[gothic-l] Possible Gothic Origin - Cultic, Linguistic and Historical References

[Beril Haggman]

Esteemed listmembers,

The great majority that accepts Scandza/Scandinavia as the
likely origin of the Goths is a qualified majority of post-WWII
scholars. The massive works published that take into account
not only Jordanes but the linguistic, archeological and historical
material do think the extensive material motivates
conclusions that support Gautland/Gutland theories,
and I underline that these are theories, but at least they
take more into account than only Jordanes history of the Goths.
I think I have agreed with Reinhard Wenskus earlier on this list.
He once stated that it would have been more natural for
Jordanes, Cassiodorus and Ablabius to seek a Gothic origin
in Rome or Troy. But these historians had their ears close to
the belief of the Goths themselves, that Scandza (Scandinavia)
was their home. Of course the Goths may have been wrong about
their origin, but I think the likely extensive contacts between the Gothic
kingdoms and Scandinavia during for instance the Era of Great
Migrations point to the fact that the Goths most likely went back
to their homeland among them many Goths who had served
in the Roman legions. The finds of a large number of brakteats
in Scandinavia would possibly point to such ex-soldier returns.

The probability is low that the idea of a Scandzan origin
was in some way infused by the Romans to make the Goths
believe they came from Scandza.

Of course one can base the argument on the presumption that
after the Gothic migrations there were no contacts between
Scandinavia and the Goths in the south. The Goths were in
some way isolated from their origin and did not remember.
They were confused and then the wily Romans
offered them an option of homeland. They constructed the myth
of Scandza and made the Goths believe the came from there.

Most scholars, be they Scandinavian or German, see the
Scandza theory of Jordanes as one of many indications
that the Goths originally came from Gautland/Gotland.
Thus for instance Ingemar in his book _Goterkaellan_ has
made a detailed analysis of most swcholarly work, not only
Scandinavian, and found that it points to southern Scandinavia.
One is eagerly awaiting a new book or essay that totally
demolishes the theories of a Scandinavian origin. Many
scholars of Gothic history, I am sure, are awaiting such a work
with great anticipation. Maybe even some of our contributors
on the list could make themselves heard although in reality
new evidence would have to come to light. Maybe the
Scandza home of Jordanes survived because it was
based on the belief of Goths themselves. The Goths never
in earnest believed in Troy or any other origin.

It is unfortunate that Gothicism is not correctly defined by
some on the list. Gothicism in its Swedish/Stockholm/Uppsala
version was a theory that claimed that Sweden was the original
biblical people and that all peoples had their root in Uppsala.
So the present discussion of Gothic origin has nothing to do
with Swedish gothicism. After all there are other Gothicisms
such as Danish, Austrian, Spanish and British with sometimes
other angles. If the present scholarship on the Goths would
be a limited Swedish matter, then there would a massive Swedish
literature on the Goths in recent years. But that is not the
case. Instead recent scholarship are of Austrian, German
and once, I think, of British origin.

Gothically

Bertil






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