Thing Germanic (Assembly Government), according to a relief of the Column of Marcus Aurelius , 193 AD. AD

Germanic peoples or Germans (from the Latin meaning brother of etymology uncertain, or perhaps Celtic) are ethnic Indo-European originally established in northern Europe.

Their early history is located in the territories known as the Germania ( Latin Germania) to Thule (perhaps the Greek term for Scandinavia or northern Germany ), or on the shores of the Black Sea (see in particular the Article Goths ).

Better known in the Latin world from the ^first century , primarily through the work of the historian Tacitus , the original expansion of the Germans is attested in the Bronze Age Denmark. During this period the linguistic traces the linguistic differentiation into three major groups: eastern Germans, Germans and western Germans northerners. This community is constitutive of linguistic paradigm of "Germans".

Origins

Cot proto-Germanic in the first Iron Age to -700 (end of the Bronze Age Danish ).

From the Bronze Age Denmark, according to German and Scandinavian archeology, the cultures of southern Scandinavia are spreading slowly south into Germany and southern shores of the Baltic Sea. They spread into the great European plain, to win early in the second Iron Age (c. 500 BC. ) fringes of the World Celtic (civilization of La Tene ): the lower Rhine, Thuringia and Lower Silesia. To this phenomenon probably correspond good access to the iron in Scandinavia and a climate cooling. It is possible that population growth also contributes, generating a new population of regions hitherto almost empty of men. Greeks or Romans did have left no written testimony. Indeed, they had no direct contact with the Germans since they were separated by the Celts. In any case, from the ^third century BC. AD , held a training period which ends when people come the Germans in History.

Geographic data, linguistic and cultural

Slavery is no stranger to the Germanic societies. Indeed, they distinguished people free, semi-free (conquered) and slaves.

Agriculture: the Germans are nomadic pastoralists.

From the religious point of view, knowledge of their paganism is reduced. It only comes from Julius Caesar and Tacitus ^{Contextualization}

While the French historiographical tradition confined to the Germanic peoples of unknown tribes camped in rain forests beyond the Limes in Germany (until late antiquity ), then the systematic use of the word barbarian in the High Middle Ages It is possible to describe a civilization Germanic unifying features of the ancient peoples of northern Europe before their Christianization.

This description has therefore makes sense in the situation of the Germanic Iron Age , prior to the age of the Vikings by the cuts of the Anglo-Saxon historiography. Given the paths of peoples, the Germans of the North Sea come from a Scandinavian culture from the ^second century, the same as that of future conquering Vikings.

Recent discoveries made since the last fifty years and supported by German universities in the sections can reveal archaeological features, which disrupts the way in which this civilization was previously presented from columns written by those these peoples had invaded .

The various Germanic peoples nibble away at the territories of the Celtic history and contact with the Romans, who called this land of Germany (according to Tacitus). This map compares chronologically expansion, up 300 , with that of the Roman Empire , until 117.

The context of this paragraph is therefore chronologically from the second to fifth and it begins with the arrival of Germanic peoples from Scandinavia or islands hypothetically primitive ( Bornholm , Gotland ) located in the Baltic Sea. Geographically, it includes Germany known to the Romans extended to Poland and the original limits of historical Russia ( Novgorod was known svear , or was developed by them.)

Their locations in Germany are now reconstructed by the statement of archaeological cultures , hard work rather expected that the traces of a hut made of wood and stones can not distinguish whether it was built by the Burgundians or Alemanni. We can possibly talk about ancient history to describe their locations prior to contact with Roman civilization , insofar as after 325 the Annals of Rome have more elements to the relationship in their writings.

The dynamic expansion of the Latin world under the aegis of the Empire did not work for these people, where she had walked for Celtiberians and Gauls , to name a few, the provinces cut beyond natural boundaries formed by the Rhine and the Danube such as Rhaetia have not stabilized and have been properly destroyed.

The main branches of the Germanic Peoples

The Germanic peoples are divided into 2 or 3 main branches, depending on the period and for reasons ethnolinguistic:

• the Nordic or Scandinavian branch
• the western branch westique or Germans
• the Germans or Eastern branch ostique

Their population is estimated 1 to 4 million individuals. The tribes are independent of each other and there is no political unity.

Here is a list of these key people, and the dates on which their existence is known from historical sources.

Germanic or northern Scandinavia

In the present state of knowledge, it is accepted that people usually called "Germanic" formed the first settlement in southern Scandinavia in the Bronze Age , while the north of it (most of Sweden , Norway and Finland) was populated by Finns (see Lapps ). However, the attachment of the first Scandinavians to "Germans", a term that encompasses them ever, owes much to post national historiographies mythological character of the High Middle Ages and German historiography of the nineteenth ^century. Also, the qualifier of "Scandinavian", more accurate and less connotations, and is best suited for these populations.

• Danish
• Goths (Scandinavia)
• Swedish

West Germanic

Paradoxically, those with prehistory and early history are less well known because of population movements which have been discussed previously and intermingling of populations that these movements led to the edge of the Roman world. Because of their diversity, the Western Germans are divided into three subgroups by linguists: the Germans in the Rhineland (established between the Rhine and the Weser ), the Germans of the Elbe and the Germans of the North Sea. The main sources we have on these people are Roman sources, including the work of an ethnographic nature Tacitus (Germania) and the writings of Pliny the Elder.

• Rhineland Germans: Cherusci , Batavia , Bructeri , Chamavi , Hattuaires , Pussy , Ubii , Sicambri , * Ampsivariens , etc..
  • Some of these Germans were formed at the beginning of the Christian era a confederation of nations important to the history of the Middle Ages: The Franks the etymology is uncertain: the "bold, brave" or "free men"). The Salian, part thereof, served as auxiliaries of Rome without actually being submitted to the Empire in ^the fifth century. Since the provinces of Belgium first and second, where some of their "kings" had a military commander (dux), then they formed a kingdom that stretched to the ^sixth century over much of Gaul.
  • Others, while established in Bohemia, called themselves Bavarians the "descendants of the inhabitants of Bohemia" (Patrick Perin)) at an unspecified date. They crossed the Danube on its course through the late ^fifth century and were successively subjected to the Alemanni, the Ostrogoths and the Franks before gaining their independence in the late ^seventh century.

• Germans of the Elbe: Marcomanni , quads , Hermunduri or Hermunduri, Semmon and Lombards.
  • Some of these Germans, including quads and Marcomanni designated as the Swabians (Swabians), took part in the invasion of Gaul alongside the Vandals and Alans , in 406 - 409 , before reaching the peninsula Iberian and settle in Galicia.
  • Others remained beyond the Roman frontier in Agri Decumates , between the Danube and Rhine above, formed the League of Alemanni "all men"), mentioned for the first time in the early ^third century. This league considerably extended its territory to ^the fifth century , after the destruction of the empire of the Huns , then ran into the Alamanni and the Franks were defeated on several occasions, notably during the Battle of Tolbiac in 496. Under French protectorate, they revolted in vain before disappearing as a nation after a final defeat in 746 and the massacre of Cannstatt.

• Germans of the North Sea: Chauques , Angles , Jutes , Warnes , Frisians and Saxons.
  • Some of these tribes, including the Angles and Warnes regrouped in ^the fourth century to form the League of Thuringia. Established between the Elbe and the Main in the early ^fifth century , they were subjected to the protectorate of the Huns before creating an ephemeral kingdom inside Germany, once emancipated from the dominion of the latter (Rev. 453 ); colliding with Franks in the early ^sixth century , they disappeared as a nation before the end of the ^seventh century.
  • Others settled in the island of Britain from the first third of the ^fifth century , they founded the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms during the Middle Ages before giving birth to the English nation, mostly in contact with other peoples Island, between the ^seventh century and the ^tenth century (see Anglo-Saxons ).

East Germans

This is the most homogeneous group that brings together the best people who preserved their culture , their language and their uniqueness in the Middle Ages. Historiae stories or ethnic drafted during this period tell us about the origins of some of them, while others disappeared early. It is commonly accepted that the Germans, or at least some of them are from Scandinavia.

• Goths , they settled in the area of the Black Sea where they split into two groups:
  • the Greuthunges, which would come from the Ostrogoths
  • the Thervinges which would come from the Visigoths
• Rus Ruthenia
• Bastarnae
• Burgundians
• Gepidae
• Heruli
• Ruges
• Skira
• Vandals

Description of the Germanic civilization

Government

It is proper to each people. There is no administration, possibly a council of elders in the Scandinavian style, but this assertion comes more than a less specific origin of some of the people.

How to elect the leaders of tribes and peoples is very different from that derived from the Roman Empire and form the basis for future structures monarchical and aristocratic in experience at the High Middle Ages , which will open. The inheritance of a title is definitely not a trait identified at this time, this is likely due to subsequent construction by deviation of the titles of the Roman administration.

There is no such thing as king before the existence of the first kingdoms sedentary , out of context of this article.

The leaders lead their people (read dux ) because they are most likely (Braves) to do so, and recognized by the ruling aristocracy of this people.

Germanic Culture

Germanic Law

It is a right of oral tradition in the Scandinavian style, unique to the identity of each people.

Inevitably, the Germans can not write Latin or Greek, except the children of the Federated Peoples ( lete ) reared by tutors Byzantine and Roman.

Settled in the kingdoms of the ^fifth century , it gradually merges with some concepts from Roman law through edicts written: reading right barbarian kingdoms.

Germanic Law Bibliography

Show: Jori, Alberto , Conring Hermann (1606-1681): Der der deutschen Begrnder Rechtsgeschichte, Tbingen, 2006. ISBN 3-935625-59-6.

Social Structure

Germanic societies, until the period of Great Invasions , have a flexible social structure. Kings, warlords, priests have a power of circumstance based on consensus. The upper body is the assembly of free men, around a common sanctuary, where decisions are taken unanimously by acclamation. The family group is very united and collectively responsible, including the exercise of vengeance and payment of wergeld (blood money).

The custom recognizes a social hierarchy: the nobility (who, presumably, provide kings and warlords), the simple freemen, letes (descendants of freed or freed). The rate of wergeld and other penalties are determined by social rank. The slaves have no legal personality, they have no assets or family ties and are a mere property of their masters. In the barbarian kingdoms of the High Middle Ages, kings strive to maintain the legal identity of the conquering people, considered the warrior class that elects the king and accompanied him in battle. In fact, there is a progressive social fusion between the descendants of the Goths , Burgundians , Lombards , etc.. and those of conquered peoples.

• Karol Modzelewski , "Europe of the Barbarians", Aubier 2005

Practice war

Read arming Germans.

Agriculture

The Germans are sedentary, to distinguish the steppe nomads with whom they interact. They practice extensive agriculture with long fallow, which enable them to maintain a livestock numbers. Archaeology reveals that part of the population, probably the lower classes, often suffered from hunger.

Tacitus tells us that every tribe was around her vast deserts, to ensure its own security.

However, the Germans make certain technical progress as the cultivation of rye , better suited than wheat to cool climates.

Religion primitive Germanic

Julius Caesar reduces religion to the worship of the Germanic elements, but rather a philosophical view. Tacitus has a more precise information and details, such as human sacrifices in the swamps, are confirmed by archeology. As in other Indo-European religions, is polytheistic, with a complementarity between the chthonic deities ( Nerthus / Erda , the Earth) and the heavenly gods. These are known as days of the week, probably to Roman custom adopted the ^fourth century:

Monday (moon day) = Monday, Montag (same)

Tuesday (day of Mars) = Dienstag, Tuesday (day of Tyr / Tuiston, god of meetings)

Wednesday (day of Mercury) = Wednesday (day of Wotan / Woden / Odin, the supreme god)

Thursday (day of Jupiter) = Donnerstag, Thursday (day of Donner / Thor, god of lightning)

Friday (Venus) = Freitag, Friday (day of Freya, goddess of love)

Saturday Sambata dies * ( Jewish Sabbath), formerly Saturni dies (day of Saturn) unique Germanic: German Samstag mutation has the same phonetic / b /> / m / from the word Sabbath than French and English Saturday is a layer of the latin Saturn (dies)

Sunday Domenicus diseases, formerly dies solis (day of sun) = Sonntag Sunday (same)

Some royal dynasties of Great Invasions trace their lineage to Wotan.

The Norse paganism of the year 1000 is known, but it probably evolved over time. The shamanism and divination were the preserve of some women, vlva.

Mythology

Possibly to distinguish it from the Norse mythology by the figure of Nerthus (fertility).

Other people

Non-Germanic peoples who participated in the invasions of the Germanic barbarians to contact:

• Steppe peoples
  • Alani
  • Tafales
  • Avars
  • Huns
  • Sarmatians
• Celts in the British Isles
  • Breton
  • Scots

Vikings and Rus are names given to groups of late Scandinavian raiders who participated in a second wave of invasions in the British Isles, north-west Europe Carolingian and the great European plain, to the ^ninth century and ^XI century.

Posterity

Conquerors of the Roman Empire ⁱⁿ the fifth century, the Germans are "conquered by their conquest." They adopt the religion of the vanquished, the Christianity , their written language, Latin. Their political structures and the right have changed significantly in contact with the Roman model. The expansion of the Carolingian Empire to the Saxony , the activities of Christian missionaries in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and in Scandinavia , will be forgotten much of the primitive Germanic civilization, without removing it altogether.

Sources

• Tacitus , Origin and territory of the Germans, told The Germania (Latin Germaniae - electronic edition with commentary available card Bibliotheca Classica Selecta )

Additions

Related articles

• Germanic Migrations
• Scandinavia
• Danish bronze age
• History of Denmark
• Swedish history
• History of the Netherlands
• German history
• History of Austria
• Germanic peoples | Germany | Frankish Germany | Kingdom of Germany
• List of emperors of the West | Western Roman Empire
• Holy Roman Empire | Rulers of the Holy Roman Empire | Holy Roman Empire Armorial
• Holy Roman Emperor | Elector | King of the Romans
• List of German emperors
• Indo-Europeans
• Cimmerians

References

External Links

• "Drang nach Osten, the Germanic expansion in Central and Eastern Europe by Georges Castellan, professor emeritus at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations.
• Index of Germans in the Roman sources , the site http://www.romansonline.com/ (English)

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