[gothic-l] Two Peoples

[Bertil Haggman]

Tore,

Thank you for providing your view on professor
Lars Hermodsson's book _Goterna - ett krigarfolk
och dess bibel_ (1993). I can see that we have
different opinions on the book.

It is in my opinion not only a fine introduction
to the subject. Especially his treatment of
the question of the original home of the Goths
is fair and balanced. Naturally he refers to
historical sources such as Jordanes. Hermodsson
also mentions the Gutasaga and I cannot agree
with him in his estimate that the saga has no
considerably historical value. It is one in a line
of circumstantial evidences that support the
theory of a Gothic migration from southern
Scandinavia.

Hermodsson also treats the research of Josef Svennung
on the peoples living on the Scandinavian peninsula
in Jordanes and Hermodsson concluded that it
heightens the credibility of the information in _Getica_.
Why not believe the own assessments of the Goths in 
the 6th century AD concerning their origins. As I have
argued earlier oral history written down as in Jordanes
should receive greater attention by historians.

When the linguistical connection between Goths, Gauti and
Gutar is added it "aer och foerblir ett starkt argument
för att den gotiska stammen hade sitt ursprung någonstans
i det forna Sydsverige."

To Hermodssons book has in 2000 been added the highly
valuable book by Ingemar Nordgren, _Goterkaellan_ (see my
review "Banbrytande nyutgivet verk om goterna", Saxo 2000,
pp. 184-185). It is indeed heartening that the Goths are once
more the subject of research in Scandinavia and one can only 
hope that similar works will appear in Denmark and Norway.

The Andersson (BTW, Anderson is a common Scottish name)
articles on the linguistic connection between the people names
Goths, Gutar and Gauti is also part of this growing corpus of
research. Heather and others in my opinion is only part of
the research that will much more importantly be aided by the
study of ancient DNA. A large corpus of scientific research
is available and will grow during the first decade of the 21st
century on the subject of ancient DNA, and this may provide
the breakthrough in the unsolved question of the origin of
the Goths.

Concerning the use of the terms oestgoter and vaestgoter
by professor Hermodsson, I would recommend for your rereading
pp. 28ff in _Goterna - ett krigarfolk och dess bibel_.

For the sources of Hermodssons work see p. 113.

Hermodsson's work is of course not the only. I don't want
to repeat once more extensive bibliographies presented
here already.

Heather, Wolfram and others are certainly not "the final word"
as Gothic studies go.

Gothically

Bertil


I had to reread Hermodssons book. When I first read it I considered 
it a popular account of the Goths without any serious source 
references.
After reading it again I haven't changed my mind.

I had some correspondence with Hermodsson at the time of the book. 
And I have listened to an address made by him over the book. He 
couldn't answer about anything but what he had written. I felt pity 
for him.

He has read Tacitus and Jordanes. He says that often are the names 
Ostrogoths and Visigoths used. However he does not state in which 
century they are introduced.

After that it is obvious he has read the Swedish encyclopedia where 
they talk about Västgoter and Östgoter from about 275.I can follow 
the same thinking in both. The Swedish encyclopedia has no references 
to sources.

He has no refrences to sources either.

It is a nice book for those who never or only a little heard about the Goths.
The Silver Bible is of course well known in Sweden and that makes the 
book interesting to some people.

But please don't use it as proof in our debates. We need something 
more substantial.



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