Editing Heruli (section)

==Classification==
When first mentioned by [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] authors in the 3rd century AD, the "Elouri" were referred to as "[[Scythians]]", as were the [[Goths]] and other allied tribes.{{sfn|Angelov|2018|p=678}} The use of this term for Heruli and Goths probably began as early as [[Dexippus]], most of whose work is now lost.{{sfn|Zahariade|2010}} The use of this term does not give us any clear linguistic classification.{{sfn|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=43 n22|ps=: "the term, of course, had no classificatory significance".}}

In [[late antiquity]], the Gepids, Vandals, Rugii, Sciri, the non-Germanic [[Alans]], and not only the Goths themselves, were all classified by Roman ethnographers as "Gothic" (or "[[Getae|Getic]]") peoples, and modern historians generally consider the Heruli to be one of these.<ref>See for example {{harvtxt|Wolfram|2005|p=77}} and {{harvtxt|Steinacher|2017|p=28}}.</ref> While historians such as [[Walter Goffart]] have pointed out that the Herules are never included in the lists of "Gothic peoples" of [[Procopius]], Mihail Zahariade has pointed out that [[Zonaras]] (12.24.20) stated that the Heruli were of Gothic stock, and he suggests this might be why Latin authors did not distinguish the early Heruli from the Goths as carefully as Greek authors did.<ref>{{harvtxt|Goffart|2006|pp=205–206, 335}} and {{harvtxt|Zahariade|2010|p=167}}</ref>

None of these eastern peoples were considered "[[Germanic peoples|Germanic]]" by Roman ethnographers at the time.{{sfn|Wolfram|2005|p=259}} However, in modern scholarship the Heruli, like other peoples presumed to have spoken a [[Germanic languages|Germanic language]], are usually classified as a Germanic people.<ref name="Wolfram_Definition">{{harvnb|Wolfram|1990|p=592}}. "Heruli, Germanic tr."</ref><ref name="Heather_Chernyakhov"/><ref name="Heather_Germanic">{{harvnb|Heather|2012|p=678}}. "Heruli, a Germanic people...</ref><ref name="Angelov_Germanic">{{harvnb|Angelov|2018|p=715}}. "Heruli. Germanic tribe with possible origins in Scandinavia...</ref> On account of having likely spoken an [[East Germanic language]], such as [[Gothic language|Gothic]], the Heruli are often more specifically classified as an East Germanic people.<ref>{{harvnb|Green|2003|p=13}}. "Goths and other East Germanic tribes attracted to this region (including ''Heruli'', Burgundians, Vandals and Gepids)."</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Neumann|1999|p=468}}. "[D]ieses ostgerm. Ethnos..."</ref>
===Name===
In English, the plural "Heruli" can also be spelled as Heruls, Herules, or Herulians. The name can be written without "h" in Greek (Ἔρουλοι, 'Erouloi'), Latin (''Eruli''), and English. Whether or not the h-sound was an organic sound is uncertain.{{sfn|Prostko-Prostyński|2021|p=19}}

In the earliest mentions of them in 4th century records, they were called Eluri ('Ερουλοι), with the "L" and "R" reversed compared to later records. This has led to doubts about whether these first "Erouli" from the Sea of Azov were the same people as the later Eruli from the Danube.{{sfn|Steinacher|2010|p=322}} [[Dexippus]] whose writings about these early "Eluri" only survive in fragments, gave their name a Greek etymology, claiming that they were named after the swamps (ἕλη, ''hélē'') of their Azov homeland.

According to modern scholars the etymology of the name is uncertain but it is thought to be Germanic. More speculatively, it is possibly related to the English word ''[[earl]]'' (see [[erilaz]]) implying that it was an honorific military title.{{sfn|Neumann|1999|p=468}} (This etymology is associated with the speculation that the Heruli were not a normal tribal group but a brotherhood of mobile warriors, though there is no consensus for this old proposal, which is based only on the name etymology and the reputation of Heruli as soldiers.{{sfn|Steinacher|2010|pp=359-360}}) 

There have been proposals which connected this etymology with Germanic words found in [[runes|runic]] inscriptions in Scandinavia signifying a pronunciation ''erilaR'', and there have also been proposals that the word is connected to Germanic words for werewolves and beings with magic powers. None of these proposals can be verified.{{sfn|Prostko-Prostyński|2021|p=20}}

===Language===
The Heruli are believed to have spoken a [[Germanic languages|Germanic language]].<ref name="Heather_Germanic-speaking">{{harvnb|Heather|2007|p=469}}. "Heruli – Germanic-speaking group originally from north central Europe, some of whom migrated to regions north of the Black Sea in company with Goths and others in the 3rd century."</ref> Personal names are one of the only direct sources of evidence for this.{{sfn|Taylor|1999|pp=468-469}} Some attested Heruli names are almost certainly [[Germanic name|Germanic]],<ref name="Maenchen-Helfen_837">{{harvnb|Maenchen-Helfen|1947|pp=837–838}}. "[[:de:Moritz Schönfeld|Schönfeld]]... offers Germanic etymologies not only for Faras and Alvith but also for Fanotheus, Filimuth, Hariso, Sindval, Svartva, Uligangus, and Visandus. Other Germanic names of the Heruli, not listed in Schönfeld, are Sindila, Batemodus, and Cunthia. Like the Heruli the Rugi were... most certainly a Germanic tribe... The Heruli and Rugians were Germans. So were the Scirians as proved by the names of their leaders."</ref>{{sfn|Goffart|2006|pp=335}} and similar to [[Gothic language|Gothic]] names, but a large number are not easily attributed to any specific language family.<ref>{{harvnb|Taylor|1999|pp=468-469}}: "Aufschluß über die Sprache der H. geben nur die Namen, von denen die lat. und griech. Qu. eindeutig berichten, daß sie von H.n geführt wurden. Diejenigen, die problemlos etymologisierbar sind, lassen sich im Hinblick auf diagnostische Dialektmerkmale nicht von got. Namen derselben Zeit unterscheiden. Dies kann jedoch auf einer sekundären Gotisierung in S-Europa sowie auf lat. und griech. Schreibgewohnheiten beruhen und braucht eine skand. Herkunft nicht auszuschließen."</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=42}}: "It may be granted that the Heruls apparently were Germanic despite the fact that most of the personal names of their leaders baffle German philologist"; " We find among the Heruls an Ochus, which appears Iranian; an Aordus which appears to be based on the name of the Sarmatian Aorsi; and even a Verus, which is quite Roman. Names which "sound" perhaps Dacian were Andonnoballus, Datius, Faras, Alvith, for which neither Forstemann nor Schoenfeld offers a Germanic etymology or can offer one only on the supposition that Greek sources misspelled the name. Only Halaricus, Rodvulf, and Fulcaris yield results to Germanic etymology".</ref>

Given their association with the Goths, the Heruli may have spoken an [[East Germanic languages|East Germanic language]], related to the [[Gothic language]].<ref name="MR_5">{{harvnb|Murdoch|Read|2004|p=5}}. "The Germani may be split into groups in a variety of ways. Tacitus speaks of Ingaevones, Herminones and Istaevones, which philologists have tried to associate with tribal and linguistic subdivisions. Other distinctions, based on the supposed geographical origins of various tribal groups, divided them into Nordgermanen (who would develop into the various Scandinavian peoples) and Oder-Weichsel-Germanen (those originating around the Oder and the Vistula, and including Goths and a number of tribes with un-or only scantily recorded languages, such as the Burgundians, Herulians, Rugians, Vandals and Gepids). The languages of these two broad groups are usually referred to as North and East Germanic, and are linked more closely with each other than with the third, West Germanic group, made up of Elbgermanen (Lombards, Bavarians and Alemanni or Alemans — again the spelling varies), Nordseegermanen (Angles, Frisians, Saxons) and Weser- Rhein-Germanen (Saxons and Franks)."</ref><ref name="MR_149">{{harvnb|Murdoch|Read|2004|p=149}}. "Gothic is associated with other so-called East Germanic languages spoken by tribes such as the Burgundians, the Vandals and the Gepids (classical historians group them with the Goths), the Herulians, and the Rugians."</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Kaliff|Munkhammar|2011|p=12}}. "East Germanic languages (those of the Burgundians, Gepids, Heruli, Rugians, Sciri and Vandals)."</ref> Alternatively however, given their proposed connections to Scandinavia, it has also been proposed that they spoke a [[North Germanic]] language.{{sfn|Taylor|1999|p=469}}