Kathleenb Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 The concept of "barbarians" went from non-Greek speaking to non-Latin speaking to non-Roman culture as well, and it probably carried with it some negative connotations. I think Romans tended to evaluate others not just on their language (although written language that was very important and worthy of respect by the Romans), but also in terms of their material culture, their social structure, their law, and their military prowess. I am looking for ancient sources which spoke negatively of the "barbarians," either explicitly or just showing negative underlying assumptions/connotations. I thought these would be easy to find, but there are fewer (and they are buried deeper) than I thought. Anyone willing to point me at specific texts? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philhellene Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 (edited) Ammianus Marcellinus, XXI, 10, 8; 12, 25. Ammianus blames Julian for Nevitta who was appointed co-consul of Mamertinus, because Nevitta was a barbarian. Edited April 8, 2006 by Philhellene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleenb Posted April 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Ammianus Marcellinus, XXI, 10, 8; 12, 25. Ammianus blames Julian for Nevitta who was appointed co-consul of Mamertinus, because Nevitta was a barbarian. Thanks! Livy certainly has a lot to say, negative, about the barbarians. hot-headed, ruled by emotion not intellect 5.36, 5.37, 5.49, 27.17, 27.19, 27.29 Lack of culture 5.48, 28.18, 34.24 Lack of material culture 21.60, undisciplined and disorganized 24.48, 28.1, 30.28, 31.34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gini Posted July 7, 2006 Report Share Posted July 7, 2006 Procopius desribing the Emperor justinian "In the first place, Justinian having no natural aptitude towards the imperial dignity, neither assumed the royal manner nor thought it necessary to his prestige. In his accent, in his dress and in his ideas he was a barbarian. When he wished to issue a decree, he did not give it out through the Quaestor's office, as is usual, but most frequently preferred to announce it himself, in spite of his barbarous accent.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted July 7, 2006 Report Share Posted July 7, 2006 Procopius desribing the Emperor justinian"In the first place, Justinian having no natural aptitude towards the imperial dignity, neither assumed the royal manner nor thought it necessary to his prestige. In his accent, in his dress and in his ideas he was a barbarian. When he wished to issue a decree, he did not give it out through the Quaestor's office, as is usual, but most frequently preferred to announce it himself, in spite of his barbarous accent.... Are you sure that wasn't Justin, Justinian's father? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gini Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Don't think so I think it was Justinian but willcheck when I find the book. it was quite a way intothe book and he only described Justin and his manners etc at the begining. Anyway the mainthing is that it gives anidea of theway barbarians were viewed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miguel Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Once I have read a book, which stated that marriages between Romans and barbarians were forbidden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotWotius Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 A while back I wrote an essay on Greco-Roman attitudes towards the Iron age Britons, and the validity of the contemporary sources surrounding them (you may recognize it from a previous post). And here it is... How useful are the Greco-Roman sources in determining the truth about life and events in Iron Age Britain? History is by no means set in stone. Though we can piece together much of the past Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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