Romans tricks during battle field

[Flavivs Aetivs]

According to Sidonius Apollinaris, who presents surprisingly realistic accounts of the Roman campaigns and army of the 5th century, Majorian's army consisted entirely of Foederati. However, it should be noted that several Limitanei Garrisons remained intact until the 490's, and some even longer if Procopius can be relied upon.

The men who fought under Paulinus in 464 (he was a general of Aegidius) were probably local Roman Limitanei Garrisons from Armorica. The Limitanei Garrison at Batavis in Raetia held out until 476, according to Eugippius.

You are right in that Majorian is quite a character - in essence the badly-needed replacement for Aetius. His problem though was that he was subject to the whims of his Foederati soldiers, and the Burgundian Ricimer who was Magister Utriusque Militiae. Ricimer saw that Majorian was clearly not going to abide by the whims of the Burgundian King Gundobad, especially considering Majorian reversed the Burgundian gains in Gaul in 458, so when he had the opportunity Ricimer exploited the rift between the Italic and Gallic aristocracy, persuading the Italics to kill Majorian once the Foederati army had been sent back to Gaul in 461.

Yes, the Leather Musculata debate is quite a spectacle, lol. Thanks for your thoughts on it.