ABSTRACT
In this 1995 article Ian Wood, well known for his many studies of Frankish history and of numerous aspects of late antique and early medieval history, tackles some interesting and important problems in texts that allegedly provide information on the early Franks. Clearly, the stories Wood discusses are not true. But why were those stories told? Who told them? To whom were these mythical accounts of Frankish origins interesting and important? The reader should keep these questions in mind while also asking whether Wood’s discussion of Frankish legends sheds any light on authors such as Jordanes who wrote about the early history of the Goths. The reader might also try to imagine a conversation in which Wolfram, Goffart, and Wood are the interlocutors. Is there any common ground?
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