Category Lost Civilizations

               The Huns were an aggressive, dangerous, conquering tribe who probably came from Western China. The Chinese successfully defended themselves against the Huns in the 3rd century. The Huns then divided into two groups. The smaller group went towards India. But, the main group went north-west to Siberia. By 350 AD, the Huns were already crossing the steps toward Europe. In Europe, the Huns defeated many groups, and finally settled in the Hungarian area. They attacked the Eastern Roman Empire in 430 AD.

               The Huns were divided into the Hephthalites or White Huns, who invaded the Sassanid empire of Persia, and the Black Huns, who invaded Europe. The Hephthalites have fairer complexions than the Black Huns. Whether black or white, the Huns terrorized much of Asia and Europe from the 3rd through 5th centuries.

               The Avars were a Mongolian people. In the fourth century, they were one of many tribes to trouble the northern borders of the Chinese Empire. Little is known about the Avars in the period of their greatest power. Their base was situated somewhere near present-day Belgrade. By the end of the sixth century, their empire stretched from the River Volga to the Baltic Sea, and evidence suggests that they remained powerful well into the eighth century. They fought against the Byzantine Empire, and they reached as far as Constantinople, but could not take the city. Between 791 and 803, their kingdom was destroyed by the Franks and the Bulgarians, and the Avars merged with the Slavs.

               The Bulgars or proto Bulgarians, were a herding people who fought their way westward from Asia, raiding for plunder in Constantinople’s empire in the Balkans during the rule of Justinian I, and then retreating. During the rule of the Byzantine emperor Constantine V, the Arab danger had abated, and Constantine felt free to attack the Bulgarians. However, by then, the Bulgarians had become powerful, and were able to withstand his attacks. Around 917 AD, Bulgaria became the centre of the Christian Slavic world. However, in 1018, the Byzantines attacked again, and destroyed the first Great Bulgarian Empire. 

               The Scythians were a large group of loosely connected people who lived in Russia, and also further south around the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. By 600 BC, they took over some of the land to their south in modern Turkey for a while. They were remarkable for their fighting ability and civilization. They developed a class of wealthy aristocrats, who left elaborate graves filled with richly worked articles of gold and other precious materials. The Scythians worked in a wide variety of materials, including wood, leather, bone, appliqué felts, bronze, iron, silver, gold, and electrum.

              The Scythians were feared and admired for their prowess in war and, in particular, for their horsemanship. They were among the earliest people to master the art of riding, and their mobility astonished their neighbours.

               The Cimmerians were a nomadic tribe, living in Asia Minor in the seventh century BC. A few of them moved into the Crimea where they lingered on long enough to give that Black Sea peninsula its name. Most of them however moved south to the Middle East. The Cimmerians are credited with being the people who first domesticated the horse as symbols of wealth and status. However, they used it as a draft animal for about 500 years before they learned to ride it, going into battle on war chariots drawn by horses. 

               The Slavs first moved to Europe from West Asia around 2000 BC. They settled in the north -probably in modern Poland. About 100 or 200 AD, the Slavs crossed the Carpathian Mountains into present Slovakia and Romania. They crossed Danube, in the 500 AD, and settled in Greece.

               The Slavs were later attacked and defeated by Charlemagne. Charlemagne captured so many Slavs, and brought them back to France as slaves that their name has become the French – and English – word for slave. Most Slavs continued to live in Eastern Europe, where they gradually divided into three groups-the Polish Slavs, the Balkan Slavs, and the Russian Slavs. All three groups converted to Christianity before 1300 AD.

               Around 1000 AD, some of the Vikings who had been raiding France, got permission from the French king to settle down and live in France. They were called the Normans, which are short for North-Men, because they came from the North. The part of France where they lived is called Normandy today. In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, put together a huge army of 6000 men, along with several hundred ships. He invaded England, and at the Battle of Hastings, defeated another rival for the throne. William was crowned King of England.

               William, the Conqueror, took all the land away from the English church officials and nobles, and gave it all to his Norman friends. He also wanted local officials, under his control, in all the towns. So, he created a new office called a sheriff. A sheriff’s job was to collect taxes. William set up a council of Norman nobles and bishops. He called it the Great Council. By the 1200’s, the Great Council was called parliament… and it is called parliament to this day. 

               The Vikings came from the three countries of Scandinavia-Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They came to Europe between 700 and 1100 AD. During this period, many Vikings left Scandinavia and travelled to other countries, such as Britain and Ireland. Some went to fight and steal treasure. Others settled down as farmers.

               The Vikings travelled in medium-sized sailing ships that were large enough to sail in the open sea, but small enough to navigate through the rivers of Europe. Norwegian Vikings sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean to Iceland and Greenland. About AD 1000, Vikings sailed to North America, and started a settlement there too. Danish Vikings went to France and founded Normandy. Danish Vikings also sailed south around Spain, and into the Mediterranean Sea. Swedish Vikings roamed along rivers into Russia. Viking traders could be found as far east as Constantinople, where they met people from Africa, Arabia and Asia.

The Vikings were great sailors and traders, but they were also fierce warriors, attacking and robbing villages all around the coasts of Europe. Is it any wonder that for nearly 300 years, the Vikings sparked fear in their enemies?