The four-part series The Germanic Tribes shows the rise of the tribes of the North; developing from a primitive culture on the fringe of Europe into the heirs of the Roman Empire. For a long time the view of the Germanic p... more »eople of many peoples was distorted by the Germanic cult of the 19th century and the Nazi dictatorship. Due to new methods and discoveries, research is now able to present a more accurate picture of the Germanic tribes. Many clichés about the barbarians of the North have to be discarded as myths The linchpin of Germanic history is the conflict with the Roman Empire. Since the age of Caesar this Roman-Germanic conflict was characterized not only by fierce battles but also by phases of co-existence and cooperation. The Germans dug the grave of the Roman Empire, but they were also the preservers of the Roman legacy. The series breathes new life into the little known world of the Germanic tribes. We see how they lived, fought, and worshipped their gods. Intricate 3D animation shows us how they built their settlements, buried their kings, vanquished their enemies. Roman cities such as ancient Cologne, home of the Romanophile Germans, and the Roman limes, the border to free Germania, are also reconstructed through magnificent computer graphics. The Germanic Tribes portrays the protagonists of an epoch of formative influence for Europe whose legacy is still with us.« less
Actor:Hermann Director:Eric Schmidt Genres:Educational, Documentary Sub-Genres:Educational, History Studio:Kultur Video Format:DVD - Color DVD Release Date: 01/27/2009 Original Release Date: 01/01/2008 Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2008 Release Year: 2009 Run Time: 3hr 29min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 2 SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 9 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English
"It is sad that the other reviewers do not see the value of this series. There is such little material about these early tribes because they did not have a written history. We have to rely on Romans like Tacitus to give us an account. Not to mention that the culture borrowed heavily from the Romans and the Greeks, etc. They didn't live in a separate world and they constantly intermingled. This is an excellent series with a solid foundation in recent research and archaeology."
Great History
L. Chaplya | NY USA | 11/01/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I enjoyed this series. The Germanic Tribes keeps to a standard of providing evidence for the facts stated, and the videos of the archeological sites are fantastic. I would recommend this to anyone interested in German history or Classics."
Superb presentation of Germanic-Roman contact
Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC USA | 03/06/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This miniseries manages to give an excellent introduction to the state of archeological and historical scholarship on the contact between Germanic and Roman cultures. The authors present the viewer with a comprehensive picture of how the Germanic tribes might have perceived themselves and how they were perceived by those they came in contact with. This series is relevant for anyone who is interested at all in how the late ancient/ early medieval contact zones between peoples shaped the political, cultural and linguistic histories and literatures of a multicultural Europe."
Rome-barbarian contact
Luis | Chile | 06/25/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I agree with at least one other reviewer in that this documentary "is more about contact between the two groups, rather than showing Germans as they saw themselves." I also share the view of others in that origins of Germanic tribes are not really examined. Some tribes such as the anglo saxons are not even mentioned. That said, I still recommned highly this documentary as it incorporates some new views (to me at least) in that contact between Rome and peoples living right outside their territorial limits were pacific or of mutual interest, to some extent. Digital reconstruction of towns and fortifications to guard imperial limits are cool and enjoying. Good picture quality, no subtitles provided.
"
The Germanic Tribes
Inge Wolf | Glendale, NY | 06/14/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"It was okay, but found it to be more related to archaeological than historical information."