The Early Germans (The Peoples of Europe) - Softcover

Todd, Malcolm

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9780631199045: The Early Germans (The Peoples of Europe)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0631199047 ISBN 13: 9780631199045

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 1996

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This illustrated history of the early Germanic peoples has been updated to take account of new archaeological evidence and advances in interpretation.

Updated edition of this illustrated treatment of the early Germanic peoples.
Provides an overview of current knowledge of the early Germans.
Presents their social structure, settlements, trade, customs, religion and craftsmanship.
Incorporates new archaeological evidence and review recent historical interpretation.
Offers new insights into developments in central and eastern Europe.
Ten new illustrations have been added featuring significant new discoveries.

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Book Description:

For many centuries Germanic peoples occupied much of northern and central Europe. From the fourth century onward, migrant groups extended their power and influence over much of western Europe and beyond to North Africa. In so doing, they established enduring states in France, Spain, Italy, and Britain. This illustrated book makes use of archaeological and literary sources to outline the ethnogenesis and history of the early Germanic peoples. It provides an overview of current knowledge of these peoples, their social structure, settlements, trade, customs, religion, craftsmanship, and relations with the Roman Empire. The second edition incorporates important new archaeological evidence and reports on advances in historical interpretation. In particular, it offers new insights into developments in central and eastern Europe and the implications for our understanding of migration and settlement patterns, ethnicity, and identity. New plates have been added featuring significant sites discovered in recent years.

From the Back Cover:

The Germanic tribes are known to us as the inheritors of the Western Roman Empire. Between AD400 and 600 Germanic migrants spread over Europe and beyond to north Africa, and the nature of early medieval Europe was largely determined by these adventurous and warlike peoples. Feared by the greatest army of the ancient world, the ‘barbarians’ were described by one Roman officer as feri (wild men), and were often considered to be incapable of lawful government or civilized arts.

Yet the Germanic tribes not only had laws and a culture of their own, they also absorbed much from their Roman neighbours. Their military organization, political development, social and material culture were all greatly influenced by Roman examples. Malcolm Todd traces the development of the Goths, Vandals, Suebi, Franks, Alamanni, Burgundians, Lombards and others, from late pre-history to the migration period, and views their conquest of the Western Empire not as an abrupt transition but as part of a continuum.

The author makes use of archaeological and literary sources throughout, offering a broad and comprehensively researched account that will be of value and interest to both historians and general readers.

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