<i>Early Carolingian Warfare: Prelude to Empire</i> (review)
Andrew Gillett
164 Reviews Parergon 20.2 (2003) Bachrach, Bernard S., Early Carolingian Warfare: Prelude to Empire (The Middle Ages Series), Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001; cloth; pp. xii, 430; 1 map; RRP US$55.00; ISBN 0812235339. This lengthy study is intended as a corrective the general bearing recent work in studies towards intellectual and spiritual history. For all its cultural achievements, empire, like Roman forebear imitators, was founded on vast military resources. Its armies regularly overcame those neighbouring states during late seventh eighth centuries, period expansionism discussed here. Bachrach sets this hard fact at outset his sine qua non state, chides historians for their squeamish disinterest defining feature medieval imperialism. an established US historian Merovingian France, with impressive bibliography early warfare (cf. Variorum volume, Armies Politics Medieval West [1993]). Though topic may appear be more interest than medievalists general, it has important broader ramifications our understanding West. The first book’s six chapters most controversial, arguing that result premeditated, long-term strategy regain extend territory formerly ruled by Frankish kings sixth century. remaining five examine practical issues: organisation (the raising maintenance professional nonprofessional troops, including financing); training equipment; morale (based stomach, spirit, commanders’ reputations); battlefield tactics; campaign strategy. Treatment each thematic, narrative accounts some individual campaigns presented illustrations points discussed. discussion commendably clear sufficiently non-technical nonspecialists follow ease. exemplifies broad swing twentieth century rationalistic perception period, looking roots European history documented past rather reconstructed ‘Germanic’ antiquity. So, success technology, tactics, one hand; other, structures government administration designed support activity. Policies are compared 165 unashamedly late, sometimes understood direct continuities or restorations practices. Older scholarship subject, too, looks continuities, but difference whence continuity assumed stem vast. An instructive comparison made summary ‘Social Military Institutions’ volume New Cambridge History, vol. 2 (1995) (pp. 471-73), subject constitution followings. There, army still seen extension ‘proto-feudal’ Germanic Scandinavian tradition warrior retinues, called comitatus Tacitus Gefolgschafte twentieth-century Germanists (both names commonly falsely used modern discussions if they were indigenous terms); retinue bound sworn oaths fidelity commander, whose authority stemmed primarily from own charisma. By contrast Romantic construct, speaking followings, discusses terms sources, particular obsequia, ‘military households’ soldiers maintained wealthy individuals institutions: lay aristocrats, ecclesiastical magnates, royal court itself. Obsequia effect private armies, explicitly command order provide resources which could draw form core any force (supplemented non-professional levies). such Justinian’s Belisarius, precursors obsequia. imperial legislation taken model incorporation these forces into resources, redactions Theodosian Code cited vehicle technical expertise financing military...
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