Suchergebnisse

This book follows a new path of describing the Alps from the years 500 to 800. Instead of running through this mountain range from east to west (or reverse) and writing one local history after the other, relevant patterns were captured: patterns of control, borders, communication routes, Christendom, settlement, economy, local methods to establish power and traces of local identity. Comparing theses structures on an interregional level made it possible to establish a new view on the early medieval alpine regions. By the year 500 the inhabitants of this central European mountain range were typically roman-provincial. Some regional differences existed, yet the main factors were quite similar: language, laws, religion (Christendom) and social structures. From the 6th c. on this changed. New political developments made a large part of the alpine provinces turn northwards to the Frankish realms. As a consequence borders were created within the Alps. Many hilltop settlements and strongholds in the valleys were built to guarantee the security both of population and borders. Militia was installed to control these boundaries; they were either recruited from the local population or got especially settled for these means. This change of view made some Roman topoi disappear: the Alps were no longer regarded as hostile and as the walls of Italy. The routes through the Alps changed. One reason for this was the growing number of pilgrims from the British Isles made the passage through Maurienne and over the Mont Cenis more important than the ancient route via Montgenèvre. The central Alps in Curia remained a highly important point to cross the mountains, whereas more eastwards the once important crossing points became mere backroads. Farther east the Avarian-Slavic conquest caused the sources to silence, nevertheless the communication routes remained visible through archaeological findings and place names. A big change for the alpine population was the transformations in settlement patterns, first of all the diminishing importance of Roman cities. Some of them disappeared completely, such as Teurnia, Aguntum and Octodurum. Nevertheless, the wider settlement areas around these former towns always remained important. New centres emerged. Some had roman roots, for example Iuvavum/Salzburg, others were new foundations, like the numerous cloisters from the 8th c. The church played a significant role in this transformation, as a bishop's see or the burial church of a saint constituted a point of attraction for the local population. The antique transalpine and alpine networks of trade underwent some transitions. Goods like olive oil, high quality pottery and sea salt were no longer brought over the Alps. The eastern alpine ore deposits were not exploited on a grand scale anymore. New natural resources became important, for example the salt deposits in the northern Alps. There are some traces of exported products. The vineyards of the Southern Alps produced vine for export to the north-alpine regions and the central alpine soapstone production supplied the population of the whole mountain range with high quality cookware. In addition to this, products like cheese, wool, honey and lumber might have been exported. Alpine agriculture did not change much. Farming was based on subsistence and the surplus was sold locally to travellers or given to the owners of the land. The use of alpine pastures roots in pre-roman times and was practised continually, although the intensity of the pastoralism is difficult to estimate. Local power structures emerged out of late antique roots. In the 8th and beginning of the 9th c. the population of these parts of the Alps still spoke a roman language, were Christian and lived in a very differentiated social structure whose legal habits were based on roman law. Contrary to that, the eastern Alps saw a major cultural shift that resulted in the Slavic reign of Carantania. - Diese Arbeit wählte einen neuen Ansatz, um die Alpen in den Jahren 500 bis 800 zu beschreiben: Anstatt die einzelnen Regionen von Ost nach West - oder umgekehrt - durchzugehen und eine Herrschaftsgeschichte nach der anderen zu schreiben, wurden die relevanten Strukturen erfasst - also Zugriff, Grenzen, Verkehrsrouten, Christentum, Besiedlung, Wirtschaft, regionale Methoden der Machtentfaltung und Identitätsspuren der Bevölkerung. Diese Strukturen wurden miteinander verglichen. Dadurch war es möglich, einen neuen Zugang zu der Transformation der römischen Welt in eine frühmittelalterliche auf alpinem Gebiet zu erlangen. Um das Jahr 500 war die Bevölkerung der Alpen noch eine typisch provinzialrömische, die zwar regionale Unterschiede aufwies, sich aber in wesentlichen Punkten ähnelte: Sprache, Recht, Religion (Christentum) und Sozialstruktur. Ab dem 6. Jh. änderten sich diese Verhältnisse. Zunächst schufen die neuen politischen Bedingungen neue Zugehörigkeiten, die die Alpenprovinzen ab dem 6. Jh. an den Norden, an die Reiche fränkischer Herrschaft angliederten. Es entstanden zahlreiche Grenzpunkte Richtung Süden und später auch Osten, wo sich ab etwa 600 das awarisch-slawische Reich erstreckte. Zeuge der nun entstandenen Grenzen sind zahlreiche Höhenfestungen, eigens eingesetzte Grenztruppen und Talsperren zur Sicherung des Territoriums und der Bevölkerung. Der geänderte Blick brachte auch einige römische Alpen-Topoi zum Verschwinden, etwa den Topos der lebensfeindlichen Alpen oder von dem Gebirge als Mauern Italiens. Weitere Änderungen betrafen die Übergänge. Aus unterschiedlichsten Gründen entstanden neue Wege und alte verloren an Wichtigkeit. Ein Beispiel ist der Mont Cenis, der vor allem aufgrund der wachsenden Pilgerströme von den britischen Inseln den wichtigen römischen Alpenübergang Montgenèvre ersetzte. In den zentralen Alpen erfreute sich Churrätien, nicht zuletzt durch die stabilen politischen Verhältnisse, einer großen Beliebtheit, während Übergänge östlich davon lediglich als Nebenwege wahrgenommen wurden. Ein großer Bruch für die alpinen Menschen bedeuteten die spätantiken Veränderungen der Siedlungsstrukturen, die in allen Provinzen des ehemaligen römischen Reiches stattfanden und auch in den Alpen beobachtet werden können: die alten römischen Städte verloren ihre Substanz und verschwanden teilweise ganz, währenddessen neue Zentren erschaffen wurden, allen voran die Klöster. Einst weniger wichtige Siedlungen, wie das antike Iuvavum/Salzburg, gewannen massiv an Bedeutung, während andere römische Städte wie Teurnia, Aguntum aber auch Octodurum vergingen. Allerdings blieben die jeweiligen Siedlungskammern stets bedeutend - es ging nur die antike Stadtstruktur unter. Eine große Rolle in der Veränderung dieser Siedlungsmuster spielte die Kirche, da Bischofssitze und Kirchen von bedeutenderen Heiligen einen Anziehungspunkt für die lokale Bevölkerung darstellten. Die großen Umwälzungen der spätantiken Wirtschaft betrafen vor allem den transalpinen Handel, da viele Produkte, wie Olivenöl, hochwertige Keramik, Salz und Getreide kaum mehr über die Alpen gebracht wurden. Die lokale Landwirtschaft hingegen, die nur wenig Überschuss für Grundbesitzer und Reisende produzierte, änderte sich zunächst noch wenig. Die Bewirtschaftung mehrerer Höhenstufen bis hin zu den Almen oberhalb der Baumgrenze wurzelt in römischer und vorrömischer Zeit und blieb auch im frühen Mittelalter bestehen. Eine Spezialisierung betraf nur ganz wenige landwirtschaftliche Produkte, beispielsweise Wein und vielleicht Käse oder Wolle. Die lokalen Herrschaftsstrukturen konnten sich in den West- und Zentralalpen kontinuierlich aus ihren spätantiken Wurzeln weiterentwickeln. Im 8. und beginnenden 9. Jh. sprachen die Menschen aus diesem Teil der Alpen immer noch eine romanische Sprache, waren christlich und lebten in einer stark geschichteten Gesellschaftsstruktur, die sich laut Quellen nach spätantiken Rechtsgewohnheiten richtete. Im Gegensatz dazu erlebten

This book follows a new path of describing the Alps from the years 500 to 800. Instead of running through this mountain range from east to west (or reverse) and writing one local history after the other, relevant patterns were captured: patterns of control, borders, communication routes, Christendom, settlement, economy, local methods to establish power and traces of local identity. Comparing theses structures on an interregional level made it possible to establish a new view on the early medieval alpine regions. By the year 500 the inhabitants of this central European mountain range were typically roman-provincial. Some regional differences existed, yet the main factors were quite similar: language, laws, religion (Christendom) and social structures. From the 6th c. on this changed. New political developments made a large part of the alpine provinces turn northwards to the Frankish realms. As a consequence borders were created within the Alps. Many hilltop settlements and strongholds in the valleys were built to guarantee the security both of population and borders. Militia was installed to control these boundaries; they were either recruited from the local population or got especially settled for these means. This change of view made some Roman topoi disappear: the Alps were no longer regarded as hostile and as the walls of Italy. The routes through the Alps changed. One reason for this was the growing number of pilgrims from the British Isles made the passage through Maurienne and over the Mont Cenis more important than the ancient route via Montgenèvre. The central Alps in Curia remained a highly important point to cross the mountains, whereas more eastwards the once important crossing points became mere backroads. Farther east the Avarian-Slavic conquest caused the sources to silence, nevertheless the communication routes remained visible through archaeological findings and place names. A big change for the alpine population was the transformations in settlement patterns, first of all the diminishing importance of Roman cities. Some of them disappeared completely, such as Teurnia, Aguntum and Octodurum. Nevertheless, the wider settlement areas around these former towns always remained important. New centres emerged. Some had roman roots, for example Iuvavum/Salzburg, others were new foundations, like the numerous cloisters from the 8th c. The church played a significant role in this transformation, as a bishop's see or the burial church of a saint constituted a point of attraction for the local population. The antique transalpine and alpine networks of trade underwent some transitions. Goods like olive oil, high quality pottery and sea salt were no longer brought over the Alps. The eastern alpine ore deposits were not exploited on a grand scale anymore. New natural resources became important, for example the salt deposits in the northern Alps. There are some traces of exported products. The vineyards of the Southern Alps produced vine for export to the north-alpine regions and the central alpine soapstone production supplied the population of the whole mountain range with high quality cookware. In addition to this, products like cheese, wool, honey and lumber might have been exported. Alpine agriculture did not change much. Farming was based on subsistence and the surplus was sold locally to travellers or given to the owners of the land. The use of alpine pastures roots in pre-roman times and was practised continually, although the intensity of the pastoralism is difficult to estimate. Local power structures emerged out of late antique roots. In the 8th and beginning of the 9th c. the population of these parts of the Alps still spoke a roman language, were Christian and lived in a very differentiated social structure whose legal habits were based on roman law. Contrary to that, the eastern Alps saw a major cultural shift that resulted in the Slavic reign of Carantania.