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

[Frank Kermes]

>
>Hi Bertil,
>
>is the edict by a Roman Emperor which threatens any Roman with death
>if he showed the barbarians how to built ships not instructive. It was
>likely Honorius but I am not sure. In any case, it seems to indicate
>that the Germanic tribes (the law was targeted at the Vandals and
>Goths)in contact with the Romans did initially not know how to build
>ships. If they had already been known as seafaring people the law
>would have been obsolete.
>
>Dirk

Unless they wanted to build different 'kinds' of ships.  Or were busy
raiding and needed replacement ships built _for_ them.  And, seeing as the
Visigoths and Vandals at the time had been wandering for a while (the
Visigoths for 40 years!) they probably had not built many ships in that time
that could cross to North Africa.  Rafts for river fording and boats for
trade and communication in rivers do not make oceanic crossings very well .
. .

Cheers,
Frank
(Devil's Advocate)
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