14 DAY TRIAL // 1. Starting with the 1st century AD, the pressure of the Germanic tribes on the border of the Roman Empire started to be felt. Many Germanic people had reached Rome as slaves; but later, during the decadence of the Roman Empire, some Germanic warriors were employed as mercenaries. By the 3rd-4th centuries BC, there was a general Germanic invasion in the Roman Empire, mainly non-violent. But, to the end of the 4th century, this invasion turned massive, countless waves crossing the Rhine and the Danube, and the weakened Roman army did not handle the situation. The "Barbarians" destroyed and pillaged everything on their way. In 150 years, all the territories of the Western Roman Empire were distributed between Germanic tribes: Iberia was occupied by Visigoths, Alsace by Alamans, Savoy by Burgunds, Gaul by Franks, Britain by Anglo-Saxons and Italy by Ostrogoths.
2. The Germanic tribes were nomad and the horse eased their way of life. The goods were transported using ox-driven carts. Camps were made of skin tents and wood objects were preferred to clay-made ones (like vessel). The ancient Germanic did not know the potter's wheel, but made ceramics. Clothing was made mostly of animal skins, which were processed using oak tannins. In a late period, the Roman soldiers had adopted the Germanic trousers made of insideout animal skin, very efficient against the cold.
The Germanic tribes worshiped natural phenomena, like storm, thunder, lightening, and all meteorological phenomena were considered manifestations of gods, which were the origin of the good and evil. The deities had their dwellings in thick forests, swift springs, or lagoons. In these places, people deposited offerings in wooden vessel. In many cases, the Germanic women fought together with their men.
3. The Germanic tribes processed the iron. The Germanic warriors wore conic helmets, round shields, and fought with various weapons: double-bladed straight sword, spear, dagger and bow with arrows. The Franks used an ax called "securis francisca" by Romans, which was perfectly counterbalanced and could be thrown with high precision towards the enemy. Vikings too were Germanic, and like the other Germanics, they did not wear horned helmets, specific to Celt tribes.