P. V. N. Myers

“ Teutonic Tribes outside the Empire.—We have now spoken of the most important of the Teutonic tribes that forced themselves within the limits of the Roman empire in the West, and that there, upon the ruins of the civilization they had overthrown, laid or helped to lay the foundations of the modern nations of Italy, Spain, France, and England. Beyond the boundaries of the old empire were still other tribes and clans of this same mighty family of nations,—tribes and clans that were destined to play great parts in European history. ”

“ The Salian Franks were the leading tribe of the league, and it was from the members of their most powerful family, who traced their descent from Merovaeus, a legendary sea-king of the Franks, that leaders were chosen by the free vote of all the warriors. After the downfall of Rome, Clovis, then chief of the Franks, conceived the ambition of erecting a kingdom upon the ruins of the Roman power. ”

“ Justinian, emperor of the East, taking advantage of that event, sent his generals, first Belisarius and afterwards Narses, to deliver Italy from the rule of the barbarians. The last of the Ostrogothic kings fell in battle, and Italy, with her fields ravaged and her cities in ruins, was reunited to the empire (A.D. 554) .
Kingdom of the Visigoths (A.D. 415–711) .—The Visigoths (Western Goths) were already in possession of Spain and Southern Gaul at the time of the fall of Rome. ”