HERULI, a nomad and warlike German tribe who made their appearance in various and widely separate parts of the Roman empire. They first occur in history on the
northern shores of the Black Sea. Under the reign of Valentinian, they are associated with the Batavi as allies of the Romans against the Alemanni. They occur also in Britain. When Attila, king of the Huns, made his descent upon Western Europe, he was joined, amongst other tribes, by the Heruli, who subsequently, however, helped to destroy the power of the Huns. But the most memorable event in the history of this tribe was their overthrowing the Roman empire, A.D. 476. Their leader, at this time, was Odoacer, who is called King. Shortly subsequent to this, the Heruli established themselves into a more permanent body, near the banks of the Danube. Here they became a powerful nation, and the Ostrogoths sought their assistance against the Franks. Amongst the tribes which the Heruli had reduced to subjection, shortly after their establishment near the Danube, were the Longobardi, who succeeded in throwing off the Herulian yoke in the beginning of the sixth century. Of the dispersed Heruli, some proceeded to Scandinavia, and others got a settlement in Pannonia. These latter were troublesome neighbours to the western emperors. In Justinian's time they embraced Christianity. Under Todasius, a large party of them joined the Gepidæ in the wars against the Eastern empire, so that the Heruli fought against each other. As a warlike nation they were bold and hardy, and as being perpetually in motion, the helpless, whether from age or sickness, were put to death or left to perish.