Crossing of the Rhine
The Rhine crossing of 406 referred to in the historical research the transition of several Germanic groups across the Rhine and its associated therewith penetration into the western half of the Roman Empire of the year 406 /07 release.
The at least partial collapse of the Roman Rhine defense made it possible for several Germanic groups to establish themselves for some time in Hispania, which contributed to the process of dissolution of the Western Roman Empire. The penetrated into the kingdom of the Vandals should eventually reach of Hispania from Africa and conquer this province. The kingdom of the Suevi in the north of Hispania had to the 6th Century stock, while the pre- discharged to the Rhine Burgundians, after a defeat by the Roman general Flavius Aetius (436 ), operated in the second half of the 5th century own empire-building in Gaul.
Starting position
The year 406 was a crisis year for the Western Roman Empire. Already 405 of the Goth Radagaisus was invaded with a large army in Italy and could only be stopped with the support Hun auxiliary troops in August 406 in Etruria. Also in 406, there was then in Britain, as "one of tyrants ( usurpers ) fertile province," described the church father Jerome, to a series of usurpations. After the late antique historian Olympiodorus of Thebes, who wrote a comprehensive history book about this period, but that is not completely preserved, the troops in Britain where first a soldier named Marcus Augustus. This, however, was eliminated after some time. Instead, the civil officials Gratian was proclaimed emperor, but also murdered after four months. Finally, the Britannic troops raised a previously known unspecified soldier named Constantine when Constantine III. to the Emperor, whose perhaps the only advantage was his name, but Constantine the Great had also started his path to power in Britain and was eventually victorious.
The cause of the Britannic usurpations is most likely not only due to the fact that it looked neglected on the island of the Western Roman courtyard far away in Ravenna by the imperial government itself. A note at the historian Zosimus (which is not always reliable ) suggests rather that the cause of this is to look at the continent, where the movements of barbarian gentes in the border area have probably also provided for unrest in Britain ( for details, see Great Migration ). According to Zosimus, the Britannic troops would in any case be active for the protection of the empire in Gaul. That the usurper Constantine III Britannic. Finally, with his field army translated in the year 407 on the island to Gaul, this provides some confirmation.
The crossing of the Rhine 406/ 07
Turn of the year 406/ 07 exceeded larger barbarian groups the Rhine and invaded Gaul before. Jerome mentions in a letter several gentes involved, including the Vandals ( divided into sub-tribes of the Hasdingi and Silings ), the Suevi and the Iranian Alans. The crossing of the Rhine is also mentioned in other late antique sources, but are numerous details the sparse source situation debatable. The exact backgrounds for the break-up of the multiethnic federation, the sources are silent as well, as does the exact location, time and duration of the Rhine transition are controversial. It is quite possible that the different groups took advantage of the former weakness of the Roman Rhine defense - several associations were nevertheless been withdrawn due to the confrontation with the Visigoths under Alaric 402 and later because of the fighting against Radagaisus - and set off in search of better living conditions to Gaul. Likewise, however, can escape from the Huns not be excluded.
The question is how big these groups were and exactly where they translated. In modern research, a crossing of the Rhine at Mogontiacum is often assumed, but this must ultimately remain open. Most likely, this transition but between the present cities of Mainz ( Mogontiacum ) and Worms because they were attacked next by the invaders. If the bridge over the Rhine was still intact in Mogontiacum, they would as a possible crossing point in question. It is sometimes speculated in some modern depictions, the barbarians had crossed the frozen Rhine, but it is in the sources of the question. Likewise, it is unlikely that larger organizations the transition in just one night could have done, how often derived from the note of Prosper Tiro of Aquitaine, who, although other sources hardly report details, the date of the Rhine crossing on 31 December 406 indicates:
Thus December 31 is more likely to indicate the start of the Rhine crossing, where the groups then divided up.
The few remaining on the Rhine frontier Western Roman troops it was not possible to effectively resist the invaders. However, the crossing of the Rhine does not seem to have had the complete collapse of the frontier defense result, because the Mainz Dukat ( military district ) has subsequently been rebuilt. In any case, the invaders of Gaul was open, it was the real beginning of the invasion of barbarian groups in the West realm where before had caused a considerable stir, especially the Visigoths. We have only fragmentary information on the following features of the different groups. It is not even certain that the various cities that specifies Jerome, were all conquered. Finally, Jerome was in a distant Bethlehem and learned more second-hand from the activities. The barbarians moved to the crossing of the Rhine first north-west, then south and southwest to settle 409 to Hispania.
The crossing of the Rhine by 406/7 was extremely influential to the Empire. The Romans were no longer able to push back the collapsed barbarians, on the contrary: The Vandals put 429 to North Africa over and snatched the Western Roman government control over their richest province. The measures initiated to the Rhine Burgundians and Alans acted as Emperor Makers and charged with Jovinus make a Gallo-Romans to the emperor, who was totally dependent on them. Later operated the Burgundians, as before them, the Vandals, successfully own empire-building - as well as the Suebi in Hispania. The 418 settled in Aquitaine Visigoths, from which the Western Roman government hoped for a stabilizing effect, broke the 466 foedus and expanded at the expense of the Empire. In retrospect, the barbarian invasions were in the year 407, probably so devastating that Olympiodorus of Thebes was perhaps therefore also begin this year his history.
New dating by Kulikowski
It has already been mentioned that the Britannic field army under the usurper Constantine III. intervened in 407 and translated into Gaul. The also already mentioned note of Zosimus now suggests that in Britain was something already at the time of collection of the usurper Marcus is known about the population shifts in the Gallic border area. This is suggested that the late antique historian Renatus Profuturus Frieridus reports of clashes barbarian groups in advance of the Rhine crossing. Thus have (probably as Roman federates ) fought just before the Rhine crossing franc against vandals. Their king Godigisel fell in battle, and the Vandals were saved only by the intervention of troops Alans under Respendial.
The American historian Michael Kulikowski attacked a few years ago on a 1922 represented by Norman Baynes research approach, according to which the Rhine crossing was not to be dated to the year 406/ 07, but 405 /06. Kulikowski came to this conclusion through a rereading of the sources, especially Prosper, who calls the only an exact date. According Kulikowskis it would better fit the style of Prosper, if not December 31 406 December 31 405 but would be meant.
Even from the other side of the thesis Kulikowskis was taken, also a more homogeneous overall picture with regard to the note of Zosimus would therefore still arise. The usurpations in Britain would gain even more plausibility, because ( one follows Kulikowskis approach) was there already 406 of the crossing of the Rhine known and the Britannic troops wanted to intervene in defense of Gaul.
However, also speak some reasons against this theory because Kulikowski provides no satisfactory answer to the question of why the Western Roman army champion Stilicho, the to 408 in fact alone controlled the fate of the Western Empire, after defeating Radagaisus not confronted the invaders in Gaul. This circumstance would rather speak for that in the summer 406 no barbarian groups in Gaul were sunken.
The argument Anthony R. Birleys, who spoke out against the new dating, also Kulikowski has even prompted to question his approach.