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Born in 1934, Herwig Wolfram was a student of the renowned historian Reinhard Wenskus. Wenskus developed the “ethnogenesis” model — the idea that barbarian groups (Goths, Vandals, Lombards, Franks) were not biologically continuous clans but socially constructed political-military coalitions formed from diverse elements under a “tradition core” (Traditionskern) of ruling elites.
Wolfram applied this model rigorously to Gothic history. In his view, the Goths did not originate as a single nation migrating from Scandinavia (as per Jordanes’ Getica, written in the 6th century). Instead, multiple Gothic groups — Visigoths and Ostrogoths — coalesced along the Roman frontier during the 3rd to 5th centuries CE. Their “Gothicness” lay in shared military customs, dynastic legends (the Amal dynasty for Ostrogoths, the Balthi for Visigoths), and Arian Christianity, not in biological descent. Herwig Wolfram History Of The Goths Pdf 14 bervan
Wolfram’s major works include:
But History of the Goths remains his magnum opus: 580+ densely packed pages (in the English edition) tracing the Goths from their legendary origins in Scandza (Scandinavia) to their disintegration under Byzantine reconquest and Arab expansion. Reputable Academic Publishers:
Wolfram’s page 14 is crucial because it lays out his rejection of the “Scandinavian origin” myth. Unlike earlier scholars who believed the Goths came from Gotland (following Jordanes literally), Wolfram argues:
Thus, citing page 14 correctly might look like:
(Wolfram, History of the Goths, 1988, p. 14) Open-Access Platforms:
Wolfram’s History of the Goths is divided into: