[gothic-l] Re: Analogy between fate of Eruli and Burgundians?

[Dr. Dirk Faltin <dirk@smra.co.uk>]

comments should be answered too in the
> above.
> > >
> > > Troels
> >
> >
> >
> > Not really, firstly we cannot make a case that dissatisfied
> > Thurgingians, Varnians and Western Heruls joined the remaining
> > Eastern Heruls, simply because there is not a shred of evidence
to
> > support such a claim. Secondly, from the migratory path that
> > Procopius suggests, we could -if anything - only assume that
> Eastern
> > Varnians and especially Slavic tribesmen followed the Heruls.
> > Thirdly, I have shown earlier that your argument that those
people
> > would have joined the Heruls for religious reasons is
particularly
> > invalid, since Thuringians, Langobards and Franks were largely
> pagan
> > at the time. All this looks to me like very desparate attempts to
> > arteficially inflate the strength of the remaining Heruls. For
such
> > speculation we lack any support in the sources.
> >
> > Dirk
>
> It is always interesting to analyze the motives of a writer - and
it
> is a part of the process when analyzing history, but it has to be
> properly done. At least for me the purpose has been to show, that
you
> this time put too much into the text, and that your claims have
more
> realistic alternatives though these are unfounded too. Therefore it
> makes no sense to criticize a counterpart for speculations when his
> point is that both parties speculate.
>
> Troels



Troels,

I am not putting anything into the sources with regards to your
proposal of additional Germanic groups joining the Eastern Heruls
after 509AD. I maintain that we have no basis to postulate that
various groups of Varnians, Thuringians and Western Heruls joined the
Eastern Heruls at any time (especially not for religious reasons). I
don't say that it is impossible, but given the lack of evidence and
the writing of Procopius, which points in the opposite direction, it
is not likely in my view. I agree with you, Procopius' geographical
description of the migration of the Thule Heruls can be entirely
wrong in every respect, but to argue that Western Heruls from the
Rhine joined any Eastern Heruls simply requires some positive
evidence.

Dirk







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