Professor Peter Heather

To my mind, the sources are pretty clear that he knows that what he needs is a more secure deal from the Roman state. And he uses ravaging and conflict as the mechanism to extract that deal. So his first move is on Greece. They march south. And that does get him a temporary deal with the Eastern Empire. But that deal is very unpopular in Eastern imperial circles.

Giving in to barbarians and letting them do what they want is not on the script for the divinely supported empire, and it gets overturned. At that point, no one is threatening Alaric with extinction or anything like that, but he's completely in political limbo, and he tries his luck with the Western empire. So this is the first invasion of Italy. in 401 too, again in search of a deal, I think.

Giving in to barbarians and letting them do what they want is not on the script for the divinely supported empire, and it gets overturned. At that point, no one is threatening Alaric with extinction or anything like that, but he's completely in political limbo, and he tries his luck with the Western empire. So this is the first invasion of Italy. in 401 too, again in search of a deal, I think.

Giving in to barbarians and letting them do what they want is not on the script for the divinely supported empire, and it gets overturned. At that point, no one is threatening Alaric with extinction or anything like that, but he's completely in political limbo, and he tries his luck with the Western empire. So this is the first invasion of Italy. in 401 too, again in search of a deal, I think.

Well, by the time Alaric comes back in 408-9, Stilicho has been eliminated, but only just. And the reason he's been eliminated is the real problem, namely that we've had two further mass incursions across the frontier. And unlike the first one in 376, which went into Eastern Imperial territory, the two new ones have gone into Western Imperial territory.

Well, by the time Alaric comes back in 408-9, Stilicho has been eliminated, but only just. And the reason he's been eliminated is the real problem, namely that we've had two further mass incursions across the frontier. And unlike the first one in 376, which went into Eastern Imperial territory, the two new ones have gone into Western Imperial territory.

Well, by the time Alaric comes back in 408-9, Stilicho has been eliminated, but only just. And the reason he's been eliminated is the real problem, namely that we've had two further mass incursions across the frontier. And unlike the first one in 376, which went into Eastern Imperial territory, the two new ones have gone into Western Imperial territory.

In 4056, a king called Radagaisus led a very large force into Italy. Stilicho does manage to control and dismember that force, pulls it apart diplomatically. We're told that he transferred a lot of its high-status members into the Roman army, but the king who leads it ends up being executed.

In 4056, a king called Radagaisus led a very large force into Italy. Stilicho does manage to control and dismember that force, pulls it apart diplomatically. We're told that he transferred a lot of its high-status members into the Roman army, but the king who leads it ends up being executed.

In 4056, a king called Radagaisus led a very large force into Italy. Stilicho does manage to control and dismember that force, pulls it apart diplomatically. We're told that he transferred a lot of its high-status members into the Roman army, but the king who leads it ends up being executed.

But then at the end of 406, we get a second major accursion across the Rhine, the famous Vandals, Alans, and Suevs, who then start rampaging through Gaul and Spain. And Stilicho doesn't really have an answer to that. I think that he starts to make overtures to Alaric as part of a potential answer.

But then at the end of 406, we get a second major accursion across the Rhine, the famous Vandals, Alans, and Suevs, who then start rampaging through Gaul and Spain. And Stilicho doesn't really have an answer to that. I think that he starts to make overtures to Alaric as part of a potential answer.

But then at the end of 406, we get a second major accursion across the Rhine, the famous Vandals, Alans, and Suevs, who then start rampaging through Gaul and Spain. And Stilicho doesn't really have an answer to that. I think that he starts to make overtures to Alaric as part of a potential answer.

as a way of then pulling some of Alaric's military clout into the Western Roman army with a view possibly at that point then of restoring order against the Vandals, Alans, and Suevs. But Stilicho's incapacity to defend southern Gaul and Spain immediately from the Rhine invaders has prompted usurpations in Britain. Is this the rebellion of Constantine III?

as a way of then pulling some of Alaric's military clout into the Western Roman army with a view possibly at that point then of restoring order against the Vandals, Alans, and Suevs. But Stilicho's incapacity to defend southern Gaul and Spain immediately from the Rhine invaders has prompted usurpations in Britain. Is this the rebellion of Constantine III?

as a way of then pulling some of Alaric's military clout into the Western Roman army with a view possibly at that point then of restoring order against the Vandals, Alans, and Suevs. But Stilicho's incapacity to defend southern Gaul and Spain immediately from the Rhine invaders has prompted usurpations in Britain. Is this the rebellion of Constantine III?

He's the third of three. Quarrelsome lot, the British. But he's the one who's successful. He's got some field army units in southern Britain, and he also then is able to pull in quite a lot of the Roman army of the Rhine. So he puts together quite a major force.

He's the third of three. Quarrelsome lot, the British. But he's the one who's successful. He's got some field army units in southern Britain, and he also then is able to pull in quite a lot of the Roman army of the Rhine. So he puts together quite a major force.

He's the third of three. Quarrelsome lot, the British. But he's the one who's successful. He's got some field army units in southern Britain, and he also then is able to pull in quite a lot of the Roman army of the Rhine. So he puts together quite a major force.

So at this point, the Emperor Honorius starts to lose confidence in Stilicho because you've got Constantine III hammering away north of the Alps. You've got Vandals, Alans, and Swerves in southern Gaul and Spain. And you've got Stilicho making eyes at Alaric.