Concept

Migration Period

Overview

The Migration Period (c. 300 to 600 AD), also known as the Barbarian Invasions, was a period in European history and late antiquity marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories by various tribes, and the establishment of post-Roman kingdoms there.

The term refers to the important role played by the migration, invasion, and settlement of various tribes, notably the Burgundians, Vandals, Goths, Alemanni, Alans, Huns, early Slavs, Pannonian Avars, Bulgars, and Magyars, within or into the territories of Europe as a whole and of the Western Roman Empire in particular. Historiography traditionally takes the period as beginning in AD 375 (possibly as early as 300) and ending in 568. Various factors contributed to this phenomenon of migration and invasion, and their role and significance are still widely discussed.

Historians differ as to the dates for the beginning and ending of the Migration Period. The beginning of the period is widely regarded as the invasion of Europe by the Huns from Asia in about 375, and the ending with the Lombards' conquest of Italy in 568, but a more loosely set period extends from as early as 300 to as late as 800. For example, in the 4th century, the Empire settled a very large group of Goths as foederati within the Roman Balkans, and the Franks were settled south of the Rhine in Roman Gaul. In 406, a particularly large and unexpected crossing of the Rhine was made by a group of Vandals, Alans, and Suebi. As central power broke down in the Western Roman Empire, the Roman military became more important but was dominated by men of barbarian origin.

There are contradictory opinions as to whether the fall of the Western Roman Empire was a result of an increase in migrations, or if both the breakdown of central power and the increased importance of non-Romans created additional internal factors. Migrations, and the use of non-Romans in the military, were known in the periods before and after, and the Eastern Roman Empire adapted and continued to exist until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453. The fall of the Western Roman Empire, although it involved the establishment of competing barbarian kingdoms, was to some extent managed by the Eastern emperors.

Individual migrating groups varied considerably in size, from war bands of a few thousand to entire tribal groups numbering over 100,000. Modern estimates suggest the Gothic crossing of the Danube in 376 brought 90,000–200,000 people into the Empire; the Rhine crossing of 406 involved a coalition of Vandals, Alans, and Suebi estimated at up to 200,000 people; and the Ostrogoths under Theodoric numbered 100,000–200,000 when they invaded Italy in 489. Estimates for the Anglo-Saxon migration to Britain range from 20,000 to 200,000, while the Lombard invasion of Italy in 568 has been estimated at around 150,000. Estimates for other groups, such as the Franks, Burgundians, or Slavs, are difficult to determine due to their more gradual or dispersed settlement patterns. According to the preceding estimates, total migration into Roman territory during the Migration Period could have ranged from roughly 500,000 to over 1,000,000 people.

The first migrations of peoples (German: Völkerwanderungen) were made by Germanic tribes such as the Goths (including the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths), the Vandals, the Anglo-Saxons, the Lombards, the Suebi, the Frisii, the Jutes, the Burgundians, the Alemanni, the Sciri, and the Franks; some of these groups were later pushed westward by the Huns, the Avars, the Slavs and the Bulgars. Later invasions—such as those carried out by the Vikings, the Normans, the Varangians, the Hungarians, the Arabs, the Turks, and the Mongols—also had significant effects on Roman and ex-Roman territory (especially in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, Anatolia and Central and Eastern Europe).

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Possible passages

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Such migrations, sometimes by choice, more frequently from necessity, were common in the ancient world. Frequent necessities introduced a fashion, which subsisted after the original causes. For how could it happen, but from some universally established public prejudice, which always overrules and stifles the private sense of men, that a whole nation should deliberately think it a wise measure to quit their country…
Edmund Burke, Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke
Close in meaning to Migration Period; the term itself is not named.
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The first invaders from Germany, instead of excluding other adventurers, who must share with them the spoils of the ancient inhabitants, were obliged to solicit fresh supplies from their own country; and a total extermination of the Britons became the sole expedient for providing a settlement and subsistence to the new planters. Hence there have been found in history few conquests more ruinous than that of the…
David Hume, The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part A.
Close in meaning to Migration Period; the term itself is not named.
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_Richomer_, another noble _Salian Frank_, was made _Comes domesticorum_, and _Magister utriusque Militiæ_, by _Theodosius_; and A.C. 384, was Consul with _Clearchus_. He was a great favourite of _Theodosius_, and accompanied him in his wars against _Eugenius_, but died in the expedition, and left a son called _Theudomir_, who afterwards became King of the _Salian Franks_ in _Brabant_. In the time of this war some…
Isaac Newton, Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John
Close in meaning to Migration Period; the term itself is not named.
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Philosophers who discussed Migration Period

Netherlands

Related ideas

Place in the tradition

Part of Ancient Greek philosophy.

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