Visigoths
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| - | [[History of Western civilization]] | + | The '''Visigoths''' ({{lang-la|Visigothi'', ''Wisigothi'', ''Vesi'', ''Visi'', ''Wesi'', or ''Wisi}}) were one of two main branches of the [[Goths]], an [[East Germanic tribe]]; the [[Ostrogoths]] being the other. Together these tribes were among the [[barbarians]] who disturbed the late [[Roman Empire]] during the [[Migration Period]]. The Visigoths first emerged as a distinct people during the fourth century, initially in the [[Balkans]], where they participated in several wars with Rome. A Visigothic army under [[Alaric I]] eventually moved into Italy and famously [[sack of Rome (410)|sacked Rome in 410]]. |
| - | ==Antiquity (before AD 500)== | + | |
| - | The [[East-West dichotomy|opposition of a European "West" to an Asiatic "East"]] has its roots in [[Classical Antiquity]], with then [[Persian Wars]] where the [[Classical Greece|Greek]] city states were opposing the expansion of the [[Achaemenid Empire]]. The Biblical opposition of [[Land of Israel|Israel]] and [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyria]] from a European perspective was recast into these terms by early Christian authors such as [[Jerome]], who compared it to the [[Migration period|"barbarian" invasions]] of his own time (see also [[Assyria and Germany in Anglo-Israelism]]) | + | Eventually the Visigoths were settled in southern [[Gaul]] as ''[[foederati]]'' of the Romans, the reasons for which are still subjects for debate among scholars. They soon fell out with their hosts and established their own kingdom with its capital at [[Toulouse]]. They slowly extended their authority into [[Hispania]], displacing the [[Vandals]] and [[Alans]]. Their rule in Gaul was cut short in 507 at the [[Battle of Vouillé]], when they were defeated by the [[Franks]] under [[Clovis I]]. Thereafter the only territory north of the [[Pyrenees]] that the Visigoths held was [[Septimania]] and their kingdom was limited to Hispania, which came completely under the control of their small governing elite, at the expense of the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] province of [[Spania]] and the [[Suebic Kingdom of Galicia]]. |
| - | The "East" in the [[Hellenistic period]] was the [[Seleucid Empire]], with Greek influence stretching as far as [[Greco-Bactrian Kingdom|Bactria]] and [[Indo-Greek Kingdom|India]], besides [[Scythia]] in the [[Pontic steppe]] to the north. In this period, there was significant cultural contact between the Mediterranean and the East, giving rise to syncretisms like [[Greco-Buddhism]]. It was only with [[Christianization]] of the Roman Empire in the 4th century that the Mediterranean world lost interest in the Eastern cultures. | + | In or around 589, the Visigoths, under [[Reccared I]], formerly [[Arianism|Arians]], converted to the [[Nicene Creed|Nicene faith]]. In their kingdom, the century that followed was dominated by the [[Councils of Toledo]] and the episcopacy. Historical sources for the seventh century are relatively sparse. In 711 or 712 the Visigoths, including their king and many of their leading men, were killed in the [[Battle of Guadalete]] by a force of [[Umayyad conquest of Hispania|invading Arabs and Berbers]]. The kingdom quickly collapsed thereafter, a phenomenon which has led to much debate among scholars concerning its causes. Gothic identity survived the fall of the kingdom, however, especially in the [[Kingdom of Asturias]] and the [[Marca Hispanica]]. |
| - | The division of Europe into a Western (Latin) and an Eastern (Greek) part was prefigured in the division of the [[Roman Empire]] by [[Diocletian]] in 285. The [[history of Christianity]] took divergent routes in these spheres from early times, but the final [[East–West Schism|Great Schism]] separating [[Roman Catholicism|Roman]] and [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern]] Christianity occurred only in the 11th century. | + | Of what remains of the Visigoths in [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]] there are several churches and an increasing number of archaeological finds, but most notably a large number of [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], and other [[Romance languages|Romance]] language given names and surnames. The Visigoths were the only people to found new cities in western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire and before the rise of the [[Carolingians]]. Until the [[Late Middle Ages]], the greatest Visigothic legacy, which is no longer in use, was their law code, the ''[[Liber iudiciorum]]'', which formed the basis for legal procedure in most of Christian [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] for centuries after their kingdom's demise. |
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| - | In [[476 A.D.]] the [[western Roman Empire]], which had ruled modern-day [[Italy]], [[France]], [[Spain]], [[Portugal]] and [[England]] for centuries collapsed due to a combination of economic decline and drastically reduced military strength, allowing invasion by [[barbarian]] [[tribe]]s originating in southern [[Scandinavia]] and modern-day northern [[Germany]]. According to many authors, the main causes for the fall of any empire are internal, such as racial, religious or political divisions within the country. Also, warfare and economic crisis may contribute to the empire's collapse. In England, several [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribes]] invaded, including the [[Angles]] and [[Saxons]]. In [[Gaul]] (modern-day France, Belgium and parts of Switzerland) and [[Germania Inferior]] (The Netherlands), the [[Franks]] settled, in [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] the [[Visigoths]] invaded and Italy was conquered by the [[Ostrogoths]]. [[Christianity]] ceased to be the dominant religion in these lands and much of [[Culture of ancient Rome|Roman culture]] disappeared. Only [[Ireland]], which had never been ruled by [[Roman Empire|Rome]], remained Christian throughout this time. | + | |
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Revision as of 07:40, 7 September 2009
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The Visigoths (Template:Lang-la) were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe; the Ostrogoths being the other. Together these tribes were among the barbarians who disturbed the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period. The Visigoths first emerged as a distinct people during the fourth century, initially in the Balkans, where they participated in several wars with Rome. A Visigothic army under Alaric I eventually moved into Italy and famously sacked Rome in 410.
Eventually the Visigoths were settled in southern Gaul as foederati of the Romans, the reasons for which are still subjects for debate among scholars. They soon fell out with their hosts and established their own kingdom with its capital at Toulouse. They slowly extended their authority into Hispania, displacing the Vandals and Alans. Their rule in Gaul was cut short in 507 at the Battle of Vouillé, when they were defeated by the Franks under Clovis I. Thereafter the only territory north of the Pyrenees that the Visigoths held was Septimania and their kingdom was limited to Hispania, which came completely under the control of their small governing elite, at the expense of the Byzantine province of Spania and the Suebic Kingdom of Galicia.
In or around 589, the Visigoths, under Reccared I, formerly Arians, converted to the Nicene faith. In their kingdom, the century that followed was dominated by the Councils of Toledo and the episcopacy. Historical sources for the seventh century are relatively sparse. In 711 or 712 the Visigoths, including their king and many of their leading men, were killed in the Battle of Guadalete by a force of invading Arabs and Berbers. The kingdom quickly collapsed thereafter, a phenomenon which has led to much debate among scholars concerning its causes. Gothic identity survived the fall of the kingdom, however, especially in the Kingdom of Asturias and the Marca Hispanica.
Of what remains of the Visigoths in Spain and Portugal there are several churches and an increasing number of archaeological finds, but most notably a large number of Spanish, Portuguese, and other Romance language given names and surnames. The Visigoths were the only people to found new cities in western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire and before the rise of the Carolingians. Until the Late Middle Ages, the greatest Visigothic legacy, which is no longer in use, was their law code, the Liber iudiciorum, which formed the basis for legal procedure in most of Christian Iberia for centuries after their kingdom's demise.
