History Channel, Barbarians, is this all that was going on in the world ?

Question

I like history but don't know a lot about it. I've been watching the History Channel's series on Barbarians, and what I want to know, was there any kind of civilization going on somewhere else, and why did the Barbarians just kill and kill and kill, it is like they lived to kill ? what a horrible way to live.

Mike J, if you want to have an attitude, why don't you give us your email, so we can email you with your snotty comments. I am sick to death of snotty arrogant answer people. Why don't you search in ettiquette and read.

Mike J,. it is obvious you are gifted at "cut and paste."

Answer 1

The term barbarians is a highly subjective term that could be used to describe all sorts of different peoples. Generally though that term refers to the people that lived on the periphery of the classic western civilizations of Rome and Greece. I will assume that is whom you are asking.

What I would suggest you consider about the bloodthirsty and violent culture of the barbarians is where they were socially in comparison to their neighbours. Very often these people were possesed of simple technology and a nomadic herding and hunter-gatherer economy which made for small social units and a high demand on their land base. This would have meant that they would have been drawn into conflict almost immediately with any more sedentary and/or advanced society they ran into which they were more often than not likely to lose. Coupled with the fact that the more established, sedentary, and agrarian a society became, there was an increased demand for not only on lands for agriculture, but also higher volume resources like wood and metals all of which were land uses that excluded the herder or hunter. Then of course there was the issue of settled societies practicing chattel slavery (meaning one person could literally own another) which would drawn upon the populace of less advanced and more dispersed peoples. In short these two societies were by their very nature diametricly opposed and the only resort the weaker and more dispersed population had to fight back was same option they have in the modern world: terrorism.

Basicly, if a bunch of provincial Roman farmers moved into your forest, started clearing fields and scaring away the deer, what could you do to get that section of hunting ground back. Well, in theory, you could go into the village and make your demands of the populace backed by threats, but as soon as the local governor heard of it, a legion would be marching against you and you had no chance against them. If you just came running in quick though, killed the men, raped the women, and burned the buildings, well that was far more effective. With a broken family unit, little or no means of support, and physical scars on their bodies, those people would move away afraid for their lives, and they would tell others. In the end it was the most likely to get the land back to your own purposes.

Anyway, I'm sure you see where I'm going. Sure it was a horrible way to live. I don't doubt it. I just thought you might find some reason in my explantion of the matter.....

Answer 2

Hey Wendy,

The more you read about history, you will find some interesting facts and information. While the Western Rome was crumbling, Eastern Rome empire, better known as the Byzantine Empire managed to prosper and pass on the knowledge and intellects of the Roman empire to the middle ages. In fact, Byzantine empire managed to last until 1453, when it finally fell to the Ottoman empire. Until its demise, Byzantine empire was looked upon by the western europeans as the beacon of the civilization and the city Constantinople was considered the greatest city in the World until ironically, it was sacked by the very European crusaders who were called upon to protect it.

Anyways, it is very subject to call certain group of people "Barbarians". They were certainly not civilized, but at the same time they were not all brutal killers. Most of them were simply tribes of migrant people who sought new homeland. Example would be Franks, who were pushed out by the Saxons and other Germanic tribes. So, a simple answer would be that, no. Barbarians did not just kill kill kill. Most people would consider Vikings to be brutal killers and pillagers. While that was true to a certain degree, they were also farmers and herders. Most vikings made their living through farming and not through raids they were famous for.

Answer 3

The chinese were sophisticated and had an organized government, and military. They were inventors and scholars, but they had to deal with barbarian hordes such as the Mongols. Barbarians are usually tribes that even fought each other at times but when joined together usually were superior fighting forces. For example...the Roman's conquered a lot of these tribes such as Gauls, Visgoths, Germanians, and Celtics which caused uprisings. Also, the Roman's had a lot of lands and wealth to be taken. Hope this helps some!

Answer 4

Well barbarians have existed since time in memorial, thus for a proper answer you need to be more specific about the barbarians.

Answer 5

There was plenty going on. Just google the different years, like "45 A.D." and you'll see.

Or you could Google different regions of the Earth and then check each one by era. You got your native Americans, the Chinese, Africans, just to name a few!