1. Who Were the Barbarians?
Originated around the area of the Baltic Sea
“Barbarian” is a Greek term for non-Greek speaking peoples
Germanic Tribes:
Angles
Saxons
Franks
Goths (Visigoths & Ostrogoths)
Vandals
Lombards

2. European Tribes (ca. 400)

3. Political Organization
Germanic people had no conception of a territorial state, with physical boundaries
Political organization based on kinship network
Tribe formed the basis of the political community
Recognized kings

4. Part I The Dark Ages The Fall of Rome to Charlemagne
The Middle Ages a.d.
Part I
The Dark Ages
The Fall of Rome to Charlemagne

5. After the fall of Rome Trade became limited
Cities and trade centers were abandoned
Populations shifted to rural areas
People survived on subsistence agriculture
Focus of life became survival
Loss of a common language

6. Effects of Rome’s Fall In the East In the West
Continuation of “Rome” as the Byzantine Empire
Development of the Orthodox Christian Church
Reign of Justinian ( )
In the West
Growth of New Kingdoms: Franks & Lombards
Increase of Papal authority, Leo the Great
Decentralization of government

7. Germanic Kingdoms occupy Europe
Some retained Roman government
-Ostrogoths – Italy
-Visigoths – Spain
-Vandals – North Africa
-Angles/Saxons-England
Visigoth - first barbarian to successfully capture the city Rome in 410 C.E. 

9. Europe, ca. 500

10. German Migrations

11. Germanic Law Laws were based on oral customs Vendetta (blood feud)
Wergeld
Money in compensation for death or injury
Thing (council of elders)
Oathgivers & ordeal
Guilt or innocence not based on facts but on testimony or Divine favor

12. Germanic law and custom
Roman law based on offenses against society
Germanic law more personal and could lead to blood feuds (Hatfields and McCoys)
Wergeld (personal fines) began to replace blood feuds
Trial by ordeal or compurgation was standard

13. Trial by Ordeal "the most righteous judge above the clouds"
"Ordalia" determines innocence or guilt
Trial by fire - This consisted of walking barefoot over red hot iron. If you survived that, and the resultant wound healed after three days you were considered innocent.
plunging of the arm into boiling water. If you had no blisters, you were assumed to be innocent.

14. Clovis King of the Franks CE first ruler of the Merovingian Dynasty (Merovaeus Merowig died 458)
Clovis makes an alliance of church and state
496 CE Clovis converts to Christianity
The Frankish Kingdom spanned form the Pyrenees to modern day Germany

15. Clovis Franks Battle Romans
Vengeance of Clovis. Clovis beheads the Frankish warrior who after the Battle of Soissons had broken the famous vase that the king wished to present to the bishop of Reims.