Filimer

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Filimer was a Gothic king in the distant past, according to Jordanes.

He was the son of Gadarix and the fifth generation since Berig's mythical emigration from Scandza to Gothiscandza, 2030 years before Jordanes wrote his "Origin of the Goths". When the Gothic nation had multiplied Filimer decided to move his people to Scythia. They then named their new territory Oium.

In Getica 39, Jordanes mentions both Filimer and Zalmoxis as gothic kings. However, the story of Zalmoxis is known from Herodotos as a deified teacher of the thracian Getae. Herodotos is noncommittal as to Zalmoxis' historicity, but writes that he might have lived many years before Pythagoras.

Jordanes also relates that Filimer expelled the haliurunnae. These were condemned to seek refuge far away and procreated the Huns.

Recent scholarship has suggested that the name Filimer was probably made up by Cassiodorus, a suggestion that was favourably received among historians. Filimir's migration from the Baltic to Oium is often considered to be confirmed by traits of the Wielbark culture from Poland appearing in the Chernyakhov culture near the Black Sea, but the evidence is not compelling.

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Last updated on Monday September 17, 2007 at 15:06:26 PDT (GMT -0700)
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