GOTHS

Teutonic race whose earliest i known home was the 8. shores and islands of Baltic, where they are found in I. cent. A. D. They gradually Europe, and early in III. cent. settled in districts to N. of Danube and Black aba a he wits As first came into contac ne Romans, whom they routed at Abrita in 251; thereafter for 20 years they ravaged Asia Minor Balkan regions, and in 270 they obtained the conce ion of Dacia from Emperor Aurelian. By middle of IV. cent. they had become dominant race of non-| Roman Europe, their kingdom stretch-|in ing in broad band from Black Sea Baltic. Principal subdivisions of nation are Ostrogoths, or East Goths, and| goths were driven acro the Danube by invading Huns, c. 375, and settled under Rom, rule; under Alaric they rose in rebellion, overran Greece and Italy, and captured Rome in 410; after Alaric’s| death they left Italy for Gaul, but were subsequently driven by Franks acro ] Pyrenees, and established a kingdom in Spain which lasted until VIII. cent., when the country was subdued by Muslims. The Ostrogoths were conquered by Huns, c. 376, when Hrmanaric, the most celebrated Gothic king, committed suicide: they remained in subjection until hen Meshes pee ase ence; and under eodoric they ac-|.;; quired most of Italy after the break up ~All piers in 476. peel wate defeated _by Just in i an’s general, Narses|..q and left Italy, c. 552. a 30’ N., 18° 30’ E.), island, Baltic Sea, belonging to Sweden; forms lan of G., together with several smaller islands. ‘Chief town, Visby. Coast is steep; ‘interior mostly level, with large extent of forest; cultivates barley, rye, wheat, oats, and beet-sugar; main industries are sheep and cattle-raising, fishing, cement-making, and lime-burning; contains large number of ruined churches. Pop. 1921, 55,804. (33° N., 129° I1.), group of islands lying W. of Kiushiu; Japan.