The Early Germans

Fülszöveg

"Todd's book delivers on its claim to be an overview of what is currently known about the early Germanic tribes and their impact on the declining classical civilizations. An up-to-date overview of the Germanic impact on Western Civilization." Choice "This very readable and most handsomely produced book . . . provides a generál introduction to the social structure, trade, customs, religion and craftsmanship of the Germanic peoples in northern Europe until about the end of the Román Empire." Médium AeVum The Germanic tribes are known to us as the inheritors of the Western Román Empire. Between al)400 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 Román officer as feri (wild men), and were often considered to be incapable of lawful government or civilized arts. Yet the... Tovább

Fülszöveg

"Todd's book delivers on its claim to be an overview of what is currently known about the early Germanic tribes and their impact on the declining classical civilizations. An up-to-date overview of the Germanic impact on Western Civilization." Choice "This very readable and most handsomely produced book . . . provides a generál introduction to the social structure, trade, customs, religion and craftsmanship of the Germanic peoples in northern Europe until about the end of the Román Empire." Médium AeVum The Germanic tribes are known to us as the inheritors of the Western Román Empire. Between al)400 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 Román 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 alsó absorbed much from their Román neighbours. Their military organization, pohtical development, social and matenal culture were all greatly influenced by Román example. Malcolm Todd traces the development of the Goths, Vandals, Suebi, Franks, Alamanni, Burgundians, Lombards and others, from late pre-history to the migration penod, 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 hterary sources throughout, offering a broad and comprehensively researched account that will be of value and interest to both histonans and generál readers. Malcolm Todd is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Exeter. He has been a Visiting Fellow at All Souls College and Brasenose College, Oxford, and Visiting Professor at New York University. He has alsó been a Senior Research Fellow of the British Academy, and editor of the journal Britannia. He is a Member of the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. His previous books include The Northern Barbarians (1975, Blackwell 1987), The South-West to AD 1000 (1987), and Román Britain (1981). Cover illusti ation: The Hirnlinghoje Cup. Reproduced by kind permission of the Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen. Photograph: Lennart Larsen, © Fotograf Kit Weiss. Cover design by Martin Miller Printed in Great Britain Vissza