Description
Book SynopsisIncorporating exciting new material that has come to light since the last German edition of 1980, Herwig Wolfram places Gothic history within its proper context of late Roman society and institutions. He demonstrates that the barbarian world of the Goths was both a creation of and an essential element of the late Roman Empire.
Table of ContentsPreface
Introduction
Gothic History as Historical Ethnography
1. The Names
The Gothic Name
The Dual Names of the Two Gothic Peoples
Visigoths and Ostrogoths as Western Goths and Eastern Goths
The Epic and the Derisive Names of the Goths
Biblical and Classical Names for the Goths
Gothic Royal Houses and Their Names
2. The Formation of the Gothic Tribes before the Invasion of the Huns
Gutones and Guti
Politics and Institutions of the Gutones
The Trek to the Black Sea
The Goths at the Black Sea
The Gothic Invasions of the Third Century
The Gothic Advance into the Aegean
Aurelian and the Division of the Goths
The Tervingian-Vesian Confederation at the Danube
The Events of 291 to 364
The Era of Athanaric, 365-376/381
Ulfilas and the Beginning of the Conversion of the Goths
The Ostrogothic Greutungi until the Invasion of the Huns
Ermanaric's Greutungian Kingdom and Its Dissolution
Political Organization and Culture of the Goths at the Danube and
the Black Sea
The Gutthiuda: The Land of the Tervingi and Taifali
The Kuni: Community of Descent and Subdivision of the Gutthiuda
The Harjis, the Tribal Army
Gards, Batirgs, Sibja: Lordship, Retainers, Community of Law
Haims (Village): The Social World of the Gothic Freeman
Cult and Religion among the Goths
Language and Daily Life
The Ostrogothic-Greutungian Kingship
3. The Forty-year Migration and the Formation of the
Visigoths, 376/378 to 416/418
The Invasion and Settlement of the Goths in Thrace
From the Crossing of the Danube (376) to the Battle of
Adrianople (378)
Theodosius and the Settlement of the Goths in Thrace
The Balkan Campaigns of 395-401
The Foedus of 397 and the Settlement of the Goths in Macedonia
Alaric's Elevation to the Kingship
Fravitta and Eriulf
Gainas and Tribigild
The Goths in the Western Empire, 401-418
Alaric's Italian Wars
Athaulf and the Gothic Trek Westward
Athaulf 's Contribution to the Visigothic Ethnogenesis
The Visigoths Become Horsemen
Radagaisus and His Contribution to the Visigothic
Ethnogenesis
Valia and the Goths "in Roman Service"
4. The Kingdom of Toulouse, 418 to 507
The Aquitanian Federates, 418-466
The Visigothic "Superpower," 466-507
Euric (466-484) and the Breach of the Foedus of 416/418
The Conquest of the Auvergne and Tarraconensis
The Last Battles with the Empire
The Organization and Development of Dominion
Alaric II (484-507)
The Legal and Ecclesiastical Policies of Euric and Alaric II
The Legislation of Euric and Alaric II
The Ecclesiastical Policies of Euric and Alaric II
The King and the Royal Clan
The Royal Family
The King
Court Life: Religion, Language, and Culture
The Kingship: Its Functions and Functionaries
Military Organization
The Courtiers
Royal Estates and Finances
The Settlement of the Visigoths
The Peoples of the Kingdom of Toulouse: Ethnic and Social Composition
Goths and Romans in the Kingdom of Toulouse
Jews, Greeks, and Syrians
The Native Barbarians
The Immigrant Barbarians
Conditions of Dependency
The End That Was No End
5. The "New" Ostrogoths
The Division and Reunification of the Amal Goths, 375-451
Pannonian Greutungi, Hunnic Goths, and Ostrogoths
The Ostrogothic Kingdom in Pannonia, 456/457-473
The Ostrogoths in the Balkans, 473-488
Theodoric's Battle for Italy, 488-493
The Ostrogothic March to Italy
The Battles in Italy, 489-493
Flavius Theodericus Rex: King of the Goths and Italians, 493-526
Theodoric's Efforts To Obtain Imperial Recognition,
490/493-497
Some Questions
Theodoric's Kingdom: An Attempt at a Constitutional
Analysis
Theodoric's Rule in Theory and Practice
Exercitus Gothorum
Comites Gothorum, Duces, Saiones, Millenarii, Mediocres, Capillati
The Settlement of the Gothic Army
Polyethnicity, Social Status, and Compulsory Military Service
Ostrogothic Weapons and Fighting Techniques
Theodoric's Barbarian Policy and the Securing of Italy
The Vandals
The Visigoths
The Burgundians
The Franks
Raetia and Western Illyricum under Ostrogothic Dominion
Barbarian Traditions and Ethnography
Theodoric's Roman Policy and the End of His Kingship, 526
The Amal Successors of Theodoric, 526-536
Athalaric (526-534)
Theodahad (534-536)
The Non-Amal Kings and the Fall of the Ostrogothic Kingdom, 536-552
Vitigis (536-540)
Hildebad and Eraric (540/541)
Totila (541-552)
The Epilogue: Teja (552)
Appendixes
1. Roman Emperors
2. A Survey of Gothic History
3. Genealogical Charts of the Balthi and Amali
Notes
List of Abbreviations
Bibliography
Index
Maps
