Southrons
From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.
The Haradrim or Southrons are a race of Men of Middle-earth who dwelt to the south of Gondor.
The lands of the Haradrim lie to the south of Gondor past the river Poros. The Haradrim are said to be skilled archers and horsemen, and to have swarthy skin.
During the Second Age the Men of Númenor built a great city in the firth of Umbar, a vast natural harbour on the southern shores of the Bay of Belfalas, eventually turning the city into a fortified citadel from whose gates the Men of Númenor could levy great tributes upon many of the tribes of Harad.
At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields the Haradrim cavalry were led by a chieftain bearing the standard of a black serpent on a red field. King Théoden of Rohan slew this unnamed Haradrim leader in single combat.
At the time of the War of the Ring, the Southrons were in league with Sauron and fought alongside his orc army, riding atop gigantic, elephant-like mûmakil. Once Sauron was destroyed, the Southrons teamed up with the Easterlings and Variags and their Kings started war on King Elessar, as well as off-continent enemies from since before the First Age.
Their appearance is somewhat ambiguous, but The Two Towers gives a detailed description of a slain Haradrim warrior that Frodo and Sam encounter. He is described as having brown skin, with black hair that is braided with gold. He wore a scarlet tunic, as did the other warriors, and a gold collar. His weapon and armour are simply described as a sword and a corslet of brazen plate.
