Barbarians within the gates of Rome: A Study of Roman Military Policy and the Barbarians, ca. 375– 425 A.D.

A major work on Roman policy toward the barbarians during one of the most exciting and challenging periods in the history of the Roman Empire, when barbarian soldiers became part of the forces defending the Roman frontier and gradually its rulers. By the close of these five decades, the Western Empire—hence Western Civilization—had changed forever."Thomas Burns takes us thoroughly through this moment of crisis, giving us a precise analysis of the principal players in this period of transition." —Military Illustrated"The book is well-written and throws new light on the events in the West a short while before the Fall of the Empire. Highly recommended!" —The Journal of Indo-European Studies"With this impressive study Burns has greatly enriched late antique scholarship." —Religious Studies Review"This is a substantial and well documented book which has reminded me that the importance of reading is not so much to absorb facts, but to take in new ideas." —Besprechungen und Anzeigen"What Burns has accomplished here is a thoroughly interesting and compelling study of late-medieval piety in one diocese. It may well serve as a model for other local historians willing to engage in this important inquiry." —Speculum

"Excellent." — The Reader's Review

"Thomas Burns takes us thoroughly through this moment of crisis, giving us a precise analysis of the principal players in this period of transition." — Military Illustrated

"The book is well-written and throws new light on the events in the West a short while before the Fall of the Empire. Highly recommended!" — The Journal of Indo-European Studies

"With this impressive study Burns has greatly enriched late antique scholarship." — Religious Studies Review

"This is a substantial and well documented book which has reminded me that the importance of reading is not so much to absorb facts, but to take in new ideas." — Besprechungen und Anzeigen

"What Burns has accomplished here is a thoroughly interesting and compelling study of late-medieval piety in one diocese. It may well serve as a model for other local historians willing to engage in this important inquiry." — Speculum

A major work on Roman policy toward the barbarians during one of the most exciting and challenging periods in the history of the Roman Empire, when barbarian soldiers became part of the forces defending the Roman frontier and gradually its rulers. By the close of these five decades, the Western Empire — hence Western Civilization — had changed forever.

Booknews

Burns (history, Emory U.) having written much about the Ostrogoths and other Germanic people, inquires why during a crucial half century the Romans adopted a policy of letting them settle on Roman soil and eventually became dependent on them to serve in the army. There was no great shift in policy, he finds, just a series of small steps each of which was the path of least resistance. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

At the death of the Emperor Valentinian I in 375, Rome had behind it centuries of dealing with barbarian peoples along its borders. Germanic recruits were serving in virtually all branches of the Roman army, including the officer corps. Soldiers of barbarian origin were entering into imperial service, sometimes after defeats but more often as a standard feature of life along Rome's frontiers. In 425, fifty years later, barbarians were still fighting for Rome but increasingly under their own kings, whom Rome recognized and supported within the Empire. The interim was one of the most exciting and challenging periods in Roman history. . As Thomas Burns shows in this magisterial study, Roman policy toward the barbarians was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, even though crisis upon crisis befell Rome during this period - the loss of Emperor Valens and his army at Adrianople in 378, the massive barbarian crossings of the Rhine at the end of 406, and Alaric's "sack" of Rome in 410. Barbarians serving in the Roman army, like all other Roman soldiers, faced difficult choices as political events buffeted their leaders and threatened their livelihoods. Honorius, Stilicho, Alaric, Galla Placidia, Constantius III and usurpers like Constantine III and Attalus left their imprints upon these years - coloring the fabric of political and spiritual life as much as they affected military affairs. By the close of this half century, new identities had emerged along the frontiers, among them the Visigoths, and the Western Empire - hence Western Civilization - was forever changed. "Excellent." --The Reader's Review "Thomas Burns takes us thoroughly through this moment of crisis, giving us a precise analysis of the principal players in this period of transition." --Military Illustrated "The book is well-written and throws new light on the events in the West a short while before the Fall of the Empire. Highly recommended " --The Journal of Indo-European Studies "With this impressive study Burns has greatly enriched late antique scholarship." --Religious Studies Review "This is a substantial and well documented book which has reminded me that the importance of reading is not so much to absorb facts, but to take in new ideas." --Besprechungen und Anzeigen "What Burns has accomplished here is a thoroughly interesting and compelling study of late-medieval piety in one diocese. It may well serve as a model for other local historians willing to engage in this important inquiry." --Speculum A major work on Roman policy toward the barbarians during one of the most exciting and challenging periods in the history of the Roman Empire, when barbarian soldiers became part of the forces defending the Roman frontier and gradually its rulers. By the close of these five decades, the Western Empire--hence Western Civilization--had changed forever. Spätantike - Bevölkerungsgeschichte - Militärgeschichte