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As noted in several sources, including the biography Blood and Thunder (Finn, Mark (2006), Monkeybrain, Inc., ISBN 1-932265-21-X), Howard generally was of the opinion that history was cyclic, that cultures and civilizations arose, became decadent and corrupt, and then fell as they were conquered by another people, typically "the barbarians" from the fringes, who would themselves eventually grow complacent and corrupt. As noted in his Wikipedia page, Howard had been influenced by growing up in a Texas oil boom town.

By now his hatred of this sense of progress was clearly defined. He saw the hypocrisies of the boom clearly, an ironic state of affairs that allowed for "progress" and "civilization" to come with its own predators and brigands. (Finn, p 54)

The oil boom brought "civilization" to the small community, but with it the associated corruption boom money represented, followed by the apparent loss of everything when the boom dried up, many people who'd flocked to the town moved on, services left, and what was left was a husk of a community, socially torn from its roots as a hardy, standalone community of (in Howard's mind) rugged pioneers who'd led a good, if "primitive" life.

And so Conan represented that idea: the outsider, the one who wasn't yet corrupted and weakened by living in a "civilized" society, a society destined to fall to people like Conan, but those people would, in their own time, also become corrupt and weak and fall prey to the next group of outsiders.

As noted in several sources, including the biography Blood and Thunder (Finn, Mark (2006), Monkeybrain, Inc., ISBN 1-932265-21-X), Howard generally was of the opinion that history was cyclic, that cultures and civilizations arose, became decadent and corrupt, and then fell as they were conquered by another people, typically "the barbarians" from the fringes, who would themselves eventually grow complacent and corrupt. As noted in his Wikipedia page, Howard had been influenced by growing up in a Texas oil boom town.

By now his hatred of this sense of progress was clearly defined. He saw the hypocrisies of the boom clearly, an ironic state of affairs that allowed for "progress" and "civilization" to come with its own predators and brigands. (Finn, p 54)

The oil boom brought "civilization" to the small community, but with it the associated corruption boom money represented, followed by the apparent loss of everything when the boom dried up, many people who'd flocked to the town moved on, services left, and what was left was a husk of a community, socially torn from its roots as a hardy, standalone community of (in Howard's mind) rugged pioneers who'd led a good, if "primitive" life.

And so Conan represented that idea: the outsider, the one who wasn't yet corrupted and weakened by living in a "civilized" society, a society destined to fall to people like Conan, but those people would, in their own time, also become corrupt and weak and fall prey to the next group of outsiders.

Addendum

To quote the Wiki page on Howard's styles and themes:

Direct experience of the oil booms in early twentieth century Texas tainted Howard's view of civilization. The benefits of progress came with lawlessness and corruption.[26] One of the most common themes in Howard's writing is based on his view of history, a repeating pattern of civilizations reaching their peak, becoming decadent, decaying and then being conquered by another people. Many of his works are set in the period of decay or among the ruins the dead civilization leaves behind.[27] Despite this, Howard was in favour of civilisation; he simply believed it was too fragile to survive for long.[28]

As noted in several sources, including the biography Blood and Thunder (Finn, Mark (2006), Blood & Thunder, Monkeybrain, Inc., ISBN 1-932265-21-X), Howard generally was of the opinion that history was cyclic, that cultures and civilizations arose, became decadent and corrupt, and then fell as they were conquered by another people, typically "the barbarians" from the fringes, who would themselves eventually grow complacent and corrupt. As noted in his Wikipedia page, Howard had been influenced by growing up in a Texas oil boom town.

The oil boom brought "civilization" to the small community, but with it the associated corruption boom money represented, followed by the apparent loss of everything when the boom dried up, many people who'd flocked to the town moved on, services left, and what was left was a husk of a community, socially torn from its roots as a hardy, standalone community of (in Howard's mind) rugged pioneers who'd led a good, if "primitive" life.

And so Conan represented that idea: the outsider, the one who wasn't yet corrupted and weakened by living in a "civilized" society, a society destined to fall to people like Conan, but those people would, in their own time, also become corrupt and weak and fall prey to the next group of outsiders.

As noted in several sources, including the biography Blood and Thunder (Finn, Mark (2006), Monkeybrain, Inc., ISBN 1-932265-21-X), Howard generally was of the opinion that history was cyclic, that cultures and civilizations arose, became decadent and corrupt, and then fell as they were conquered by another people, typically "the barbarians" from the fringes, who would themselves eventually grow complacent and corrupt. As noted in his Wikipedia page, Howard had been influenced by growing up in a Texas oil boom town.

By now his hatred of this sense of progress was clearly defined. He saw the hypocrisies of the boom clearly, an ironic state of affairs that allowed for "progress" and "civilization" to come with its own predators and brigands. (Finn, p 54)

The oil boom brought "civilization" to the small community, but with it the associated corruption boom money represented, followed by the apparent loss of everything when the boom dried up, many people who'd flocked to the town moved on, services left, and what was left was a husk of a community, socially torn from its roots as a hardy, standalone community of (in Howard's mind) rugged pioneers who'd led a good, if "primitive" life.

And so Conan represented that idea: the outsider, the one who wasn't yet corrupted and weakened by living in a "civilized" society, a society destined to fall to people like Conan, but those people would, in their own time, also become corrupt and weak and fall prey to the next group of outsiders.

Howard generally was of the opinion that history was cyclic, that cultures and civilizations arose, became decadent and corrupt, and then fell as they were conquered by another people, typically "the barbarians" from the fringes, who would themselves eventually grow complacent and corrupt. As noted in his Wikipedia page, Howard had been influenced by growing up in a Texas oil boom town.

The oil boom brought "civilization" to the small community, but with it the associated corruption boom money represented, followed by the apparent loss of everything when the boom dried up, many people who'd flocked to the town moved on, services left, and what was left was a husk of a community, socially torn from its roots as a hardy, standalone community of (in Howard's mind) rugged pioneers who'd led a good, if "primitive" life.

And so Conan represented that idea: the outsider, the one who wasn't yet corrupted and weakened by living in a "civilized" society, a society destined to fall to people like Conan, but those people would, in their own time, also become corrupt and weak and fall prey to the next group of outsiders.

As noted in several sources, including the biography Blood and Thunder (Finn, Mark (2006), Blood & Thunder, Monkeybrain, Inc., ISBN 1-932265-21-X), Howard generally was of the opinion that history was cyclic, that cultures and civilizations arose, became decadent and corrupt, and then fell as they were conquered by another people, typically "the barbarians" from the fringes, who would themselves eventually grow complacent and corrupt. As noted in his Wikipedia page, Howard had been influenced by growing up in a Texas oil boom town.

The oil boom brought "civilization" to the small community, but with it the associated corruption boom money represented, followed by the apparent loss of everything when the boom dried up, many people who'd flocked to the town moved on, services left, and what was left was a husk of a community, socially torn from its roots as a hardy, standalone community of (in Howard's mind) rugged pioneers who'd led a good, if "primitive" life.

And so Conan represented that idea: the outsider, the one who wasn't yet corrupted and weakened by living in a "civilized" society, a society destined to fall to people like Conan, but those people would, in their own time, also become corrupt and weak and fall prey to the next group of outsiders.