Migration Period facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Invasions of the Roman Empire |
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Barbarian invasions, 100–500 AD
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| Time | 300–800 AD (greatest estimate) |
| Place | Europe and the Mediterranean region |
| Event | Tribes invading the declining Roman Empire |
Imagine a time in Europe, from about 300 to 600 AD, when many different groups of people moved across the continent. This time is called the Migration Period. It's also sometimes known as the Barbarian Invasions. During these years, the powerful Western Roman Empire eventually came to an end. New kingdoms were then formed by these migrating groups in the lands that used to belong to Rome.
Many different tribes were part of these movements, like the Goths, Vandals, Huns, and early Slavs. They traveled across Europe, especially into the lands of the Western Roman Empire. Historians usually say this period started around 375 AD and ended in 568 AD. But some think it began earlier, around 300 AD, and lasted until 800 AD. Many things caused these migrations, and historians still talk about why they happened.
A big event that started this period was when the Huns arrived in Europe from Asia around 375 AD. It ended when the Lombards conquered Italy in 568 AD. However, some historians stretch this period from 300 AD to 800 AD. For instance, the Romans allowed large groups of Goths and Franks to settle in their lands. These groups often helped defend the Roman borders. But as the Western Roman Empire grew weaker, its army relied more on soldiers from these other tribes.
Historians debate if these migrations caused the Roman Empire to fall, or if the empire was already weakening. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, managed to survive these changes. It continued for many more centuries, until 1453.
These migrating groups were different sizes. Some were small, with a few thousand people. Others were very large, with over 100,000 people. For example, when the Goths crossed the Danube River in 376 AD, there were possibly 90,000 to 200,000 people. The Vandals, Alans, and Suebi who crossed the Rhine River in 406 AD might have numbered up to 200,000. Overall, it's thought that between 500,000 and over 1,000,000 people moved into Roman lands during this time.
The first groups to migrate were mostly Germanic peoples. These included the Goths (like the Visigoths and Ostrogoths), Vandals, Anglo-Saxons, and Franks. Later, groups like the Huns, Avars, Slavs, and Bulgars also moved across Europe. Even later, groups like the Vikings, Arabs, and Hungarians also had a big impact on Europe and former Roman lands.
Contents
Timeline of Major Migrations
Germanic Tribes Before the Main Migrations
Long before the main Migration Period, Germanic peoples started moving from southern Scandinavia and northern Germany. After 1000 BC, they spread into lands between the Elbe and Oder rivers. One group moved west and south, reaching southern Germany by 100 BC. Famous Roman leaders like Gaius Marius and Julius Caesar encountered them. Another group moved east and south from Scandinavia between 600 and 300 BC. Over time, these groups formed larger tribes like the Alemanni, Franks, Saxons, and Frisians.
First Wave of Migrations (300-500 AD)
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The first major wave of migrations happened between 300 and 500 AD. During this time, Germanic peoples gained control over many parts of the Western Roman Empire. Historians know about these events from ancient Greek and Latin writings.
In 376 AD, the Tervingi tribe crossed the Danube River to escape the Huns. After some conflict with Roman leaders, they rebelled. This group, or a mix of Gothic tribes, became the Visigoths. They famously sacked Rome in 410 AD and later settled in Gaul. Around 460 AD, they created the Visigothic Kingdom in Spain. Later, in 476 AD, a warrior named Odoacer removed the last Western Roman Emperor. Then, the Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric the Great, settled in Italy.
In Gaul (modern-day France), the Franks slowly moved into Roman lands during the 400s. Their leaders, like Childeric I and his son Clovis I, grew powerful. After a big victory in 486 AD, they became the rulers of northern Gaul. The Frankish kingdom eventually grew into the countries we know today as France and Germany.
The Anglo-Saxons began settling in Britain during the 400s, after the Romans left. The Burgundians also settled in parts of Italy, Switzerland, and eastern France during the same century.
Second Wave of Migrations (500-700 AD)
Between 500 and 700 AD, Slavic tribes spread across central, southern, and eastern Europe. This made the eastern half of Europe mostly Slavic-speaking. Other groups, like the Avars and later the Magyars, were also part of this wave. In 567 AD, the Avars and Lombards defeated the Gepid Kingdom. The Lombards, a Germanic people, then settled in Italy with their allies. Later, the Bavarians and Franks also took control of much of Italy.
The Bulgars, who were originally nomads from Central Asia, lived north of the Caucasus Mountains from the 200s. They later moved west, pushed by the Khazars. In the 600s, they took control of lands along the lower Danube River, which belonged to the Byzantine Empire. This changed the population of the Balkans forever, making it mostly Slavic-speaking.
After the Alans moved on, other groups from Asia settled south of the Danube. The Sclavini settled in the Istrian Peninsula, which is now part of Slovenia. Croats settled in Dalmatia, which is modern Croatia and parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbs settled in areas like Illyria, Epirus, and Macedonia, which are now parts of Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. By the mid-600s, Serb tribes were moving into northern Albania. By the 800s, the Bulgars had settled in central Haemus Peninsula and Epirus.
Later Migrations and Their Impact
During the late 600s and early 700s, Arab armies tried to invade southeast Europe through Asia Minor. However, they were stopped at the siege of Constantinople (717–718) by the combined forces of the Byzantines and Bulgars. The Khazars also stopped Arab expansion into Europe across the Caucasus Mountains during the 600s and 700s.
At the same time, a group called the Moors (made up of Arabs and Berbers) invaded Europe through Gibraltar. They conquered Spain from the Visigothic Kingdom in 711 AD. But the Franks stopped their advance into Gaul at the Battle of Tours. These events created clear borders between Christian and Muslim lands for many centuries. Later, Muslims successfully conquered most of Sicily by 902 AD.
The Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin around 895 AD and their later invasions troubled Central Europe. These invasions are often seen as the final major movements from Asia. The Viking expansion, starting in the late 700s, is usually considered the last large migration movement of this period.
Christian missionaries from both the Roman West and the Byzantine East gradually converted these new groups. This helped integrate them into the Christian world.
Why Did People Move?
Historians have many ideas about why these "barbarian" groups appeared on the Roman borders. Some reasons might include changes in climate, weather, or crops. Others suggest population growth or a desire to move into the warmer Mediterranean region. Some believe the building of the Great Wall of China caused a "domino effect." This pushed tribes westward, leading the Huns to move into Gothic lands, which then pushed other Germanic tribes.
Many French and Italian historians have seen this as a terrible event. They view it as the destruction of a great civilization and the start of a "Dark Age" for Europe. In contrast, German and English historians often see it as a replacement of a "tired" Roman civilization with a "stronger" northern one.
Some scholars believe that the movement of these groups was a result of the Roman Empire already falling apart, not the cause. Archeological findings show that Germanic and Slavic tribes were farmers. They were likely drawn into the politics of an empire that was already weakening for other reasons.
The Romans sometimes allowed allied (Germanic) armies to settle in their lands. They hoped this would reduce the costs of defending the empire. The Crisis of the Third Century caused big changes in the Roman Empire. Economic problems weakened the forces that held the empire together.
The people living in Roman provinces became less connected to the main cities. There was little difference between them and other farmers outside the Roman border. Also, Rome increasingly used foreign soldiers to defend itself. This "barbarization" happened alongside changes in the lands outside Rome. The Roman Empire played a big role in shaping these groups along its borders.
The way these groups took over former Roman provinces was different in each area. For example, in Aquitaine (part of Gaul), local rulers simply handed over military control to the Ostrogoths. In other parts of Gaul, the fall of Roman rule led to chaos. The Franks and Alemanni moved into this "power vacuum," causing conflicts. In Spain, local nobles kept their independence for a while, raising their own armies against the Vandals.
When the Romans left Britain, it led to fighting between the Saxons and the local British chieftains. The Eastern Roman Empire tried to keep control of its Balkan provinces. But the imperial army was spread thin, relying on local fighters and efforts to rebuild defenses. These efforts failed, making life harder for the local people. This led to Slavic warriors and their families settling in the region.
Historians suggest that these changes came from the breakdown of Roman political control. This showed how weak local Roman rule had become. Instead of huge migrations, there were military takeovers by smaller groups of warriors and their families. These groups usually numbered only tens of thousands. The local Roman populations often made active choices in this process.
The collapse of central control greatly weakened the sense of Roman identity in the provinces. This might explain why the provinces saw big cultural changes, even if few new people settled there. In the end, the Germanic groups in the Western Roman Empire were accepted without completely changing the local society. They kept a form of Roman administration, though it was weaker.
Ironically, these Germanic groups often lost their unique identity and became part of the Latin culture. In the east, however, Slavic tribes kept a simpler and more equal way of life. Their leaders were not usually dependent on Roman gold. Because of this, they had a greater impact on their region than the Goths, Franks, or Saxons had on theirs.
See also
In Spanish: Período de las grandes migraciones para niños
