E B UROPE’S ARBARIANS, AD 200–600 (cid:2) The Medieval World Series editor: Julia Smith, The University of Glasgow Alfred the Great The Formation of English Common Law Richard Abels John Hudson The Western Mediterranean Kingdom The Mongols and the West David Abulafia Peter Jackson The Fourth Crusade Europe’s Barbarians, AD 200–600 Michael Angold Edward James The Cathars Cnut Malcolm Barber K. Lawson The Godwins The Age of Robert Guiscard Frank Barlow Graham Loud Philip Augustus The English Church, 940–1154 Jim Bradbury H. R. Loyn Medieval Canon Law Justinian J. A. Brundage J. Moorhead Crime in Medieval Europe Ambrose Trevor Dean John Moorhead Charles I of Anjou The Devil’s World Jean Dunbabin Andrew P. Roach The Age of Charles Martel The Reign of Richard Lionheart Paul Fouracre Ralph Turner/Richard Heiser Margery Kempe The Welsh Princes A. E. Goodman Roger Turvey Edward the Black Prince English Noblewomen in the Later David Green Middle Ages J. Ward Bastard Feudalism M. Hicks E UROPE’S B ARBARIANS, AD 200–600 (cid:2) E J DWARD AMES RO Routledge U T LE D Taylor & Francis Group G E LONDON AND NEW YORK First published 2009 by Pearson Education Limited Published 2014 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017, USA Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Copyright © 2009 Taylor & Francis. All rights reserved. The right of Edward James to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book can be obtained from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data James, Edward, 1947– Europe’s barbarians, AD 200–600 / Edward James. — 1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-582-77296-0 (pbk.) 1. Rome—History—Germanic Invasions, 3rd–6th centuries. 2. Germanic peoples—Rome—History. 3. Germanic peoples—Europe—History. 4. Roman provinces—History. 5. Europe—History—To 476. 6. Europe—History—476–1492. 7. Rome—Civilization—Foreign influences. 8. Europe—Ethnic relations. 9. Rome—Ethnic relations. I.Title. DG312.J365 2009 937(cid:2).004—dc22 2009002079 A CIP catalog record for this book can be obtained from the Library of Congress ISBN: 978-0-582-77296-0 (pbk) Set by 35 in 10.5/13pt Galliard C(cid:2)ONTENTS SERIES EDITOR’S PREFACE vi PUBLISHER’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS x ABBREVIATIONS xii chapter one WHO ARE THE BARBARIANS? 1 chapter two THE BARBARIANS BEFORE ad 376 21 chapter three THE BARBARIANS FROM 376 TO 476 50 chapter four THE BARBARIANS AFTER 476 76 chapter five ETHNICITY, ETHNOGENESIS AND IDENTITY 102 chapter six THE BARBARIANS AT HOME 129 chapter seven BARBARIANS IN ROMAN EMPLOYMENT 157 chapter eight BARBARIANS ON THE MOVE 174 chapter nine ASSIMILATION, ACCULTURATION AND ACCOMMODATION 193 chapter ten FROM PAGANISMS TO CHRISTIANITIES 215 chapter eleven KINGDOM, KINGSHIP AND LAW 235 chapter twelve CONCLUSIONS 255 NOTES 258 BIBLIOGRAPHY 292 INDEX 330 ·v· SERIES ED(cid:2)ITOR’S PREFACE Why did the Western Roman Empire end? How and why did medieval Europe begin? These perennially important questions lie at the heart of some of the most vibrant historical scholarship currently being conducted. While some historians have breathed new life into the paradigm of ‘decline and fall’, others argue for a complex process of ‘trans- formation’ whether gradual or abrupt, peaceful or violent. What no one disputes is that barbarians from outside the boundaries of the Roman Empire played a part. But what part? Who were they anyway? How many were there? What were they like? In this book, Edward James guides the reader through these debates with a sure interpretive touch and an author- itative grasp of all the evidence. He tells this story with a difference. Its central characters are never the Romans but always the barbarians. His theme is what the barbarians contributed to European history, and his geographical scope extends from Ireland and Scandinavia to the Mediterranean and the Danube basin. On this broad canvas, he takes account of a large number of different peoples, not only those who remain household names such as the Goths, Franks, Saxons or Picts, but also such half-forgotten groups as the Heruls, or Sarmatians – and he even mentions the Ohtgaga and Noxgaga, whose names only occurs once in the historical record. James explains how new kingdoms emerged on Roman soil, taking their identity from barbarian armies and their leaders. His account balances narrative (Chapters 2–4) with analytic overviews (Chapters 5–12) of issues central to current debates: the changing character of late Roman provin- cial societies; the nature of early medieval ethnic identities; the multiple interactions of Romans and barbarians besides warfare; the problem of how many people may have migrated, and how far. The nature of bar- barian kingship and governance, and the role of religion in political change and cultural identity also receive full attention. He closes by demonstrating that the barbarians’ contribution to Europe’s political mythologies remains potent. A key feature of this book – as of Edward James’s earlier work – is his skill in juxtaposing archaeological evidence with the historical record. By balancing material culture with the written word, he brings nuance and fair-mindedness to key controversies. He is also alive to the importance ·vi· SERIES EDITOR’S PREFACE of complementary disciplines such as the history of language and of place- names, and introduces readers to the newest research methods, notably genetic anthropology. All those interested in the early Middle Ages will find James an enlight- ening and often witty guide to the rich and fascinating story of Europe’s barbarians. Julia M.H. Smith ·vii· PUBLISHER’S A(cid:2)CKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material: Maps Map 1 adapted from The Decline of the Ancient World, Longman (Jones, A.H.M. 1966) 100–101; Map 2 after Tacitus: Germania, by permission of Oxford University Press (Rives, J.R. 1999) xii–xiii; Map 3 from Borders, Barriers and Ethnogenesis: Frontiers in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Brepols (Curta, F. 2005) 156; Map 5 after The Making of the Slavs, Cambridge University Press (Curta, F. 2001) 198; Map 7 from Ethnische Interpretationen in der fruhgeschichtlichen Archaologie: Geschichte, Grundlagen und Alternativen, Walter de Gruyter (Brather, S. 2004) 266; Map 9 after Die Franken, Wegbereiter Europas, 2nded., 2 vols., Mainz: Reiss–Engelhorn Museen Mannheim (Wieczorek, A., Perin, P., Von Welck, K. and Menghin, W. 1997) 98; Map 10 from Les Invasions Barbares, Presses Universitaires de France (Riche, P. 1968); Map 11 from Die Franken, Wegbereiter Europas, 2nd ed., 2 vols., Mainz: Reiss– Engelhorn Museen Mannheim (Wieczorek, A., Perin, P., Von Welck, K. and Menghin, W. 1997) 94; Map 12 after The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England, Blackwell (Lapidge, M., Blair, J., Keynes, S. and Scragg, D. 1999) 456, reproduced with permission of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Figures Figure 1 from Topographies of Power in the Early Middle Ages, Brill (De Jong, M. and Theuws, F. 2001) 477, From “Asgard reconstructed. Gudme, a ‘central place’ in the North”; Figure 2 from Gudmehallerne: Kongeligt byggeri fra jernalderen, National Museum of Denmark (Sorensen, P. 1994). Picture Credits The publisher would like to thank the following for their kind permission to reproduce their photographs: Plate 1, p14 Diptych depicting Stilicho (c. 365–408), Serena and Eucharius (ivory) by Italian School, (5th century) Basilica di San Giovanni Battista, ·viii· PUBLISHER’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Monza, Italy / The Bridgeman Art Library Nationality / copyright status: Italian / out of copyright; Plate 2, p37 Uppsala University Library; Plate 3, p79 Bibliothèque nationale de France; Plate 4, p84 by grant of the Ministero per I Beni e le Attività Culturali – Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma; Plate 5, p93 Reiss-Engelhorn- Museen Mannheim, photo: Jean Christen; Plate 6, p115 from I Goti by Palazzo Reale di Milano, Electa; Plate 7, p142 Fotosearch: AGE Fotostock; Plate 8, p151 Kulturhistorisk Museum/Photographer: Eirik Irgens Johnsen; Plate 9, p194 Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier; Plate 11, p243 © The Trustees of The British Museum. All other images © Pearson Education. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any unintentional omissions. We would be pleased to insert the appropriate acknowledgement in any subsequent edition of this publication. ·ix·