Good morning, we are going to look at a documentary on the Germanic Tribes. The run time for this documentary is 49:33.
The Germanic peoples terrified Rome and the stories of these tribes were passed down from generation to generation. They offered their gods’ human sacrifices. The women priestess could determine the fates of their tribes. They built small settlements in the wild. Eventually, these settlements grew up into kingdoms. They would lay the foundation of modern Europe. Who were the Germanic tribes? There were over seventy Germanic tribes. Many names came down through history, however, other tribal names were lost. None of these tribes referred to themselves as Germanic. That name came down from Julius Caesar. They settled throughout Northern Europe. This place was filled with lakes, rivers, and valleys. They were Indo-Europeans who spread out throughout nations. Jastorf culture in Lower Saxony was the birthplace of the Germanic people. Eventually, these people spread and created villages. They created new clans and tribes. These people were connected by their way of life. At the start, they were peasants tending to their small plots of land. Life was simple and hard for the Germanic people, they had no surpluses and only fed themselves with what they found in nature. Eventually, things started to change, and people grew in status. There was a growing status distinction. In the First Century, all the Germanic tribes of Europe numbered two and a half million. Each village had no more than two hundred people. A village consisted of several clans. Each clan had a dozen or two dozen households. Each household had twelve people. Men led the households. They lived in a longhouse and it was both a home for the family and a stable for the animals. The longer the house, the wealthier the family. In winter, fodder ran short and the animals were slaughtered. They were slaughtered for food and smoked to preserve the meat. Only the wealthy could eat meat multiple times during the week. The poorer in society ate porridge and bread. They also made beer, which would be an everyday drink. The Romans determined that the drink was disgusting and hated the Germanic tradition of carousing. Fashion was important to the Germanic tribes, especially the men. They used butter in their hair and had tweezers and other ear cleaners. Germanic people had beautiful clothing. The Romans said they went naked; however, the evidence shows that the Germanic tribes used sheep wool, flax, and nettle to make clothing. They used bold colors and distinctive jewelry. Dresses were long and could be cinched at the waist. The men wore trousers. They did not invent the trousers but made them popular. The reputation of the clan depended on the men. They could distinguish themselves on the battlefield, growing the most food, or becoming a member of the most superior clan. A tribal aristocracy emerged. These tribes raided other lands and shared the booty among the victors. Over time, small tribes banded together and were led by a warrior. The Medieval Feudal System emerged from the German tribes. Even the titles emerged from the German language. However, there was a dark side. The Germanic Tribes glorified combat and saw it as necessary. Individual clans attacked each other. It could be seen as a matter of power and prestige. Every member of the clan was bound to protect life and property, even if it was by force. If a dispute arose, it had to be arbitrated publicly. They met at a certain place to settle their dispute. Everyone in the dispute had to meet there to settle the dispute. It was an open-air courtroom where they met. If the offense was against the community, the community had to decide. The tribal chief oversaw the court. Executions were immediate. Cowards were often executed immediately. The Germanic tribes came into conflict with the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was a dominant force in the world. How would Rome take on this Germanic Threat? Tune into the rest of this episode to find out more. This was a speedy documentary in terms of flow. That said this was an excellent look at an unexplored topic: the Germanic Tribes. If you want an alternative documentary on the Roman period in history, this would be a good option for the classroom. Keep in mind that there was some German language in this documentary that was not translated.
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