DOCSLIB.ORG

The Empire of the Franks for the Ancient World, the Mediterranean Area Was the Center

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Empire of the Franks for the Ancient World, the Mediterranean Area Was the Center The Empire of the Franks For the ancient world, the Mediterranean area was the center. Around the coasts of the Mediterranean - whether in Spain, North Africa, Sicily, or Asia Minor - everywhere, people lived largely by the same political and social concepts. The Germanic tribes, who had moved into the western Roman Empire, didn't disturb this unity of the Greco-Roman culture. And when, in the seventh century, a completely new political power and culture appeared in the spread of Islam, the unity of the Greco-Roman culture was ended, but the Mediterranean remained the center. That changed when the Franks, under the leadership of Karl Martell, conquered the Arabs in 732 A.D. at Tours and Poitiers in what is now western France, and thereby laid the foundation for the rise of the Frankish Empire. Now there were three big political centers, and the tripartite division of the Mediterranean area was complete: along with the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Empire appeared the new Frankish Empire. The center-point of the history of the world - which was, until the eighth century, the Mediterranean area - moved north, to central Europe, the area north of the Danube and east of the Rhein. But was that linked to a complete departure from the Roman and ancient heritage? What was new about this Frankish Empire, and back toward which traditions did its rulers reach? In order answer this question, we want to examine more closely the rise of the Frankish Empire, and above all the empire of its most significant ruler, Karl the Great. Karl the Great ruled over an area that had at least the expanse of the western Roman Empire. All the Christian tribes of western and central Europe - with the exception of England and Ireland - were united in his empire. Karl the Great attempted, in his empire, to merge the cultural commonalities of Christianity and of Germanic-Frankish lifestyles with the ancient Roman traditions, so that finally a new culture arose: "the Christian Occident" as it would later be called. Architecture like the Palatinate Chapel in Aachen can still give us an impression today, that in the empire of Karl the Great, Christian tradition, Germanic lifestyles, and Roman heritage merged into a new culture. But also in the politics of Karl the Great, we can see that he had made no final break with ancient tradition, as is shown by this: that he - as already his father Pepin - entered into a close political alliance with the Papacy in Rome, and took the old title of the western Roman emperor "Augustus and Imperator". But the coronation in Rome in 800 A.D. meant more than The Franks, page 1 merely the renewal of the ancient empire: a new, Christian empire arose, in which the king of the Franks had the task, as one coronated by God, to unite and to protect the community of Christians. But how should he fulfill this task? How could this empire be ruled and administered? We know that the Roman emperors could rely upon a dense network of cities, many bureaucrats, a well-organized army, and other things as they administered the Roman Empire. In the Frankish Empire there weren't such things. There was no capital, no magistrate and senate, not even a standing army. And yet, Karl the Great left behind at his death in 814 A.D. an empire in which almost all the countries and territories of western and central Europe were united. In order to find an explanation for this, we must look more closely at the roles which the monks, abbots, and bishops in the Christian church played in the governing of the Frankish Empire, and how the rulers worked to gain the loyalty of the Frankish nobility. A New Center: The Frankish Empire The Development of the Frankish Empire Chlodowech (also called "Clovis" or "Clotilda of Burgundy") had built a powerful Frankish Empire and founded the Merovingian dynasty. The belief in a divine power which rested on the royal family, however, lead to this, that after the death of a king, all of his sons took over the leadership. Thus the empire was divided over and over again. Very often, the brothers lead war against one another. By means of this commotion, the Merovingian dynasty lost influence. The majordomo, the highest court official, on the other hand, became the most powerful man in the Frankish Empire. In 732 A.D., the Arabs, who at this time ruled Spain, invaded France over the Pyrenees. The Frankish majordomo, Karl Martell, defeated them in the battle at Tours and Poitiers. This victory decided that the Frankish Empire would become Christian, not Islamic. By means of this battle, the foundation was also laid for this, that, later, western Europe - despite all differences between the tribes and states - would form a unit: the Christian Occident. Bonifatius and the Frankish Church. At the time of Karl Martell, Christians were bitterly persecuted by the pagans in the Frankish Empire. Nominally, most of the residents were actually called Christians; but pagan lifestyles actually had more influence than Christian ways. Human sacrifice was still common, people were held as slaves, and women were bought and sold as property. The Irish and English churches were then in a much better condition. The monks from the British Isles felt themselves obligated, therefore, to lead the Frankish church out of its problems. The Franks, page 2 In the seventh century, many Irish monks went around on the continent as itinerant preachers. They also founded cloisters there; St. Gallen goes back, for example, to the Irish itinerant monk Gallus. The monks of the continent took on some aspects of Irish life; among them was Pirmin, the founder of the cloisters Murbach and Reichenau. In the eighth century, the influence of the English monks became stronger. In contrast to the Irish, they did missionary work "from above", i.e., they sought close collaboration with the Frankish nobility, king, and the Pope in Rome. The most significant of these missionaries was Wynfreth. After early unsuccessful missionary attempts among the Frisians, he turned to the Pope and traveled to Rome. The Pope gave him the name Bonifatius and assigned him to spread the faith in the eastern Frankish Empire, which was not yet thoroughly Christianized. In over thirty years of missionary work, he went through Hessia, Thuringia, Franconia, and Frisia. He founded cloisters, e.g., Fulda. He gave effort also to reforming the church's administration. While he was able to institute a new organization of bishops in Bavaria, he was only able to remove a few anti-reform bishops in Franconia. The Frankish nobility and the Frankish church had no interest in changing the usual way of doing things. Bonifatius was murdered by Pagans in 754 A.D. during a missionary trip to Frisia. He has been honored since then as a martyr of the Christian faith; he was even called the "Apostle to the Germans". By means of his activity, he contributed to the various tribes in the Frankish Empire becoming "brothers and one nation by means of the Christian faith" even beyond the borders of Germany. Beyond the fame of Bonifatius, however, we must not forget that many Anglo-Saxon monks and nuns collaborated in the missionary and reform work at that time: e.g., Willibald and his sister Walpurg, who founded and lead the cloister at Heidenheim, or Lioba, a relative of Bonifatius, who was the abbess in Taubersbischofsheim. The Carolinians as Kings. Bonifatius emphasized, in his missionary work, that he worked in the service, and with the support, of the Pope in Rome, the successor to the Apostle Peter. To this highest authority, therefore, the Frankish leaders turned in a politically very important question: could they assert themselves over the inherited rights of the Merovingian kings, who had long since become incompetent to govern, and make the majordomo, Pippin, the son of Karl Martell, king? When the Pope gave them notice, that one who exercises the power should be called king, they elevated Pippin in the year 751 A.D. to king. The Franks, page 3 Because the Carolinians could not refer to any inherited right, they justified their royal status in a different way. They claimed to be called by God to royal rule. As a sign of this divine assignment, they allowed themselves, like the kings in the Tanakh, to be annointed and added to their names the phrase "dei gratia" = "by the grace of God". Karl the Great, the son of Pippin, is the most significant rule of the Frankish Empire. The dynasty is called "Carolinian" after him. He saw it his duty, as a rule assigned by God, to care for the spread of the Christian faith. The Saxon wars show especially clearly how Karl allowed his military to be of secondary importance to Christian missionary work. Already, soon after the conflict with the powerful and independent neighbors in the north-east began, reports were made of the first mass baptisms. The tough and effective resistence, however, hindered a lasting success for the many Frankish military maneuvers. Only twenty-five years later did Karl dare to institute bishoprics. After the complete pacification of the Saxons, and the baptism of their military leader, Widukind, he sent priests and monks into what had long been a pagan land. The Saxons were astounded that Karl, deviating from Pagan practice, didn't simply execute Widukind. The acceptance of Christianity made the defeated Saxons into members of the Frankish Empire, with fully equal rights, into "brothers". The Re-Creation of the Empire.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Political Function of the Esther Tapestries: on the Image Strategy of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, for His Marriage Ceremony in 1468*
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE （１６３） The Political Function of the Esther Tapestries: On the Image Strategy of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, for his Marriage Ceremony in 1468* Sumiko IMAI 1. The Esther Tapestries and the Duke of Burgundy The Duchy of Burgundy, ruled first by Philip the Bold from a branch of the French Valois family, which reigned from 1363 to 1404, was known for its magnificent court cul- ture.(1) The palaces built everywhere within the Duchy were gorgeously adorned and hosted a great number of magnificent jousts, joyous entries, processions, and feasts. They not only provided aesthetic enjoyment for viewers but also impressed them with the great power of the Dukes of Burgundy.(2) Among numerous ornaments displayed at the palaces, large tap- estries woven with gold and silver threads were particularly striking, powerfully conveying their owners’ wealth and authority. One typical example was the set of Alexander Tapes- tries, depicting the life of the ancient ruler Alexander the Great (356 BC-323 BC).(3) Although the set of Alexander Tapestries is no longer complete, it is believed to have con- sisted of six large tapestries, measuring more than eight meters in width. They were fre- quently on display during meetings and feasts held by the third Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, who reigned from 1419 to 1467 (see Fig. 8)(4) and his son Charles the Bold, who became the fourth Duke of Burgundy, reigning from 1467 to 1477 (Fig. 9).(5) They won par- ticularly high praise when exhibited at the palace of the Duke of Burgundy in Paris.
    [Show full text]
  • Measuring the Power of the Roman Empire
    26 Potter Chapter 2 Measuring the Power of the Roman Empire David Potter By the age of Cicero – the point at which they began to recognize the fact that they controlled a territorial empire and could raise revenue from it – the Ro- mans were accustomed to measure their power with criteria taken over whole- sale from Greek theory. In the De Legibus, Cicero says simply that senators ought to know the state of the army, the treasury, the allies, friends and tribu- taries of Rome and the nature of the attachment of each to Rome. For Cicero this is what it was to “know the State.”1 In these terms power is a function of income and manpower. Such a measurement, which, as we shall see, would have a long history going forward, was even then being amply employed by Gaius Caesar in his Gallic Wars, and had a long prior history in Greek thought. Caesar famously illustrated the power of the various Gallic and German tribes he subdued or encountered by telling his readers how many of them there were or had been. Good of the Helvetians to have produced a census docu- ment (in Greek no less) attesting to the fact that there were 368,000 of them at the beginning of their migration. There were now a mere 110,000 going home. The Suebi, the most powerful of the Germans were said (a nice concession on Caesar’s part) to have controlled one hundred districts which each furnished 1000 men to fight each year – since the same warriors only fought every other year, this meant that there were at least 200,000 of them, and there were nearly 250,000 Gauls who came to the relief of Vercingetorix (including men from tribes such as the Nervii that Caesar claimed to have annihilated in recent years).2 A conception of state power as a function of demography and money would have been familiar to any Roman aristocrat who knew (as any Roman aristo- crat would have) the works of fifth-century Greek historians.
    [Show full text]
  • The Empire That Was Always Decaying: the Carolingians (800-888) Mayke De Jong*
    The Empire that was always Decaying: The Carolingians (800-888) Mayke de Jong* This paper examines the potency of the concept of ›empire‹ in Carolingian history, arguing against the still recent trend in medieval studies of seeing the Carolingian empire as having been in a constant state of decay. An initial historiographical overview of medievalist’s perceptions of ›empire‹ over the past century is followed by a discussion of how Carolingian authors themselves constructed, perceived and were influenced by notions of ›empire‹. Bib- lical scholars like Hraban Maur initiated an authoritative discourse on imperium, which in turn, after the 840s, heavily influenced later authors, perhaps most interestingly Paschasius Radbertus in his Epitaphium Arsenii. While the writings of these authors who looked back at Louis’s reign have often been interpreted as revealing a decline of imperial ideals, they must rather be seen as testifying to a long-lasting concern for a universal Carolingian empire. Keywords: Carolingian empire; Historiography; imperium; Louis the Pious; Staatlichkeit. According to most textbooks, the first Western empire to succeed its late Roman predecessor suddenly burst upon the scene, on Christmas Day 800 in Rome, when Pope Leo III turned Charles, King of the Franks and Lombards, and patricius (protector) of the Romans, into an imperator augustus. Few events have been debated so much ad nauseam by modern histori- ans as this so-called imperial coronation of 800, which was probably not at all a coronation; contemporary sources contradict each other as to what happened on that Christmas Day in St. Peter’s church.1 Charlemagne’s biographer Einhard claimed that the vigorous Frankish king »would not have entered the church that day, even though it was a great feast day, if he had known in advance of the pope’s plan«.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancient Foundations Marshall High School Unit Five AH * Frankish History: Clovis and the Merovingians and the Birth of Modern Western Civilization
    The Dark Ages Marshall High School Mr. Cline Western Civilization I: Ancient Foundations Marshall High School Unit Five AH * Frankish History: Clovis and the Merovingians and the Birth of Modern Western Civilization • Introduction to Clovis • France has given the world some very memorable leaders. • There's Napoleon, • Joan of Arc, • and Marie Antoinette, just to name a few. • Ironically, the guy credited for being the first to unite the ancestors of modern-day France, is not nearly as famous as those we just listed. • His name is Clovis, and today we're going to give him the spotlight he deserves. • Now, before we dive into the details of Clovis and his Merovingian Dynasty, we should probably acknowledge that most of you have never heard of the guy. • To simplify things, and to make this guy more memorable, we'll just concentrate on three things. * Frankish History: Clovis and the Merovingians and the Birth of Modern Western Civilization • Introduction to Clovis • First, Clovis established the Merovingian Dynasty. • Second, he established Catholicism as the major religion of Western and Central Europe. • Lastly, his dynasty brought cultural advancement to the areas he ruled. • Unification of the Franks • Let's get started with Clovis the Conqueror. • Clovis the Conqueror was a member of a Germanic tribe known as the Franks. • The Franks inhabited the territory of Gaul, now modern-day France, and parts of Germany. • Although the people of this area were all called Franks, there were sub- groups among them. * Frankish History: Clovis and the Merovingians and the Birth of Modern Western Civilization • Unification of the Franks • For instance, there were the Salian Franks, of whom Clovis was a ruler.
    [Show full text]
  • The Transformation of the Roman Empire
    THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE By: Nathan Monroe, Nick Soldan, Sucher Sumanta, Branden Sanchez, Colin Bailey In the year 1349 there occurred the greatest epidemic that ever happened. Death went from one end of the earth to the other, on that side and this side of the sea, and it was greater among the Saracens than among the Christians. In some lands everyone died so that no one was left. Ships were also found on the sea laden with wares; the crew had all died and no one guided the ship. The Bishop of Marseilles and priests and monks and more than half of all the people there died with them. In other kingdoms and cities so many people perished that it would be horrible to describe. The pope at Avignon stopped all sessions of court, locked himself in a room, allowed no one to approach him and had a fire burning before him all the time. [This last was probably intended as some sort of disinfectant.] And from what this epidemic came, all wise teachers and physicians could only say that it was God's will. And as the plague was now here, so was it in other places, and lasted more than a whole year. This epidemic also came to Strasbourg in the summer of the above mentioned year, and it is estimated that about sixteen thousand people died. “Internet History Sourcebooks Project.” Internet History Sourcebooks, 1349, sourcebooks.fordham.edu/jewish/1348-jewsblackdeath.asp. PRIMARY SOURCE PLAGUE - was also known as "The Black Death" or the "Bubonic Plague" -It was believed that around 75-200 million people died from the plague -The plague was Europe and Asia around the 1300s -Was an extremely contagious disease - Was spread by a bacillus called Yersina Pestis -Traveled through infected fleas and rats -Not long after it struck Messina, the Black Death spread to the port of Marseilles in France and the port of Tunis in North Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • The Frankish Empire the Germanic Tribe Known As the Franks
    The Frankish Empire The Germanic tribe known as the Franks established and ruled the Frankish Empire, in the ancient territory of Gaul (largely encompassing modern-day France and parts of modern-day Germany), from the fifth through the tenth century. Over the course of the empire’s history two familial dynasties, the Merovingian dynasty and the Carolingian dynasty, reigned over these territories. The Merovingian dynasty, under its founder King Clovis I, was responsible for uniting all of the Frankish kingdoms under one Crown. Clovis and the Merovingian dynasty expanded the presence and influence of the Franks throughout parts of Western and Central Europe. The power of the Merovingian dynasty waned by the end of the seventh century, and Pepin the Short, a member of the Carolingian family, became king in the middle of the eighth century. His ascendency to the throne launched the beginning of the Carolingian Empire. The Carolingian Empire ruled the Frankish realm until the end of the tenth century. It was one of the most powerful empires in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. The modern state of France would evolve from the Frankish Empire and medieval Francia. The Franks and the Origins of the Frankish Empire The Franks were originally a Germanic tribe that invaded portions of Roman territory from the third to the fifth century. The Salian Franks emerged as a subgroup of the early Franks and were known for being particularly militaristic. They would also go on to spread Christianity throughout Western Europe. King Clovis (ca. 466–511) was the first Frankish king and was responsible for uniting the disparate Frankish tribes into one kingdom, called Francia.
    [Show full text]
  • Britannia Rules
    Welcome to Game Overview Game Components Britannia BRITANNIA is a board game for three to five play- In this copy of BRITANNIA you will find the following ers that broadly depicts the wars in, and migrations to, components: Britain in the centuries from the Roman invasions to the Welcome to a land of sweeping history. Welcome to Norman Conquest. • This Rulebook a land that the Romans, the Angles, the Saxons, and a • The Game Board dozen other peoples warred over for a thousand years. Each player controls several nations. Seventeen nations • 251 Unit Markers in four colors: red, blue, yellow, Welcome to the land of King Arthur, Alfred the Great, are included in the game, each representing a people that lived in or invaded Britain between 43 A.D. and 1085 and green, representing Infantry, Cavalry, Leaders, Harald the Ruthless, and William the Conqueror. Roman Forts, and Saxon Burhs. See page 20 for a Welcome to BRITANNIA. A.D. Not all 17 nations are in play at the same time. Instead, only six nations are in play at the beginning detailed list of these markers. BRITANNIA is a historical board game that broadly of the game; others enter, and in some cases leave, the • 17 Nation Cards depicts the millennium-long struggle for control of game at specific times, reflecting known historic events. • 175 Victory Point Tokens in denominations of 1, England, Scotland, and Wales. The game begins with the For example, the Romans begin the game prepared to 5, and 25 Roman invasion of 43 A.D., continues through the many invade from Gaul across the English Channel, simulating • 16 Population Markers struggles between Angles, Saxons, Picts, Norsemen, the Roman invasion of 43 A.D., and later leave the game • 1 Round Marker Scots, Irish, and other nations, and ends with the after the fifth round of play, reflecting the Roman with- Norman invasion of 1066.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 13 Sec
    Chapter 13 Sec. 1 notes Medieval Period (500-1500) had its roots in: 1. heritage of Rome 2. beliefs of the Catholic Church. 3. customs of Germanic tribes. I. Invasions of Western Europe Repeated invasions and warfare resulted in: 1. disruption of trade – businesses collapsed, money became scarce 2. downfall of cities – cities were abandoned 3. population shifts – population became mostly rural a. The Decline of learning • Germanic invaders were mostly illiterate with no written language. • Had a rich oral tradition of songs and legends • Learning of Romans sank sharply. • Greek almost forgotten. • Priests among few literate. b. Loss of a Common Language • Latin changed as it mixed with Germanic languages. • Romance languages developed from regional dialects (French, Spanish) II. Germanic Kingdoms Emerge Between 400 and 600 Germanic kingdoms replaced Roman provinces. Church survived collapse of Roman Empire and provided order and stability during time of political chaos. a. The Concept of Government Changes • Germanic emphasis on family ties and personal loyalty replaced Roman loyalty to public government and written law. • Germanic tribes lived in small communities with governed by unwritten rules and traditions. • Warriors were loyal to and fought for a chief who provided food, weapons, and treasure. • Stress on personal ties made governing large territories impossible. b. Clovis Rules the Franks • Clovis brought Christianity to the Franks in Gaul. • Church supported Clovis’s campaigns against other Germanic peoples. • By 511 Clovis united Franks. • Alliance between Clovis and Church set precedent. III. Germans Adopt Christianity Christianity spread through relationship with Frankish rulers. Missionaries helped spread Christianity. a. Monasteries, Convents, and Manuscripts • Monasteries – rural Christian communities for monks.(devoted lives to prayer and good works) • Convents – communities for women who followed similar way of life called nuns.
    [Show full text]
  • About Invasions of Roman Empire
    CK_4_TH_HG_P087_242.QXD 10/6/05 9:02 AM Page 110 II. Europe in the Middle Ages Ireland is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Irish Sea on the east. The Irish Sea separates Ireland from England and Wales. The North Channel lies between Northern Ireland and Scotland. England is separated from France and Europe by the English Channel, a body of water that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Its northern end is called the Strait of Dover, and north of that is the North Sea. The North Sea sep- arates northern England and Scotland from Norway, Denmark, and other coun- tries in northwestern Europe. The English Channel is 300 miles (483 km) long and is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. At its narrowest, the Channel is 21 miles (34 km) wide and at its widest, 112 miles (180 km). The fact that Great Britain is an island has been of great strategic importance in its history. After William the Conqueror and his Normans attacked in 1066, no army has invaded it since. Separated from Europe, Great Britain was able to insulate itself from some of the political and social movements that swirled across Europe. B. Background Invasions of the Roman Empire Teaching Idea The Middle Ages progressed directly out of the Roman Empire. Rome went from a republic to a vibrant expansive empire that spanned much of Europe, If there are any football fans in your North Africa, and the Middle East. But eventually the empire declined. class, ask them to explain what “sack Corruption and pressure from Germanic and other invaders eventually brought the quarterback” means (tackle the the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE.
    [Show full text]
  • The Middle Ages
    THE MIDDLE AGES Changes in Western Europe In Europe, the centuries after the fall of Rome are called the Middle Ages, which lasted from about 500 to 1350. The Middle Ages refers to the time between the ancient and modern worlds. During this long stretch of time, Western Europe passed through two distinct phases: the early Middle Ages, lasting from about 500 to 1050, and the late Middle Ages, lasting from about 1050 to 1350. A Shift to the North At its height, the Roman empire included much of Western Europe. Rome unified the region and spread classical ideas, the Latin language, and Christianity to the tribal peoples of Western Europe. But Rome was a Mediterranean power. The Germanic peoples who ended Roman rule in the west shifted the focus to the north. There, the peoples of Europe would begin to create a new civilization, building on the legacy of Rome. Despite the disorder and decay that came with the fall of Rome, Western Europe was a place of great potential. It had fertile land and other resources, such as timber, furs, and tin. In the early Middle Ages, gradual changes took place that would eventually bring a measure of order. A Time of Decline As Rome declined and withdrew from its provinces in Western Europe, these lands suffered severe blows. Waves of invaders swept in, and Roman civilization slowly disappeared. Wars raged constantly. Trade slowed to a trickle, towns emptied, and learning virtually ceased. The early Middle Ages was a harsh and difficult time for the peoples of Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Taking History On-Line
    Academic Essays The rise of the Carolingians or the decline of the Merovingians? by Emily Wilson The transference of power from the Merovingians to the Carolingians in France is one of the most confusing periods of early medieval history. In coming to a conclusion about whether this transference was due more the decline of the Merovingians, or more to the rise of the Carolingians, there are many considerations, often conflicting, and the sources are far from comprehensive. Nevertheless, this is a period which repays consideration, as it was instrumental in the formation of medieval France. Ultimately, a conclusion to the question ‘should we speak of the rise of the Carolingians or the decline of the Merovingians?’ may not be possible. This essay will argue that the terms “rise” and “decline” suggest an inevitability which is not supported by the evidence. In so doing the focus will be almost exclusively on political history for the reason that this is the area that the documentary sources shed the most light. Unfortunately, while this is the area that leads to the most certain conclusions, this will mean that the paper will have to gloss over certain aspects of ecclesiastical and economic history—both areas which have a significant impact on this question, and have largely ignored the areas of military and diplomatic history, also important in any consideration of this period. By focusing on political history however, it will be shown that this was a period characterised by a vitality and change, where the eventual victors were far from certain. The historian examining the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties faces a problem familiar to any historian of the early medieval period: the scarcity of sources.
    [Show full text]
  • Changes in North Atlantic Oscillation Drove Population Migrations And
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Changes in North Atlantic Oscillation drove Population Migrations and the Collapse of the Received: 2 February 2017 Accepted: 27 March 2017 Western Roman Empire Published: xx xx xxxx B. Lee Drake Shifts in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) from 1–2 to 0–1 in four episodes increased droughts on the Roman Empire’s periphery and created push factors for migrations. These climatic events are associated with the movements of the Cimbri and Teutones from 113–101 B.C., the Marcomanni and Quadi from 164 to 180 A.D., the Goths in 376 A.D., and the broad population movements of the Migration Period from 500 to 600 A.D. Weakening of the NAO in the instrumental record of the NAO have been associated with a shift to drought in the areas of origin for the Cimbri, Quadi, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Huns, and Slavs. While other climate indices indicate deteriorating climate after 200 A.D. and cooler conditions after 500 A.D., the NAO may indicate a specific cause for the punctuated history of migrations in Late Antiquity. Periodic weakening of the NAO caused drought in the regions of origin for tribes in antiquity, and may have created a powerful push factor for human migration. While climate change is frequently considered as a threat to sustainability, its role as a conflict amplifier in history may be one of its largest impacts on populations. At its height, the Roman Empire controlled a region including modern-day England, the southern half of Continental Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East.
    [Show full text]