The analyzed data of narrative sources and archaeology allow us to conclude that Ostrogothic society of Ermanarich’s age appeared as a multilevel sociopolitical organization (over-tribal ‘imperial’, ‘national’ Gothic, regional and local communal levels) for regulation of social and interethnic relations in the forming stratified society. It was already divided into at least some estates (strata): a ruling family of Amali and its company, including king’s retinue; free Goths; various groups of dependent population, as well as tributaries from the remote periphery. Social organization of Goths did not have any features of feudal society but had a lot of attributes of forming early state’.
Our research showed that in IVth
century AD the south of Eastern Europe was occupied by the vast Ostrogothic kingdom, which found its archaeological equivalent in the classic Chernyakhov culture. It cannot be defined by traditional categories used in Soviet historical studies, such as ‘alliance of tribes’, ‘federation, etc. The best name for that is an authentic ‘kingdom’ (regnum). By the end of Ermanaric’s reign it overgrew the scale of a ‘super-complex chiefdom’ and was becoming an early state’ demonstrating the development of exopdïitary system of exploitation focused on conquered ethnic groups and resources of remote areas (Jordanes’ ‘northern peoples’). Probably, if the development of Ostrogothic kingdom had not been forcibly interrupted by Huns, it would have transformed into a really mature state. But due to tragic events of 375—376 AD the polyethnic Ermanaric’s regnum remained somewhere at the edge of civilization and the earliest stage of statehood. But memory about that was preserved for centuries in early medieval Germanic sagas praising the image of tyrannical king Ermanaric/Heiðrek/Jormunrekk.Макет и оформление
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