406 Rhine Crossing and Roman Resistance

[Atticus]

I'm reading Wallace Breme's novel Eagle in the Snow. Good book an interesting story. But I can't find any sources that hint at any organized Roman resistance to the 406 A.D. germanic invasion over the frozen Rhine. Gibbon speculated that on December 31st of 406 A.D. the Rhine river froze and the Germanic tribes crossed and sacked Gaul. Breme's story is about the 20th Legion, under a General Maximus, attempt to mount a Roman defensive against the Germans. Of course the 20th is overrun. My question is: Is there any truth to what Breme writes in his novel. Was there any organized Roman military effort to hold the Rhine in 406? I have not been able to find anything so far.

I'm hoping someone may be able to shed some light on this. Thanks.

[Gipiemme]

Roman military defence was probably there, but obviously not strong enough. A lot of forces were in Italy at that time, belonging to the field army. Constantine III. came from Britain and it seems that he reorganised the army and the administration in Gaul. Archaeological sources prove, that a lot of the military places in Gaul did not end at that time but continued, sometimes after a period of reduced settlement.

Literature:
J. Oldenstein, Die letzten Jahrzehnte des römischen Limes zwischen Andernach und Selz unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Kastells Alzey und der Notitia Dignitatum. In: F. Staab (Hrsg.), Zur Kontinuität zwischen Antike und Mittelalter am Oberrhein. Oberrhein. Stud. 11 (Sigmaringen 1994) 69–112
or
The Cambridge Ancient History XIII. The Late Empire (Cambridge 1998) 118 ff. (R. C. Blockley)

[sonic]

There aren't any sources concerning a Roman defence of the Rhine in 406. The chances are that most of the Roman 'garrisons' had been withdrawn and absorbed by either the Army of Gaul or the Praesental Army in Italy. There is a chance that some of the towns attacked had Roman garrisons, but this is not attested. The most likely scenario is that the entire region had been denuded of Roman troops, since the path taken by the invaders went through Frankish territory. The Franks were at this time 'allies' of Rome and had agreed to defend their part of the frontier.

For a more detailed account, see Stilicho

[Robert Vermaat]

My question is: Is there any truth to what Breme writes in his novel. Was there any organized Roman military effort to hold the Rhine in 406? I have not been able to find anything so far.

The reason for that is because there is no truth whatsoever in Breme’s novel. The book is already fairly old, but the author did no research into the organisation of the Late Roman army, or the strategy of the Roman border defence. The novel, which I agree reads well, makes up in atmosphere what it lacks in historical accuracy.

Breme’s cconcept is not realistic. The Roman strategy was never to ‘hold the line’. Breme looks through modern glasses – he described the Roman defence of the Rhine as a modern battle for a hard border, building lines that, when broken, are left for new lines of defence to the rear. That’s how NATO would have defended Germany against the Warsaw Pact, not remotely like the Roman army would/should have defended Germania I. When an enemy broke through (meaning that the forces were too large to be attacked successfully by the Limitanei or border forces), they were supposed to be attacked from all sides by forces along the Limes as well as larger forces from the interior. From the 4th century onwards, the strategic defence was much developed: these field armies or Comitatenses were not garrisoned in permanent spots but acted in a ‘mobile’ role.

In the case of 406 (which did not take place across the frozen Rhine nor on the last day of the year btw, despite what Gibbon thought) was probably that the enemy crossed in far too large number for the Limitanei to be able to act. The attack being in winter would have severely hampered the ability of the mobile troops to take effective countermeasures.

Add to that the state the West was in. The previous year had seen a massive invasion of Italy (Radagais), and all military means (which would have been low after the invasiono f Alaric in 403) had been concentrated to counter that. I suspect it may well have cost the army crippling losses, a reduction of border units along the Rhine frontier, and an enormous financial deficit. By August this horde was under control, and a few months later the Rhine was crossed by the Siling and Asding Vandals (under Godigisel), Alans, Burgundians and Suevi in Gaul (Fall or early winter).

Although it’s never discussed by any ancient source (properly), my guess is that the Roman reserves were concentrated in Italy and had not yet returned. The West was caught off guard, and the invading tribes probably were too numerous to deal with in one battle the next year. And by the end of the year, Britain had rebelled and the problems only got bigger.

[jho]

If you read German, the most detailed information you can get is probably in Scharf's Der Dux Mogontiacensis und die Notitia Dignitatum. Eine Studie zur spätantiken Grenzverteidigung. He deals in extenso with evidence for the limitanei in the area before and after the invasion of 406 AD.

He also proposes a sequence of events which is somewhat different from the traditional picture: The unrest in Britain which ultimately leads to Constantine III is not the consequence of the invasion but precedes it and actually alleviates it. In his theory, Stilicho forms the Gallicani and Britanniciani units we find in the Notitia largely from the followers of Radagaisus. These units are then sent to Gaul and Britain respectively and cause the unrest there. Stilicho cannot effectively respond to the Germanic invasion because he needs to keep his army together to combat Constantine III.

[sonic]

If you read German, the most detailed information you can get is probably in Scharf's Der Dux Mogontiacensis und die Notitia Dignitatum. Eine Studie zur spätantiken Grenzverteidigung. He deals in extenso with evidence for the limitanei in the area before and after the invasion of 406 AD.

He also proposes a sequence of events which is somewhat different from the traditional picture: The unrest in Britain which ultimately leads to Constantine III is not the consequence of the invasion but precedes it and actually alleviates it. In his theory, Stilicho forms the Gallicani and Britanniciani units we find in the Notitia largely from the followers of Radagaisus. These units are then sent to Gaul and Britain respectively and cause the unrest there. Stilicho cannot effectively respond to the Germanic invasion because he needs to keep his army together to combat Constantine III.

I've not read that book, since I simply can't afford to buy it.

However, it's nice to know that I wasn't the first person to realize that the accepted chronology, with the British rebellion coming AFTER the 406 invasion, does not work. Maybe I'm not so odd after all! :wink:

[Robert Vermaat]

He also proposes a sequence of events which is somewhat different from the traditional picture: The unrest in Britain which ultimately leads to Constantine III is not the consequence of the invasion but precedes it and actually alleviates it. In his theory, Stilicho forms the Gallicani and Britanniciani units we find in the Notitia largely from the followers of Radagaisus. These units are then sent to Gaul and Britain respectively and cause the unrest there. Stilicho cannot effectively respond to the Germanic invasion because he needs to keep his army together to combat Constantine III.

I liked the book, but I can't agree with everything.

For instance, IF the Britanniciani were indeed created out of the defeated followers of Radagais (defeated August 406), how on earth can they have been moved to Britain before the diocese rebels (Fall 406), not to mention the time which would have been needed to train these units into a Roman field army legion with a degree of effectiveness? I like Hoffmann’s ideas about an earlier origin better, in which these units could have been trained and sent to Britain.

The Germanic invasion across the Rhine happened almost during this very same time (Fall or early Winter 406, traditionally (but unsupported) the ‘last day of the year’). This defies all logic: even if Britain’s rebellion caused unrest along the Rhine, it would be almost impossible for large groups of barbarians to
a) organise themselves for such an invasion in just weeks perhaps, and
b) to organise an invasion in mid-winter which would cause immense logistical problems for the invasion force.
I have read theories about pressure from within Germany (which is also what Breem thought when he wrote his novel), or even that these tribes were part of the defeated force of Radagais, who saw one route blocked in August and took another into Gaul. That would be more logical if you consider the problems I referred to earlier. Invasions, or even common unit movements in the Roman army, took a long time to plan and a long time to execute.

Lastly, Stilicho would not so much have been hampered by Constantine III. This rebellion followed in early 407, after the Germanic invasion of Gaul. Stilicho would first have had to pass through the invasion forces before he could even meet Constantine in the field, but where the latter made a deal with the invaders (he never seems to have had any trouble with them throughout 407 or 408, anyway), Stilicho did not. Why? He could have paid them more money than the Briton, and turning them against the British would have been easy. But no, Stilicho was and remained fixed on Illyricum and Alaric, with whom he planned to invade the East.

I have great doubts with the view that Stilicho was hampered by the invasion of Constantine III. In fact I think that he never gave it much thought until Sarus was defeated (unknown date in 407) and Constantine moved into southern Gaul (he only gained Arles in may 408). But by that time, Stilicho gathered an army, even asking Alaric for help, but it was too late. When that plan fell through, Stilicho fell from grace in 408, leading to his demise; the officers mutinied at the instigation of court officials.
After Stilicho’s death, Alaric invaded Italy (late summer).

[Robert Vermaat]

I've not read that book, since I simply can't afford to buy it.

Large parts can be read here: http://books.google.nl/books?id=KokF6qwM...&q&f=false

[sonic]

I've not read that book, since I simply can't afford to buy it.

Large parts can be read here: http://books.google.nl/books?id=KokF6qwM...&q&f=false

Cheers!

[jho]

I've not read that book, since I simply can't afford to buy it.

The paper version is very expensive but an ebook version appears to be available here for 36 Euros:

link

[sonic]

I've not read that book, since I simply can't afford to buy it.

The paper version is very expensive but an ebook version appears to be available here for 36 Euros:

link

Wow! Thanks for the heads-up. Right, where's my German dictionary .... :grin:

[Atticus]

Sonic - Interesting. Certainly the Romans had knowledge that the Germanic tribes were moving en-mass toward the Rhine. Maybe the sources reporting Rome's response have been lost, I don't know. It just seems difficult to believe no organized resistance was mustered to stop the Germans. Of course without sources to the contrary we can only surmise there was no Roman army attending the border.

[Atticus]

Thanks Vortigern. I had forgotten about the "breach and converge" strategy along the Limes. I have thoroughly enjoyed Bremes's novel, even with the historical inaccuracies. His voice is superb.

Your point about the winter hampering any Roman response is an excellent point also. If the Rhine froze (can't tell where you stand on this) then it was a truly arctic winter. Not the best fighting weather.

And thanks to all of you who commented. Most of my readings, education and interests have been in the late Republic and early 1st century A.D. imperial period. In the middle of writing a book so I will certainly be looking for insight here at RomanArmy talk. Thanks again.