CHAPTER 13.—CIVILIZATION DESTROYS CIVILIZATION. For the next
millennium, until the discovery of America, western Europe will
be the focus of history. Other parts of the world will be doing
things that are in many ways more interesting than what the
Europeans are doing during that time, but they will not be
making history properly so called. Let us therefore pause for a
moment to survey the shattered remains of the Roman Empire in
the west in about the year 500. Everywhere we look, we see
barbarian kings as acknowledged rulers. In Italy, the Ostrogoths
have conquered; in Spain, Visigoths rule. In Gaul, the Franks
have made themselves at home and are already beginning to think
of naming the place France after themselves; but they have
encountered some opposition from the Burgundians, who vote for
calling it Burgundy. Across the Mediterranean, the Vandals have
established themselves in the province of Africa and covered the
public buildings with graffiti. Anyone familiar with our school
histories would say that