Course: The Fall and Decline of Rome
Lecture 3
Barbarians A’ Coming:
Northern Barbarians,
Huns & Vandals
Official Title of the Lecture:
‘How the Roman Empire Fizzles Out’
Lecture by:
Dr. M. (Martijn) Icks
INDEX:
The symbol ‘✤’ means invasion, attack, plundering and/or a battle.
W.R.E. = Western Roman Empire
E.R.E. = Eastern Roman Empire
Lecture 3
, Chapter 1.
Invading Northern
Barbarians
406+ Northern Barbarians Invade Gaul ✤
In 406 Roman troops pulled back from northern parts and borders of the Empire, to go
south, to deal with the Visigoths in Italy causing trouble in the period of 402-418.
As the Northern borders were now left undefended Barbarians tribes (Vandals, Alans
and Suebi) could enter the Empire and invade Gaul.
Gibbon says about this “crossing of the Rhine” in his book ‘Decline and Fall (Chapter 30):
“The victorious confederates pursued their march, and on the last day of the
year [406], in a season when the waters of the Rhine were most probably frozen,
they entered without opposition the defenceless provinces of Gaul. (...) and the
barriers, which had so long separated the savage and the civilised nations of the
earth, were from the fatal moment levelled with the ground.”
Note: This idea of ‘civilized-’ and ‘uncivilized savage nations’ is typical 1800s.
Vandals, Alans and Suebi enter Gaul.
The 407-409 CE sack of Gaul, based on Peter Heather
Lecture 3
Lecture 3
Barbarians A’ Coming:
Northern Barbarians,
Huns & Vandals
Official Title of the Lecture:
‘How the Roman Empire Fizzles Out’
Lecture by:
Dr. M. (Martijn) Icks
INDEX:
The symbol ‘✤’ means invasion, attack, plundering and/or a battle.
W.R.E. = Western Roman Empire
E.R.E. = Eastern Roman Empire
Lecture 3
, Chapter 1.
Invading Northern
Barbarians
406+ Northern Barbarians Invade Gaul ✤
In 406 Roman troops pulled back from northern parts and borders of the Empire, to go
south, to deal with the Visigoths in Italy causing trouble in the period of 402-418.
As the Northern borders were now left undefended Barbarians tribes (Vandals, Alans
and Suebi) could enter the Empire and invade Gaul.
Gibbon says about this “crossing of the Rhine” in his book ‘Decline and Fall (Chapter 30):
“The victorious confederates pursued their march, and on the last day of the
year [406], in a season when the waters of the Rhine were most probably frozen,
they entered without opposition the defenceless provinces of Gaul. (...) and the
barriers, which had so long separated the savage and the civilised nations of the
earth, were from the fatal moment levelled with the ground.”
Note: This idea of ‘civilized-’ and ‘uncivilized savage nations’ is typical 1800s.
Vandals, Alans and Suebi enter Gaul.
The 407-409 CE sack of Gaul, based on Peter Heather
Lecture 3
