AP DBQ Roman And Barbarian Relation

PART A
(Suggested writing time – 40 minutes)

Directions: The following question is based on the accompanying documents. (The documents have been edited for the purpose of this exercise.) Write your answer on the lined pages of the Section II free-response booklet.

This question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents.

Write an essay that:
Has a relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence from the documents.
Uses all of the documents.
Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as possible. Does not simply summarize the documents individually.
Takes into account the sources of the documents and analyzes the authors’ points of view.
Identifies and explains the need for at least two additional types of document.

You may refer to relevant historical information not mentioned in the documents.

1. Using the following documents, analyze relationships that existed between the Roman Empire and people the Romans considered barbarians.

Historical Background: The Roman Empire experienced constant interaction with numerous groups of so-called barbarians. Between c100 CE and the time of the fall of the Western Roman
Empire in 476 CE, Romans had contact with such varied groups as the Goths, Vandals,
Ostrogoths, Visigoths, and Huns.

Document 1

Source: Philostorgius, a Roman citizen and bishop in the early Christian Church. Excerpt from his work, Church History, written in the 400s CE.

Now the devout band of Christian prisoners [from the Roman Empire], living as they did among the barbarian Goths, converted many of them to the way of piety and persuaded them to adopt the Christian faith instead of pagan beliefs. Among these prisoners were the ancestors of Ulfila … It was this Ulfila who led the exodus of the pious ones, being the first bishop appointed among them.

Document 2

Source: Excerpt from the writings of a Roman historian, c300 CE.

Barbarians are driven by evil spirits; “possessed by demons”, who force them to commit the most terrible acts…incapable of living according to written laws and only reluctantly tolerating kings. … Their lust for gold is immense, their love of drink boundless. Barbarians are without restraint... [T]hey are given to gross personal hygiene… They run dirty and barefoot, even in the winter…They grease their blonde hair with butter and care not that it smells rancid… Their reproductive energy is inexhaustible; the Northern climate of their native land, with its long winter nights favors their fantastic urge to procreate…

Document 3

Source: Fragments of a glass cup found by archaeologists in territory that was once Roman-controlled Britain. The glass originated in Germanic lands.

Document 4

Source: Tacitus, a Roman historian; excerpt from his work, Germania, c98 CE.

They [the Germanic tribes] are particularly delighted by gifts from neighboring tribes, which are sent not only by individuals but also by the Roman government, such as choice steeds, heavy armor, and neck –chains. We have now taught them to accept money also. ….

The Germanic people who border our Empire value gold and silver for their commercial utility, and are familiar with, and show preference for, some of our coins. The tribes of the interior use the simpler and more ancient practice of the barter of commodities.

Document 5

Source: Excerpt from a letter by St. Caesarius of Arles, a bishop in the early Roman Christian Church, written to barbarian members of his congregation.

Dearly beloved, although we rejoice at this, to see you hasten faithfully to church, we are sad and we grieve because we know that some of you rather frequently go over to the ancient worship of idols like the pagans who have no God or grace of baptism. We have heard that some of you make vows to trees, pray to fountains, and practice diabolical prophesy.

Document 6

Source: Ammianus Marcellinus, a Roman historian; writing in c390 CE about the Battle of Adrianople, which was fought in 378 CE.

So now, with rage flashing in their eyes, the barbarians pursued our men, who were in a state of apathy, the warmth of their veins having deserted them. Many Roman soldiers were slain without knowing who killed them; some were overwhelmed by the mere weight of the crowd of barbarians which pressed upon them; and some were slain by wounds inflicted by their own comrades. The barbarians spared neither those who yielded nor those who resisted.

Besides these, many half slain lay blocking up the roads, unable to endure the torture of their wounds; and heaps of dead horses were piled up and filled the plain with their carcasses. At last a dark moonless night put an end to the lasting disaster which cost the Roman state so much.

Document 7

Source: Sculptural depiction of a Germanic barbarian found on a pedestal in the Roman-controlled border town of Mainz.

Document 8

Source: An unknown Roman writer commenting in the 300s CE on a decision made by Emperor Probus.

Emperor Probus took 16,000 German recruits, all of whom he scattered through the various provinces, incorporating bodies of fifty or sixty in the detachments or among the soldiers along the Roman Empire’s frontier, for he said that the aid that the Romans received from barbarian auxiliaries [supplementary military forces] must be felt but not seen.

Emperor Probus brought over many other barbarian tribes … they all broke faith … they roamed over well-nigh the entire world on foot or in ships and did no little damage to the glory of Rome.

Document 9

Source: Jordanes, a Roman bureaucrat who worked in Constantinople, c550 CE, writing about the Battle of Chalons fought in 451 CE.

The armies met … on the Catalaunian Plain. The battlefield was a plain rising by a sharp slope to a ridge, which both armies sought to gain… The Huns with their forces seized the right side of the plain. The Romans and their barbarian allies, theVisigoths, seized the left,... The two sides began a struggle for the as yet untaken crest.

Now Theodoric with the Visigoths held the right wing and Aetius with the Romans the left. They placed in the center Sangiban (who was in command of the Alani, another barbarian ally)… On the other side, the battle line of the Huns was so arranged that Attila and his bravest followers were stationed in the center.