Old models never die: the revival of the Skyrme model

The Skyrme-Witten model for baryons is discussed as a form of effective Lagrangian field theory for QCD at small momenta and large Nsub(c) (number of colors). The model for two light quark flavors -the original Skyrme model - is reviewed in some detail, leading to predictions of static and dynamic properties of the nucleon and delta. The generalization to three light flavours, which is essential in determining the nucleon quantum numbers, is discussed. (author)