Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West 376-568

[Virilis]

Good review - thanks Jyrki! I'll have to order it myself...

Thanks Robert !

Halsall has some interesting points indeed. He has a very plausible theory about the origins of these "mythic" barbarian migrations. He sees the main cause being the internal weakness / turmoil of a late roman empire affecting in a bad way the symbiotic "client" system between the goths and the romans and in this way destroying this mutually useful bondage and leaving the gothic leaders without the beneficial effects of the roman political hierarchy.

Good example is Alaric, who is caught in between of the late roman power politics of the west and east and desperately (and eventually in vain) seeking a position in this collapsing structure...