Descriptions of the Goths

[ValentinianVictrix]

Does anyone have any references to contemporary accounts of what the Goth's looked like, the clothing they wore, what their arms and armour was and how their language differed from the other 'Germanic' tribes?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Peter Heather might have some references in his book from the 1990's on the goths. I might be able to dig up something, as far as I know they probably used Banded Helmets and Baldenheims, probably got modified ridge helmets from the Romans.

http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0631209328 - That's the Book I'm referring to.

[Nathan Ross]

I wondered that same thing, more or less, in this post last year. There wasn't anything particularly solid forthcoming, beyond some interesting thoughts on amber brooches, narrower swords and possible Sarmatian/Alanic influence. No contemporary references to the appearance of the Goths exists, as far as I know. We might assume they had... beards? ;-)

Actually the only pointer to a particular barbarian appearance, in the 4th century anyway, is Ammianus's incidental note about the Alamanni dying their hair red. Other barbarian groups may have had similar 'ethnic markers', but the pesky Romans failed to mention them... I did wonder whether the distinctive hairstyle of later Roman guards - that clumpy bob or pageboy style seen on the missorium of Theodosius, for example - might have been a germanic-derived look. Possibly Frankish, maybe Gothic? Quite possibly many of the more unusual styles of the later empire derived partly from 'foreign' peoples coming into the empire, but determining which, if any, came from which group is probably impossible.

[Robert Vermaat]

I really doubt that 'the' Goths existed as a recognizable group. The best we have is that the were not one monolithic ethnic block, although a Gothic language certainly existed. Their appearance may therefore have depended on the group, region of habitation, etc. Sometimes barbaric (Sidonius describes Visigoths with fur trappings), sometimes more Roman I think. Alaric or Theodoric had a 'Gothic beard', something unknown to Roman fashion, if you look at coins it's probably a moustache.

[Epictetus]

How useful is Jordanes' The Origin and Deeds of the Goths? It has some bits and pieces about language and clothing and 'trivia.' I think it is interesting, but I have no idea of its historical value.