Adrian Goldsworthy

in the background pulling the strings over quite a long period. And... That's an element where you've got somebody who's got enough power to make and break emperors, but also the fact that they can do that shows how weak you are.

And again, it's remind ourselves that even compared to where we started with Honorius, what he controlled as Western emperor, at least in theory, now the empire has shrunk so much by this time. Britain has gone early on. In theory, you're saying they're still appealing and all this sort of thing, and it's still...

And again, it's remind ourselves that even compared to where we started with Honorius, what he controlled as Western emperor, at least in theory, now the empire has shrunk so much by this time. Britain has gone early on. In theory, you're saying they're still appealing and all this sort of thing, and it's still...

And again, it's remind ourselves that even compared to where we started with Honorius, what he controlled as Western emperor, at least in theory, now the empire has shrunk so much by this time. Britain has gone early on. In theory, you're saying they're still appealing and all this sort of thing, and it's still...

Romano-British, it's still trying to live as a Roman, but it's not something from which you're going to get any help. They might want it from you, but they're probably not going to get that either. Most of Gaul is not under your control. All the Rhineland provinces, all that area, that's gone. Spain, largely gone. North Africa, largely gone. you can only be sure of Italy.

Romano-British, it's still trying to live as a Roman, but it's not something from which you're going to get any help. They might want it from you, but they're probably not going to get that either. Most of Gaul is not under your control. All the Rhineland provinces, all that area, that's gone. Spain, largely gone. North Africa, largely gone. you can only be sure of Italy.

Romano-British, it's still trying to live as a Roman, but it's not something from which you're going to get any help. They might want it from you, but they're probably not going to get that either. Most of Gaul is not under your control. All the Rhineland provinces, all that area, that's gone. Spain, largely gone. North Africa, largely gone. you can only be sure of Italy.

And to some extent, there's often treaties, there's often the kings that have set themselves up are at least paying lip service to you to some extent. But in terms of getting money, resources, manpower from any of these, so everything is getting closer to home. And because it's smaller, again, that magnifies the impact of any failure. And to some extent, it's the reverse.

And to some extent, there's often treaties, there's often the kings that have set themselves up are at least paying lip service to you to some extent. But in terms of getting money, resources, manpower from any of these, so everything is getting closer to home. And because it's smaller, again, that magnifies the impact of any failure. And to some extent, it's the reverse.

And to some extent, there's often treaties, there's often the kings that have set themselves up are at least paying lip service to you to some extent. But in terms of getting money, resources, manpower from any of these, so everything is getting closer to home. And because it's smaller, again, that magnifies the impact of any failure. And to some extent, it's the reverse.

And if you have a success, it seems like a really big success. But Again, the problem is there's going to be another problem very soon, and you can't keep doing that. So everything's combining to make this much, much less stable. And it's a reflection of that wider weakness, that wider collapse. But also, it's encouraged by that.

And if you have a success, it seems like a really big success. But Again, the problem is there's going to be another problem very soon, and you can't keep doing that. So everything's combining to make this much, much less stable. And it's a reflection of that wider weakness, that wider collapse. But also, it's encouraged by that.

And if you have a success, it seems like a really big success. But Again, the problem is there's going to be another problem very soon, and you can't keep doing that. So everything's combining to make this much, much less stable. And it's a reflection of that wider weakness, that wider collapse. But also, it's encouraged by that.

Because again, there have been so many failures, and there's just less to go around. So the overall strength of what you control... By this stage, you are not much more in practical terms than one of these Gothic or Vandal kings in terms of the area you really control and the sort of money you have. You've got a more sophisticated system to deal with it. You've got a longer tradition.

Because again, there have been so many failures, and there's just less to go around. So the overall strength of what you control... By this stage, you are not much more in practical terms than one of these Gothic or Vandal kings in terms of the area you really control and the sort of money you have. You've got a more sophisticated system to deal with it. You've got a longer tradition.

Because again, there have been so many failures, and there's just less to go around. So the overall strength of what you control... By this stage, you are not much more in practical terms than one of these Gothic or Vandal kings in terms of the area you really control and the sort of money you have. You've got a more sophisticated system to deal with it. You've got a longer tradition.

You've got that prestige. You know, you are still the Caesar, the Augustus. You have all of that grandeur and you've got this association with the bigger, still stronger Eastern Empire, but it's much less close. You can't really rely upon them.

You've got that prestige. You know, you are still the Caesar, the Augustus. You have all of that grandeur and you've got this association with the bigger, still stronger Eastern Empire, but it's much less close. You can't really rely upon them.

You've got that prestige. You know, you are still the Caesar, the Augustus. You have all of that grandeur and you've got this association with the bigger, still stronger Eastern Empire, but it's much less close. You can't really rely upon them.

And also your officials, as well as the emperor yourself, you don't want too much interference from them because they've probably got other ideas of who should be in charge. So you can't even ask for help and expect to get it on your terms from them.