INVASIONS OF 4TH - 5TH C.

German Tribal Structure: Tacitus Germania (lst C. AD)
            Economics: hunting, grazing, not settled agriculture
            Politics: COMITATUS = war band,
                        followers of warlord king; personal loyalty
                        to (elected) king as strongest bond
                       ( comparison to Roman state)
            Social: distinctions between nobles, freemen, slaves
            Roman Influence on Germans: military tactics & service;
                        political org: 4th C. first tribal confederations:
                        e.g. Alemanni = "all men"; "Franks" = freemen

Pressure on German tribal confederations allied with Rome:
            Asiatic migrations: begin in 4th C, end l5th C;
            nomadic horsemen;
            first = Huns; Bulgars, Mongols; last = Magyars
5th C. INVASIONS: Visigoths, Alaric, Vandals, Huns
410 AD SACK OF ROME BY ALARIC / VISIGOTHS

ROMAN ATTITUDES TO GERMAN "BARBARIANS": 
major historical source =

TACITUS' GERMANIA 98 AD:
Tacitus as member of Senatorial elite
            father-in-law: Agricola, governor of Roman Britain
Historian of Roman Empire:
            criticizes decline of republican virtue
            Emperors following Augustus as corrupt, decadent
                       Tiberius, Nero, Caligula = "bad Emperors"

** TO BE DISCUSSED IN SECTIONS WEEK I ** [see Sections Link]
1) What information does Tacitus have about German society?
2) What is his attitude to the Germans?  Positive? Negative? Mixed?
3) What is his motive for writing this report on barbarian behavior?
4) How is Rome depicted by Tacitus?

FIFTH CENTURY INVASIONS
            pressure on German tribes from Asiatic peoples moving west
VISIGOTHS (West Goths)           
            Arian missionary ULFILAS 340-8: translates Arian Bible to Gothic
             370 AD request permision to enter Empire
            376 dirarmed Goths attacked to Roman army; war
            387 Battle of Adrianople: defeat of EMPEROR VALENS by Goths
                      new EMPEROR THEODOSIUS (378-395)
                                 makes temporary peace with Goths, aided by
                      STILICHO THE VANDAL: minister under Theodosius
                                 able to deal effectively with Visigoths
            ALARIC -- 410 Sack of Rome: refutation of idea that this is
                        due to Christianity in Augustine's City of God 413
            Galla Placidia (daughter of Theodosius; sister of co-Emperors)
               captured by Alaric; marries his brother Athaulf the Goth;
                returns to Rome after Athaulf's death, marries Roman general
                becomes mother & regent to Emp. Valentinian III (425-450):
                   - shows permeability of upper level Roman and Gothic society

 VANDALS (German Arians):
            429 invade Africa, besiege Hippo; 439 Carthage;
            leader Gaiseric (d 477); attack Italy by sea; 534 conq'd by Rome

HUNS: enter Europe 372 from Urals; 375 Danube; 451 Gaul; 452 Italy
            ATTILA "the scourge of God": attacks Empire, extracts tribute
                        from Emperor at Constantinople; invades western Empire
            451 Troyes: Huns defeated by Aetius, last great Roman general
                                      (but note that Aetius' army is largely German)
            452 invades Italy; Venice founded by Italians fleeing Huns
                        POPE  LEO I persuades Attila to spare Rome; Attila dies 453