03-25-2002, 01:16 PM
Hi Sander,<br>
<br>
This is not what happened in the Late 4th c. After the battle of the Frigidus, large parts of the Eastern army were retained in the West. Only after some time, Stilicho had to give them up, after which they returned east. But instead of a warm welcome, lo and behold, several commanders and units were detained, even executed. This became the spark of the Gainas revolt. The Goths (mainly) were denied a status of regular soldiers, which would have guaranteed them pay and supplies. gainas was, likewise, denied to surpreme rank of Magister Militium, to his great frustration (and I think he was right). But under the strict Estern policy of gradually downgrading the military forces, they also downgraded the danger of these troops in politics. So what Stilicho and Alaric did in the West (battle it out, effectively holding the West to ransom, with the final demise as a long-term result) could never happen in the East. the once proud army as displayed in the Orient section of the Notitia Dignitatum did not exist when the Occident section was updated for the last time. The Eastern administration succesfully bought of enemy after enemy (a *real Byzantine* policy!), but declined to upgrade any auxiliary elements into the regular field army. To the contrary, I would say.<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Robert Vermaat<br>
[email protected] <br>
<br>
Vortigern Studies<br>
www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/<br>
Wansdyke Project 21<br>
www.wansdyke21.org.uk/<br>
Robert's Arthurian Collection<br>
www.geocities.com/vortige...grarth.htm<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
This is not what happened in the Late 4th c. After the battle of the Frigidus, large parts of the Eastern army were retained in the West. Only after some time, Stilicho had to give them up, after which they returned east. But instead of a warm welcome, lo and behold, several commanders and units were detained, even executed. This became the spark of the Gainas revolt. The Goths (mainly) were denied a status of regular soldiers, which would have guaranteed them pay and supplies. gainas was, likewise, denied to surpreme rank of Magister Militium, to his great frustration (and I think he was right). But under the strict Estern policy of gradually downgrading the military forces, they also downgraded the danger of these troops in politics. So what Stilicho and Alaric did in the West (battle it out, effectively holding the West to ransom, with the final demise as a long-term result) could never happen in the East. the once proud army as displayed in the Orient section of the Notitia Dignitatum did not exist when the Occident section was updated for the last time. The Eastern administration succesfully bought of enemy after enemy (a *real Byzantine* policy!), but declined to upgrade any auxiliary elements into the regular field army. To the contrary, I would say.<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Robert Vermaat<br>
[email protected] <br>
<br>
Vortigern Studies<br>
www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/<br>
Wansdyke Project 21<br>
www.wansdyke21.org.uk/<br>
Robert's Arthurian Collection<br>
www.geocities.com/vortige...grarth.htm<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
