse sources didn't necessarily come from these two groups being similar but from outsiders regarding them as similar. For a Norse person, both Finns and Sámi were foreigners whom they couldn't understand and who lived seemingly disorganized nomadic lifestyles. Thus, they probably used the name "Fenni" to describe them both

Conclusion...?

I guess after all that rambling, the answer to your question really depends on when you think Finland, the character, was born! Was he around the Viking Age? Maybe even before that? Or did he only come to be once his land was Christianized? It depends on what you think he represented in his youth before "Finland" was created

He could be the personification of Finns, aka Southwest Finland, which also explains his closeness with Sweden from very early on. There could have been personifications for other Finnish tribes as well, but for some reason, they're not around anymore, so Fin has just naturally taken their place, too. If you want, you could potentially make it quite sad; he could be the last personification of his family branch

There are no right or wrong answers; it really depends on your AU's rules. But I hope this has been somewhat helpful! Hopefully, you learned something new, at least. Finland is a bit of a tough case, I suppose. It had never developed central rule, as the land operated on paganism and tribalism. Instead, the Swedes brought their rule with them once they started expanding under Catholicism. Due to Finland's remote location and lack of trading routes, it was one of the last corners of the continent where Christianity was introduced; and with this new religion came a whole new system of governance and worldview.

[moonlight1237]

RUNES HISTORY AND FACTS

There are many types of rune systems, including Younger Futhark, Anglo-Frisian Futhorc, Medieval runes, and Elder Futhark, which are the ones I’ll be talking about.

The Younger Futhark (long twig) has 16 runes and is typically used in translation with Old Norse. It was used in Scandinavia during the Viking Age, from 800 A.D to 1200 A.D.

Then you have Anglo-Frisian (Frisian being Dutch), which had around 30 runes and was used in Britain. It’s also known as Anglo-Frisian Futhorc.

The latest and closest to us is the Medieval Runes, which fall back into a 24 system (like Elder Futhark) with the Roman/Latin alphabet, which is also used in translation to Old Norse.

Finally, the Rune system we’re talking about is the Elder Futhark used in a 24-rune system and is used to translate proto-European languages (proto-Germanic, high Italic, proto-English, etc, NOT Old Norse!) None of the names of the Elder Futhark have truly been written down; they have come from reconstruction and guesswork from scholars. The names have come from Old English/Gothic sources and the Rune poems that feature names and pieces associated with names.

Norse=Runa English=Rune both meaning “a secret” or “mystery”

Old Norse=Rún Old Irish=Rún Middle Welsh=Rhin “to whisper” “secret” or “mystery”

Scots=Roun “To whisper” or “speak often about one thing”. It’s also associated with the Rowan tree in Scots, which is a very well-known magical tree in many folklores (also known as the “rune tree” or “the whisper tree”).

It was believed the Elder Futhark came from the Rome/Latin alphabet and had ancient Greek relations—due to the closeness of the Germanic tribes there and the mingling of Elder Futhark and High Italic.

The runes were not traditionally used as magical symbols. they were used in divination but were not considered magical themselves until later centuries, far after the Viking Age when they became popular as magical symbols. The furthest back they were found to be used was theorized to be Germania, as typically (but not always) female diviners would “cast lots” which were believed to later influence the Norse people to cast the runes. It was widespread for Norse kings, warlords, and explorers of this time to have a rune caster or diviner with them wherever they traveled. Diviners and Rune Casters at this time were well respected and always welcomed into people's homes.

Then in the myths, we find where Odin discovers the runes and shares them with the other gods. Later the gods share them with humanity. The god Odin stabbed himself with his spear, Gungnir, and hung himself from Yggdrasil for 9 days and nights without food or water sacrificing himself for the runes till they appeared to him in the Well Of Urd. This myth differs depending on the source you found it on. Then in the Havamal 80’ page, 31 of Jackson Crawford's translation of the Poetic Edda (elder edda), it states, “What you ask the runes will prove true; they are gifts of the Aesir, made by the gods and painted by Odin. You’ll learn best with your mouth shut.”

Freyr’s Aett

Fehu Uruz Thurisaz Ansuz Raidho Kenuz Gebo Wunjo

Hagal’s Aett

Halagaz Nauthiz Isa Jera Eihwaz Perthro Algiz Sowulo

Tyr’s Aett

Tiwaz Berkana Ehwaz Mannaz Lagaz Ingwaz Dagaz Othala

24 runes in total for the Elder Futhark

Freyr’s Aett

Everything for your basic human existence, talking with the divine, human social life, and the earth and its bounty, and how to live our lives happily or at least contently.

Hagal’s Aett

shows us how to navigate the difficult parts of life when things take a rough turn and you don’t know what to do. This Aett shows us how to move forward in life and cause change and unexpected luck for ourselves.

Tyr’s Aett

This Aett shows us how to connect with life around us like. We learn to connect with and communicate with Humanity, deities, and nature around us, as well as how to connect our physical worlds to the unseen spiritual worlds we work in.

Getting into the runes themselves and the meanings and associations

Fehu

Letter-F

God/Goddess-Freyja, Freyr

Meaning-Wealth or cattle

Association-Wealth, Livestock/cattle, prosperity, abundance, fulfillment, stability, success, new beginnings, things earned and won, reward, good health, unexpected good luck

Runic poems- Old English, “Wealth provides comfort, but you must share it who hopes to cast lots for judgment before the gods.”

Norwegian, “Money causes strife among kin; the wolf grows up in the woods.” Icelandic, “Money causes strife among kin, and the fire of the flood tide and the path of the serpent.”

Uruz

Letter-U

god/goddess-Ullr, Audhumla (the creation cow), Thor

Meaning-Ox or bull sometimes bison

Association- challenges, endurance, courage, strength, untamed potential, good health, good luck, moving forward after being stuck in stagnation, sudden breakthroughs, overcoming challenges, trials, power, creative forces

Rune poems- Old Norse, “The wild ox has great high horns with which it gores; a fierce fighter who boldly stamps the moors.”

Norwegian, “Slag is cast from bad iron; reindeer cross the hard snow.”

Icelandic, “Drizzle is the weeping of clouds, and blights the harvest and is hated by the herdsmen.”

Thurisaz

Letter-Th

god/goddess-Thor

Meaning-Giant or Thorn

Association-Strength, breaking down barriers, Thor's hammer, defense, reaction, temptations, resisting temptations, disruption, passion, protection, conflict, power

Rune poems- Old Norse, “Thorn is wickedly sharp and causes pain to those who grasp it, hurt to you who rest among them.”

Norwegian, “Giant causes the sickness of women; bad luck pleases nobody.”

Icelandic, “Giant is the torment of women, and the dweller of rocky vales and husband of Varthrun the giantess.”

Ansuz

Letter-A

God/goddess-The aesir, Odin

Meaning-Aesir, the ancestor god

Association-communication with the gods, wisdom, divine power, knowledge, creativity, understanding, passing tests, understanding, communication

Rune Poems- Old Norse, “Mouth is the source of the word, bringing wisdom and counsel to the wise, hope, inspiration, and a blessing to all.”

Norwegian, “Rivermouth opens most journeys; but the sword belongs in it’s sheath.” Icelandic, “Odin is the ancient creator, and Asgards king and lord of Valhalla.”

Raidho

Letter-R

God/goddess-Sol

Meaning-Wagon or chariot

Association-Rythme, journey, travel, personal development, change, evolution, decisions, taking the opportunity, movement

Rune poems- Old Norse, “Riding is easy for heroes inside a hall; it’s much harder astride a strong horse pounding against the great mile.”

Norwegian, “Riding is said to be the worst for horses; reginn forged the best sword.”

Icelandic, “Riding is a sweet sitting and a swift journey and the toil of the horse.”

Kenaz

Letter-K and C

God/goddess-Loki

Meaning- the torch

Association-Knowledge, Light, warm, illumination, visions, enlightenment, intuition, learning, Improvement, creativity, Inner voices, Breakthroughs

Rune poems-Old Norse, “The torch we know by its flame, which brings illumination, and light wherever noble souls encourage.”

Norwegian, “Ulcer is the curse of children; grief turns us pale.”

Icelandic, “Ulcer is the bane of children and a grievous blight and the house of rotting flesh."

Gebo

Letter-G

God/goddess-Odin

Meaning-gift

Association-Love, partnership, giving and receiving gifts, generosity, sacrifice, balance, joy in relationships, talents, abilities

Rune Poem-Old English, “A gift returns to adorn the giver with greatness and honor; it helps and heartens those who have nothing.”

Wunjo

Letter-W

god/goddess-Baldr

Meaning-Joy

Association-happiness, light, perfection, comfort, harmony, recognition of worth, reward, success, good health, prosperity, flourishing, bliss

Rune poem-Old English, “Joy comes to you who know no sorrow, blessed with grain and plenty, content in a strong community.”

Halagaz

Letter-H

God/Goddess-Hel

Meaning-Hail

Association-interference, disruption, corrections, changes for long-term good, change, being tested, nature, overcoming obstacles, wrath, chaos, misfortune, transformation

Rune poem-Old English, “Hail, whitest of grains, whirls down from heaven, is tossed by the wind, and turns water.”

Norwegian, “Hail is the coldest of grains; All-Father shaped the world in ancient times.”

Icelandic, “Hail is cold grain and a shower of sleet, and the bane of snakes.”

Nauthiz

Letter-N

gods/goddess-Skuld

Meaning-Need

Association-resistance, demand, desire, personal development, constraint, willpower, endurance, self-reliance, patience, necessity, kindling passion, recognizing your needs

Rune poems-Old English, “Need constricts the heart but can bring help and healing if heeded in time.”

Norwegian, “Need leaves one little choice; the naked freeze in the frost.”

Icelandic, “Need is the bondmaid’s grief, and a hard condition to suffer, and toilsome work.”

Isa

Letter-I

God/Goddess-Skadi

Meaning-Ice

Association-cold, lack of change, stagnation, challenge, self-control, harsh reality, concentrated self, clarity, watching and waiting, delay, obstacles, danger

Rune poems-Old English, “Ice is cold and slippery; jewel-like and glistening, fair to behold, the frozen field.”

Norwegian, “Ice we call the board bridge; the blind need to be led across.”

Icelandic, “Ice is the rind of the river and roof of the waves, and a mortal danger.”

Jera

Letter-J

God/goddess-Freyr, Idunn

Meaning-Year, Harvest

Association-cycles, harvest, efforts rewarded, plenty, good spirits, change, completion, fertility, growth

Rune poems-Old English, “Harvesttime brings joy when the goddess Earth gifts us with her bright fruits.”

Norwegian, “Harvesttime brings bounty; I say that Frothi is generous.”

Icelandic, “Harevsttime brings profit, and a high summer and a ripened field.”

Eihwaz

Letter-Ei, Y

God/goddess-Ullr, sometimes Skadi

Meaning-Yew tree

Association- strength, endurance, protection, movement, balance, death and life, Yggdrasil, change, magic, rebirth, friendships

Rune poems-Old English, “Yew has rough bark without but holds the flame within; deeply rooted, it graces the land.”

Norwegian, “Yew is winter’s greenest wood; it splutters when it burns.”

Icelandic, “Yew is a taut bow, and brittle iron and the arrow of Farbauti.”

Perthro

Letter-P

God/Goddess-The Norns, Frigga

Meaning-Lot cup/casting cup

Association-fate, gambles, hidden things, unknown outcomes, chance, destiny, pregnancy/birth, luck, common sense, revelation,

Rune poems-Old English, “Gaming means to play and laughter among the high-spirited who sit merry together in the mead hall.”

Algiz (Elhaz)

Letter-Z

God/goddess-All the Aesir, Heimdall

Meaning-Elk, the white elk

Association-Protection, awakening, teachings of the divine, ward off evil, defense, guardianship, opportunity to grow, fulfilling dreams, employment, shelter

Rune poems-Old English, “Elk sedge grows in the fen, waxing in the water, grimly wounding; it burns the blood of those who would lay hands upon it.”

Sowilo

Letter-S

God/Goddess-Sol, Baldr

Meaning-The Sun

Association-motivation, action, the sun, guidance, health, victory, cleansing, life purpose, enlightenment, spiritual will, goals, light, energy, self-confidence

Rune poems-Old English, “The sun guides seafarers who ferry across the fish’s bath until the seahorse brings them to land.”

Norwegian, “Sun is the light of the world; I bow to its holiness.”

Icelandic, “Sun is the sky shield, and a shining radiance, and the nemesis of ice.”

Tiwaz

Letter-T

God/Goddess-Tyr

Meaning-The god Tyr

Association-Courage, victory, peacekeeping, faith, loyalty, leadership, logic, sound judgment, compassion, honor, passion, masculine energy, truth revealed

Rune poems-Old English, “Tiw is a sign that spells confidence to the noble; unfailing, it holds true though the night clouds.”

Norwegian, “Tyr is the one-handed of the aesir; often has the smith to blow.” Icelandic, “Tyr is the one-handed god, and the leavings of the wolf and ruler of the temple.”

Berkano

Letter-B

God/Goddess-Nerthus, Freyja, Frau Holle

Meaning-birch tree

Association-New life, life changes, growth, healing, new beginnings, femininity, birth, regeneration, renewal

Rune poem- Old English, “The birch thought fruitless sends out countless shoots; leafy branches, high crowned, reach to the sky.”

Norwegian, “Birch has the greenest-leafed branches; Loki brought the luck of deceit,”

Icelandic, “Birch is a leafy limb and a little tree and a youthful wood.”

Ehwaz

Letter- E

God/Goddess-Freyja, Gullveig, sleipnir, loki

Meaning-horses

Association-momentum, trust, harmony, change, healthy relationships, progress, transportation, loyalty

Rune poem- Old English, “The horse brings Joy; proud on its hooves, by heroes praised, it is a solace to the restless.”

Mannaz

Letter-M

God/Goddess-Odin, Thor, Heimdall

Meaning-Mankind

Association-Humanity, soul, divine influence, social order, society, friendship, teamwork, self, family, support

Rune poems-Old English, “We are each other’s mirth yet must one day take leave, for the gods will allot our frail bodies to the earth.”

Norwegian, “Man is the waxing of dust; mighty is the hawk’s talon span”

Icelandic, “Man is the joy of man and the increase of dust and the adorner of ships.”

Lagaz

Letter-L

God/Goddess-Loki, Freyja, Hel

Meaning-Water, Lake

Association- Emotion, cleansing, intuition, dreams, flow, guidance, love, memory, feminine, physic abilities, renewal

Rune poems-Old English, “Water to land folk seems never-ending when they set sail on a heaving ship; the huge waves overwhelm them and the seahorse won’t head the bridle.”

Norwegian, “Waterfalls free from the mountain; gold trinkets are so highly prized.” Icelandic. “Water wells from the spring and the great geyser and the land of fish.”

Inguz (Ingwaz)

Letter-Ng

God/Goddess-Freyr, Ing

Meaning-The ancient god

Association-love, peace, internal growth, harmony, approval, agreement, completion, Masculinity, time of rest, goals, common sense, home, channeling force

Rune poem-Old English, “Ing, first seen by the East Danes, later rode his wagon away eastward over the waves; thus was the great god named.”

Dagaz

Letter-D

God/Goddess-Dagr, Baldr, Sol

Meaning-Day, dawn

Association-Dawn, daylight, change of direction, prosperity, clarity, awakening, breakthrough, hope, completion, balance, transformation

Rune poems-Old English, “Day is the gods’ messenger; the light of the gods grants ecstasy, good hope, and a boom to all.”

Othala

Letter-O

God/Goddess-Odin, Hel

Meaning-Home, Ancestors

Association-Family, inheritance, Home, Knowledge from the past, heritage, experience, value, group prosperity, positive mental state, good health, good financials

Rune poem-Old English, “Home is loved by all who prosper there in peace and enjoy a frequent harvest.”

Bind runes

Bind runes are 2 or more runes combined to make one bigger Bindrune. Used historically as a way to shorten up writing or just as a fun way to write, we now use them as stronger versions of runes, or as a way to have many runes together without having to write them all out.

Famous ones, Vegvisir and Aegishjalmaur (Helm of Awe) aren’t runes or bind runes, but instead Sigils that came around centuries after the Viking Age, and were found to be from the 1800s. Vegvisir is a path finder, not a compass. The Helm of Awe is used as a warding symbol but historically wasn’t actually used for anything as far as our sources note.

Resources

https://oreamnosoddities.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-a-bindrune-Bindrune explaining

https://oreamnosoddities.com/blogs/news/rune-meanings-the-elder-futhark-elder futhark source

http://www.shieldmaidenssanctum.com/blog/2019/3/12/the-elder-futhark-runes-and-their-meanings- elder futhark sources

https://youtu.be/nK51UmwJxRU-bindrune source from witches view with a little misinfo on Helm of Awe and Vegvisir

https://youtu.be/wG9d95vJibk-Bindrune source from Jackson Crawford

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATNGYBQ-TjrPCf9YGy0qzqca1ypcGs50-Jackson Crawfords videos on runes through historical source

https://youtu.be/IROvre0w6hc-Vegvisir info

https://youtu.be/kW9KbtjyHN4-intro to runes

https://youtu.be/Gjmxu7z04kk-explaining the connection between the runic writing and languages

“Runes For Beginners” Lisa Chamberlain

“A Little Bit Of Runes” Cassandra Eason

“Nordic Runes” Paul Rhys Mountfort

“The Poetic Edda” Translated by Jackson Crawford

“Tales Of Norse Mythology” Helen A. Guerber

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F5INHBpAeUZ8Ux632760FbNQ0SUHDUGX/view?usp=drivesdk-Reading Past Runes book

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p5L1BFpUFRte-BVq7XgBdXLjAqqZKKkI/view?usp=drivesdk-Nine Doors Of Midgard book

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EGtRedzunDGtUYkAbtdDrOQS0ppBBH9t/view?usp=drivesdk-The Big Book Of Runes book

[hiding1ntheforest]

Germanic Paganism Sources

I can’t list these sources without first going through a million different caveats. I’m going to keep this introduction brief due to the length of this post, but be aware that these sources have been subjected to Christianization, speculation, mistranslation, etc. Many of these sources were copied down by Christian authors who may have altered the truth in order to fit their perspective. Some may have vague terms or phrases that we can no longer understand because they existed in an entirely new context. Essentially, approach all of these texts from a speculative and critical lens. This doesn’t mean we can’t decipher the truth. We can decipher the truth by comparing texts from the same time, countries, etc with each other and finding the common threads. Pairing these attestations with archaeological records is also immensely helpful and I hope to compile a list of archaeological records some time in the future. You can find many free records and studies by simply typing, for example, “anglo-saxon burials archaeological excavations.”

This list consists of records of various Germanic peoples, histories, as well as semi-legendary sagas and poetry. By exploring a variety of texts instead of just ethnographic works, we can understand the history, culture, customs, traditions, values, and more. These are all crucial in approaching paganism with the goal of accurate and thorough understanding. I wanted to focus primarily on sources from close to the pagan period, but I have also included current sources in the grimoires and runes section. For the contemporary study of Germanic paganism, I always recommend Stephen Flowers!

Happy researching

The Eddas

https://www.norron-mytologi.info/diverse/ThorpeThePoeticEdda.pdf

http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/EDDArestr.pdf

England

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/657/pg657-images.html

https://ia804700.us.archive.org/31/items/exeterbookanthol00goll/exeterbookanthol00goll.pdf

https://langeslag.uni-goettingen.de/oddities/texts/Aecerbot.pdf

https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/0627-0735,_Beda_Venerabilis,_Ecclesiastical_History_Of_England,_EN.pdf

https://www.ragweedforge.com/rpae.html (this website also has the norwegian and icelandic rune poems)

https://www.dvusd.org/cms/lib/AZ01901092/Centricity/Domain/2897/beowulf_heaney.pdf

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/ascp/

https://ia601403.us.archive.org/12/items/bede-the-reckoning-of-time-2012/Bede%20-%20The%20Reckoning%20of%20Time%20%282012%29.pdf

Germany

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/nblng/index.htm

https://www.germanicmythology.com/works/merseburgcharms.html

Frisia

https://www.liturgies.net/saints/willibrord/alcuin.htm

Denmark

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/saxo/index.htm

Iceland

https://archive.org/details/booksettlementi00ellwgoog/page/n4/mode/2up

Finland

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/kvrune01.htm

Germania

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7524/7524-h/7524-h.htm

The Sagas

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/598/598-h/598-h.htm

http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Heimskringla%20II.pdf

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/heim/05hakon.htm

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/vlsng/index.htm

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/egil/index.htm

https://sacred-texts.com/neu/ice/is3/index.htm

https://sagadb.org/files/pdf/eyrbyggja_saga.en.pdf

https://sagadb.org/brennu-njals_saga.en

Grimoires

https://archive.org/details/GaldrabokAnIcelandicGrimoire1

https://handrit.is/manuscript/view/is/IB04-0383/9#page/3v/mode/2up

https://galdrastafir.com/#vegvisir

Runes

https://www.esonet.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Futhark-A-Handbook-of-Rune-Magic-Edred-Thorsson-1984.pdf

*Due to link limits on tumblr, i cannot link all of these. Please paste them into your browser.

*Also, sadly I could not find some of the sources I wanted for free. I will continue to update this post with new links and it will be pinned to my profile always!

[officialromaniantranslatiuni]

Okay question (nu sunt bună la scrisul Românei dar o-să încerc) (probably half and half sorry)

Scriu o carte care e situată într-un univers alternativ de al nostru unde toate țările au alte nume (Franța este sur-la-clefe, Germania este gottwald, etc). Am un personaj care devine din România. Cum îți pare dacă numesc țara de România "Dacia"? Postul tău despre dacia m-a amintit de acest situație

Îmi pare rău, nu pot să scriu bine în română. Cred ca trebuie să citesc mai multe cărți dar sunt greu de citit ca limba e atâta de "thick" gen și foarte poetică cu multe cuvinte care nu le știu 😭

I love it! Incepusem si eu sa scriu ceva de genul acum vreo 7 ani (Jesus... 7 ani on hiatus...).

Keep Dacia or alter the name just a bit to for safety reasons 🤷🏼‍♀️

[doomspiral]

Rome/Germania 🫵

Rome literally came up with a guy to be mad at, and I'm not letting that go. If I were to write them, it'd had to focus on Rome crafting this whole idea in his head of who Germania is and what he represents etc etc only to be shocked to the core every single time they cross paths and Ger is just some fucking guy.

[skaldish]

Is Tacitus a reliable narrator?

No. He never even visited Germanic Europe himself.

His research was conducted through a combination of a) hitting up the library, and b) finding a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who MAY have visited the region, and paying that person to tell him what he knew.

I don't know why Germania was written, but the entire thing reads like an argument for why the Germanic people's primitive, ass-backwards idol-worshipers is just further evidence for Rome Being The Best And Most Glorious Civilization.

I recommend looking into Ahmad ibn Fadlan's work instead.

Another note:

It's always important to look at historic documents within the context of the societal and political values that informed the writing of it, rather than in the context for how they're anthropologically important to us now. The primary purpose behind many historical documents like Germania, the Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum, etc. was political, and political writing comes with an agenda.

None of these texts are capable of giving us insight into what the Old Norse people actually valued, or how they thought about the world. That would have needed to come from them in their own words.

[broomsick]

Hiya I hope you're well !

I was just wondering if you had any resources on Norse polythiesm/paganism , books sites etc ?? If not that's totally ok !

Gods bless you xx

Why hello! Of course, I have plenty of ressources. And you're in luck, because I've gathered a few of these ressources in previous posts. All I'll do is list these three posts below, then give you a few ideas on where to start learning about norse paganism.

My little introduction to norse paganism (where to start, etc)

Books (a few favorites)

Youtube channels (inclusive ones!)

Now, I'll dive a little deeper just for the sake of clarity. I really should make a masterpost of norse pagan resources, at some point. First of all, there'll be a difference in actual sources depending on the type of information you're looking for. If you're looking for a more objective overview of norse paganism, I suggest looking into works of historical research that concern the ancient germanic tribes and Scandinavian peoples' spiritual practices. They're a great way to start, since they're basically the foundations of modern "heathenry". Nordic Religions in the Viking Age by Thomas A. DuBois, Neil Prince's The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia, the sagas (a few of them are listed here), Tacitus' Germania, and the Prose and Poetic Eddas are good examples of historical sources to learn from, although the last three are very old and obviously to be taken with a grain of salt. Now, if you're looking to learn about neo-paganism and the modern practice of heathenry, books like The Way of Fire and Ice are well indicated, although books on neo-paganism are addressed especially to norse pagans and are thus a lot more subjective and centered around actual, hands-on practice. As for websites, let me list my three go-to’s down here.

Norse Mythology for Smart People, which compiles lots of concise and clear information on multiple topics surrounding ancient scandinavian cultures, myths and beliefs.

Northern Tradition Paganism, a website centered around neo-paganism and that regroups loads of online shrines dedicated to norse deities. 

Völuspá.org, which I always recommend to people who are interested in reading the Eddas. It basically compiles translations of the Eddas, along with notes.

These are just a few ideas on where to start learning about norse paganism, though I hope they can help lead you to more sources of information. Have fun!

[abr]

Nei primi secoli del cristianesimo vi fu una diatriba a volte accesa sulla necessità o meno di studiare gli autori greci e romani (si pensi a san Girolamo o a sant’Agostino), durante il Medioevo e soprattutto nei monasteri prevalse una mentalità sostanzialmente aperta.

Bonifacio, apostolo della Germania, compose un’Arte della grammatica nella cui prefazione sosteneva che lo studio dei classici è indispensabile alla formazione religiosa. Ancora, Gerberto, divenuto poi papa col nome di Silvestro II (999-1003), che come direttore della scuola cattedrale di Reims riteneva «impossibile per i suoi allievi elevarsi all’arte oratoria senza conoscere le tecniche di elocuzione che si possono imparare soltanto leggendo i poeti». Insomma, da Gregorio Magno fino ad Alcuino, emblema del Rinascimento carolingio, fu tutto un susseguirsi di lodi verso la cultura classica.

Altro che secoli bui (...). Come l’eccezionale esperienza del Vivarium, il monastero fondato da Cassiodoro, che nel VI secolo «fornì le basi per una compiuta sintesi tra saperi pagani e sapienza cristiana». O il meno noto monastero di Eugippio, abate a Castellum Lucullanum vicino a Napoli, che già alla fine del V secolo consolidò la pratica di copiare e conservare i manoscritti antichi. Per arrivare a Rabano Mauro, che guidò l’abbazia benedettina di Fulda in Germania, autore di uno studio sull’arte del linguaggio e difensore della grammatica, e a (...) Alcuino, al quale si devono due trattati sulla retorica e sulla dialettica, ritenuti fondamentali per lo studio, ma anche per l’evangelizzazione.

Poi si spazia dall’elogio da parte di Agostino dell’aritmetica e dei numeri in quanto voluti da Dio come fondamento dell’ordine dell’universo alla passione di Boezio e di Gerberto per la geometria, per finire con l’astronomia di cui si è già riferito e con la musica, la «scienza del misurare ritmicamente secondo arte» ancora per sant’Agostino, autore di un trattato apposito, il De musica. Boezio poi la riteneva «connessa non solo con la speculazione, ma con la moralità». Un lungo percorso approdato nell’XI secolo a Guido d’Arezzo e alla sua codificazione delle note musicali.

via https://www.avvenire.it/agora/pagine/la-cultura-monastica-luce-del-medioevo

Come in tutte le rivoluzioni del pensiero, anche il cristianesimo rischiò nella sua infanzia l'implosione suicida causa massimalismo fondamentalista, cancellatore di tutta l'eredità del passato nel nome di una nuova ripartenza.

Mentre ad es. islam, blm, wokismo e ambientalismo ci cascano come pere e ne sono fatalmente vittime, il pensiero cristiano dopo qualche iniziale tentennamento - iconoclastia etc. - si salva da se sin dai primi tempi, lasciando tutti i freni fondamentalisti auto imposti alla ortodossia orientale e celebrando Dio per mezzo della CURIOSITA' DEL SAPERE, originando quindi dal suo interno e ponendo le premesse per tutto il successivo progresso positivo del mondo, dal capitalismo al liberalismo alla scienza.

[kneelingshadowsalome]

So if konig speaks german, but he's part of the roman army, am I missing something or just overthinking?😂

It's a good question! Even though I call him Roman!König, König in this AU is not actually "Roman". It's simply more convenient to call him that because the AU is set in the times of the Roman Empire etc. But it's in truth very misleading!

König comes somewhere from Germania or Noricum (modern day Germany and Austria) and therefore speaks some form of Old Saxon, I guess? I've made him talk modern German, again, for convenience's sake. He probably speaks OKish Latin, and has earned freedom and even citizenship after serving in the legion, but he's not Roman Roman.

König has actually had a very rich life before he meets reader/Fee, we'll hear more of it in the next chapter ^^

[arschbiene]

I've been really feeling nostalgic lately, so here are some best assby Germania hits from when I was 17-20 that kinda sorta just barely survived the test of time, unedited and with all it's early golden era hetalia cringe and rough baby art 🥹

Y’know ' that tweet that's like be careful what you hyper-fixate on at 14 because you'll never escape it? Lol hetalia for me. This fandom has had it's rough spots definitely, but it really has always been a core happiness for me since I was kid.

When you guys see me drawing germania, just know it's for me to comfort myself first and foremost, not even in catty way, just being honest. So sorry if you disagree with anything, or anything isn't accurate historically (I am taking LIBERTIES while keeping it low effort), or it super offends or annoys you how I approach it, please unfollow/block/scroll on by etc.

I do my best sometimes to keep my art open ended but I will be posting some things that is absolutely 100% for assby and not necessarily my "fanon". Take it at face value. I hope that makes sense, I am not making a "Statement", I'm just drawing cute shit and playing with characters. See my germania FAQ post.

btw i dont' reblog boost my own art bc i dont like to clutter up my blog and it gives me anxiety, so if you're looking for updates, be sure to check on my page now and again!

[smoothie03]

Noricum | Austria's mom

These drawings are already quite old but I made an OC for Austria's mom Noricum a while ago.

Basic information:

Name: Noricum (Celtic Kingdom & Roman Province)

Human name: Noreia

Age: 20s-30s

Birthday: somewhere around 200 BC when 13 tribes formed the Celtic kingdom of Noricum

Hair colour: brown

Eye color: purple (like her son's)

Family: Roderich (son), Germania (brother, that's why Roddy and Ludwig and Gilbert are cousins)

Likes: making jewellery, crafting, swords (bc they're cool), music, singing, dancing, swordfighting, luxury

Dislikes: arguing, being ordered around (cough Rome), her brother's stubbornness

Reason of d3ath:

-histocial: fall of the Roman empire as she was made a province and got romanized, so the province didn't quite survive long on its own

-symbolized within Hetalia: After disappearing in the forests she eventually dr0wned in the danube hence Roderich's deep rooted fear of aquatic animals, deep waters etc.

Headcanons and some history stuff:

-The name Noreia was taken from the Celtic mother godess and godess of mining called "Noreia". (The historical deity "Noreia" was probably sth the Roman came up with tho) Noreia is also the name of a "possible" "capital" (difficult situation there) of Noricum. As she's a personification and one of the first that existed around this area, her people probably treated her like a deity or a queen.

-Noricum is Austria's biological mother as she was the first "country-like" political system on nowadays Austrian ground. She is Germania's sister as we found out in Hetalia Collezione that Austria is a cousin to Germany and Prussia.

-Her birthplace is Hallstatt (because Hallstatt culture) in the south of Upper Austria. She and later on Roderich (who hasn't gained a nation status/name yet, he was merely Roderich, the son of Noricum)

-She had a close friendship with Rome. They met through trading. Rome was interested in her iron and gold and Noricum found a liking in Roman luxury. They became friends personally and economically. In 170 BC they had a formal tribe alliance called "hospitium publicum". Germania was quite sceptical of Noricum's and Rome's relationship.

-Around 49 BC, after the Caesar vs Pompeius stuff, Noricum was annexed by the Romans and became a Roman province. The annexion happened without bloodshed (usually wasn't the case) and she still had some sort of autonomy within the empire. But then the Noric people started to riot as their living condition started to worsen. That means the longer Noricum was actually around Rome the more they fought with each other.

-When Rome fell, she d!ed rather quickly as well. She appeared rather silent and triste and not like the usual quite lively woman she was before.

-After her death Austria was left with the Avars, Bavarians and Slavs that settled in the area, after king Odoaker kicked the Celtic-Roman population out from the area.

-Noricum's neighbours and friends were Pannonia and Raetia, both were female provinces. Noricum also lived with Illyria sometimes as Rome partitioned her into two parts.

-Her relationship with her brother was alright but they frequently argued. Siblings. She probably adored her nephews as well and coddled them just like she coddled Austria a bit too much.

-Despite not appearing like it from the outside, she was physically quite strong and good at swordfighting. Also, she liked to drink a lot.

-She had two horses from the Noriker race with the name Epona (horse godess, also because I like The Legend of Zelda lol) and Vibes (source deity). When Roderich grew older he learnt how to ride a horse and how to treat them. Epona became his horse.

-Noreia was a rather creative person and she sang a lot to and with her son. Roderich takes after her regarding his love for music.

-Roderich fell into the danube once and almost drowned and got bitten by some aquatic animals. Yeah that's it. That's the headcanon and Noricum had to pull him out of the water.

-After her death, Austria was brought to Germania and he cared for his nephew.

-A sad hc but: Austria probably forgot his mother for a long time due to many reasons (I still need to do research, I know where the book is that I wanna use as a source but I didn't have time yet) but when he finally remembered her he felt so unbelievably miserable and guilty about it because he definitely was a mama's boy growing up.

[quillify-tries-to-talk]

On Art

I just remembered I had this thought but forgot to write about it so making a note here before I forget again.

Okay, so this was prompted by my brain remembering, out of nowhere, V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and that led me down a rabbit hole of more thinking. My main point can be summarized as this:

In the 21st century, any form of art is seen as disconnected from the larger world around it.

I picked Addie LaRue because obviously, a book about art and books and literature with supposedly philosophical underpinnings would talk about the inherent connection of art to humanity. There is a tendency, I believe, in today's world to see art as an entirely separate realm: pure, beautiful, untouched by the messy realities of politics and war and humans being cruel and callous etc. It is a beautiful thing, it is a lovely thing, it is a redeeming thing. Creativity is a gift to be given for consumerism, to remind people that they are good no matter how rigged the systems are in the favour of the top 1%.

This is all true. Creativity is a gift.

But I think we forget that it depends upon the creator to utilize or manipulate it according to his own wishes. Addie LaRue presents art as this beautiful, humane thing entirely disconnected from the realities of war or politics. Actual history. The events that the main protagonist lived through are left out in favour of presenting this fairytale ideal, so wholesome that it connects all humans.

(Yes, I know I sound cynical)

Except, this fairytale-esque, profound connection was not the reality for several thousand groups for years. Yes, of course, there was joy. Everyone was creating art and writing books, all our cultures are replete with thousands of years' worth of beauty and knowledge. And of course, the book does not touch it. It is unabashedly Eurocentric, right down to its ideals of artistry and literature.

Because guess what sort of art the Europeans were also making c. 1700s-early 2000s :) You think those heroic portraits of Britannia or Germania were created for funsies :) just a cutesy little project for a cutesy little artist totally disconnected from what was happening in the larger world :)

Addie LaRue, as a protagonist, has the kind of features that allow her to move through the world with a certain level of comfort and anonymity. Had she been any other person in the world, the book would be called The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Several other books take the same course even as they promise to tackle these prevalent issues in sff or historical fiction or any genre, really. A few familiar names pop into my mind. Even those in different genres, such as romance, seem detached from anything real, even if it's cultural joy or pride. They exist. They move towards the culmination of their arc or their love interests, quite anonymously like Addie LaRue. Their view of the world, and their art is entirely sanitized: hollowed out of any and all substance only to be pretty for an aesthetic, fit for consumption by everyone. There is this idea of appealing to an anonymous, universal gaze that is mostly white American (and quite obtrusive, because any reminders of actual history are panned and demonized, or simply brushed aside as happening in tHe OrIeNT). If you really think about it, this is how the world seems divided even today.

As Edward Said said in Culture and Imperialism (in context of the classics):

"Critics have often, I believe, relegated these writers' ideas about colonial expansion, inferior races... to a very different department from that of culture. Culture being the elevated area of activity in which they 'truly' belong and in which they did their 'really' important work."

Incredible how this is applicable to criticism in any way, shape or form today. In addition:

"Culture conceived in this way can become a protective enclosure: check your politics at the door before you enter it."

I think this idea has become extremely predominant in modern culture too. Art is equated to a disconnected aesthetic with no bearing on reality. And while I acknowledge that this approach is useful in reviewing a work without personal biases or based purely on our own enjoyment, completely stripping a text of its socio-political realities does not serve any purpose. The goal, to borrow Said's words again is to admire works for the pleasure and profit they give us while simultaneously observing "the imperial process of which they were manifestly and unconcealedly a part; rather than condemning or ignoring their participation in what was an unquestioned reality in their societies..."

To sum up, our constant struggle to achieve a pure and untouched aesthetic is ultimately fruitless because art is not created in a vacuum. It never will be. Art is born of human hands. You cannot run from its history any more than you can run from your own reality.