Science

An international genomic study has challenged long-held historical beliefs about the fall of the Roman Empire and the subsequent formation of Central European societies. By analyzing ancient DNA from early medieval row grave cemeteries in southern Germany, researchers have revealed that the transition from Roman rule to the early Middle Ages was not characterized by massive, coordinated invasions of Germanic tribes, but rather by the gradual integration of smaller migrating groups with the established local populations. The research, led by anthropologist and population geneticist Professor Dr. Joachim Burger from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), was published in the journal Nature. The interdisciplinary team analyzed 258 genomes from individuals buried between 400 and 700 AD in present-day Bavaria and Hesse, comparing