The first Saxons clearly mentioned in ancient records were the "Saxons" who became important during the late Roman Empire as … See more

Ptolemy's Geographia, written in the second century, is sometimes considered to contain the first mention of the Saxons. Some copies of this text mention a tribe called Saxones in the area to the north of the lower Elbe. However, other versions refer to the same … See more

In comparison to mentions of the early Saxons raiders and settlers in Britain or Gaul, there are few mentions of the Saxons in Germany before the 8th century. Interpretation of the records is also complicated not only by the continuing … See more

The Saxons were conquered by Charlemagne after a long series of annual campaigns, the Saxon Wars (772–804). With defeat came … See more

The name of the Saxons has traditionally been said to derive from a kind of knife used in this period and called a seax in Old English, and … See more

The first undisputed mentions of the Saxon name come from the late 4th century, around the time of emperor Julian. By about 400 the Notitia Dignitatum shows that the Romans had created several military commands specifically to defend against Saxon … See more

The continental Saxons appear to have become consolidated by the end of the eighth century, partly as a result of interaction with the powerful Frankish kingdoms. The ancestors of Charlemagne, the Arnulfings, took control of the neighbouring … See more