[gothic-l] Re: Eruli-Scandinavian Relations

[Tore Gannholm]

>
>
>>  One interesting aspect is that Procopius, who wrote about
>>  the remigration, knew much about the Eruli. The reason:
>>  he was himself secretary of the commander in chief of the
>>  Byzantian forces. Procopius is thus a good contemporary
>>  eyewitness to the strong Eruli mercenary force that fought
>>  on the side of Byzantium against Gothic King Theoderic.
>>
>>  RLK discussed in 1994 the possibility that the positive
>>  experience of the Byzantian emperors, when it came to
>>  Eruli mercenaries, contributed to the custom of Constantinople
>>  to hire Scandinavians as lifeguard at a later stage.
>
>
>This looks like a very contrived argument. After the lapse of several
>centuries the Byzantines remembered their positive experieance with
>Heruls (from the Danube area) and thought hence we should employ
>Scandinavian body guards? Roman emperors had Germanic body guards
>already in the first century AD. I suppose employing foreigners as
>body guards had the advantage that they could be more easily
>controlled and kept outside political power struggles.
>
>Dirk
>

Dirk,
I agree with you. This does not sound convincing.

We have much closer sources.
After there became a strong Sveapower in the Lake Mälar area in the 
sixth century we find Scandinavian colonies on the east coast of the 
Baltic. Warrior graves with Svear and close by Gotlandic gravefields 
with merchants.

I en 60-poängsuppsats 1982 kartlägger Rune Elmér under handledning av 
professor Erik Nylén "De nordiska vikingatågens bakgrund och 
färdvägar i Österled". Han skriver bl a "Åtminstone från ca 650 
började svear och gotlänningar att intressera sig för områdena  på 
andra sidan Östersjön. Stödjepunkter för handeln anlades utefter 
östra och sydöstra kusten av Östersjön. Fyndmaterialet bestyrker, att 
åtminstone gotlänningar har hållit till i Grobin och Truso (Elbing), 
och åtminstone svear i Grobin och Wiskiauten".

In 1982  Rune Elmér under the guidance of professor Erik Nylén 
analyzes the Scandinavian settlements east of the Baltic. He writes 
that from ca 650 Svear and Gutnish people start to take interest in 
the areas on the other side of the Baltic.     Bases were established 
along the eastern and south eastern shores  of the Baltic.  The find 
material confirms that at least the Gutnish have been established in 
Grobin and Truso (Elbing), and at least Svear i Grobin and Wiskiauten 
.

When the new silver mines were discovered in the 8th century they 
just continued further east and established a "highway" down to the 
Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
Later when the Crusades started this road was used for Scandinavians.

In the Guta Saga written down about 1220 it says the the road to the 
Holy country went over Gotland and the Russian rivers.

The word Viking does not seem to have been used in the east only in the west.

Those who travelled on the Russian rivers were called Varangians 
(they had made a var - secret promise to help each other). From the 
beginning it seems to have been merchants.

It must have been tempting for some of these to take employment in 
Miklagård (Constantinopel).
I think that is where we should seek the origin of the Varangian guards .

Tore


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