The history of the Ostrogoths, as a powerful nation, begins about the year 245 after Christ. At that time the majority of the Goths, i.e. Lithuanians, migrated from the Baltic shores and settled along the banks of the Danuvius. Lithuanians until now have reminiscences of the ancient times when their ancestors lived by the voluble Danuvius. Until now Lithuanians, while singing their native songs, sing about the Danuvius. The most beloved song of a Lithuanian peasant today is:---

"I was sent by darling mother,

To Danuvius for water,

With a yoke of green bronze laden,

With the pails of whitest linden.

While I dipped the purest water,

Lo! A swan was swimming hither,

And he rolled the clearest water,

The Danuvius's water"......

Roman historians mention in their writings twenty two famous Gothic kings, namely:
(1) --- The first great king of the Amala people was AuÓra-gudas (Austraguta) (1), called "the Patient". During his reign, the most important undertaking was the war with the Roman emperor Philip the Arab. AuÓragudas gathered 30,000 warriors, plundered the Roman province of Lower Moesia, laid siege to its capital Marcianopolis and forced its defenders to redeem themselves with a large sum of money. In this war, Argaitis (Argaits) and Gundarikis (Gunthareiks) were the celebrated AuÓragudas' generals.
AuÓragudas "the Patient" died about the year 250, leaving his son Ginvila (Hunuila).
Coins with the name of AuÓragudas do not exist. There are only some Roman coins with AuÓragudas' counterstamp. Bronze, silver and gold shillings were the native money of the Gothic people, of the same shape as you see in fig. 1.
(2) --- ALK-VAD-KARYS (Alh-va-haryis) ruled ca. A.D. 322. The name of this chief is composed of three words: Alhs = temple ("alka" in Lithuanian); vads = leader ("vadas" in Lith.); haryis = warrior ("karys" in Lith.). Readers should bear in mind that the Gothic H is equivalent to Lithuanian K-G, because Lithuanians don't have H in their alphabet, and they always pronounce H like K or G.
There are many inhabitants in Lithuania with names Alk-antas, Alk-minas, Min-alka, (Minalga) etc. Alk-gimantas and Alk-girdas were Grand Dukes of Lithuania. There are also plenty of names in Lithuania with the word "karis", such as Kari-eika, Kari-jotas, Kari-butas. Ma-karas (Lithuanian physician in Chicago), Za-karas, my friend, a citizen of Lithuania, Zi-karas (a noted sculptor in Kaunas) etc.
Ostrogothic king Alkvadkarys became famous during the war against the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Of how long Alkvadkarys reigned and when he died, we have no clear records.
There are no coins of Alkvadkarys bearing his inscription, but there are some Roman coins with his counterstamp. As it was previously mentioned, shillings were the native Gothic money.
(3)--- ARARIKIS (Ara-reiks) fought against Constantine A.D. 332. The name of this chief is composed of two words: Ara = eagle (aras in Lithuanian) and reiks = commander (rikis, reika in Lith.). The Lithuanian word rikis is derived from the verb "su-rikti" (= to shout, to command), hence rikis means "the man who shouts", in other words "a commander", "a ruler". "Rikis" in Old Prussian means "a lord" (vide: K. BUGA: Lietuviå Tauta, vol. I, p. 224, Vilnius, 1908).
I know many Lithuanians with such names as: Balt-rikis, Bud-rikis, Di-rikis, Gied-rikis, Gud-rikis, Met-rikis, Pet-rika, Taut-rikis, Be-reikis, Ju-reika, Mu-reika, No-reika, Reikus, Se-reika, Va-reikis, etc.
There are no coins with Ararikis' name. Only shillings were in circulation and some Roman coins counterstamped by Ararikis.
(4) --- GEBERIKIS is mentioned by historians when in A.D. 399, he defeated Vandal army and killed their king Wisumar.
The name Geberikis (Gebereiks) is composed of two words: Gebe = capable ("Gebe" in Lith.), and rikis = commander.
There are no coins with Geberikis' name, although it is said, that some Roman coins exist with his counterstamp.
(5) --- GERMANRIKIS reigned over Ostrogoths between A.D. 335-375. Latin historians call him Germanricus or Hermanricus; in Anglo-Saxon chronicles he is mentioned as Eormanrices; according to Scandinavian writers he was called Iormunrekr. Nobody knows how his name really should be spelled, but in all probability his name was Gair-mana-reiks. The Gothic word Gair means good (G�irs in Lithuanian), mana means people (minia in Lith.), and reiks means commander (reika, rikis in Lithuanian); therefore GER-MAN-RIKIS, as Lithuanians call him, would be the correct way of spelling that name, and its true meaning is "Good commander of the people", or "Good ruler of the people".
While he reigned he united all the Gothic people. He conquered the Heruli. Under his dominion were the territories of Northern Hungary, Southern Russia and Lithuania (Vide:---THOMAS HODGKINS Italy and Her Invaders, Oxford 1880, vol. I, p. 64, 77; Also J. N. LARNED, the New Learned History, Springfield, Mass. 1923, p. 3836-3837). Therefore Germanrikis was not only the king of the Goths, but also a ruler of the Lithuanian ancestors.
Roman historians, when describing Germanriis' power, compare him with Alexander the Great. This one of the most famous Gothic rulers died A.D. 375, at the age of 110. Some historians say that he committed suicide from grief, because, from somewhere, swarming Hunnish hordes, with all their bestiality began to devastate Germanrikis' territories. This seems to be plausible. But the "tale teller" Jornandes relates, that Germanrikis in his silvery age wanted to marry a young and beautiful maiden, queen Gudruna's daughter, named Òventgilda (Svanhilda). But Òventgilda didn't care to marry Germanrikis, because she had fallen deeply in love with Germanrikis' son. Enraged, Germanrikis tore that beauty into pieces, and for this Sventgilda's brothers named Saruns (Sarus) and Ammius, according to ancient custom, revenged themselves upon Germanrikis. Those two brothers attacked Germanrikis, cut off his hands and feet, and left him in misery until he died.
No coins of Germanrikis exist. Bronze, silver and gold shillings had the widest circulation in his dominions (Vide: CODEX EXONIENSIS, Widsid's Poem sive Traveller's Song, MSS. VII-X century). It is said, that there are some Greek and Roman coins with his counterstamp.
(6) --- VEIKTRIKIS (Vaiht-reiks) was king of the Goths about A.D. 375. The name of this chief is composed of two words: Vaihti and reiks. The Gothic word (= Veikiu in Lithuan.) means I am active, I subdue, I conquer, --- and reiks (reika, rikis in Lithuan.) means commander.
Germanrikis passed away, Goths struggled but were disinclined to submission to the Huns. Alk…ius (Alhtius) and îebrikis (Sabreiks), the leaders of the Goths, appointed Veiktrikis as their king, who was son of Germanrikis. They couldn't withstand the mighty Hunnish hordes, so they went to their kinsmen Balthagoths (Visigoths).

There are no coins with Veiktrikis' name on them.
(7) --- NAUDATOJAS (n' Auda-tojis). The name of this chief is composed of two words: Nauda and tojas. The Gothic word n'auda or auda (= nauda in Lithuan.), means wealth; tojis (= tojas, d�jos in Lithuan.) means of deeds, of action.

Naudatojas with a considerable band of Gothic warriors, being reluctant to submit to the Hunnish slavery, roved about in the forests of Northern Germany. In 386, he and his army came to Dacia and attempted to cross Danuvius river, in order to reach Thrace. But here they were intercepted by the Roman army. Those that escaped from death, were captured and sent by the Romans to Asia Minor, and ordered to settle there and be Roman subjects.

There are no coins of Naudatojas'.
(8) --- TRIBGILDA was Gothic chief in Asia Minor. In 399, Goths revolted against the Romans, therefore emperor Theodosius sent his general Gainaitis (Gainathi) to quell that revolt. But Gainaitis himself was a Goth, and he, instead of fighting his own countrymen, joined the insurgents with his whole army. Later, Gainaitis was elected by the Goths as their Great Commander. In 401, Gainaitis was fighting against the Huns, but in the battlefield he met his death. The Hunnish king presented the head of Gainaitis to the Roman emperor.

There are some inhabitants in Lithuania with names Tribgilda, Trebas (TRABAS the Grand Duke of Lithuania 1270-1282), Trebkus, Patribas, Paterabas; Gainaitis (Gineitis), IÓ-ganaitis etc. etc.

I have never seen any coins of Tribgilda's or Gainaitis'.
(9) --- GINMANTAS (Hiunamunths) was king of the Goths, but was forced to be the vassal of the Hunnish king.

His name is composed of two words: Gothic word Hiuna (Gina in Lithuanian) means defend, --- munths (muntus in Lithuan.) means frugal. Hence his name means "Frugal defender".

There are very many people in Lithuania having the names of Ginmantas, Gintautas, Gintila, Sugintas, Vaidgintas etc. Also there are scores of names in Lithuania with the word "muntas", "mantas".

King Ginmantas conquered the Germanic tribe Sueves. There are no coins with his name.
(10) --- VINDUKARYS (Vinithaharyis) was a son of Germanrikis' nephew. His name is composed of two words: Vindu (Vinitha) means the Wend tribe which in ancient times lived about Windau in Latvia; ---karys (haryis) means a man of war.
When Huns conquered the Gothic territory, the Goths under the command of Vindukarys were still fighting against the Huns, hoping to regain their freedom. They succeeded in defeating the Hunnish army twice, but the third time the Goths were utterly defeated, and in this battle Vindukarys was killed.
No coins were ever found with Vindukarys' name on them.
(11) --- DORISMANTAS (Thaurismunths), the son of Ginmantas, after his father's death, became the ruler of the Goths. He conquered the Gepid tribe. Dorismantas was soon killed by a frightened horse.

No coins are found with Dorismantas' name on them.
(12) --- BARZMANTAS (Barsmunths) was the second son of Ginmantas who should have taken his father's throne, but Huns hated him because the whole Gothic nation venerated him, therefore the Huns waited for an opportunity to kill him. Barzmantas had to run away to the Visigoths. The king of the Visigoths received him graciously. After a short time, Barzmantas distinguished himself with an unusual bravery, therefore the Visigothic king conferred upon him a high rank. Barzmantas still had hopes, with the aid of the Visigoths, to defeat the Huns and to regain the freedom for the Ostrogoths. But when the Huns learned about such plans of Barzmantas they were extremely angry and allowed no more Ostrogoths to choose their kings. For 40 years the Ostrogoths had to groan under the Hunnish yoke.
The Gothic word Bars (= barza, barzda in Lithuan.) means a beard.
There are no coins bearing Barzmantas' name.
(13) --- VALDAMERS (Valdamers). His name is composed of two words: Valda (= Valdas in Lithuan.) means ruler, and –mers (= mers in Lith.) means famous. There are many inhabitants in Lithuania with names Vald-mantas, E-valdas, Na-valdas, Mer-dosa, Mir-tenis, Taut-meris etc.
About A.D. 440, the Huns again permitted Goths to elect their king. Then the Goths raised Valdamers to be their ruler, who was the grandson of Vindukarys. The new king understood that the nation would become mighty if united, but would perish in quarrels. So he invited his two brothers Tautmeris (Thiudmers) and Vitautmers (Vitothmers) to assist him in ruling over the Gothic nation. And the love of these ruling over the Gothic nation. And the love of these three brethren was so sublime, that it is sung in ancient songs. In order to deceive the eyes of the Huns, they pretended to be very faithful to the Hunnish king Attila. But when Attila died in 453, the Gothic nation took arms against their oppressors, defeated the Huns, and once more regained their liberty.
Whether there are any coins with the names of Valdamers, Tautmers and Vitautmers on them, --- I don't know.
(14) --- TAUTARIKIS (Thiudareiks) the Great, or Theodoricus as he was called by the Latin writers, was one of the greatest Gothic kings.
He was born in 453, on the day when Tautmeris with his brothers Valdamers and Vitautmers crushed the Hunnish power. In 462, Tautarikis was sent to Constantinople. There he was tutored in the palace of emperor Leo. For ten years he was taught by the best Roman teachers. At the age of 18, Tautarikis returned home to his father Tautameris who was then Gothic king.

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