No need to apologize! Spreading historical trivia is what I’m here for!
‘Barbarian’ referred to all non-Greek and non-Roman peoples, but in this case I use it in reference primarily to the peoples coming in from the northern borders of the Roman Empire. These were mostly Germanic, with some Scythian (Eastern European and Central Asian, roughly), Slavic, and Hunnic tribes amongst them.
Traditionally, what the Roman Empire did was recruit citizens as professional legionaries, non-citizens as professional auxiliaries (who were granted citizenship for themselves and their family when their service was completed) led by citizen-officers and organized under Roman methods; and outsiders as foederati - something like ‘allies’ or ‘contract troops’ - who fought under their own leaders, with their own methods of combat and own organization.
Essentially, the Late Empire becomes entirely dependent on (mostly Germanic) foederati for its defense, who fought in the same manner and organization as the invading (also mostly Germanic) tribes did. Which meant that Rome was not really in control of these forces, so much as it was in a kind of pseudo-vassal situation with them - their barbarian kings swore to protect Rome, and so those kings’ forces would defend Rome and obey Roman commands… for as long as their king did. Which was generally only as long as Rome was their best ‘offer’ around. That sort of thing.
No need to apologize! Spreading historical trivia is what I’m here for!
‘Barbarian’ referred to all non-Greek and non-Roman peoples, but in this case I use it in reference primarily to the peoples coming in from the northern borders of the Roman Empire. These were mostly Germanic, with some Scythian (Eastern European and Central Asian, roughly), Slavic, and Hunnic tribes amongst them.
Traditionally, what the Roman Empire did was recruit citizens as professional legionaries, non-citizens as professional auxiliaries (who were granted citizenship for themselves and their family when their service was completed) led by citizen-officers and organized under Roman methods; and outsiders as foederati - something like ‘allies’ or ‘contract troops’ - who fought under their own leaders, with their own methods of combat and own organization.
Essentially, the Late Empire becomes entirely dependent on (mostly Germanic) foederati for its defense, who fought in the same manner and organization as the invading (also mostly Germanic) tribes did. Which meant that Rome was not really in control of these forces, so much as it was in a kind of pseudo-vassal situation with them - their barbarian kings swore to protect Rome, and so those kings’ forces would defend Rome and obey Roman commands… for as long as their king did. Which was generally only as long as Rome was their best ‘offer’ around. That sort of thing.
Feels like a comment in ask historians, but in the memespace