[gothic-l] Goths and Religion - #1

[F.E.J.D. IV]

Here please find the first part (or preamble) of some observations
about the Goths and religion.
I read Ingemar’s synopsis and it is truly quite interesting.
I am of the opinion that the Goths most likely nucleated around a
religious idea; the latter being one of the most powerful bonds humans
can have as we see in such stories as Abraham and Isaac…
First however, I would like to digress in order to emphasize a point
that is central to certain of the present views on ethnicity and
Gothic scholarship and one that allows us to theorize about the
elements that might have kept the Goths united. 
At the onset we must remember that it was in reaction to Romanticist
attitudes that Reinhardt Wenskus developed the influential
‘Ethnogenesis Theory’ which argues that individual barbarian tribes,
whose members came from diverse backgrounds, were welded into
politically and culturally cohesive units through allegiance to a
group “Traditionskern” that resided in, and could be manipulated by, a
king or an aristocratic clan. Scholars such as Herwig Wolfram and
Walter Pohl have continued to develop this theory, though it has come
under increased ((criticism)) for perhaps ((itself)) incorporating and
continuing Romantically informed assumptions (Amory, 1997). Recent
decades have seen greatly increased interest in ethnicity and
identity, and as has been revealed here in recent posts and in
scholarly anthropological research on the subject it is extremely
surprising how complex and poorly understood these phenomena remain. I
invite others to consider that at present, most anthropologists
believe that ethnicity is grounded in the shared subliminal
dispositions of social agents that shape, and are shaped by, objective
commonalties of practice which provide the basis for the recognition
of commonalties of sentiment and interest, and the perception and
communication of cultural affinities and differences (see Jones,
1997). The latter could, but might not include conceptions of shared
ancestry (real or imagined). â€" It voices the reality that ethnic
identity is very plastic and can assert itself in such things as
historic European Gothicism, or a person’s desire to assert or
identify with the various phenomena present in their own particular
personal, cultural and/or historical milieu. In the case of Spaniards
and Swedes (among a few others) the latter has been perennial since
their mutual histories are RICHLY and UNDENIABLY intertwined with that
of the Goths. For the latter no apologies need be made since it is a
matter of record. It is also a well-known fact that a group’s belief
in shared ancestry remains a defining ethnic factor for many scholars.
In view of ethnicity’s plastic nature it becomes apparent that the
ethnic affinities of any group (here more precisely of ancient ones)
could be based on one or a number of particulars that anyone could
have rallied around, (even us at present). 
Thus, in my opinion, it is quite likely the Goths nucleated around
deep religious ideas and ceremonies held in common. Such a set of
communalities could have begun in a group living in a geographically
bound area at some point in time. What cemented the group was most
likely the “binding nature” of religious ideas and ceremonies.
However, by the time the Goths left their ancestral geographic areas
and were experiencing threats from other tribes it is quite likely the
criteria for acceptance changed in order to allow the admission of
other groups and/or individuals with which they could combine to fend
off attacks. Thus, at such times religion became secondary to the
pressures of mutual preservation. In fact, from before the time of
Hadrianople until after the sack of Rome there were times when the
Goths allowed groups and individuals into their ranks. Nonetheless, I
believe that the nature of the latter mergers is worthy of more
investigation since certain mergers could have been quite tenuous
and/or perhaps even temporary. In other words, individuals may have
joined the Goths at different levels of commitment and for different
reasons during a time of mutual necessity, some, in order to defend
themselves from other tribes and/or to escape harsh economic or social
conditions or to run away from slavery. It is possible that some of
the latter groups and individuals could have continued on with the
Goths or on the other hand, DROPPED OUT of the tribe once they had
ameliorated their condition or fulfilled their goals. The latter is
hardly discussed, and not well understood. There is little or no
direct certainty from a later period of time that “most of those who
joined at an earlier time were still members of the Goths years
later.” Nor are there ample or adequate detailed descriptions of
Gothic ranks from Roman or other sources around 410CE detailing what
we need to know. After all, Romans would NOT have required credentials
of those sacking their capital, neither would they have questioned the
particular commitment to the Gothic tribe of a man about to split
their cranium with a 10-kilo axe.
Alas, it makes no qualitative difference who comprised their ranks.
But it would be interesting to know how many joined and stayed and how
many joined and quit and their accompanying reasons. Nonetheless,
whatever it was that united most of them for so long is quite
remarkable despite the tenuous commitment or ulterior motives that
some might have had.
I hope others might enjoy discussing what is known about the religion
of the Goths, Ingemar's ideas and other relevant topics in future
posts. I would be greatly appreciative of other insights.


Cheers,
Fernando
F.E.J.D.




------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/wWMplB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

You are a member of the Gothic-L list.  To unsubscribe, send a blank email to <gothic-l-unsubscribe at egroups.com>. 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gothic-l/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     gothic-l-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/