Getica

Getica (original title: De origine actibusque Getarum, about the origins and deeds of the Getae (the Goths))^[1][2] is the main work of Jordanes. It was written in 551.^[3] He made a summary of a larger work by Cassiodoriius called Libri XII De Rebus Gestis Gothorum (Twelve books about the things the Goths did, commonly known as Libri XII). As the Libri XII have not survived, his work is the only surviving account that was written when there were still Goths.

Modern Istanbul, site of ancient Constantinople, capital of the eastern Roman Empire, where Jordanes wrote Getica.

According to the Getica, the Goths immigrated form Scandinavia and settled around what is the city Danzig today. This has been identified with the Wielbark culture.

References

1. G. Costa, 32. Also: De Rebus Geticis: O. Seyffert, 329; De Getarum (Gothorum) Origine et Rebus Gestis: W. Smith, vol 2 page 607
2. Jordanes, The Origin and Deeds of the Goths, translated by C. Mierow
3. Or slightly later, see Peter Heather, Goths and Romans 332-489, Oxford 1991, pp. 47-49 (year 552), Walter Goffart, The Narrators of Barbarian History, Princeton 1988, p. 98 (year 554).

Other websites

• IORDANIS DE ORIGINE ACTIBUSQUE GETARUM
• "The Origin and Deeds of the Goths", trans. Charles C. Mierow, with introductory note by J. Vanderspoel, Department of Greek, Latin and Ancient History, University of Calgary
• Northvegr edition, C. Mierow translation online Archived 2010-05-25 at the Wayback Machine