Plague - The Destroyer of Empires

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Actually the cost of the Battle of Cape Bon was a HUGE factor.

Nutshell:

Attila pretty wiped out the entire Roman military defence of the Balkans in 441-447. The Illyrian Army was annhilated in 442, the Danubian Limes completely obliterated after Theodosisu reinforced them in 446, the Thracian and One of the Praesental (possibly both Praesental) field armies wiped out at the Battle of the River Utus and the Battle of the Chersonesus in 447. The entire Balkans tax base down to Thessalonica was annihilated. From that point forwards, defense of the Balkans was largely handled by Foederati groups like Theodoric's Goths, the Scirii, or Chelchel's and Ultzinzur's Huns.

Amassing the force to attack Cape Bon was a huge undertaking. The number for the ships (1100 which consipicuously echos the number of ships the Persians were using at Salamis) allegedly could support 70,000 men and horses. In actuality I doubt the Romans could commit more than 20,000 to 30,000 men. Especially considering at the time they were still paying gold tributes to both the Sassanids and the Balkans Goths and Huns both on orders of several Thousand pounds.

BTW the Deforestation of North Africa occurred after the Roman period.