1. THE END OF THE ANCIENT WORLD -
THE FALL OF ROME Germanic tribes settled inside the frontiers of the Roman Empire, but the disintegration of the Empire was a gradual process: -
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Germanic tribes formed independent kingdoms in the west (in the territory of the former Roman Empire). The Eastern Roman (or Byzantine) Empire survived in the east for many centuries.
The deposition of the last Roman emperor in the west (Romulus Augustus) in 476 is used to separate Ancient History from the Middle Ages.
THE GERMANIC KINGDOMS During the 5 th and 6 th centuries, groups of Germanic tribes formed kingdoms, which sometimes became the precursors of the European states. There were monarchies with kings who had pboth political and military authority. The nobility received land and honours for serving the king. Different Germanic tribes settled inside the former Roman Empire: -
Gallia (Franks, Visigoths, Burgundians) Italy (Ostrogoths, Lombards) Britannia (Angles, Saxons) Hispania (Suevi, Visigoths) Northern Africa (Vandals)
1. THE END OF THE ANCIENT WORLD -
WHO WERE THE VISIGOTHS? They came from Eastern Europe.
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They entered the Roman Empire at the end of 4 th century, invaded Italy .
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Few years later, they settled in sothern Gaul as a federation of the Roman.
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They came to Hispania to push out the Vandals, Alans and Suebi.
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When the fall of the Western Roman Empire, they established the kingdom of Toulouse with territories on both sides of the Pyrenees.
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But they were defeated by the Franks at the Battle of Vouille and took their territories in Gaul.
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For that reason they moved the royal court to Toledo and form the Visgoth kingdom of Hispania,
1. THE END OF THE ANCIENT WORLD THE DECLINE OF URBAN LIFE - Cities decline in the late Roman Empire as a result of: 1. Roman military authority declined. And for that, insecurity was growing and cities were not safe places. 2. Insecurity affected trade routes. And due to this, merchants could not travel freely throughout the Empire to buy nd sell goods, 3. Economic activity and urban population declined, so people who still lives in cities had to pay extra taxes.
1. THE END OF THE ANCIENT WORLD THE RURALISATION OF EUROPE - The economy and society of Europe was changing until it was based almost entirely on the use of land. We call this process the ruralisation of Europe. 1. The upper classes went to live on their rural villas. 2. At a lower level, new social groups emerged: - Free farmers became coloni, who worked on the villas. - Later, the descendants of coloni were serfs( they worked for a single lord and were tied to one piece of land. - Slavery ended, the descendants of slaves became serf.