Vandals and the Collapse of the west
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• Val 3 – murdered in 455 after 30 years of rule. Between then and 476 – 9 differing rulers, only 4 recognised by Rome. Barbarians within and outside the empire, Gaeseric threatening big time from Africa – loss of Africa huge as economically more important than either Britain, Gaul or Spain.
• Vandals also damaging via pirate raids – after 6centuries eventually danger from Carthage.
• Maximus kills Val III – peace with Vandals invalidated. Eudoxia allegedly invites Gaeseric over – enters Rome in 455. Worse than Aleric in 455.
• AVITUS now the Emperor accepted by Rome with help of Visogths – unpopular as Vandals take more of Africa and start raids on Sicily.
• Ricimer the strong man of the west sent to Sicily with the Visgoths – beat Vandals in naval battle of 456 - Theodoric of VG beats Sueves.
• Avitus flees when Vandals approach.
• Majorian now ruler of the Eastern Empire, Ricimer as patrician. Needed to restore relations in Gaul, as poor comms. With Visogths. Burgundians rebel when Avitus fell.
• 461 – Majorian ceds more land to Gaseric - Avitus killed by Ricimer.
• Sevinus next Emperor – puppet for Ricimer. Trouble from Gauls and Vandal attacks.
• Marcellinus able Genral had held onto Sicily with Hunnic forces. Then set up independent kingdom in Dalmatia. Remvoed from command in 461 – leaving Sicily open to Vandals etc. Ricimer’s fault.
• Gaiseric pillages Sicily and Italy – makes a treaty with the East but not the west. Marcellinus dies in 464.
• Giaseric keeps fighting and annexes Sardinia and Balearic Islands. Franks begin attacking on the Danube.
• 465 – Severus dies and Leon asks for We and EE but Olybrius refuses. EE asks Gaiseric to stop, but he does not.
• 468 huge invasion of Gaiseric’s land, but Basilicus choosen as leader. Choosen by Aspar so he would fail – Marcellinus dies and Vandals attack Roman ships in port as they prepare to sail for Africa.
• Euric the Visogth attacks Gaul, Anthemilus unsuccessful in protectingit, so tension between him and Ricimer increases. Anthemilus WE in 470 – Ricmer leaves with 6000 men to attack Vandals, leaves some in Rome
• Civil war within Rome – Ricimer and Anthemilus – Olybrius emperor is killed. Glycerius to throne for eight months – East send Nepos to Rome and made emperor.
• Ricimer non-patriot, but storng. Situation in WE is bad:
• Burgundians are independent, Euric Visgoth independent in Gaul. Nominal allegiance with franks in North ends.
• 474 – East successful with Gaseric, why not West??
• 478 – peace with Vandals – less powerful under Gaseric’s death
• Orestes (Attila’s secretary we think)drives Nepos out
• Romulus Augustlus – 12 month ended by mutiny of Odovocar, loads of tribes wanted own ands. East wants Nepos back, not forthcoming.
• Nepos overthrown – change in Italy happened all century, ceased to be Roman, not because of no RE, but because German empires gradually established themselves them
• Not really Empire at all – pious conservative optimism.

Other Notes in this Category

1. Barbarian Organisation
2. Barbarians and Bishops
3. Crisis 439
4. Introduction
5. Nomadism, Horses and Huns
6. Roman Organisation
7. Roman Strategy against Barbarians
8. The Huns
9. The Huns and the end of the Roman Empire - Peter Heather
10. Vandals and the Collapse of the west
11. Would Empire have collapsed without the huns?

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