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An account by Pliny the Elder mentions the travels of Pytheas, whom he encounters a Germanic tribe that he identifies as the Goths.
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Approximately from 160CE-114CE, the Goths moved away from their Scandinavian homes and moved closer to Ancient Rome. -
Due to Rome's weakened military at the time and their close proximity to them, the Goths decide to attack and invade the city of Histia. This would be their first of many invasions on Rome. -
The Goths decide to fight alongside Rome and the Germans to defeat the Sasanian Empire. This however ended with the Roman emperor at the time, Gordian III, dead and victory to the Sasanians. -
The Gothic king Cniva unites the Goths and Scythian tribesmen to fight the Romans, resulting in the death of Roman Emperor Decius and his son Herennius Etruscus. This led to political instability within Rome, and repeated attacks from barbarians for the next two decades. -
From 257 to 263, the Goths would attack and raid many city-states within Greece. This would cause the Battle of Thermopylae, for which the Romans would drive the Goths further south than their original destination.
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While moving East to reintegrate the Palmyrene Empire to the Roman Empire, Roman emperor Aurelian managed to drive the Goths out of his empire, leading to battle. This resulted in the death of the Gothic king Cannabaudes and 5,000 Goth soldiers. The remaining retreated to Dacia. -
This remains the longest document in an east Germanic language and one of the earliest documents in an east Germanic language. While the Bible was translated and read by the Goths, Christianity would only be adopted as a formal religion in 376. -
The Huns arrival begins approximately in 370, who attack the Goths and their settlements, which drive them towards the Eastern Roman Empire to seek refuge. The Roman Empire agrees to take them in, however, they are treated poorly by the Romans. -
The Goths fight a war against the Eastern Roman Empire, which will become the first of many events to lead to the Western Roman Empire's downfall. This war included the Battle of Adrianople and resulted in the Goths settling in the Roman Empire.
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Often credited as the start of what would cause the Western Roman Empire to fall, this battle was fought against the Eastern Roman Empire. This led to Gothic victory and the death of Roman Emperor Valens. -
Alaric, king of the Visigoths, pillages the city with his army and for three days ransacks the city and destroys most of it in a fire. This was the first time Rome had fallen to an enemy in 800 years. -
Leader of the Huns that worked alongside the Ostrogoths, Alans, and others, Atilla the Hun was a devastating enemy for the Roman empire and the Goths living within the empire. Although he looted and destroyed cities, he was unable to conquer Rome and seemingly died in his sleep.
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The last of their wars with Rome, the Goths wage war on them once again. This results in the Ostrogothic capital of Ravenna falling, temporary East Roman conquest, but with permanent devastation to the Roman Empire.
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The Eastern Roman Empire (now known as The Byzantine Empire) breaks through the Ostrogoths and try to reclaim their land throughout the Italian Peninsula. This battle results in the death of Ostrogothic king Totila, resulting in them fleeing and later regrouping under a new king. -
Under new king Teia, the Ostrogoths fight the Byzantine Empire to relieve the colony of Cumae. This battle resulted in the death of Teia and the destruction of the Ostrogoths power within Italy. The remaining Ostrogoths moved towards Austria and settled there.