Ashkenaz

For other uses, see Ashkenaz (disambiguation).

In the Bible, Ashkenaz (Heb. אַשְׁכֲּנָז) is Gomer's first son, brother of Riphath and Togarmah (Gen. 10:3, 1 Chronicles 1:6), thereby a Japhetic descendant of Noah. A kingdom of Ashkenaz is called together with Ararat and Minni against Babylon (Jer. 51:27).

There is a theory of Isaac Asimov that biblical Askhenaz (אשכנז) arose from Ashkūz (אשכוז) (= the Scythians) by an old misreading of נ (nun) for ו (vav). Ashkenaz is often identified with the Scythians and Sarmatians, due in part to the use of the name "Ashkuz" (Saka) for the Scythians in Assyrian Akkadian inscriptions. It may also refer to the Phrygians, who according to Homer's Iliad settled around Lake Ascania.

In rabbinic literature, Ashkenaz is believed to be the ancestor of the Germanic people, probably due to the similarity of the names Gomer with German, and Ashkenaz with Aschanes (Askanius), a mythological progenitor of the Saxons. For this reason, Ashkenaz is the Medieval Hebrew name for Germany.

Samewise they could have taken the name from the landholders and leaders of the German Siedlung (settlers)^{[citation needed]} over the formerly Slavic lands of Eastern Europe after the XI c. with the Ascanians, the new titleholders of lands (or people, also when residents of neighbor feudal lords) resettled with their Ostsiedlung programs from the Western Marks of Saxony and other German speaking territories were invitations were announced and to which many German Jewish people responded too and moved in search of better prospects and more religious protections.

The German name for Northern people, to which they could be included by outsiders was, Ascomannii^{[citation needed]} from the Ash wood used for their Spears. Gar-mann, which means roughly "spear or pike" foot man, is a false etymology from English for the name "German", as well attested by reputable dictionaries.

Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי‎ / pronounced [ˌaʃkəˈnazi] (singular) / Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים‎ / [ˌaʃkəˈnazim] (z pronounced as in English zip, not German-fashion as ts) (plural) / also Hebrew: יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכֲּנָז‎ / Yehudei Ashkenaz / English: the Jews of Ashkenaz), are termed as such because of their abode in the northern areas long associated with Ashkenaz.

Askenaz in Royal genealogies (1732)

The 1732 tome Royal genealogies by James Anderson reports a significant number of antiquarian or mythographic traditions regarding Askenaz as the first king of Ancient Germany, in the following entry:

Askenaz, or Askanes, called by Aventinus Tuisco the Giant, and by others Tuisto or Tuizo (whom Aventinus makes the 4th son of Noah, and that he was born after the flood, but without authority) was sent by Noah into Europe, after the flood 131 years, with 20 Captains, and made a settlement near the Tanais, on the West coast of the Euxin sea (by some called Asken from him) and there founded the kingdom of the Germans and the Sarmatians... when Askenaz himself was 24 years old, for he lived above 200 years, and reigned 176.

In the vocables of Saxony and Hessia, there are some villages of the name Askenaz, and from him the Jews call the Germans Askenaz, but in the Saxonic and Italian, they are called Tuiscones, from Tuisco his other name. In the 25th year of his reign, he partitioned the kingdom into Toparchies, Tetrarchies, and Governments, and brought colonies from diverse parts to increase it. He built the city Duisberg, made a body of laws in verse, and invented letters, which Kadmos later imitated, for the Greek and High Dutch are alike in many words.

The 20 captains or dukes that came with Askenaz are: Sarmata, from whom Sarmatia; Dacus or Danus – Dania or Denmark; Geta from whom the Getae; Gotha from whom the Goths; Tibiscus, people on the river Tibiscus; Mocia - Mysia; Phrygus or Brigus - Phrygia; Thynus - Bithynia; Dalmata - Dalmatia; Jader – Jadera Colonia; Albanus from whom Albania; Zavus – the river Save; Pannus – Pannonia; Salon - the town Sale, Azalus – the Azali; Hister – Istria; Adulas, Dietas, Ibalus – people that of old dwelt between the rivers Oenus and Rhenus; Epirus, from whom Epirus.

Askenaz had a brother called Scytha (say the Germans) the father of the Scythians, for which the Germans have of old been called Scythians too (very justly, for they came mostly from old Scythia) and Germany had several ancient names; for that part next to the Euxin was called Scythia, and the country of the Getes, but the parts east of the Vistule or Weyssel were called Sarmatia Europaea, and westward it was called Gallia, Celtica, Allemania, Francia and Teutonia; for old Germany comprehended the greater part of Europe; and those called Gauls were all old Germans; who by ancient authors were called Celts, Gauls and Galatians, which is confirmed by the historians Strabo and Aventinus, and by Alstedius in his Chronology, p. 201 etc. Askenaz, or Tuisco, after his death, was worshipped as the ambassador and interpreter of the gods, and from thence called the first German Mercury, from Tuitseben to interpret.

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