INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

            There are two essential elements in the analysis of migration and climate change.  Firstly, what information is available to indicate that there was migration of people in the area of Germania?  Secondly, what data are available to support the contention that there was a significant climate change or changes?  In order to address these two questions, it is necessary to apply methodologies from a variety of fields of study.  These include paleoclimatology, history, archaeology, anthropology, communication, and geography.

            All of these different disciplines and their accompanying methodologies have certain elements that contribute to formulation of a more complete understanding of 3^rd and 4^th century Germania.  The greatest challenge of this study is that any one of these disciplines cannot contribute all the information necessary to answer the question.  Without pulling in the contributions of several disciplines, the question of the Germanic tribes and the possibility of their climate-induced migration has little chance of being fully addressed.