Two new ternary nitrides, Sr2VN3 and Ba2VN3, have been synthesized by the solid state reaction of Sr2N or Ba3N2 with VN in sealed stainless steel crucibles and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. Sr2VN3 crystallizes in the space group C2/c (a 5.71036(9) Angstrom, b = 10.9521(2) Angstrom, c = 12.2881(2) Angstrom, beta = 90.986(1)degrees, Z = 8) and is isostructural with Sr2TaN3. Ba2VN3 crystallizes in the space group Cmca (a 5.8614(4) Angstrom, b = 11.4682(7) Angstrom, c = 12.9121(9) Angstrom, Z = 8) and is isostructural with Rb2TiO3. In each structure vanadium (V) is coordinated to nitrogen in distorted tetrahedra, forming infinite one-dimensional chains of [VN3](4-) units running parallel to a. The strontium and barium atoms in these A(2)VN(3) materials (A = Sr, Ba) are coordinated to seven nitrogens. These materials are the first reported group II ternary nitrides to contain V-5+.