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Where was the Roman Army in AD408?
#45
(11-20-2017, 01:24 PM)FlavivsĀ Aetivs Wrote:
Quote:When Theodosius stole transferred the best units of the Army of the West to the East after the defeat of Magnus Maximus in 388, that may have meant the effective end of the Roman regular army in the West. It would come as no surprise if Stilicho had only limitanei to work with (hence perhaps the promotion of so many limitanei units to pseudo-comitatenses as shown in the Notitia Dignitatum), while relying on non-Roman troops as replacement for his crack units.

Which is absolutely contrary to the primary source evidence, namely the Notitia. The West still had tens of thousands of men available as field forces.

I think the idea that the suppression of Magnus Maximus marks an important point in the western army is valid, however, I'd agree that it did not see the end of field forces made up of Roman units (although the number of non-Romans in them may well have been on the up and up). What it may well have done is seen the border forces "raided" for their manpower to replenish the field forces, which probably happened again after Eugenius was defeated, and again on Stilicho's short trip to north Gaul in the early C5th. I suspect that the cumulative effect of this, withdrawing men and units, is why there are few troops on the Rhine in the Notitia.
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RE: Where was the Roman Army in AD408? - by nikgaukroger - 11-20-2017, 01:52 PM

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