Hello I’m Dalibor I live in central Europe. I design, develop and run ERP software solutions for a living.
Why house of VanDal?
Easy it’s my name shortened. DALibor VANěk = VanDal And it is cool reference to ancient tribe living in same general area as I’m.
About Vandals in Central Europe
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that originated in Scandinavia before migrating southward during the Roman Iron Age, first mentioned by Pliny the Elder in 77 CE. By the 2nd century CE, they had established themselves in Central Europe, particularly associated with the Przeworsk Culture that flourished across modern-day Poland from the 3rd century BCE to 5th century CE. The tribe consisted of two main groups – the Silingi, who remained in Silesia, and the Hasdingi, who inhabited the Sudeten mountain regions. Their most significant Central European settlement occurred in Pannonia (modern western Hungary, parts of Austria, Croatia, and Slovenia) from 330-406 CE, where Emperor Constantine the Great granted them official permission to settle as foederati along the right bank of the Danube River. During this 76-year period of stability, the Vandals converted to Arian Christianity, developed a hierarchical warrior society centered on farming and animal husbandry, and lived in circular villages with semi-sunken houses. Their culture emphasized martial prowess, particularly horsemanship, and they served as allied troops for the Roman Empire while maintaining their distinct identity.
The Vandals’ interactions with other tribes and Rome were complex, alternating between alliance and conflict throughout their Central European period. They initially clashed with Rome during the Marcomannic Wars (166-180 CE) but later served as Roman federates, with some Vandals like the future general Stilicho achieving high positions in Roman society. Their settlement in Pannonia represented a period of peaceful coexistence with Roman neighbors, though religious tensions persisted due to their Arian Christianity conflicting with Nicene Christianity. This stability ended in 406 CE when Hunnic invasions from the east forced their dramatic westward migration. On December 31, 406 CE, the Vandals crossed the frozen Rhine River alongside the Alans and Suebi, suffering an estimated 20,000 casualties in battles with the Franks but successfully continuing their migration. This departure marked the end of their Central European chapter, as they never returned to these territories, eventually establishing their famous kingdom in North Africa before being absorbed into the Byzantine Empire in 534 CE. Their Central European legacy persists in archaeological evidence from the Przeworsk Culture and their role in the broader Migration Period that transformed the late Roman world.