Quick Facts
- No Strangers: Germans, Celts and Sarmatians had been serving in the Roman army for centuries.
- Culture Clash: The border (Limes) wasn't a wall, but a meeting place for trade.
- Foederati: Entire tribes became allies of Rome to guard the borders.
- The Paradox: The peoples who brought Rome down often didn't want to destroy Rome, but to be part of it.
The Limes: No Iron Curtain, but a Marketplace
The classic image of the Roman border is that of a heavily guarded wall separating civilization from wilderness. Archaeological research tells a different story. The Rhine and the Danube were bustling trade routes.
- Roman Luxury: In Germanic graves deep in Germany and Poland, Roman wine glasses, bronze kettles and coins are found.
- Barbarian Raw Materials: Rome depended on the "barbarians" for amber, fur, leather and above all: slaves and soldiers.
The Barbarian Backbone of the Roman Army
Perhaps the most important fact: by the time the great migrations began (around 375 AD), the Roman army was already largely "barbarized".
- Auxiliae: Since the time of Augustus, tribes like the Batavi and the Cherusci supplied elite soldiers to Rome.
- The Rise of the Barbarian General: In the 4th and 5th centuries, men of Germanic or Alanic descent, such as Stilicho (a Vandal) and Ricimer (a Suebi), reached the highest military ranks. They were the ones defending Rome against their own distant cousins.
Foederati: Allies out of Necessity
As the pressure from the Huns increased, the Romans could no longer keep the migrants out. Their solution was to expand the system of the Foederati. Tribes like the Visigoths and the Franks were given land within the empire in exchange for military service.
"The Goths who plundered Rome in 410 under Alaric were not foreign invaders; they were disgruntled 'Roman' soldiers fighting for their overdue pay and recognition."
Internal Links
- The Roman Limes – A Border of Trade and Conflict
- Germanic Confederacies: The Blacksmiths of Europe
- Foederati and Auxilia: The Non-Roman Backbone of the Army
Sources
- Wells, P. S. (1999). The Barbarians Speak. Princeton University Press.
- Heather, P. (2005). The Fall of the Roman Empire. Oxford.
- Ferris, I. M. (2000). Enemies of Rome: Barbarians through Roman Eyes. Sutton Publishing.
