 Along with Isidore of Seville's "Historia Gothorum", it is one of only two extant ancient works dealing with the early history of the Goths.Jordanes was asked by a friend to write "Getica" as a summary of a multi-volume history of the Goths by the statesman Cassiodorus that existed then but has since been lost.Jordanes was selected for his known interest in history and because of his own Gothic background.