Fall of the Burgundians. Continuity in Legend and History

Abstract

The Migration Period of the 4-5th century marked a dramatic shift in Western Civilization. The arrival of the Huns on the eastern fringe of Europe set off a chaotic chain of events that would radically change the ethnic, linguistic, and political landscape. By the time the dust had settled the classical world that was dominated by the Romans had vanished and a new age dawned. Amid this transitional period occurred the basis of a legend that would later be known as the Völsunga saga. This fall of the Burgundians event would become a foundational story, with varying traditions, and perhaps the most significant legend in Germanic tradition. The following paper is an attempt to show a continuity in the details and themes, by examining the survival of the wide (and often contradictory) source material. The goal of which is to develop insights upon the shadowy historical event and improve the historicity of the literary accounts.