What Are The Similarities Between Germania And The Life Of Charlemagne

Civilization in the West has been constantly evolving ever since the first civilizations were established. Much of this can be tracked through written accounts of a historical period by a historian at that time. Tacitus’s Germania describes the Germanic tribes at the during the time of the Roman empire. Einhard’s The Life of Charlemagne has a more narrow focus: the reign and personal life of Charlemagne, one of Europe’s most prominent leaders of the Dark Ages. Both of these books subtextually reveal values of each of their time periods. These periods had various similar values, most notably conquest and war. Yet, Germania implies the value and pride the Romans had toward their social hierarchy, while The Life of Charlemagne implies that there is a much more welcoming and fluid social structure.

In Germania, Tacitus first describes the customs of the Germanic tribes. He discusses their concepts of crime and its

Charlemagne’s humility shows through Einhard’s telling of his life. Some of the evidence that Einhard provides is more subtle and through other parts of his life. The best example of this is the description of Charlemagne’s piety. A notable example would be his charity to the poor. One of his motives of establishing good foreign relations was to be able to help poor Christians in foreign lands. This would be something unheard of in the Roman empire. Charlemagne’s devotion to his faith led him to help others, even those outside his own jurisdiction that he did not have to help. More obvious evidence of Charlemagne’s humility is in the way he dresses. With the exception of formal occasions, he dresses like the common man. Charlemagne was a rich and powerful man, but he chose to adorn himself with simple clothes when he did not have to pull out all the stops for festivals or other formal events. In both secular and religious life, Charlemagne proved to be a more humble