LO-1- European Barbarians

The Barbarian Way of Life

• Barbarian is the term to describe the distinct way of life based on farming, warfare, and tribal organization that became widespread in Europe beginning around 2500 B.C.
• With them came an advance in population, wealth by 3500 B.C.
• As civilization started to settle down into areas and regions, new ethnics and influences of ways of life were formed.
• People of this region began to speak languages of Indo-European origin.
• Lives were centered around strength and courage, loyalty and battle.
• All wealth of a person would go to the grave with him.
• Main business of life was still farming.
• Lived in villages that housed the entire distant family
• Population was much thinner that Mesopotamia and Egypt
• Formed tribes that would meet once in a while for trading purposes
• Tribes would have a leader or king
• A tribe is a social and political unit consisting of a group of communities held together by common interest, traditions, and real or mythical ties of kinship.
• Skilled in farming, metal work, trade, and welfare
• Over a period of three thousand years, they came into contact with civilization, the contacts were mostly peaceful but sometimes warlike
• Over time the Barbarians adopted the way of life of other civilizations they encountered
• Civilization eventually spread throughout Europe