How did the barbarians differ from the Romans?

The ancient Greeks and Romans called barbarians any person, a foreigner, who spoke a language they did not understand. Later, this was the name for ignorant, rude people, destroyers who did not profess their values. Of the barbarians, the Scythians are interesting. The Scythians had a powerful kingdom. Their military power was envied by many. But they did not have a written language, or there is no information about it. The Scythians were not the most cultured people and did not bring culture to the conquered lands. They scalped the enemy and drank his blood. But jewelry of unique beauty was made. They did not have a complex architecture. The Romans had a complex architecture, language, literature, built roads, established permanent colonies on the conquered lands. They had a complex pantheon in religion, had division into military branches and divisions in the troops.