Rome's Final Conquest: The Barbarians
Walter Goffart
Abstract The standard account of Rome's dealing with the barbarians in late antiquity describes dynamically expanding Germans and an Empire succumbing beneath their pressure. Offered here is alternative scenario. Its starting point that Rome, instead being constant conflict each other, occupied a joined space, single world which both were entitled to share. What we call barbarian invasions was primarily drawing foreigners into Roman service, process sponsored, encouraged, rewarded by Rome. Simultaneously, Romans energetically upheld supremacy. Many peoples suppressed vanished; survivors persuaded learned shoulder tasks. Rome never discredited or repudiated. future endorsed carried forward what stood for religion, law, administration, literacy, language.
History Compass