The Origin and Deeds of the GothsJordanes, active 6th century
History
The Origin and Deeds of the Goths
Jordanes, active 6th century
Attila, -453; Germanic peoples; Goths
Now this is their order of succession: first, Gaiseric 170
who was father and lord, next, Huneric, the third
Gunthamund, the fourth Thrasamund, and the fifth
Ilderich. He was driven from the throne and slain
by Gelimer, who destroyed his race by disregarding
his ancestor's advice and setting up a tyranny. But 171
what he had done did not remain unpunished, for soon
the vengeance of the Emperor Justinian was manifested
against him. With his whole family and that
wealth over which he gloated like a robber, he was taken
to Constantinople by that most renowned warrior Belisarius,
Master of the Soldiery of the East, Ex-Consul
Ordinary and Patrician. Here he afforded a great spectacle
to the people in the Circus. His repentance, when
he beheld himself cast down from his royal state, came
too late. He died as a mere subject and in retirement,
though he had formerly been unwilling to submit to private 172
life. Thus after a century Africa, which in the
division of the earth's surface is regarded as the third
part of the world, was delivered from the yoke of the
Vandals and brought back to the liberty of the Roman
Empire. The country which the hand of the heathen had
long ago cut off from the body of the Roman Empire,
by reason of the cowardice of emperors and the treachery
of generals, was now restored by a wise prince and a
faithful leader and to-day is happily flourishing. And
though, even after this, it had to deplore the misery of
civil war and the treachery of the Moors, yet the triumph
of the Emperor Justinian, vouchsafed him by God.
brought to a peaceful conclusion what he had begun. But
why need we speak of what the subject does not require?
Let us return to our theme.
[Sidenote: MIGRATION or THE AMALI TO THE VISIGOTHS]
[Sidenote: THEODORID I 419-451]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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