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

[Frank Kermes]

>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

Just out of curiosity, what evidence is there of the Goths and Heruli using
their own ships, rather than commandeering Black Sea fleets from the areas
they were using as bases?  There were some extensive land campaigns before
these, establishing the territories used in their seaborne attacks.  From
the literary sources alone, I cannot tell if they were using native
technology or simply ships built (and crewed?) by the indigenious people . .
.

Just something that's always puzzled me.  After all, the Goths that appear
from the mid-fourth century on are definitely _not_ a seafaring people, from
what I can tell, (c.f. Alaric's unrealized goal of North Africa).

Cheers,
Frank
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