07-17-2007, 07:37 AM
Hello all,
I've studied Roman history as a passionate hobby since year 12 but have only recently began to take an interest in the Late Empire. I have to confess to suffering from the 'Decline and Fall' syndrome that afflicts the very Classical amongst Roman historians. Until reading
Decadence, Rome and Romania, the Emperors Who Wheren't, and Other Reflections on Roman History
I would get about as far as Diocletian or on a good day perhaps Aetius before boldly declaring I had no interest what so ever in Byzantine or Church History.
Suffice it to say that has all changed now. I have a roaring interest in the Late Empire, particularly its military developments, but very little material to draw on to better my own understanding. I was hoping the people here might be able to help me with a particular incident in Roman history that has caught my interest considerably.
The Great Conspiracy seems like a unique event in Roman history. A confederation of barbarian tribes acting in concert to overrun Roman Britain. My questions are therefore:
1) What could possibly instigate such an alliance amongst the tribes? Could it have been a simple hatred of Rome (this appears most likely as the invasion forces degenerated into roving pillagers after the Roman forces in the diocese had been pushed back to the south east), or could it have been something else?
2) What were the military assets in Britain at the time? Despite pouring over the Notitia Dignitatum (ND) I'm no closer to gaining a view of what units may have been present in Britain at the time, or where they were station.
3) What was the relationship between the Comes Britanniarum (Count of Britain) and the Dux Britanniarum? As far as I know, both were military commands. Duces usually had overall military command of all legions in a particular diocese. However sources seem to suggest that the Count of Britain was also granted sweeping military powers in the diocese? How could these two offices co-exist at the same time?
4) What sort of forces would have been available to the Count of the Saxon Shore? The ND states he had several limitanesis units under his command, but there appears to be evidence of the existence of a comitatus legion under his command as well in the form of the Secunda Britannica. Also would the Count have held a naval command in the Classis Britanniarum?
5) What was the rank and unit structure of the Late Roman Legions? I've very little, almost no, idea of how Late Legions operated. From the lowest Legionary to the commander of legions, none at all. Did it differentiate from Comitatus to Limitatensis legions? How were cavalry involved? How many troopers made up a cavalry vexellation? What was its ranking structure?
All of these are questions that have been plaguing me and the net for the most part is my only source of info (I've several books on order, but they're not likely to show up till late July
). The net is gorged with information on the Republic, Early and High Empire, but finding information on the Late Empire is difficult at best. Any help with the above questions would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
A. Flavius
I've studied Roman history as a passionate hobby since year 12 but have only recently began to take an interest in the Late Empire. I have to confess to suffering from the 'Decline and Fall' syndrome that afflicts the very Classical amongst Roman historians. Until reading
Decadence, Rome and Romania, the Emperors Who Wheren't, and Other Reflections on Roman History
I would get about as far as Diocletian or on a good day perhaps Aetius before boldly declaring I had no interest what so ever in Byzantine or Church History.
Suffice it to say that has all changed now. I have a roaring interest in the Late Empire, particularly its military developments, but very little material to draw on to better my own understanding. I was hoping the people here might be able to help me with a particular incident in Roman history that has caught my interest considerably.
The Great Conspiracy seems like a unique event in Roman history. A confederation of barbarian tribes acting in concert to overrun Roman Britain. My questions are therefore:
1) What could possibly instigate such an alliance amongst the tribes? Could it have been a simple hatred of Rome (this appears most likely as the invasion forces degenerated into roving pillagers after the Roman forces in the diocese had been pushed back to the south east), or could it have been something else?
2) What were the military assets in Britain at the time? Despite pouring over the Notitia Dignitatum (ND) I'm no closer to gaining a view of what units may have been present in Britain at the time, or where they were station.
3) What was the relationship between the Comes Britanniarum (Count of Britain) and the Dux Britanniarum? As far as I know, both were military commands. Duces usually had overall military command of all legions in a particular diocese. However sources seem to suggest that the Count of Britain was also granted sweeping military powers in the diocese? How could these two offices co-exist at the same time?
4) What sort of forces would have been available to the Count of the Saxon Shore? The ND states he had several limitanesis units under his command, but there appears to be evidence of the existence of a comitatus legion under his command as well in the form of the Secunda Britannica. Also would the Count have held a naval command in the Classis Britanniarum?
5) What was the rank and unit structure of the Late Roman Legions? I've very little, almost no, idea of how Late Legions operated. From the lowest Legionary to the commander of legions, none at all. Did it differentiate from Comitatus to Limitatensis legions? How were cavalry involved? How many troopers made up a cavalry vexellation? What was its ranking structure?
All of these are questions that have been plaguing me and the net for the most part is my only source of info (I've several books on order, but they're not likely to show up till late July
). The net is gorged with information on the Republic, Early and High Empire, but finding information on the Late Empire is difficult at best. Any help with the above questions would be greatly appreciated.Cheers,
A. Flavius
"What else then, is all of history, but the praise of Rome?" - Petrarch
~~~
A. Flavius (Scott)
~~~
A. Flavius (Scott)
