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Jordan derives Svanhild from the Rosomons, but Saxo treats her as the princess of the Hellespontians who lived in the East Baltic countries. Her localisation near the Baltic Sea is an invention of Saxo Grammaticus alone; this localisation is not known to other epical sources that present the legend of Svanhild. However, Saxo's general knowledge concerning ethnic relations in the Baltic countries is reflected here. Saxo considered the evil counsellor Bicco, by whose advice Jarmeric killed Svanhild, to be the son of the Livian king, who escaped to Jarmeric from Hellespontian captivity. Thus, the Hellespontians lived in the vicinity of the Livians and were having conflicts with them. This ethnic situation should be linked with the Viking Age, as should Saxo's other knowledge about the Hellespontians.
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