When the Lombards migrated into Italy in the 6th century CE, they brought more than just political upheaval. Their arrival offers a rare window into how ancient societies merged—genetically and culturally. Thanks to ancient DNA, we now see that integration was both rapid and complex.
Lombard Migrations and Mixed Communities
Genetic data from early medieval cemeteries in Szólád (Hungary) and Collegno (Italy) reveal that individuals identified archaeologically as Lombards were not a genetically uniform group. While some retain strong central or northern European ancestry, others—especially in Italy—do not.
Notably, individuals such as CL30, CL25, and CL38, although buried in Lombard-associated contexts, lack the expected Germanic genetic profile. Instead, they show signatures more aligned with local or southern European ancestries.
Who Were These Non-Germanic Lombards?
These findings suggest that the Lombard identity was not defined strictly by ancestry. People like CL30 or CL25 were likely locals or individuals from neighboring Mediterranean populations who had integrated into Lombard communities, adopted their cultural practices, and were buried alongside them.
This challenges the idea of the Lombards as a homogeneous “invading people” and instead supports a model of rapid social and biological incorporation. Cultural identity, in this case, clearly outpaced genetic lineage.
A Flexible and Inclusive Migration Strategy
The inclusion of individuals like CL38 in core burial plots suggests that the Lombards formed adaptive, pluralistic societies, able to incorporate others into their ranks early in the migration process. This flexibility may have been crucial to their success in establishing dominion in northern Italy.
Conclusion:
The Lombard migration was not just a movement of people—but the creation of a new kind of society. Genomes like those of CL30 and CL25 remind us that being Lombard wasn’t about bloodlines—it was about belonging. Through ancient DNA, we witness how integration happened swiftly and deeply, reshaping the genetic landscape of early medieval Italy.