02-22-2011, 10:21 PM
Kulikowski bases the theory on the fact that the rebellion in Britain is said by Zosimus to have been caused by the barbarian invasion of Gaul. Kulikowski (and Baynes before him) accepted that the two were definitely linked and, correctly noting that the British rebellion took place in 406, consequently claim that the invasion must have been before this and must therefore have been on the last day of 405.
There are two problems here. One is in assuming that the chronicles are very poorly dated. The concept is that if a year had no entry, then the chroniclers moved an entry from a different year to fill the gap. Although a possibility, this is not necessarily true.
The second is in assuming that Zosimus, who's grasp of Western events isn't always totally accurate, knew the whole story of the causes and events of the British rebellion. This is unlikely. What is more likely is that the rebellion in Britain had nothing to do with the barbarian invasion. Concerned with events in the Western Empire, the British appointed a leader called Marcus. He was quickly assassinated and a man named Gratian appointed in is place. Over the winter of 406-7 the rebellion was confined to Britain by the weather in the Channel, a factor unknown to Zosimus.
Early in 406 news finally reached Britain of the barbarian invasion. When Gratian refused to act, he was replaced with Constantine (III). Constantine did cross the Channel and invade Gaul. As this was after the barbarian invasion, Zosimus (and no doubt others) assumed that the cause of the British revolt was the barbarian invasion. However their failure to mention either Marcus or Gratian suggests that they were not aware of all of the facts.
In this hypothesis, the dating in the sources of both the British revolt and the barbarian invasion are correct, and what is missing is a complete knowledge of events on the part of Zosimus, who understandably assumes that the invasion was the cause of the revolt.
This seems to be preferable to the theory proposed by Baynes and Kulikowski.
But you may think differently ... :grin:
(I hope this makes sense: as usual I'm a little short on time!:-( )
There are two problems here. One is in assuming that the chronicles are very poorly dated. The concept is that if a year had no entry, then the chroniclers moved an entry from a different year to fill the gap. Although a possibility, this is not necessarily true.
The second is in assuming that Zosimus, who's grasp of Western events isn't always totally accurate, knew the whole story of the causes and events of the British rebellion. This is unlikely. What is more likely is that the rebellion in Britain had nothing to do with the barbarian invasion. Concerned with events in the Western Empire, the British appointed a leader called Marcus. He was quickly assassinated and a man named Gratian appointed in is place. Over the winter of 406-7 the rebellion was confined to Britain by the weather in the Channel, a factor unknown to Zosimus.
Early in 406 news finally reached Britain of the barbarian invasion. When Gratian refused to act, he was replaced with Constantine (III). Constantine did cross the Channel and invade Gaul. As this was after the barbarian invasion, Zosimus (and no doubt others) assumed that the cause of the British revolt was the barbarian invasion. However their failure to mention either Marcus or Gratian suggests that they were not aware of all of the facts.
In this hypothesis, the dating in the sources of both the British revolt and the barbarian invasion are correct, and what is missing is a complete knowledge of events on the part of Zosimus, who understandably assumes that the invasion was the cause of the revolt.
This seems to be preferable to the theory proposed by Baynes and Kulikowski.
But you may think differently ... :grin:
(I hope this makes sense: as usual I'm a little short on time!:-( )
Ian (Sonic) Hughes
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides, Peloponnesian War
"I have just jazzed mine up a little" - Spike Milligan, World War II
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides, Peloponnesian War
"I have just jazzed mine up a little" - Spike Milligan, World War II
