Theustes

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Map of Scandza, with a selection of tribes

Theustes were a Germanic tribe described by Jordanes living in Scandza.

Variants

• Theutes
• Theuthes

Jat clans

• Theba

Origin

According to v. Friesen (cit. by Langenfelt), the name is derived from a local lake Tjostr 'the roaring'. Home in the district of Tjust, O.Swed. piust, which forms the north-eastern border of Smaland. Also written as Theutes, Theuthes.

Early attestations

In his 500s Getica, Jordanes mentions a Scandinavian tribe theustes, possibly the inhabitants of Tjust. Tjust is also mentioned in the dative singular þiusti on the Södermanland runic inscription 40 from the 1000s. In the 1103 Florens list, it is also found in the Latin form Teuste.

History

Jordanes names a multitude of tribes living in Scandza, which he named a womb of nations (loosely translated), and says they were taller and more ferocious than the Germans (archaeological evidence has shown the Scandinavians of the time were tall, probably due to their diet). The listing represents several instances of the same people named twice, which was probably due to the gathering of information from diverse travellers and from Scandinavians arriving to join the Goths, such as Rodwulf from Bohuslän. Whereas linguists have been able to connect some names to regions in Scandinavia, there are others that may be based on misunderstandings.....

There were also the Theustes (the people of the Tjust region in Småland), Vagoths (probably the Gutes of Gotland), Bergio (either the people of Bjäre Hundred in Skåne, according to L Weibull, or the people of Kolmården according to others), Hallin (southern Halland) and the Liothida (either the Luggude Hundred or Lödde in Skåne, but others connect them to Södermanland) who live in a flat and fertile region, due to which they are subject to the attacks of their neighbours.