History glossary
Vandals
a Germanic people who crossed into North Africa, captured Carthage, built a naval kingdom, and weakened the Western Roman Empire.
- Category
- Historical group
- Region
- Iberia, North Africa, and the western Mediterranean
- Date range
- 5th-6th centuries CE
What it means
The Vandals were a Germanic people who moved through Gaul and Iberia before crossing into North Africa in 429 CE under Gaiseric. Their capture of Carthage in 439 gave them control of a wealthy province and the western Mediterranean's grain routes. From North Africa, the Vandal kingdom became a naval power, raided Roman territory, and helped make the Western Roman Empire's recovery far harder.
Related terms
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