Before the mention of Alemanni in the time of Caracalla, one would search in vain for Alemanni in the moderately detailed geography of southern Germany in Claudius Ptolemy, written in Greek in the mid-second century; at that time, the people who later used that name likely were known by other designations.
Enne alemannide mainimist Caracalla ajal võis alemanne 2. sajandi keskpaigas kreeka keeles kirjutatud Klaudios Ptolemaiose mõõdukalt detailsest Lõuna-Saksamaa geograafiast asjatult otsida; see on nii, kuna sel ajal oli rahvas, kes hiljem seda nime kasutas, tuntud teisiti.