With the decline of Rome, there was no one to stop the advancement of the warring Germanic tribes. These tribes traveled in search of food, wealth and shelter, and often left devastation behind them.
The result was that civilized life saw a long period of decline. Building slowed down and bridges and roads fell into serious decline and disuse.
The lack of good roads and bridges, and the danger caused by the roaming Germanic tribes and bandits made it difficult to send goods from one place to another.
The lack of trade seriously hurt the local economies of Europe. Additionally, during this time period there was a general decline in education.
Overall, the lives of the people were harder, they had less food, poorer educations, and lower living conditions than earlier generations. This time period has come to be known as the Dark Ages, or Medieval times. Medieval means “Middle Age” and refers to the fact that these difficult times bridged the ancient world with the modern world.