Goths

VOYA - Beth Karpas

Hinds begins each volume in the Barbarians! series with a well-crafted, two-page introduction explaining the origins of book's subject. It is a nice set up for these books that provide individual histories of the tribes that lived on the borders of ancient empires. Focusing on the first through fifth centuries CE, Goths has a broad written history upon which to draw, and Hinds takes advantage, quoting liberally from Roman historians. This approach slants the record, however, as the Goths and Rome were only sometime allies. Still Hinds provides a clear history of the interactions between the Goths and their various European and Asian neighbors. Each volume in the series has wonderful photographs of contemporaneous and more recent artwork and sculpture, which bring the tribes to life for the modern reader. Mostly chronological, the books are well written and well documented (endnotes provide references for quotes as well as additional reading). In merely eighty pages, Hinds provides both the history and numerous jumping off points for further study. Reviewer: Beth Karpas

Children's Literature - Danielle Williams

The Goths are most famous for sacking Rome and playing a pivotal role in the eventual collapse of the Roman Empire, but their history with the Roman Empire goes back even further than that. It is believed that the Goths were originally from Scandinavia where they interacted with the Romans for several years before migrating into southern Europe. Despite numerous conflicts with the Roman Empire, the Goths were easily able to integrate into Roman society and to eventually lend their strength to the declining Roman army. Little information is provided about the social customs of the Goths, though the author takes pains to point out how many of the later leaders of the Goths were educated in Roman customs and were able to speak Latin and Greek. With the decline of the Roman Empire, Europe as a collection of unique countries began to emerge, and the Goths, who later became known as the Visigoths, were directly connected with the creation of Europe per se. Several asides appear throughout the text and offer additional insight into the Goths. Full color illustrations of sculpture and artwork of the Goths add even more depth to the text, which is part of the "Barbarians" series. Reviewer: Danielle Williams