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Indiana University 
Centuries ago when Rome was the greatest power in the 
world, the Rhine formed her boundary line on the north. She 
was never able to rule for any length of time over the barbari- 
ans who lived beyond it. In 9 A.D., in an attempt to extend 
the frontier, three of hhr legions were annihilated. This was 
such a great humiliation for Rome that she decided to make 
no further efforts to conquer these peoples, but to fix her 
northern frontier at the Rhine. For four hundred years this 
strategic line formed the boundary between the Roman Em- 
pire and the barbarians. In this way the Rhine became the 
first great landmark in the historical geography of Western 
Europe. 
Sapping influences took root in the Empire and ultimately 
brought its power to an end. The emperors, as the process 
of decay went on, felt the need of additional military forces 
in the city of Rome, and, to obtain them, recalled the legions 
from the far-flung outposts. The barbarians took advantage 
of a weakened line of defense and penetrated the left bank of 
the Rhine. In the course of time they were in full possession 
of the river and began to make settlements in what had pre- 
viously been Roman territory. 
Of the groups that came over, the most important was the 
Franks. They conquered all Gaul, overcame the other bar- 
barian races, checked the Mohammedan invasion, and gave 
law and order to Western Europe. Their greatest ruler was 
Charlemagne, on whom the Pope placed a golden crown on 
Christmas Day, in the year 800. He was head of the Ger- 
manic race and temporal head of the Christian church. His 
rule reached from the Pyrenees to the Elbe, and from the 
English Channel to the city of Rome. Upon the death of this 
ruler in 814, his vast territories passed to his son, known as 
Louis the Pious. During his lifetime, on at least seven different 
occasions, he provided for the disposition of the Empire at his 
death. The final division, however, was not accepted by his 
three sons, and in 843, three years after their father had 
passed away, they made an arrangement among themselves. 
This family contract made by the three brothers we know as 
the Treaty of Verdun. It is the second great landmark in the 
development of French and German territories, and in the 
words of Professor George Burton Adams, “has probably had 
more influence on later times than any other [treaty] ever 
