Asher Sisneros

            After Rome’s Imperial Crisis during the 3^rd century, when emperors were repeatedly assassinated and deposed, the empire was weak by the 4^th century. Diocletian implemented reforms in 284 AD to stabilize the Roman Empire, such as forming the tetrarchy, with two augusti (emperors) in the East and West and two caesars (vice-emperors). The caesars were legitimate successors after an emperor retired or died. However, the tetrarchy fell apart after Diocletian’s death, and the Caesars and Augusti plotted against each other to consolidate power. Constantine the Great won the fight, dissolving the tetrarchy. Temporary prosperity followed, but Rome’s destruction was imminent. The slow death of Roman imperialism started in 375 AD when barbarians began populating the nation. This event is called the “Migration of the Peoples.” This essay is about the Visigoths, prominent people during the Migration of the Peoples, and their relationship to the Romans.  

             The barbarian migration into Rome started under Emperor Octavian Augustus but was ramped up during the 4th century because of the Hun invasion. The Huns were “barbarians” to the barbarians, who sacked Europe on strong steeds. They were brutal and uncivilized, even by barbarian standards, eating raw meat and living in wagons. As the Huns sacked Europe, the Visigoths fled to receive protection in Rome. The Eastern emperor, Valens, let the Visigoth people into the empire. In exchange, they had to surrender their arms and enslave their children. If such a ploy was attempted in the Americas during the 19^th century, the Visigoths would’ve yelled, “Come and take it!” However, it was not North America or the 19^th century. Begrudgingly, they complied in 376 AD.

            Through bribery, the Visigoths got their weapons back. But their children remained captive, and the people were fed dog food. As uneasiness spread across the empire regarding the Visgoths’ resentment, a Roman general invited King Fridigern to a feast. However, Visigoth intelligence informed Fridigern that the feast was a Roman ploy to plan his assassination. Enraged by the inhumane plot, he rallied his Visigoth people to retaliate against Roman oppression. Victory after victory, King Fridigern crushed Rome in their last stand at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD and killed Emperor Valens. Valens’ successor pacified the Visigoths by giving them freedom and military employment, but after Stilicho died in 208 AD, Alaris, king of the Visigoths, successfully sieged Italy and burned Rome.

            As much as the Romans attempted to portray the Visigoths as barbarian savages, their community wasn’t as barbaric as it seemed. The kings were instruments of the law and bound by it, but not above the law themselves. While the power to make laws was vested in the king, it was scandalous if he held himself to a different standard. The Visigoths also respected Rome as the superior nation. Even as Italy was being sacked by King Alaris, he stopped to witness the city’s architectural and literate beauty, even watching classical plays before killing everyone. From the beginning, their objective was citizenship. War resulted from discrimination in the army and oppression.

            In conclusion, I’d describe the Roman-Visigoth relationship as hostile admiration. The Visigoth people turned to Rome in their time of trouble, admiring the city greatly. After suffering abuses under Roman subjection and thwarting a plot against their king, the Visigoths launched an all-out war. The victory marked the end of an era. Western Rome fell, never rising again, and Eastern Rome was hanging on by a thread. Thus began the Middle Ages.