This had been noted by Tacitus, for example when he mentioned the names of two kings of the 1st century Frisians and added that they were kings "as far as the Germans are under kings".
Dette var blevet bemærket af Tacitus, for eksempel da han i 1. århundrede nævnte navnene på to konger for friserne og tilføjede, at de var konger "så vidt germanerne er under konger"..