Leslie Massey
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The area of modern-day Austria has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period, with traces of the Copper Age identified in the Carpathian Basin. Around 400 BC, the region was settled by Celtic peoples, who established the state of Noricum. The Romans arrived in 200 BC and by 15 BC, they dominated the entire area. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the region was inhabited by various Germanic tribes, and in 976, Leopold von Babenberg became the margrave of the Ostmark, beginning the Babenberg family's rule over the Duchy of Austria. The name Austria is a Latinisation of the German name Österreich, which means eastern realm.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Area | 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq mi) |
| Population | 9 million |
| Native name | Österreich |
| Origin of name | Old High German Ostarrîchi, meaning "eastern realm" |
| First recorded | 996, in the "Ostarrîchi document" |
| First recorded as "Austria" | 12th century |
| Type of country | Semi-presidential representative democracy |
| Head of state | President |
| Head of government | Chancellor |
| Date of independence | 15 May 1955 |
| Date of joining the UN | 1955 |
| Date of joining the EU | 1995 |
| Date of adopting the euro | 1999 |
| Borders | Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein |
| Geography | Landlocked, mountainous |
| Religion | 50% Catholic, 22.4% unaffiliated, 340,000 Muslim |
| Historic site | St. Stephen's cathedral |
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What You'll Learn
- The name 'Austria' is derived from the Latinisation of the German name 'Österreich'
- Austria was inhabited by the Celts around 400 BC
- The Romans annexed Austria in the late 1st century BC
- Christianity came to the region in the 4th and 5th centuries
- Austria was a part of the Austrian-Hungarian empire during World War I
The name 'Austria' is derived from the Latinisation of the German name 'Österreich'
The name Austria is derived from the Latinisation of the German name Österreich. Österreich, in turn, is derived from the Old High German Ostarrîchi, which first appeared in the "Ostarrîchi document" of 996. Ostarrîchi is generally thought to mean "eastern realm", with "'ostar-' relating to 'ōstan' or 'east', and "rihhi" meaning "realm" or "domain". This is also supported by the fact that, at the time the name was first used, the Danube basin of Austria was the easternmost extent of Bavaria.
However, Austrian historian Friedrich Heer proposed an alternative theory in his book Der Kampf um die österreichische Identität (The Struggle Over Austrian Identity). According to Heer, the Germanic form Ostarrîchi was not a translation of a Latin word, but both terms originated in the Celtic languages of ancient Austria. More than 2,500 years ago, the majority of the area that is now Austria was called Norig by the Celtic Hallstatt culture. In this context, "no-" or "nor-" meant "east" or "eastern", and "-rig" is related to the modern German "Reich", meaning "realm". Thus, Norig would essentially mean the same as Ostarrîchi and Österreich. The Celtic name was Latinised to Noricum when the area was conquered by the Romans in around 15 BC.
Another theory, proposed by Austrian Slavistics professor Otto Kronsteiner, suggests that the term Ostarrîchi is taken from a Slavic toponym, Ostravica, meaning "pointed hill". Austrian linguist Heinz-Dieter Pohl rejected this theory. A further possibility is that the name comes from the Ostrogoths, who had a kingdom in what is now Austria and northern Italy.
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Austria was inhabited by the Celts around 400 BC
The origin of Austria can be traced back to the Paleolithic period, with the area being inhabited by the Celts around 400 BC. The Celts were an early Indo-European people, and their tribes spread over much of Europe, from the British Isles and Iberia to as far east as Transylvania and the Black Sea coasts.
Austria, in particular, has a rich Celtic history. The oldest archaeological evidence of the Celts was found in Hallstatt, near Salzburg, with excavated graves of chieftains dating back to around 700 BC. These graves exhibit an Iron Age culture, one of the first in Europe, which traded luxury items such as bronze and pottery vessels with the Greeks. The Hallstatt culture is believed to have flourished from 1200 to 500 BC and is associated with the rich grave finds in the area.
The La Tène culture, which emerged around 400 BC, is also closely linked to the Celts. This culture is known for its distinctive art style of abstract geometric designs and stylized bird and animal forms. It developed and flourished in eastern France, Switzerland, Austria, southwest Germany, and other neighbouring countries. The spread of La Tène or Celtic art across Europe was once interpreted as invasions by Celtic people. However, modern archaeologists question this idea, suggesting that a shared language, art, religious beliefs, and identity do not necessarily indicate a large-scale invasion.
The Celts in Austria, based from Bavaria to Bohemia, controlled trade routes along the Rhône, Seine, Rhine, and Danube rivers. This strategic position allowed them to maintain their independence until they were annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC. The Roman annexation of Celtic territories in Austria marked a significant shift in the region's history, leading to Christianization and the arrival of Germanic tribes during the Migration Period.
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The Romans annexed Austria in the late 1st century BC
The area of what is now Austria has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period. Around 400 BC, the area was inhabited by the Celts, who were followed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC. The territory of present-day Austria roughly corresponded with the Roman province of Noricum, which was annexed by the Roman Empire around 15 BC. This marked the beginning of "Austria Romana", a period of Roman rule that lasted for about 500 years.
During the Roman Empire's reign over the region, Noricum was bounded on the east by the Vienna Woods, the current eastern border of Styria, and parts of the Danube, Eisack, and Drava rivers. Under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, Noricum was divided along the main Alpine ridge into two parts: Noricum ripense in the north and Noricum Mediterraneum in the south. The province of Raetia, which included the present-day provinces of Vorarlberg and Tyrol, lay to the west of Noricum, across the Ziller River. Meanwhile, the region of present-day Burgenland in eastern Austria was part of the Roman province of Pannonia.
The Romans established settlements and developed infrastructure in the region. For instance, St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, which was completed in the 12th century, is a notable landmark that dates back to the Roman period. Additionally, the discovery of the Iceman Ötzi, a well-preserved mummy from approximately 3300 BC, provides valuable insights into the ancient history of the area.
Following the Romans, the area of modern-day Austria underwent various changes and was influenced by different cultures and empires, including the Germanic tribes during the Migration Period, and the Holy Roman Empire, which established a territory in the Danube valley known as the Ostmark (Eastern March). The name "Ostmark" evolved into "Ostarrichi", which is considered the forerunner of the modern German word "Österreich", meaning "eastern realm".
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Christianity came to the region in the 4th and 5th centuries
The origin of Austria can be traced back to the Paleolithic period, with the area being inhabited by the Celts around 400 BC. The region was annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC, and Christianization began in the 4th and 5th centuries during the late Roman period.
In the 5th century, another controversy arose surrounding the nature of Christ's divinity and humanity. Cyril of Alexandria, a leading figure in the First Council of Ephesus, promoted a "`one-nature`" teaching, known as monophysitism, which emphasized Christ's divine nature while seemingly negating his humanity. This doctrine was rejected by Pope Leo I, who led a reaction against it, culminating in the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The council clarified that Christ's divine and human natures were separate but both part of a single entity, a viewpoint that was not accepted by all churches, leading to further schisms.
During this time, the Church Fathers, influential theologians, and writers played a significant role in shaping Christian thought. Famous Greek Fathers included Irenaeus of Lyons, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Athanasius of Alexandria, John Chrysostom, and Cyril of Alexandria. They wrote extensively and contributed to the development of early Christian theology, earning them their esteemed titles within the Christian world.
In addition to these theological controversies, the Christianization of the region was also influenced by the arrival of Germanic tribes during the Migration Period. From the 6th century onwards, these tribes were converted or reconverted by missionaries of the Roman Catholic Church, with nobility often being targeted for conversion first. This process of Christianization continued over time, and by the Middle Ages, Austria had become a strongly Catholic country under the Habsburg monarchy, which actively promoted Catholicism and suppressed Protestantism.
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Austria was a part of the Austrian-Hungarian empire during World War I
The origin of the name Austria can be traced back to the Old High German "Ostarrîchi", which meant "eastern realm". This name likely originated as a translation of Medieval Latin "Marchia orientalis" into a local (Bavarian) dialect. The term first appeared in the "Ostarrîchi document" of 996. The country of Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. The area of today's Austria has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic period, with traces of Copper Age settlements also identified in the country.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a major European power in the years leading up to World War I, spanning almost 700,000 square kilometres and containing 52 million people. It was the second-largest nation in Europe by territory and the third-largest by population. The empire was a relatively young nation-state, having undergone rapid modernisation and industrial growth in the late 1800s, similar to Germany. It was ruled by ambitious militarists and industrialists with expansionist goals, particularly in the Balkans, which created rivalry and tension with neighbouring Russia. The empire's military force was made up of three armies: two retained by the kingdoms of Austria and Hungary and a newly created force called the Imperial and Royal Army. The multi-ethnic nature of the empire led to communication problems within the military, as Austrian officers primarily spoke German while the majority of soldiers were Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and others.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 sparked a series of events that led to the outbreak of World War I. Emperor Franz Joseph declared war on Serbia, which quickly escalated into a broader global conflict. The defeat and collapse of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire in World War I had significant consequences. The empire was dissolved in 1918, leading to the proclamation of the Republic of German-Austria in the same year and the First Austrian Republic in 1919. The Treaties of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Trianon regulated the new borders of Austria and Hungary, reducing them to small, landlocked states. The Republic of Austria lost roughly 60% of the old Austrian Empire's territory, and the empire's former lands became part of other countries, including Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Czechia.
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Frequently asked questions
The Republic of Austria was first proclaimed on 13 November 1918, after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the end of World War I.
The native name for Austria, Österreich, derives from the Old High German Ostarrîchi, which meant "eastern realm". The word "Austria" is a Latinisation of the German name and was first recorded in the 12th century.
The area of today's Austria has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic period, with traces of the Copper Age also identified in the country.
