Edward A. Freeman (1823-1892), an Oxford professor and unsuccessful politician, more famous for his work on the Norman Conquest, also devoted particular study to the great invasion of Gaul by the Vandals, Suebi, Alans, and Burgundians, who crossed the ice-bound Rhine on the last night of 406, an invasion which led to their (with the exception of the Burgundians) settlement in Spain in 409, and the response among the Romans to the invasion: a succession of tyrants or local emperors who rose and fell rapidly.

Britain produced no less than four prospective emperors during these few years. First Marcus and Gratian, who did not survive long enough to leave Britain. Then Constantine, who crossed the Channel and occupied large tracts of Gaul and Spain, where he as self-proclaimed emperor upheld the Roman Empire better than the Western Emperor Honorius, who remained in Italy. Constans, the son of Constantine, who was made joint emperor by his father. Finally Gerontius, who set up one Maximus as emperor in Spain.

"The Tyrants of Britain, Gaul and Spain AD 406-411" was first published in the English Historical Review in 1886. Freeman later incorporated the text into his work Western Europe in the Fifth Century (1904).

The most poignant evidence on the value of this particular text is that Professor J. B. Bury heavily based the text of his acknowledged masterpiece the History of the Later Roman Empire (chapter VI, 2: "The German Invasions of Gaul and Spain, and the Tyranny of Constantine III, AD 406-411") on Freeman's text, often quoting Freeman word for word (and sometimes without acknowledging the fact!).

Bury's text may give a slightly better perspective on the events detailed by Freeman. Yet Bury condensed into less than nine pages a study to which Freemen devoted no less than thirty-three pages. If you desire historical details from these years, you should consult Freeman. Modern historical research and archaeology have little to add to the events as described by Freeman. We may wish to point out that there were already large numbers of Alans within the borders of Gaul, but nowhere does Freeman deny it.

The "fiercest of freebooters along both sides of the Channel" were perhaps at this time not the Saxons (Franks, various Scandinavians, and others were also involved, and to a larger extent than realised at the time of Freeman), but Freeman makes it clear that other Germanic peoples also took part in the raids. A booklet that I can highly recommend to anybody who is interested in the period.

More Reviews

The Pallas Armata Library
Numbers in History
The Tyrants of Britain, Gaul and Spain 406-411
The Fall of Visigothic Power in Spain
Strategimaticon and Strategicon

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