The Germanic tribes existence would have been brief in history had it not been for the Gothic tribes. These tribes overran the western Empire of Rome and permanently set Europe on a new cultural course. The Goths in southern Russia came into contact with Turkish and Persian civilization and they adopted some of the agricultural, domestic, and military technology of these civilizations. They developed a warrior culture that was essentially democratic in character. The Goths also developed one of the most effective cavalries in the world at the time and was considered unbeatable by those who came against it. Individual tribes and families dedicated their origins back to sacred animals, a common practice among the European peoples.