04-01-2010, 07:53 PM
Back to you, Robert
Good point on Attila's name.
I think his brother had a Gothic name as well. It's certainly not a cut and dry situation as far as the Goths are concerned, but I find it noteworthy that all the kings had Germanic-Gothic names. They had at least 15 Germanic comb factories throughout the Chernjachov culture. And recently a rich Gothic prince's grave has been found at the river Samara, which directly realates to Jordanes' not-so folklorish statements that King Ermaneric had that area under his control... and it blows a hole in Kulikowski's statement that Jordanes was not recording history (or something to that effect). The society was multi-ethnic, but the biggest cheeses appear to have been heavily influenced by Germanic culture.
But like you, I really don't think Germans or Goths or Caledonians were "superior" to Romans, especially Roman soldiers (even plain old Italian ones). If Romans were so physically inferior, how did they conquer a third of the known world? (They usually say "half of the known world," but I'm throwing China in there as one-third.) :wink:
Good point on Attila's name.
I think his brother had a Gothic name as well. It's certainly not a cut and dry situation as far as the Goths are concerned, but I find it noteworthy that all the kings had Germanic-Gothic names. They had at least 15 Germanic comb factories throughout the Chernjachov culture. And recently a rich Gothic prince's grave has been found at the river Samara, which directly realates to Jordanes' not-so folklorish statements that King Ermaneric had that area under his control... and it blows a hole in Kulikowski's statement that Jordanes was not recording history (or something to that effect). The society was multi-ethnic, but the biggest cheeses appear to have been heavily influenced by Germanic culture.
But like you, I really don't think Germans or Goths or Caledonians were "superior" to Romans, especially Roman soldiers (even plain old Italian ones). If Romans were so physically inferior, how did they conquer a third of the known world? (They usually say "half of the known world," but I'm throwing China in there as one-third.) :wink:
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
