Gothiscandza

Gothiscandza was according to the 6th century Goth scholar Jordanes, the first settlement of the Goths after their migration from Scandinavia (Scandza).

Jordanes relates that the Goths were lead from Scandza by their king Berig. As soon as they had set foot in the land, they named the area Gothiscandza. They soon moved to the settlements of the Rugians (Ulmerugi, a Germanic tribe which had arrived in the area before the Goths), who lived on the coast, and they chased them away. Then they defeated their new neighbours, the Vandals.

After some time, when at least four generations of kings had passed after Berig, and Filimer was the king of the Goths, their numbers had multiplied. Filimer decided that everyone was to leave Gothiscandza and move to a new region named Oium (Scythia).

History and linguistics

In the 1st century AD, the mouth of the Vistula was indicated as the land of the Gutones (Pliny the Elder) or Gotones (Tacitus). The names given by Pliny and Tacitus appear to be identical to *Gutoniz, the reconstructed Proto-Germanic form of Gutans, the Goths' name for themselves.

One interpretation of the name is gutisk-andja, "gothic end (or frontier)" (cf. Scandza <- Scandia).

Archaeology

Main article Wielbark culture

In the 1st century a new culture appeared at the mouth of the Vistula, called the Wielbark Culture. The most salient component of Scandinavian influence in the 1st century AD is the introduction of Scandinavian burial traditions such as stone circles.

However, there is also archaeological evidence of previous Scandinavian influence in the area during the Nordic Bronze Age and the Pre-Roman Iron Age[1], perhaps corresponding to the arrival of Rugians and Vandals.

In the 3rd century AD, the Wielbark culture spread into Scythia, where it formed the Gothic Chernyakhov culture.

Norse mythology

Norse mythology presents at least two traditions that my be connected to Gothiscandza. The first one, the Gutasaga, may refer to the migration of the Goths and the second one, the legend of Dag the Wise, of raids from Scandza.

The Gutasaga

The Gutasaga relates that when the Gotlanders had multiplied so that the island (Gotland, i.e. Goth-land) no longer could support them, they drew lots so that one third of the island's inhabitants had to leave and settle in the south. They eventually settled in the land of the Greeks.

over a long time, the people descended from these three multiplied so much that the land couldn't support them all. Then they draw lots, and every third person was picked to leave, and they could keep everything they owned and take it with them, except for their land. ... they went up the river Dvina, up through Russia. They went so far that they came to the land of the Greeks. ... they settled there, and live there still, and still have something of our language.

Ynglingatal

The legend of Dag the Wise may convey traditions of attacks by the Suiones in the 2nd or 3rd century. In Scandinavian sources, the territory is called Reidgotaland, a name that followed the Goths during their migrations in the Norse sagas.