goffart - barbarians didnt cause the fall of the roman empire
- Created by: liv
- Created on: 30-05-13 14:17
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- walter goffart
- there was nothing new about the barbarian threat
- babrs were the natural allies of the roman emperors
- the roman government had more things to worry about than the barbs
- babrs were the natural allies of the roman emperors
- the barbs were not unified or organised - so they were not a threat
- the barbarian numbers were insignificant
- there was a good relationship between the romans and barbarians - eg, aeitus enrolled barb troops to fight off the goths
- usurpers and corruption was the main problem for the empire- not the barbarians
- the fall of the western empire was because of INTERNAL problems - not external problems
- the romans accomodated the barbs into the empire - it was an imaginative experiment that got out of control
- the crossing of the danube was 'undramatic' - was more of a peaceful migration onto the roman territory - so it wasn't problematic and not chaotic
- the barbarians wanted to join the empire, they didn't want to destroy it
- the barbs were more of a military help than a threat
- the fall of the western empire was not sudden or catastrophic - it was crumbling over a long period of time
- civil wars contributed to the fall of the empire (the divide between the east and west) - the civil wars were too expensive for the west to afford
- there was nothing new about the barbarian threat
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