Germanic tribes are the ethnic formation of the people who inhabited the northern and central parts of the European continent from the first millennium BC.
History
The Germans owe their origin to the Indo-European tribes that inhabited northern Europe. In the first millennium BC they become an independent ethnic entity. At this time, Germanic tribes begin to migrate to neighboring areas, where they settle. In the III century BC. e. they come close to the borders of the Roman Empire and begin to invade its territory. These raids take place until the 5th century A.D. and end with the complete defeat of the Huns of one of the most powerful empires in our history.
Conquering territories, Germanic tribes assimilated with the indigenous inhabitants, which were much larger, as a result of which ethnic groups such as the British, French, Swedes and other peoples appeared. With a greater degree of truth, Swedes and Danes can call themselves descendants of the Germans.
The social system of the ancient Germans
At first, the ancient tribes in this territory were ruled by leaders, who served as priests and elders as assistants. They were subject to warriors, free people (freedmen) and slaves. The leaders were elected at a national assembly and lived at the expense of tribal members (by the way, on voluntary donations). Only by the 1st century AD e. tribes appear kings, differing from leaders in that they can transfer power by inheritance.
Classes
Germanic tribes mainly lived off military raids, and they were also engaged in cattle breeding. Agriculture and various crafts were alien to them. To wage wars, they needed weapons, so the Germans learned to process iron, which they did a lot of success, according to historical evidence. They lived in long houses resembling barracks, moreover, along with cattle.
Writing development
The writing of the ancient Germans is the so-called runic writing, which came from the custom of fortune telling on special wooden dice. This is a very difficult concept for us of writing, which subsequently disappeared completely.
Beliefs
The ancient Germanic tribes were pagans, they were engaged in sacrifices, including human ones. The Germans did not build temples for their gods, and the priests performed special sacred rituals right in the open.
Raids on the Roman Empire
When the ancient Germanic tribes began to penetrate deeper into the possessions of Rome, they began to successfully engage in crafts. During this period, they learned to weave and sew clothes, make various items of clothing and utensils from leather, and began to make objects from wood and clay. Nevertheless, the war remained their main occupation. In their free time from the war, the Germans engaged in trade with the Romans.
Trade
The German tribe, engaged in trade, supplied the Roman Empire with leather, cattle, furs, and amber, which was very much appreciated by the Roman patricians. In exchange, it was possible to purchase weapons, gold and silver items, enamel, wine and fabrics from the Romans. Trade occupied a very small part in their relationship, mainly in them there was treachery on the part of the barbarians, which the Romans did not expect.
Wars
The first very serious attack in 113 BC made the German tribe of the Teutons, defeating the Roman army during the invasion of Gaul, however, a few years later they were defeated. Subsequently, the Germanic tribes more than once gave the Romans great trouble, until the 4th century AD, when the nomadic Hunnic tribes invaded the territory of the Roman Empire. As a result of this, it fell and the Great Migration of Peoples began, ending with the complete collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. e. The Germans successfully occupied Roman territories and formed their own states, and the great empire was never destined to be reborn again.