10: The Late Roman Army, Barbarians, and the Frontier
Jan 13, 2017
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Explore the diverse interactions between the Roman army and barbarians on the frontiers, including fighting, joining, trading, and living together. Learn about the massive scale and economic impact of the late Roman army, its defense strategies, and the recruitment of barbarians into the military. Follow the life of Flavius Arbogastes, a Roman soldier, and the major defeats that weakened the army. Discover the consequences of the Frigidus battle and its role in the downfall of the Western Roman Empire.
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Quick takeaways
The late Roman army was a massive economic driver, comprising a significant portion of the empire's annual revenues.
The late Roman army underwent significant transformations, becoming more diverse, flexible, and reactive to new threats.
The Roman army acted as a bridge for interaction and assimilation between Romans and barbarians, shaping frontier culture and creating a parallel economy supported by the military.
Deep dives
The Roman Army: A Central Institution
The late Roman army played a central role in the political, social, cultural, and economic life of the Roman Empire. It was the single most important institution, employing hundreds of thousands of troops and comprising a significant portion of the empire's annual revenues. The army not only guarded the frontiers, but also drove the Roman Empire's economy. At least 50% of the empire's annual revenues went towards supplying and paying the army. Moreover, the army acted as a key agent of assimilation and interaction between the Romans and barbarians, as barbarians fought, traded, and even joined the Roman army.
Transformation of the Roman Army
The Roman army of the 4th and 5th centuries underwent significant transformations from the classical Roman army of the early empire. The late Roman army was more diverse, flexible, and capable of adapting to new threats. It featured a variety of troops, including light and heavy infantry, light and heavy cavalry, archers, and artillery. Equipment, tactics, and strategy also changed, as the army shifted its focus towards cavalry, smaller and more flexible units, and fortifications. These changes were reactive, and not centrally planned, as the army responded to the evolving strategic and tactical challenges it faced.
The Scale and Organization of the Late Roman Army
The late Roman army was massive in scale, ranging from an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 troops. It was organized into frontier troops, called the Limitane, and a mobile field army, known as the Comitatenses. The army relied on recruitment through enlistment, conscription, and settlement of barbarian groups within the empire. The troops were supplied, paid, and administered through a complex logistical and administrative system that involved managing personnel, finance, and supply. The army had a distinctive corporate identity, with soldiers speaking their own military language, wearing distinctive clothing and tattoos, and forming a distinct social and cultural group within society.
The Role of the Army in Frontier Culture
The Roman army played a central role in frontier culture, which encompassed interactions and assimilation between Romans and barbarians along the borders. Soldiers like Flavius Arbogastes, who joined the army, were part of a melting pot of culture, language, and norms that blended Roman and barbarian influences. The army served as a bridge for the barbarians to interact with and assimilate into Roman society, both through fighting Roman troops and by joining the army as soldiers, trading with supply officers, and living in military towns. The army's presence also shaped the economies of regions, as locals supplied the troops with food, supplies, and weapons, creating a parallel economy supported by the military.
The Decline and Disappearance of the Roman Army
The Roman army gradually declined and disappeared during the 5th century due to a combination of military defeats, reliance on allies, and loss of tax revenue. Major defeats such as the Battle of Adrianople and the Battle of the Frigidus led to the loss of experienced troops, which were difficult to replace. The Western Empire's reliance on allies further weakened the regular army, as provinces and tax bases were lost to these allies. Over time, the regular army faded away, unable to withstand the pressures and challenges of a changing world. The Roman army, once a powerful and central institution, ultimately became a relic of the past.
The Roman army was the central institution in the late Roman world. It had changed dramatically from the classic legions of Augustus and Marcus Aurelius, adapting itself to the much different world of the third and fourth centuries, but it remained a huge economic driver and a cultural world unto itself.
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