Ancient Germans. Religion and life of the ancient Germans

For many centuries, the main sources of knowledge about how the ancient Germans lived and worked were the works of Roman historians and politicians: Strabo, Pliny the Elder, Julius Caesar, Tacitus, and also some church writers. Along with reliable information, these books and notes contained speculation and exaggeration. In addition, ancient authors did not always go into the politics, history and culture of the barbarian tribes. They fixed mainly what "lay on the surface", or what made the strongest impression on them. Of course, all these works give quite a good idea of the life of the German tribes at the turn of the ages. However, during the later archaeological excavations it was found that ancient authors, describing the beliefs and life of the ancient Germans, missed much. Which, however, does not detract from their merits.

The origin and distribution of the German tribes

The Germanic tribes are Indo-European. At the beginning of the first millennium BC. E. Pragermanic language was distinguished from the Pra-Indo-European language, and the German ethnos formed in the 6th-1st centuries BC. E., Although not completely. The basins of the Oder, Reina and Elbe rivers are recognized as the aboriginal land of the Germanic peoples. The tribes were very numerous. They did not have a single name and for a time did not realize the relationship with each other. It makes sense to list some of them. So, in the territory of modern Scandinavia lived dan, gaut and svei. To the east of the Elbe River were located the possessions of the Goths, Vandals and Burgundians. These tribes were unlucky: they suffered greatly from the invasion of the Huns, were scattered around the world and assimilated. And between the Rhine and the Elbe settled Teutons, Saxons, Angles, Batavi, Franks. They gave rise to modern Germans, the British, the Dutch, the French. In addition to those mentioned, there were also yutas, friezes, cherusks, Germundures, cymbals, sveves, bastarns and many others. Ancient Germans Migrated mainly from north to south, or more precisely - to the south-west, which threatened the Roman provinces. They also willingly mastered the eastern (Slavic) lands.

The first mention of the Germans

About the warlike tribes of the ancient world learned in the middle of the 4th century BC. E. From the notes of the seafarer Pythia, who ventured to make a trip to the shores of the Northern (German) Sea. Then the Germans loudly announced themselves at the end of the 2nd century BC. E .: the tribes of the Teutons and Cimbri, who left Jutland, attacked Gaul and reached the Alpine Italy.

Gaius Marius managed to stop them, but from that moment the empire began to watch vigilantly the activity of dangerous neighbors. In turn, the Germanic tribes began to unite in order to strengthen their military power. In the middle of the 1st century BC. E. Julius Caesar in the course of the Gallic War inflicted defeat on the Suevians. The Romans reached the Elbe, and a little later - to Weser. It was at this time began to appear scientific works describing the life and religion of recalcitrant tribes. In them (with the easy hand of Caesar) the term "Germans" began to be used. By the way, this is by no means a self-name. The origin of the word is Celtic. "German" is a "close neighbor living". The ancient tribe of the Germans, or rather its name - "Teutons", was also used by scientists as a synonym.

Germans and their neighbors

In the west and south with the Germans, the Celts were neighbors. Their material culture was higher. Outwardly, representatives of these nationalities were similar. The Romans often confused them, and sometimes even considered them to be one people. However, the Celts and the Germans are not relatives. The similarity of their culture is conditioned by close neighborhood, mixed marriages, trade.

In the east, the Germans bordered on the Slavs, the Baltic tribes and the Finns. Of course, all these peoples exerted influence on each other. It can be traced in the language, customs, ways of doing business. Modern Germans are descendants of the Slavs and Celts assimilated by the Germans. The Romans noted the high growth of the Slavs and Germans, as well as light or light-red hair and blue (or gray) eyes. In addition, representatives of these peoples had a similar shape of the skull, which was discovered during archaeological excavations.

Slavs and ancient Germans Struck the Roman explorers not only with the beauty of the physique and features, but also with endurance. True, the former have always been considered more peaceful, while the latter are considered aggressive and gambling.

Appearance

As already mentioned, the Germans seemed to the pampered Romans to be mighty and tall. Free men wore long hair and did not shave beards. In some tribes, it was customary to tie the hair back to the back of the head. But in any case, they should have been long, since the cut hair is a sure sign of a slave. The clothing of the Germans was mostly simple, at first quite rough. They preferred leather tunics, woolen capes. Both men and women were seasoned: even in the cold, they wore short-sleeved shirts. Ancient Germanic did not unreasonably believe that extra clothes hamper the movement. For this reason, the soldiers did not even have armor. Helmets, however, were, although not at all.

Unmarried German women walked with their hair loose, the married women covered their hair with a woolen net. This headdress was purely symbolic. Shoes for men and women were the same: leather sandals or boots, woolen windings. The clothes were decorated with fibulas and buckles.

The social system of the ancient Germans

Social and political institutions of the Germans did not differ in complexity. At the turn of the century, these tribes had a clan system. It is also called primitive communal. In this system, not a separate person, but a family, is important. He is formed by blood relatives who live in the same village, work together the land and bring each other an oath of blood revenge. Several tribes make up the tribe. All the important decisions of the ancient Germans took, collecting ting. This was the name of the tribal people's assembly. Thing made important decisions: redistributed communal land between births, tried criminals, sorted out disputes, concluded peace treaties, declared war and collected militia. Here the young men were consecrated into warriors and elected, as necessary, military leaders - the dukes. Only free men were allowed to join the ting, but not all of them had the right to make speeches (this was allowed only to the elders and the most respected members of the clan / tribe). The Germans had patriarchal slavery. The non-free possessed certain rights, owned property, lived in the owner's house. They could not be killed with impunity.

Military Organization

The history of the ancient Germans is full of conflicts. Men paid much time to the military business. Even before the systematic campaigns against the Roman lands began, the Germans formed a tribal elite - the Edelings. Edelings were people who distinguished themselves in battle. It can not be said that they had some special rights, but they had authority.

Initially, the Germans chose ("raised to the shield") dukes only in the event of a military threat. But at the beginning of the Great Migration of Nations, they began to elect kings (konungs) from Edelings for life. The kings were at the head of the tribes. They got permanent brigades and gave them all necessary (usually after the successful campaign). Loyalty to the leader was exceptional. Ancient Germans considered it disgraceful to return from the battle in which the king fell. In this situation, the only way out was suicide.

In the army of the Germans there was a clan principle. This meant that relatives always fought shoulder to shoulder. Perhaps, it is this feature that determines the ferocity and fearlessness of the soldiers.

The Germans fought on foot. The cavalry appeared late, the Romans were of her low opinion. The main weapon of the warrior was a spear (frome). The famous knife of the ancient Germanic Sax was widely spread. Then a throwing ax and a spatha appeared - a double-edged Celtic sword.

Economy

Ancient historians often described the Germans as pastoralists-nomads. Moreover, there was an opinion that men were engaged exclusively in war. Archaeological studies of the 19-20th centuries showed that everything was somewhat different. Firstly, they lived a settled way of life, engaged in cattle breeding and farming. The community of ancient Germans owned meadows, pastures and fields. True, the latter were few, since most of the territories controlled by the Germans were occupied by forests. Nevertheless, the Germans grew oats, rye and barley. But breeding cows and sheep was a priority. The Germans had no money, their wealth was measured by the number of heads of cattle. Of course, the Germans were perfectly able to process the skin and actively traded them. They also made wool and flax fabrics.

They mastered the extraction of copper, silver and iron, but few owned the blacksmith's trade. Over time, the Germans learned how to make Damascus steel and make very high quality swords. However, the Saxon, the combat knife of the ancient German, did not come out of use.

Beliefs

Information about the religious views of the barbarians, which were obtained by Roman historians, are very scarce, contradictory and vague. Tacitus writes that the Germans deified the forces of nature, especially the sun. Over time, natural phenomena have become personified. Thus appeared, for example, the cult of Donar (Thor), the god of the storm.

The Germans of Tivaz, the patron of the warriors, were highly esteemed. According to Tacitus, they performed human sacrifices in his honor. In addition, he devoted weapons and armor to dead enemies. In addition to the "common" gods (Donara, Wodan, Tivaz, Fro), each tribe praised "personal", less famous deities. Temples did not build the Germans: they prayed in the forests (sacred groves) or in the mountains. It must be said that the traditional religion of the ancient Germans ( those who lived on the mainland) Was relatively quickly replaced by Christianity. About the Christ, the Germans learned in the 3rd century thanks to the Romans. But on the Scandinavian Peninsula paganism lasted a long time. It was reflected in folklore works that were recorded during the Middle Ages ("The Elder Edda" and "The Younger Edda").

Culture and art

The Germans treated the priests and prophetesses with reverence and respect. The priests accompanied the troops in campaigns. They were charged with carrying out religious rituals (sacrifices), appealing to the gods, punishing criminals and cowards. The prophetesses were engaged in fortune-telling: by the insides of sacred animals and defeated enemies, by the flowing blood and the neighing of horses.

Ancient Germans willingly created jewelry from metal in the "animal style", borrowed, presumably, from the Celts, but they had no tradition of portraying the gods. Very rough, conventional sculptures of deities, found in peat bogs, had only ritual significance. They do not represent artistic value. Nevertheless, the furniture and household items the Germans skillfully decorated.

According to historians, the ancient Germans loved music, which was an indispensable attribute of the feasts. They played flutes and lyres, performed songs.

The Germans used runic letters. Of course, it was not intended for long coherent texts. The runes were sacred. With their help, people turned to the gods, tried to predict the future, created spells. Short runic inscriptions are found on stones, objects of everyday life, on weapons and shields. Without a doubt, the religion of the ancient Germans was reflected in the runic letter. The Scandinavians runes lasted until the 16th century.

Interaction with Rome: War and Trade

Germania Magna, or Great Germany, has never been a Roman province. At the turn of the ages, as already mentioned, the Romans conquered tribes living east of the River Rhine. But in the year 9 n. E. Roman legions under the command of the Cherius Arminius (Herman) were defeated in the Teutoburg Forest, and this lesson the Imperials remembered for a long time.

The border between enlightened Rome and wild Europe began to lie along the Rhine, the Danube and Limes. Here, the Romans billeted troops, erected fortifications and founded cities that exist to this day (for example, Mainz-Mogontsiakum, and Vindobonu (Vienna)).

The ancient Germans and the Roman Empire did not always fight with each other. Until the middle of the 3rd century AD. E. The peoples coexisted relatively peacefully. At this time, trade has developed, or rather the exchange. The Germans supplied the Romans with crocheted leather, furs, slaves, and amber, and received in exchange luxury goods and weapons. Little by little they even got used to using money. Individual tribes had privileges: for example, the right to trade on Roman soil. Many men became mercenaries from the Roman emperors.

However, the invasion of the Huns (nomads from the east), which began in the 4th century AD E., "moved" the Germans from their homes, and they again rushed to the imperial territories.

The Ancient Germans and the Roman Empire: the Final

By the time of the beginning of the Great Migration of Nations, the powerful German konungs began to unite the tribes: first with the purpose of protection from the Romans, and then - with the purpose of seizing and plundering their provinces. In the 5th century, the whole Western empire was captured. On its ruins the barbarian kingdoms of Ostrogoths, Franks, Anglo-Saxons were erected. The Eternal City itself was besieged and plundered several times during this turbulent century. The tribes of vandals were especially distinguished. In 476 AD E. Romulus Augustul, the last Roman emperor, was forced to abdicate under the pressure of the mercenary Odoacr.

The social system of the ancient Germans was finally changed. From the communal way of life the barbarians went over to the feudal one. The Middle Ages came.