What are Goths?

Goths are:

• people associated with the contemporary gothic subculture

• A west Germanic tribe consisting of the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths. The Goths were incredibly obedient to their Kings and typically carried short swords and round shields.

Visigoths crossed from Southern Scandinavia to the Southern Coast of the Baltic Sea.  They continued to migrate southward to the Black Sea.

 
The Visigoths conducted raids in the Roman Empire during the 3rd Century. These raids were mainly through Asia Minor, the Balkan Peninsula and they even pressured the Romans to evacuate the province of Dacia.

Some adapted to Roman life and a group were recruited into the Roman army. However, they soon became outraged at the conditions of military service they were subjected to. This led to further fighting and the eventual sacking of Rome in August, 410. The Visigoths migrated to Southern France and Spain and were eventually converted to Christianity from Arianism in the late 6th Century.

The Ostrogoths migrated from Southern Scandinavia toward Italy. Theodoric, their leader, ruled Italy and sections of the Balkans between 493-526. During his previous imprisonment in Constantinople, he gained a great appreciation for the Roman culture. This contributed to his desire to restore ruined Roman monuments, such as the Colesium. He also commissioned mosaic artworks for his Churches, including Sant' Apollinare Nuovo.

Sant' Apollinare Nuovo, north wall of the nave

 Forty years after his death, the Ostrogoths were driven out of Italy by the Eastern Roman army. They migrated into the north of the Alps before disappearing.


Sometimes in the gothic subculture there is a sense of 'your not gawFIK enough' or someone is 'gothier-than-thou.' No, it's really not true. But if you're worried, just remember:

 Notes:

• Arianism - Heretic Christian religion, in which Arius’ taught Christ was a demigod, not divine. As only a God had the power to forgive man, this undermined the Christian concept of redemption as Christ could not forgive mortals. 
• Interesting note - Theodoric once sliced someone in two with a broad sword.

Sources:

• The Germanic Tribes, and Huns,  F. Roy Willis, Professor of History University of California,Robert A. Guisepi, Historian and Editor. Accessed from history-world.org
• "Goth." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition.
  Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.
  <http://0-www.library.ebonline.co.nz.www.elgar.govt.nz/eb/article-9037486>
• Europe, history of: Goths, 5th and 6th centuries AD. Map/Still. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Library Edition. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.  <http://0-www.library.ebonline.co.nz.www.elgar.govt.nz/eb/art-5733>
• memebase.com
• 'Arianism' Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com, 2013
• Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna (Nave Mosaics) www.sacred-destinations.com