Investigation Long read
To what extent did the 4th century Alamanni pose a greater threat than their 1st century predecessors?
This dissertation considers to what extent did the 4th century Alamanni pose a greater threat than the various tribes who occupied the upper and high Rhine area in the 1st century. The Alamanni originally comprised of bands of Elbgermanic raiders who settled on former Roman territory east of the Rhine during the 3rd century during a period of internal upheaval for the Roman Empire. Through utilising primary sources from Ammianus Marcellinus, Gregory of Tours and primary sources found in secondary literature, alongside evidence from a range of secondary sources, this dissertation argues that the 4th century Alamanni posed a greater threat than their 1st century predecessors by a considerable extent. This argument is developed through the chapters on the threat posed to the provinces, individual emperors and usurpers and the threat posed to the Roman military. This dissertation affirms John Drinkwater’s argument that the Alamannic population was too small to pose a mortal threat to the Roman Empire but also aligns with Peter Heather assertion that although the Alamanni were not an existential threat they were still a threat, nonetheless.
