The volume unites contributions by historians, archaeologists and philologists, and in each case, by both leading
representants of their discipline and younger researchers. The main approach is, as indicated in the subtitle, the
study of identity, which repeatedly receives explicit methodological discussion (for instance in the contributions by
Jarnut, Bierbrauer, Haubrichs, Pohl, Balzaretti, Delogu), and examplary treatment in other contributions. One basic
topic are new results of the archaeology of the Lombards in the middle Danube region, combining comparative
studies and overviews of a wide range of material (e.g. Tejral, Ciglene?ki), presentations of recent finds and new
results (Tomka, Stein), methodological reflection (Heinrich-Tamaska, Barbiera) and innovative technological
research (Daim). The part on Lombard rule and Lombard identity in Italy mainly contains studies by historians who
also discuss questions of method (Everett, Balzaretti), analyze the forms of state organisation and inner cohesion
(Dick, Zielinski), review the rather neglected question of the role of monasticism in state integration and identity
formation (Erhart) or offer a new interpretation of the political-geographical terminology (Chrysos). The last part
unites studies of language and culture from the perspectives of old Norse (Nedoma), Germanic (Scardigli, Vollono)
and Medieval Latin (Smolak) philology, of paleography (de Rubeis) and cultural history (Villa, Lo Monaco).
On the whole, the volume offers a broad synthesis of the state of the art in Lombard studies, which has been
missing for a considerable period, based on a confrontation between traditional research on the Lombards and the
younger generation. The question of identity and power` allows to link up new questions with the traditional
currents of Lombard studies. Many contributions bring new insights concerning the question who the Lombards
were and how their identity can be grasped through historical, archaeological and philological methods.
Furthermore, the volume presents a number of new archaeological results, takes several fresh looks at the
integrative potential of the Lombard kingdom in Italy, and develops a new view of philological problems in a
cultural and social context.