[gothic-l] Re: The Gothic and Eruli Proto-Vikings

[dirk at SMRA.CO.UK]

Hi Bertil,

yes, but this refers to the 3rd century and their style of warfare, I
meant their self-perception in the late 5th century. However, just
thinking of it, if I remember correctly Wolfram describes the
sea-borne operations of the Eruli and Goths on the Black Sea as
a shambles of a lot of people in local fishing boats and the fleet
captured from the Bosporans, probalby with their navigators and seaman
to get them where they wanted. Also, Vernadsky renders a similar
describtion with the Goths mainly relying on the Borans to get them
where they wanted. I am not sure if this does a lot of justice to the
highly skilled seafarring vikings of later centuries. Also, the Saxons
carried out a lot of sea operations fromt the 2nd century, probably
more skilled than the Black Sea Goths and Eruli, would this make them
pre-vikings as well. If so, everybody in a boat before say 700AD
becomes a pre-viking and the describtion looses its value (if it has
any).

Dirk





--- In gothic-l at egroups.com, bertil <mvk575b at t...> wrote:
> Dirk,
>
> The Ukrainian born Harvard Professor
> Pritsak believes the Eruli and Gothic
> raiders in Black Sea and East Mediterranean
> area during the 3rd Century AD were proto-
> vikings. They learned there craft in the
> Baltic Sea, their home of origin, and brought
> it alon to the southeast. Can only agree
> with Professor Pritsak.
>
> Gothically
>
> Bertil
>
>
> > I think the vikings are of little significance here. The Goths
(and
> > other tribes) were certainly no vikings are proto-vikings.
> > Theoderic's aim was not to appear as a viking plunderer but as a
Roman
> > aristocrat, who ruled Italy legitimately. His coins are good
evidence
> > for this, as  he tried to connect to Roman traditions, even
aluring to
> > the Roman republic and its virutes.


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