The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples

by Herwig Wolfram, Thomas Dunlap (Translator)

The names of early Germanic warrior tribes and leaders resound in songs and legends; the real story of the part they played in reshaping the ancient world is no less gripping. Herwig Wolfram's panoramic history spans the great migrations of the Germanic peoples and the rise and fall of their kingdoms between the third and eighth centuries, as they invaded, settled in, and ultimately transformed the Roman Empire.

As Germanic military kings and their fighting bands created kingdoms, and won political and military recognition from imperial governments through alternating confrontation and accommodation, the "tribes" lost their shared culture and social structure, and became sharply differentiated. They acquired their own regions and their own histories, which blended with the history of the empire. In Wolfram's words, "the Germanic peoples neither destroyed the Roman world nor restored it; instead, they made a home for themselves within it."

This story is far from the "decline and fall" interpretation that held sway until recent decades. Wolfram's narrative, based on his sweeping grasp of documentary and archaeological evidence, brings new clarity to a poorly understood period of Western history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Germany, Ancient History, European History, Medieval History, Roman History

379 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Eadweard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author surveys the origins of the tribes, their interactions with the romans, the migratory movements and the eventual establishment of 'federate' kingdoms on roman soil. Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Franks, Vandals, Burgundians, Lombards, each one gets a chapter, their kings and policies are discussed and also their relationship with the eastern Roman Empire and the other germanic kingdoms.

[Felisa Rosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can I get away with rating a book I didn't read all the way through? I wouldn't have thought it possible to make invading barbarian hordes seem dry and stuffy.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

So well-researched // so poorly written. If you’re looking for dry info this book is worth your effort. If you’re looking for even a vaguely enjoyable read then run far far away from this author😂☠️

[Bulldog · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read, but not for the feint of heart (that is, if you struggle with reading foreign words and names, this may not be a good starting point for you). Wolfram is thorough in his research, clear in his articulation, and sound in his reasoning from all that I am able to tell. Definitely a worthwhile read if you're interested in Rome, the Germanic peoples, and ancient history.

[Wayne Kearney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long slow detailed read, but with many insights I've never seen anywhere else. I write historical fiction set in the Roman/German migration period and this will be a valuable reference.

[Dan Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took a long time with this book. It is not the type of book that you can't wait to curl up with. The subject matter is vast and complexly intertwined. So many names, so few visuals. It is immensley important in it's field and a valuable and informative read, but I took it best in pieces so that my brain didn't go numb.

[Ned · Rating 4 out of 5]

great for understanding border psychology and life on the Rhine in the 4th century.
Very relevant for today in the wealth of disparities.