Alaric - 'Roman Officer'?

[Robert Vermaat]

I do wonder, though - if barbarians did not really have long hair and dress in furs, why do we have laws in the Theodosian code prohibiting people in Rome from wearing their hair long and dressing in 'garments made of skins'? Seems odd to make laws against a literary device...


I'd agree with the waxing and waning, and the 'et al' - but why was he not their true leader, do you think?

Sorry, missed your questions earlier.

Yes, I've wondered about their clothing laws as well. It seems there must be more behind this that just laws against fashion. Maybe people would make political statements by dressing up?

As to Alaric, that's it - the waxing and waning shows that he could only tie people to his cause when he had something to offer. Unlike Theodoric who already had a whole dynasic structure attached to him, Alaric was 'just' a warlord, nothing more.