Illyrian Goths
Language: Illyrian Gothic, an east germanic language influenced by greek, vulgar latin and ancient illyrian languages.
Ancestry: The descendants of goths who survived in the illyrian alps when Rhomania reconquered the region.
Religion: Orthodox Christianity, Patriarchate of Constantinople
Culture: Southern European
Region: Illyrian Alps, illyrian hintherland.
Population size: 950,000 in Illyria (Gothia), 200,000 in the rest of Rhomania, 50,000 around the world
By the time Justinian reconquered Italy and North Africa quickly, not limiting resources to Belisarius, many goths were living in the illyrian region. Due to constant warfare against the Avars/Slavs, they seek refuge in the illyrian alps, where they formed a lot of villages. Surrounded by romance-speaking peoples, these goths even survived the Plague of Justinian, that hit Rhomania hard.
Rhomania was able to repeal slavic and avar raids, which were settled in the Pannonian Basin. The empire was way more stable with Italy and North Africa under control, and subjugated the germanic tribe of the lombards, who tried to invade northern italy. By the time of the rise of islam, the empire fell in instability and despite of not losing Syria and Egypt for the muslims, it lost North Africa and Italy to rebel exarchs who weren't agreeing with the high taxes imposed by Constantinople that were destined to the Roman-Caliphate wars in Mesopotamia. Illyria stayed under Rhoman control, and a lot of strong gothic generals helped to defend the empire against the eastern invasors. Rhomania became the bulwark of christianity; the limit of the religion.
The illyrian hintherlands by the 8th century were known as "Gothia" or "Austrogothia". By the early 800s, under the patriarch of Constantinople, the Metropolis of Gothia was created, recognizing the goths as an ethnic group of the Rhoman nation. The written version of the gothic language was standardized by the Metropolis. Despite of being goths, the population was romanized but kept their own language, and it was/still is very important in the rhoman court.
Language: Illyrian Gothic, an east germanic language influenced by greek, vulgar latin and ancient illyrian languages.
Ancestry: The descendants of goths who survived in the illyrian alps when Rhomania reconquered the region.
Religion: Orthodox Christianity, Patriarchate of Constantinople
Culture: Southern European
Region: Illyrian Alps, illyrian hintherland.
Population size: 950,000 in Illyria (Gothia), 200,000 in the rest of Rhomania, 50,000 around the world
By the time Justinian reconquered Italy and North Africa quickly, not limiting resources to Belisarius, many goths were living in the illyrian region. Due to constant warfare against the Avars/Slavs, they seek refuge in the illyrian alps, where they formed a lot of villages. Surrounded by romance-speaking peoples, these goths even survived the Plague of Justinian, that hit Rhomania hard.
Rhomania was able to repeal slavic and avar raids, which were settled in the Pannonian Basin. The empire was way more stable with Italy and North Africa under control, and subjugated the germanic tribe of the lombards, who tried to invade northern italy. By the time of the rise of islam, the empire fell in instability and despite of not losing Syria and Egypt for the muslims, it lost North Africa and Italy to rebel exarchs who weren't agreeing with the high taxes imposed by Constantinople that were destined to the Roman-Caliphate wars in Mesopotamia. Illyria stayed under Rhoman control, and a lot of strong gothic generals helped to defend the empire against the eastern invasors. Rhomania became the bulwark of christianity; the limit of the religion.
The illyrian hintherlands by the 8th century were known as "Gothia" or "Austrogothia". By the early 800s, under the patriarch of Constantinople, the Metropolis of Gothia was created, recognizing the goths as an ethnic group of the Rhoman nation. The written version of the gothic language was standardized by the Metropolis. Despite of being goths, the population was romanized but kept their own language, and it was/still is very important in the rhoman court.