Semno(n) of the Logiones

A famous passage in Zosimus (Historia Nova, Book I, 67, 3 in its only surviving manuscript) discusses (as we mentioned previously) a leader of the Legii/Lugii – here in Zosimus written Logi – Semno and we’ve already mentioned this and the leader’s names obvious similarity with names such as Semovit (Siemovit) or Samo:

“The emperor terminated several other wars, with scarcely any trouble; and fought some fierce battles, first against the Logiones, a Germanic nation, whom he conquered, taking Semno their general, and his son, prisoners. These he pardoned upon submission, but took from them all the captives and plunder they had acquired, and dismissed, on certain terms, not only the common soldiers, but even Semno and his son.“

But one thing that we did not point out is that the Greek accusative singular is written Σεμυωνα – in Latin Semuona. [maybe Σεμνωνα Semnona]

1590 Sylburg edition

The assumption in reconstructing the nominative version of the name is that the Greek writer (Zosimus) added the “n” to a base of Semuo to fit a name ending with -n into an accusative case (to avoid having to write Semuoa).  But working solely from the accusative Semuona, can we necessarily conclude that the nominative was Semuo?  Or is it simpler to reconstruct the nominative as Semuon?  If Semuon were the nominative would the  accusative have been Semuonona?  And if not, and if it instead would have been Semuona then isn’t it simpler to assume the base nominative as Semuon (rather than Semuo plus a Zosimus fix of adding an -n?).

While Semuo may have been Germanic or Slavic, Semuon sure sounds more Slavic (or Greek). That suffix would make the name similar to a number of Slavic or Greek names with an -on ending (for example, Jason but also Zenon and so forth); incidentally, on means “he” in Slavic).  Now, if such a name – Semuon – were to appear in Slavic lands in the 11th century it would be interpreted as the Slavic Siemion which, in turn, supposedly, goes back to the Hebrew Simon.

The Emperor Probus

But two things are of interest:

First, we are not talking about the 11th century but about the year 279.

Second, and this is where things get really interesting, there is a question as to whether Simon is a Hebrew name at all or whether it is Greek.  The events above took place at the end of the 3rd century and it is unlikely that any Germanic (or Slavic) prince would be boasting a Hebrew name at that point in time.  This suggests that Simon or something like it may have been an Indoeuropean name.  Whether that name – at some point in time – also found its way (probably with some Indoeuropeans) into the Middle East or whether it independently arose in the Middle East is a separate matter.

As for the rabbit hole we’re in, cognate words likely include semen, some, etc.

A rimon

Finally, note the slight connection between the Lugii and the Semnones as shown by Strabo:

“…for after his return from Rome this man, who before had been only a private citizen, was placed in charge of the affairs of state, for, as a youth he had been at Rome and had enjoyed the favour of Augustus, and on his return he took the rulership and acquired, in addition to the peoples aforementioned, the Lugii (a large tribe), the Zumi, the Butones, the Mugilones, the Sibini,18 and also the Semnones, a large tribe of the Suevi themselves. (Strabo’s Geography, Book 7, chapter 1, 3).”

The derivation of the Mugilones name from the Slavic mogila is well known, notwithstanding Vasmer’s half-hearted critique.