Forging the Blade, a New Novel About the Goths

[Michael Kerr]

Magister Militum Flavius Aetius wrote:

Also, the claim that the Alans at Chalons couldn't be trusted is a common misconception.

Hi, I am not sure if this thread was split but its true the Romans under Aetius would respect the military capabilities of the Alans, I sometimes wonder if the Visigoths trusted their leaders though and if they didn't I think Aetius would have bent over backwards to keep the alliance intact. However as their city Orleans was under threat I don't think the Alans would have changed sides. I remember reading but I can't remember where that in 414AD Visigoth king Athaulf was laying siege at a place called Bazas with a combined Visigoth and Alan army where Count Paulinus of Pella who was trapped in the town with his family knew the Alan leader who was not named and they devised a plan where the Alans changed sides and deployed their wagons around the city and the Visigoths suddenly weakened by the defection lifted the siege.Found the book "A History of Alans In The West"
by Bernard S Bachrach. I have no idea of how reliable a historian he is though.
Regards
Michael Kerr