The Visigoths

Question	Answer
A subset of Goths	• No history or record by the Goths so everything recorded is from a Rome perspective. • The Romans viewed them in a negative way, seeing them as savage, demonic and uncivilised.
Alaric	The Sack of Rome AD 410
Origins of Visigoths	Originally migrating from the main Goth tribe, the Visigoths were known as the Western ‘Bright’ Goths
Goths were divided into two groups	the Visigoths, and the Ostrogoths. they were Germanic groups strongly influenced by Roman culture as seen in their jewellery, architecture and coins
Migration of Visigoths (and Ostragoths)	Over time these two tribes moved into the fringes of the Black Sea and across the Danube. Goths
Bishop Ulfilas A.D. 310 – 38 was a Goth or half-Goth and half-Greek from Cappadocia. In AD 348 Converts Gothic communities to Christianity	• This was the Arian type of Christianity which viewed God as being ‘higher’ than Jesus. • This was different to the Orthodox Christians who saw God and Jesus as the same.
AD 325	First Council of Nicaea (Turkey) First Synod (council) of church bishops in order to discuss and resolve matters of theology, doctrine and organisation
Bishops Alexander and Athanasius	“God the Father and God the Son were COETERNAL and COEQUAL” i.e. they were both of the same SUBSTANCE
Arius	“God the Father and God the Son were SIMILAR but not the same” i.e. the Son was a CREATION of the Father
Visigoths followed the ARIAN Creed	Seen as “Heretical”
Arian Visigoths that cross into the Roman Empire no longer Pagan	They ARE CHRISTIAN But the WRONG KIND of Christian from the ORTHODOX perspective
Roman Empire Attractive to Gothic tribes because of:	Wealth Trade prospects Rich soils Employment prospects Security
Rome at the time of the Visigoth migration	on way to become an Empire of Two Halves
The Empire Divided AD 286	Diocletian and Maximian as seen in the coins of that era Western Empire Eastern Empire
The Empire United AD 324	Constantine becomes the sole Ruler Founded Nova Roma (Constantinople) the political and administrative centre of the Empire
AD 337	Constantine II, Constans and Constantius II three rulers, as seen by coins of the time Western Empire Middle Eastern Empire
AD 350	Magnentius and Constantius II two rulers of empire as seen by coins of time Western Empire Eastern Empire
AD 353	Constantius II
AD 355	Julian and Constantius II Julian Caesar of Western provinces Constantius Emporer of Eastern side
AD 360	Julian Constantius II Julian Acclaimed Western Augustus by Soldiers in Paris Constantius II Emperor still of Eastern side
AD 361	Julian now entered Constantinople as the only Emperor of the Roman Empire
Under Julian's rule	Use of Coins for propaganda show united Roman empire under Julian and defeat of enemies, Goths and Persians. Roman figures large and enemies small
Julian The ‘apostate’	Restored Hellenic paganism (“the old gods”)Laws target wealthy Christians Repealed Christian privileges Removes Christians from government Restored non-Christian places of worship Edicts proclaim religious tolerance
By that time Constantinople	Viewed in the West as a haven for Christianity Christianity viewed by Senate as the destroyer of tradition
At that time Rome	Viewed in the East as conservative Paganism viewed by bishops as the greatest threat
Persian King Shapur II AD 309 - 379 attacked Roman Provinces	In AD 358 he attacks Roman possessions in Mesopotamia and in AD 363 Emperor Julian dies in the war
Julian AD 355 - 63	Julian's death was envisaged by the Dream of Saint Basil of Julian being speared by Saint Mercurius
AD364	Valentinian I is now emperor but is then joined by his brother Valens and the Empire is then divided to be jointly ruled
AD 375	Gratian (Elder son of Valentinian) AGED 16 was senior Augustus and Valentinian II (younger son of Valentinian) AGED 4 was junior Augustus
AD 376	Goths affected by migrating Hunnic tribes so under the command of their leader Alavivus, they occupied the banks of the Danube and sent ambassadors to Valens asking to be received by him as his subjects, promising to live quietly, and provide auxiliary troops if required
Visigoths cross the Danube with Valens permission	Settled in Thrace but men given chief military appointments over them were bad characters, chief among them were Lupicinus Count of Thrace and Maximus. Lupicinus fought against Goths but defeated.
Valen's response to battle of Thrace	Valen's responded and would not wait for Gratian's armies to support him. At battle of Adrianople 378 AD Roman infantry fails against heavy Gothic cavalry. c. 40,000 Roman soldiers killed
Result from AD 378 Battle of Adrianople	Eastern Emperor dead; All of the emperor’s advisors dead; Core of the eastern army destroyed; Valuable administrators killed and Goths unchecked So Gratian appoints Theodosius, former governor of Moesia, to replace Valens as co-Augustus for the East
Theodosius I AD 378 - 95	Lack of reserves leads to a recruitment crisis in the East Recruitment failure increases need for barbarian troops So makes peace with the Goths, who are given land in Thrace (Bulgaria) and new status as independent people (foederati)
AD 383	Now four rulers Gratian, Valentinian II and also Magnus Maximus in areas of Western Empire Theodosius in the Eastern Empire
Late AD 383	Now four rulers Gratian replaced and now Flavius Victor, Valentinian II and also Magnus Maximus in areas of Western Empire Theodosius in the Eastern Empire
AD 388	Valentinian II and Theodosius only
Valentinian II AD 375 - 93	Killed by Arbogast (Magister Militum
Magister militum	One of the Imperial Household staff He was master of the soldiers and there was one each for the Eastern and Western halves of the Empire.. It was the highest ranking officer in the Empire and he acted as the chief military adviser to the Emperor
Flavius Eugenius AD 392 - 4	Installed as puppet emperor by General Arbogast Coins made at that time emphasise legitimacy and continuity
Flavius Eugenius' rule	Projected an increased emphasise on ‘Roma’, with support for the ‘old gods’ and resistance to the power and dominance of the East
Theodosius I “Gift of God”	Coins from his reign emphasise ‘Constantinopolis’ and ‘Roma’ In AD 394 Takes army of the East (with large Gothic contingent) to attack Eugenius and Arbogast
The Battle of the Frigidus September 5th – 6th AD 394	Eugenius defeated and Theodosius (and the East) victorious so Eastern Christianity triumphant However, 10,000 Goths provided by Alaric “All King” AD 394 General in the Visigothic army, also die in the battle Suspicion amongst the Goths that they ‘disposable
AD 395	Theodosius died and his two sons became emperors Honorius (10) and Arcadius (17) but Stilicho, the Magister Militum claims regency over both the sons of Theodosius
Alaric after Theodosis' death	Alaric became seditious and disobedient to the laws, was annoyed he had not been given command of other military forces besides the Barbarians given to him by Theodosius. He marched out of Thrace into Macedon and Thessaly, committing devastation on his way.
AD 397 Stilicho leads an army from Rome to drive Alaric out of Greece	but Alaric is made Magister Militum by Eutropius (guardian of Arcadius)
AD 401 Alaric leads his people into Italy	Stilicho attacks Alaric But lets him escape back to Greece
An Empire of Three Halves	Latin West Greek East Gothic Centre
May AD 408 Honorius (23)	Fearful of Gothic influence and paranoid at home Honorius strikes at the one person he can get to - Stilicho Then he had all ‘barbarians’, their children and those suspected of ‘barbarian leanings’ executed
Honorius' actions resulted in	The murdered barbarians relatives joining Alaric in his war against Rome
AD 408 The Aurelian Wall	Built between 271 and 275 AD in Rome, during reign of Emperors Aurelian and Probus. It was 19 km long, enclosing 2,500 ha and had been modified by Honorius in AD 801 by gateways reduced, portcullis added and towers enlarged and strengthened
The effects of the Aurelian Wall	Effective against surprise attack Effective against Barbarian army (no experience of siege war) Designed to stall an attack until relief arrives from provinces
Alaric's practical response	Alaric blocked up the gates all round, and having possessed himself of the river Tiber, prevented the arrival of necessaries from the port to the city. The City of Rome was now under siege.
Alaric's verbal response	Alaric declared, that he would not relinquish the siege on any condition but that of receiving all the gold and silver in the city, all the household goods, and the Barbarian slaves.
AD 408	Roman envoys agree to pay Alaric: 5,000 lb of gold 30,000 lb of silver 3,000 scarlet sheepskins 3,000 lb of pepper Jovius Praetorian Prefect of Italy offers Goths territory in Noricum Offers and Alaric the post as Magister Militum
Honorius' response	Honorius had fled the city to his palace in Ravenna as 30,000 members of Western army defected to Alaric. He stated, “No dignity or command should ever be conferred on Alaric, or any of his family”
Alaric only wanted a truce	“Only demanded as much corn as the emperor should think proper to grant and would remit the gold. And that a friendship and alliance should subsist between himself and the Romans, against every one that should rise to oppose the empire”
Honorius	Rejects any offer of a truce so Alaric moves again to Rome
24th August AD 410 Sack of Rome	Baptista Egnatius wrote that the Goths, on being admitted, immediately began to plunder the city, although they committed more dishonour than mischief to the citizens. An edict was made by Alaric, that whoever took refuge in the churches of saints, especially in those of Peter and Paul, should receive no injury; which was accordingly observed with great care.
Sack of Rome ultimately a failure for Alaric:	He had captured the very city he was so keen to be part of Honorius still fails to acknowledge him Still no permanent homeland for the Goths
AD 410 Alaric dies	Brother-in-law Athaulf leads the Goths into southern Gaul He stated that the aim of the Visigoths was to restore and maintain, the prosperity of the Roman Empire, not to subvert it.
AD 417 Wallia, Athaulf’s successor makes peace with Honorius Visigoths granted their own kingdom	They became the police force of the empire, keeping the Barbarians away from the Roman Empire and collecting taxes.
The Visigoths	Were not the savages they were so often portrayed as. They wanted to be Roman and adopt Roman culture They viewed Rome as a success and wanted to be part of it.

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	Created by annielouallen2004 about 11 years ago