Professor Peter Heather

What he's doing there is using it as a bargaining chip in the desire to get a deal from the Western Roman state.

What he's doing there is using it as a bargaining chip in the desire to get a deal from the Western Roman state.

What he's doing there is using it as a bargaining chip in the desire to get a deal from the Western Roman state.

In the end, he does, yes. There's a sequence of regimes, if you like, around Honorius. So advisors come and go with different policies. The first guy who replaces Stilicho has We should fight them on the beaches. But that proves a total disaster. So he's quickly ousted. Then the next guy comes along and says, we should do a deal. So they do. They concoct a deal.

In the end, he does, yes. There's a sequence of regimes, if you like, around Honorius. So advisors come and go with different policies. The first guy who replaces Stilicho has We should fight them on the beaches. But that proves a total disaster. So he's quickly ousted. Then the next guy comes along and says, we should do a deal. So they do. They concoct a deal.

In the end, he does, yes. There's a sequence of regimes, if you like, around Honorius. So advisors come and go with different policies. The first guy who replaces Stilicho has We should fight them on the beaches. But that proves a total disaster. So he's quickly ousted. Then the next guy comes along and says, we should do a deal. So they do. They concoct a deal.

But actually, that deal, from Honoris' point of view, looks way too favorable to Alaric. And it was an extraordinary deal. Under those terms, Alderic was going to be given an imperial generalship. His troops are going to be stationed either side of the Alps, northern Italy, and then the other side. So it'd be very close to Ravenna and Milan, the political centers of northern Italy.

But actually, that deal, from Honoris' point of view, looks way too favorable to Alaric. And it was an extraordinary deal. Under those terms, Alderic was going to be given an imperial generalship. His troops are going to be stationed either side of the Alps, northern Italy, and then the other side. So it'd be very close to Ravenna and Milan, the political centers of northern Italy.

But actually, that deal, from Honoris' point of view, looks way too favorable to Alaric. And it was an extraordinary deal. Under those terms, Alderic was going to be given an imperial generalship. His troops are going to be stationed either side of the Alps, northern Italy, and then the other side. So it'd be very close to Ravenna and Milan, the political centers of northern Italy.

And the Goths were going to receive not only rations, but also payments in gold. So like full-on Roman soldiers. That's close to establishing a semi-Gothic protectorate over the Western Empire. Honorius won't have that. So that deal is rejected. Then, as our best source tells us, everyone's astounded because Alaric comes back with another offer. And that offer, I think, is very revealing.

And the Goths were going to receive not only rations, but also payments in gold. So like full-on Roman soldiers. That's close to establishing a semi-Gothic protectorate over the Western Empire. Honorius won't have that. So that deal is rejected. Then, as our best source tells us, everyone's astounded because Alaric comes back with another offer. And that offer, I think, is very revealing.

And the Goths were going to receive not only rations, but also payments in gold. So like full-on Roman soldiers. That's close to establishing a semi-Gothic protectorate over the Western Empire. Honorius won't have that. So that deal is rejected. Then, as our best source tells us, everyone's astounded because Alaric comes back with another offer. And that offer, I think, is very revealing.

He says, look, okay. No generalship, no gold, bit of land on the frontier, i.e. not close to the political heartland, and just some rations. So he's actually, he's relented.

He says, look, okay. No generalship, no gold, bit of land on the frontier, i.e. not close to the political heartland, and just some rations. So he's actually, he's relented.

He says, look, okay. No generalship, no gold, bit of land on the frontier, i.e. not close to the political heartland, and just some rations. So he's actually, he's relented.

Yes. I think it tells you that Alaric's perception is that the current malaise in the Western Empire is only going to be temporary. He could get far more than that in the short term, but that's not what he wants. He wants a long-term deal, and he thinks that that is the shape that a long-term deal might take.

Yes. I think it tells you that Alaric's perception is that the current malaise in the Western Empire is only going to be temporary. He could get far more than that in the short term, but that's not what he wants. He wants a long-term deal, and he thinks that that is the shape that a long-term deal might take.

Yes. I think it tells you that Alaric's perception is that the current malaise in the Western Empire is only going to be temporary. He could get far more than that in the short term, but that's not what he wants. He wants a long-term deal, and he thinks that that is the shape that a long-term deal might take.

And actually, he's not wrong because when his group is eventually settled in 416 to 418, when it finally does a deal, it's not Alaric anymore. He's dead by now. But the deal that's done is very similar to Alaric's minimum offer, not his maximum offer. So no generalship, no payments in gold that we know about, land well away from the Italian political heartland, i.e.

And actually, he's not wrong because when his group is eventually settled in 416 to 418, when it finally does a deal, it's not Alaric anymore. He's dead by now. But the deal that's done is very similar to Alaric's minimum offer, not his maximum offer. So no generalship, no payments in gold that we know about, land well away from the Italian political heartland, i.e.