12-29-2001, 06:23 PM
Some of you tend to assume that the Barbarization of the Roman Armies was, in some way, one of the causes of the Roman fall, but I think it is not true.<br>
<br>
First of all, the best troops at the time were the Huns and the Alani, and Aetius himself made of them the core of his troops. The Roman troops were difficult to recruit and it's difficult to made good soldiers from peasants or farmers. Goths, Burgundians and Franks were warriors and farmers at the same time, and some of them were more loyal to Rome than Roman citizens, the Burgundians and Franks fought on the frontiers when no Roman troops did it.<br>
<br>
After Adrianopolis, the importance of the cavalry increased and by the way, part of the cavalry troops fighting on the Goths side were Alani associated to the Goths after their defeat against the Huns. Some Roman mounted troops could be recruited but the easier solution was to made from this Barbarian warriors Roman soldiers. The demographic collapse made difficult to have enough men for every purpose, and we have a lot of information about the high rates of desertions and mutilations to avoid conscription.<br>
<br>
The Roman Empire had no future, the German troops helped to keep it alive for 70 years and the collapse was more a social one than a military one. <p></p><i></i>
<br>
First of all, the best troops at the time were the Huns and the Alani, and Aetius himself made of them the core of his troops. The Roman troops were difficult to recruit and it's difficult to made good soldiers from peasants or farmers. Goths, Burgundians and Franks were warriors and farmers at the same time, and some of them were more loyal to Rome than Roman citizens, the Burgundians and Franks fought on the frontiers when no Roman troops did it.<br>
<br>
After Adrianopolis, the importance of the cavalry increased and by the way, part of the cavalry troops fighting on the Goths side were Alani associated to the Goths after their defeat against the Huns. Some Roman mounted troops could be recruited but the easier solution was to made from this Barbarian warriors Roman soldiers. The demographic collapse made difficult to have enough men for every purpose, and we have a lot of information about the high rates of desertions and mutilations to avoid conscription.<br>
<br>
The Roman Empire had no future, the German troops helped to keep it alive for 70 years and the collapse was more a social one than a military one. <p></p><i></i>
