Roman \"Abandonment\" of Britain: Fact or Fiction?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I always thought that the last of the British units departed to Gaul in Aetius' reign.

Aetius never 'reigned'.. At least valentinian III never meant him to!
having said that, why do you think Aetius pulled troops from Britain? By that I mean not the logic behind it (I did read 'The Lantern Bearers') but actual evidence?

Actually I never meant Aetius pulled the troops himself, I just meant somewhere in that timeframe came the end of Roman Authority over Britain. That is examplified by the "Groans of the Brotons" letter, which received no response from Aetius/Aegidius (whomever it was sent to).

Another reason is that there was no Navy to transport troops back and forth, the Vandals had destroyed the Roman Navy, and anything left in the north was undoubtedly at serious risk to the Saxons/Frisii as it would have been undercrewed and probably with poorly-trained crews at that.

I agree with your theory that britain essentially collapsed into deteriorating "city-states."

However your mint dates are puzzling - Trier and Lugdunum were held and manned until they were sacked by Attila the Hun. As far as I know Aquileia was still running as well.