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Title H story, Religion, and Tradition A lthough no one knows the exact origins of the first Germanic people, historians say various tribes from across Europe migrated to the region. Located in the middle of the continent, Germany’s lack of natural barriers made it easy for foreigners to invade. Julius Caesar realized Germany’s vulnerability when he led his Roman legions across the Rhine River in 58–51 bce . He fought the stubborn tribes he found there and built a series of fortifications along its banks. The Romans then moved eastward toward the Elbe River in 9 ce , but Arminius, a German tribal leader, pushed them back. Eventually Rome collapsed in the 400s ce , and the disparate Germanic tribes conquered the region Rome once controlled. The tribes then swept across Europe. Some planted the seeds of Christianity, which is still Europe’s

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CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY, RELIGION, AND TRADITION