Who were the Langobards and how can their identity be grasped historically, archaeologically and philologically? To answer this question, this volume gathers methodical considerations and exemplary studies by both established and younger scholars from various disciplines. Emphasis has been made on the newest archaeological results concerning the Langobards in the Middle Danube Area, and the contributions, which provide an overview of large amounts of material, combine a picture of new finds and new interpretations, as well as thoughts concerning methods and innovative technological studies. The section about Langobardi rule and identity in Italy consists of works primarily by historians who discuss how social integration and state organisation functioned. What role did gender and monasticism play, and in this regard what does political-geographical terminology reveal? The final section joins papers on language and culture that discuss questions concerning Old Nordic, German and Middle Latin philology, palaeography and cultural history. For the first time in several decades, this volume presents a broad overview of the international research being done on the Langobards that is far beyond the textbook knowledge that was available until now.