Search -
A History of Germany From the Earliest Times to the Present Day
A History of Germany From the Earliest Times to the Present Day Author:Bayard Taylor Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 325.] KISE OF THE GOTHa 37 CHAPTER V. THE RISE AND MIGRATIONS OF THE GOTHS. (300—412.) Else of the Goths.—German Invasions of Gaul.—Victories of Juli... more »an.—The Ostrogoths and Visigoths.—Bishop Ulflla.—The Gothic Language.—The Gothic King, Athanaric.—The Coming of the Huns.—Death of Hermanric. —The Goths take refuge in Thrace.—Their Revolt—Defeat of Valens.— The Goths under Theodosius.—The Franks and Goths meet in Battle.— Alaric, the Visigoth.—He invades Greece.—Battle with Stilicho.—Alaric besieges Rome.—He enters Rome, A. D. 410.—His Death and Burial.—Succession of Ateulf.—The Visigoths settle in Southern Gaul.—Beginning of other Migrations. Rome, as the representative of the civilization of the world, and, after the year 313, as the political power which left Christianity free to overthrow the ancient religions, is still the central point of historical interest during the greater part of the fourth century. Until the death of the Emperor Valentinian, in 375, the ancient boundaries of the Empire, though frequently broken down, were continually re-established, and the laws and institutions of the Romans had prevailed so long throughout the great extent of conquered territory that the inhabitants now knew no other. But beyond the Danube had arisen a new power, the independence of which, after the time of Aurelian, was never disputed by the Roman Emperors. The Goths were the first of the Germanic tribes to adopt a monarchical form of government, and to acquire some degree of civilization. They were numerous and well organized; and Constantine, who was more of a diplomatist than a general, found it better to preserve peace with them for forty years, by presents and payments, than to provoke them to war. His best soldiers were enlisted among them, and it was principall...« less