Alemanni, Alamanni

or Almanni (German alle Männer, “all men”). A confederacy of Germans, consisting of the tribes between the Danube, the Rhine, and the Main. They first came into contact with the Romans in the reign of Caracalla, who assumed the surname of Alemannicus on account of a pretended victory over them (A.D. 214). After this time they continually invaded the Roman dominions, and in the fifth century were in possession of Alsace and of German Switzerland. See Germania.