Getica

De origine actibusque Getarum (short Getica ) is the historical main work of the Roman -Gothic scholars and historian Jordanes ( † after 552) from the 6th century. Jordanes describes in his work, the people of the Goths.

Background

Jordanes, himself a Gothic descent, wrote his works on the basis of a given by Theodoric in order recording over the people and history of the Goths. This was written by the Roman scholar Cassiodorus around the year 520 in 12 books as Gothorum Historia ( History of the Goths ). Jordanes had the opportunity today lost work of Cassiodorus for three days to see and then himself wrote the work De origine actibusque Getarum ( From origin and deeds of the Goths ). Jordanes also relied on additional sources, such as a font of the historian Ablabius. In addition, he was referring to current events, such as the battles of the troops Emperor Justinian against the Ostrogoths.

The custom built by Jordan Getica is considered an important source for the history of Gothic, as the works of Cassiodorus and the Ablabius are completely lost; Fragments from the work of Ablabius are preserved only in Jordanes. However, it must be noted that Jordanes looked at the histories of ostgotischer or Roman perspective. The also written by Jordanes Historia Romana probably forms a unit with the Getica or is to be regarded as a supplement.

To date, the credibility of Jordanes is controversial in several respects. It is also debatable how much Cassiodorus' Gothic history forms the basis for the Getica whether or Jordanes a more independent description offered in which only parts of the respective sources were processed.

Critical review of the sources

Direct comparisons between the works of Jordanes and Cassiodorus are no longer possible, as the books of Cassiodorus no longer exist. This had to have given gothic folk songs (Latin carmina prisca ) used in its records as the source. Jordanes also relies on old stories. As a main purpose for this recording, the glorification of that time prevailing in Italy of the Ostrogoths class is considered in the research. This would help Cassiodorus to a glorious past. The Gothic story was shown to be as long as the Roman. In modern research, this representation is, however, considered very critical; Cassiodorus has finally ( takes you Jordanes ' report as a basis ) a historical past of the Goths constructed that did not correspond to reality.

Arne Soby Christensen relied on for its investigation of the Getica first to the Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian literature about the Goths that had been written before the books of Cassiodorus. The name " Gothi " can already be found in sources from the early 3rd century, and also the historian Tacitus (c. AD 58; † 120 ) mentions in his writings a people with the name " Gotones ", the south of the Baltic Sea were home. Jordanes moved it to the Danube. Ptolemy (c. 100; † before 180) reported by the Sarmatians, who lived on the Vistula. However, none of this information is consistent with the chronology of Jordanes. Jordanes said that the Getae were the same people as the Goths and summoned here to the details of Orosius (c. 385, † 418 ). A controversial passage is the equation of the Slavs in the 6th century with the people of Veneti, who already by Tacitus, Pliny ( about 23 *, † 79) or the Sarmatians mentioned by Ptolemy.

Therefore, an important question is the historical accuracy of the work of Jordanes, especially when it comes to the dating of the events and the origin of the Goths. Critics see it more as a description of the peoples of the 6th century, as they were found at the time of writing. It is also its main source ( the historical work of Cassiodorus ) questionable, because this was based on ancient descriptions of peoples who can not be identified with certainty as the Goths.

Textual history

The textual basis is now the edition by the famous German historian Theodor Mommsen, which is based on the then (1882 ) the best preserved Heidelberg manuscript, which probably originated in the early 8th century. This manuscript was destroyed in a fire in Mommsen's house on 7 July 1880 and only the processing of Mommsen itself is preserved. This fact helps sometimes to doubt the currently available version of Jordanes as a reliable historical source, although Mommsen is generally considered a careful and competent editor. The manuscript with the next greatest historical value is the Vaticanus Palatinus from the 10th century, and the Valenciennes manuscript from the 9th century. The handwriting of the State Archives of Palermo, which is only slightly younger than the Heidelberg manuscript, Mommsen was not known. It was used for the edition of 1991.

In terms of textual criticism and tradition history Getica are the work of insecurity, which the authenticity of the affects us today has been handed down: So " ... we must humble, not being able to say with certainty what Jordanis really wrote ," wrote the translator of Getica, W. Martens, already in 1913.

Construction of the " Getica "

The Getica are divided into four themes.

• The Geographical Introduction

Jordanes tells of the conception of the world of the Goths, which they imagined as a circle around the known world, which was surrounded by a kind of belt made oceans from three sides. The three continents were referred to as Asia, Europe and Africa. In addition, there are several island groups such as the Cyclades or Sporades.

• The combined Goths

Jordanes begins his story with the emigration of the Goths under their leader Berig, who departed with three ships from the island Scandza after Gothiscandza (Coast of the Goths ). This is equated with the Willenberg culture in today's Poland or Danzig at the mouth of the Vistula. However, modern research is opposed, that the Goths from Scandinavia immigrated, the report of Jordanes is regarded rather as a topical origin Sage ( Origo gentis ).

In the narrative of Herodotus is Gothic demigod Zalmoxis the king of the Goths. This is followed by glorious stories to the first meeting of the Goths with the Romans.

• The Visigoths
• The Ostrogoths.

The work ends with the submission of the Goths by the Byzantine general Belisarius.

Editions and translations

• Jordanes: De origine actibusque Getarum. In: Francesco Giunta, Antonino Grillone (ed.): Iordanis de origine actibusque Getarum. Istituto Storico Italiano per il Medio Evo, Rome 1991 ( Fonti per la Storia d' Italia, 117).
• Theodor Mommsen (ed.): Auctores antiquissimi 5.1: Iordanis Romana et Getica. Berlin 1882 ( Monumenta Historica Germaniae, digitized ).
• Alexander Heine ( eds.): Jordanis Gothic history, together with extracts from his Roman History. Dunker, Leipzig 1884; Phaidon, food / Stuttgart 1985/1986, ISBN 3-88851-076-7.
• Jordanes: The Gothic history. Translated, introduced and explained by Lenelotte Möller. Marix, Wiesbaden 2012, ISBN 978-3-86539-288-6.
• Hans -Jürgen Hube (ed.): Ostrogoths saga. Marix -Verlag, Wiesbaden 2010, ISBN 978-3-86539-248-0.