View source for Barbarian

'''Barbarian''' is a term generally used to refer to "primitive" people who lack "civilization".  Nobody ever referred to themselves as a 'barbarian", but instead used the word to refer to others.  It has been variously applied to the [[Goth|Goths]], the [[Norse]], the [[Germany|Germans]], the [[France|French]], the [[England|English]], the [[Wales|Welsh]], the [[Ireland|Irish]], the [[Scotland|Scots]], the [[Hun|Huns]], [[Native American]]s, [[Pagan|Pagans]], [[Islam|Muslims]], [[Hinduism|Hindus]], [[Christian|Christians]] and just about anyone the speaker doesn't like.

The term ''barbarian'' comes from the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] ''barbaroi'', which literally means "those who speak like [[sheep]]" (i.e ''bar-bar''!), an unflattering term for non-[[Greek]]-speakers.  The ancient Greek definition of barbarian, therefore, was "anybody not Greek." This was similarly the origin of the name "[[Barbary|Barbary Coast]]" for North [[Africa]] as they spoke a non-[[Europe]]an [[language]] there.

Because of a number of [[movie|motion pictures]], modern use of the word ''barbarian'' tends to refer to those persons of migratory inclination who [[clothing|wore]] [[fur]]s and carried large [[sword]]s.

== See Also ==
*[[Tuchuk]]
*[[Dark Horde]]