Editing Goths (section)

===Co-existence with the Roman Empire (300–375)===
{{Further|Greuthungi|Thervingi|Oium|Reidgotland|Arheimar}}
[[File:Pietroassa ring 1875.jpg|right|thumb|[[Ring of Pietroassa]], dated AD 250 to AD 400 and found in [[Pietroasele]], Romania, features a [[Gothic language]] inscription in the [[Elder Futhark]] [[runic alphabet]].]]
In 332, [[Constantine I|Constantine]] helped the Sarmatians to settle on the north banks of the Danube to defend against the Goths' attacks and thereby enforce the Roman border. Around 100,000&nbsp;Goths were reportedly killed in battle, and [[Aoric]], son of the Thervingian king [[Ariaric]], was captured.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|pp=63–64}} [[Eusebius]], a historian who wrote in Greek in the third century, wrote that in 334, Constantine evacuated approximately 300,000&nbsp;[[Sarmatians]] from the north bank of the Danube after a revolt of the Sarmatians' slaves. From 335 to 336, Constantine, continuing his Danube campaign, defeated many Gothic tribes.<ref name="Eusebius">{{harvnb|Eusebius|1900|p=}}, [[:en:Wikisource:Nicene and Post–Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume I/Constantine/The Life of Constantine/Book IV/Chapter 5|Book IV, Chapters 5–6]]</ref>

Having been driven from the Danube by the Romans, the Thervingi invaded the territory of the Sarmatians of the [[Tisza]]. In this conflict, the Thervingi were led by [[Vidigoia]], "the bravest of the Goths" and were victorious, although Vidigoia was killed.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|p=95}} Jordanes states that Aoric was succeeded by [[Geberic]], "a man renowned for his valor and noble birth", who waged war on the [[Hasdingi]] Vandals and their king [[Visimar]], forcing them to settle in Pannonia under Roman protection.{{sfn|Jordanes|1915|pp=xxx (113–15)}}{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|p=62}}

Both the Greuthungi and Thervingi became heavily [[Romanization (cultural)|Romanized]] during the 4th century. This came about through trade with the Romans, as well as through Gothic membership of a military covenant, which was based in Byzantium and involved pledges of military assistance. Reportedly, 40,000&nbsp;Goths were brought by Constantine to defend [[Constantinople]] in his later reign, and the Palace Guard was thereafter mostly composed of Germanic warriors, as Roman soldiers by this time had largely lost military value.{{sfn|Paul|MacMullen}} The Goths increasingly became soldiers in the Roman armies in the 4th century leading to a significant [[Germanization]] of the Roman Army.{{sfn|Aubin}} Without the recruitment of Germanic warriors in the Roman Army, the Roman Empire would not have survived for as long as it did.{{sfn|Aubin}} Goths who gained prominent positions in the Roman military include [[Gainas]], [[Tribigild]], [[Fravitta]] and [[Aspar]]. [[Mardonius (philosopher)|Mardonius]], a Gothic eunuch, was the childhood tutor and later adviser of Roman emperor [[Julian (emperor)|Julian]], on whom he had an immense influence.{{sfn|Pritsak|2005}}

The Gothic penchant for wearing [[Hide (skin)|skins]] became fashionable in Constantinople, a fashion which was loudly denounced by conservatives.{{sfn|Cameron|Long|Sherry|1993|p=99}} The 4th-century Greek bishop [[Synesius]] compared the Goths to wolves among sheep, mocked them for wearing skins and questioned their loyalty towards Rome:<blockquote> A man in skins leading warriors who wear the [[chlamys]], exchanging his sheepskins for the [[toga]] to debate with [[Roman magistrate]]s and perhaps even sit next to a [[Roman consul]], while law-abiding men sit behind. Then these same men, once they have gone a little way from the senate house, put on their sheepskins again, and when they have rejoined their fellows they mock the toga, saying that they cannot comfortably draw their swords in it.{{sfn|Cameron|Long|Sherry|1993|p=99}}</blockquote>

[[File:Athanaric and Valens on the Danbue.png|thumb|''[[Athanaric]] and [[Valens]] on the Danube'', [[Eduard Bendemann]], 1860]]

In the 4th century, Geberic was succeeded by the Greuthungian king [[Ermanaric]], who embarked on a large-scale expansion.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|pp=86–89}} Jordanes states that Ermanaric conquered a large number of warlike tribes, including the Heruli (who were led by Alaric), the [[Aesti]] and the [[Vistula Veneti]], who, although militarily weak, were very numerous, and put up a strong resistance.{{sfn|Jordanes|1915|pp=xxxiii (116–20)}}{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|pp=86–89}} Jordanes compares the conquests of Ermanaric to those of [[Alexander the Great]], and states that he "ruled all the nations of Scythia and Germany by his own prowess alone."{{sfn|Jordanes|1915|pp=xxxiii (116–20)}} Interpreting Jordanes, Herwig Wolfram estimates that Ermanaric dominated a vast area of the Pontic Steppe stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea as far eastwards as the [[Ural Mountains]],{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|pp=86–89}}{{sfn|Wolfram|1997|pp=26–28}} encompassing not only the Greuthungi, but also [[Baltic Finnic peoples]], Slavs (such as the [[Antes (people)|Antes]]), [[Rosomoni]] (Roxolani), Alans, [[Huns]], [[Sarmatians]] and probably [[Aestii]] ([[Balts]]).{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|p=7}} According to Wolfram, it is certainly possible that the sphere of influence of the Chernyakhov culture could have extended well beyond its archaeological extent.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|pp=86–89}} Chernyakhov archaeological finds have been found far to the north in the [[forest steppe]], suggesting Gothic domination of this area.{{sfn|Heather|1994|p=87}} [[Peter Heather]] on the other hand, contends that the extent of Ermanaric's power is exaggerated.{{sfn|Heather|Matthews|1991|pp=86–89}} Ermanaric's possible dominance of the [[Volga]]-[[Don River (Russia)|Don]] trade routes has led historian [[:de:Gottfried Schramm (Historiker)|Gottfried Schramm]] to consider his realm a forerunner of the [[Viking]]-founded state of [[Kievan Rus']].{{sfn|Schramm|2002|p=54}} In the western part of Gothic territories, dominated by the Thervingi, there were also populations of [[Taifali]], Sarmatians and other Iranian peoples, [[Dacians]], [[Daco-Romans]] and other Romanized populations.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|p=8}}

According to [[Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks]] (The Saga of Hervör and Heidrek), a 13th-century [[legendary saga]], [[Árheimar]] was the capital of [[Reidgotaland]], the land of the Goths. The saga states that it was located on the Dnieper river. Jordanes refers to the region as Oium.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|p=42}}

In the 360s, [[Athanaric]], son of Aoric and leader of the Thervingi, supported the usurper [[Procopius (usurper)|Procopius]] against the [[Eastern Roman Emperor]] [[Valens]]. In retaliation, Valens invaded the territories of Athanaric and [[Battle of Noviodunum|defeated him]], but was unable to achieve a decisive victory. Athanaric and Valens thereupon negotiated a peace treaty, favorable to the Thervingi, on a boat in the Danube river, as Athanaric refused to set his feet within the Roman Empire. Soon afterwards, [[Fritigern]], a rival of Athanaric, converted to Arianism, gaining the favor of Valens. Athanaric and Fritigern thereafter fought a civil war in which Athanaric appears to have been victorious. Athanaric thereafter carried out [[Gothic persecution of Christians|a crackdown on Christianity]] in his realm.{{sfn|Wolfram|1990|pp=64–72}}