[gothic-l] Roman Empire Failed To Understand Gothic RMA

[Bertil Haggman]

Not did the West Roman only fail to understand
the Gothic RMA of the time, it couldn't afford effective
cavalry.

There is unfortunately not so much on cavalry in the
1990s. An exception is Vuksic-Grbasic, _Cavalry: The
History of a Fighting Elite, 650 BC - AD 1914_, London:
Arms and Armour Press, 1993, but it concentrated
on the three hundred latest centuries.

There is also John Maurice Brereton's, _The Horse In
War_, Newton Abbey: David and Charles, 1976, important
because it focused more on the horse than the cavalryman.

The beginning of the end could be said to have been
when Alaric assembled his forces in Illyricum which
contained a number of mines and arsenals for supplies.
The 400 AD offensive was well planned. As the Goths
advanced around the Adriatic the allies descended over
the Alps. Emperor Honorius had to retreat to Ravenna
to find additional protection behind marshes. Stilicho
the Vandal managed to hold back Alaric but he soon returned
from Illyricum.

Turned back again the Goths came back. Now there was
no commander who could place restraint on Alaric. He asked
for more gold and more land. Refused, he marched with his troops
on the West Roman capital.

There were no Gothic "hordes" descending on Italy. Alaric and
Stilicho preferred careful maneuver warfare to pitched battle. Alaric's
outlook was that of a professional soldier. His Goths were a
dissatisfied immigrant community in the West Roman empire
asserting their rights in the community.

Gothically

Bertil






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