Introduction:
We are not entirely sure on the origins of Radagaisus. He was called “King of The Goths” and the logical assumption is that he was a ruler of one of the Gothic tribes who had not crossed the Danube, and consequently, were now under Hunnic control. As the Hunnic King, Uldin, extended his power, it is likely that he claimed control over Radagaisus, who lacked the ability to effectively counter him. This would have ultimately lead to Uldin’s control growing to levels that were unacceptable to Radagaisus. Unable to stand up to the Uldin, he instead decided to invade Rome. It is probable that he hoped to achieve what Alaric had, and gain land for his men and a title for himself, in the western empire. The idea that he seriously thought he could completely topple the western empire is unfounded, and highly unlikely.
Turning to Zosimus’s account, Radagaisus gathered his men as well as others who were tired of remaining under Hunnic rule, and crossed the Danube and the Rhine into the empire.
Zosimus says: “While, however, Alaric was standing by ready to obey Stilicho’s orders, Radagaisus gathered 400,000 Gauls and Germans from over the Danube and the Rhine and started to invade Italy.”
It is often claimed that Radagaisus passed through Pannonia, but the statement by Zosimus that he crossed the Danube and Rhine contradicts this. On the contrary, he pillaged Raetia in the summer, and then towards the end of the year he crossed the Brenner Pass into Italy. This would help explain why Alaric (who was in Pannonia) didn’t join him, as he certainly would not have taken the chances of revolting and losing everything on the hopes that a force nowhere near him, lead by a commander he would certainly become subordinate too, would be worth the risk.
However, it is an extreme overexaggeration on Zosimus’s part, to say the forces numbered 400,000. Another source, Orosius, puts the figure at 200,000, but this is still too high. More than likely, this is the result of the fears of the Italians than having any basis in fact. In actuality, the force was more than likely around 50,000 men, with a lot of them being non-combatants, bring the full fighting force to around 20-30 thousand. This had a huge effect on his strategy, as it would force him to make a move that would be his undoing, splitting his forces into 3 to better be able to feed them over winter. Throughout the winter however, Radagaisus and his men pillaged through northern Italy while an outnumbered Stilicho bided his time at Ticinum, sending orders for troops from the Rhine to proceed to Italy, and any available Alans and Huns to join him. All the while, he ordered a recruitment programme to bolster his forces in Italy.
At the start of the campaigning season, Radagaisus, controlling the largest force, moved on Florentia, while the two other forces continued their pillaging through Italy. After Stilicho received his reinforcements and swelled his men to some 20,000, he began to take action to move on Radagaisus. Included in his force were the Alans and Huns, the latter probably lead by Uldin himself, who would have it in his interest to work with the Romans in defeating his former subject. The Goths Stilicho had absorbed into the army after the battle of Verona with Alaric also took part in the action.
Stilicho took Radagaisus completely by surprise, and he was forced to take refuge on the heights around Faesulae, with claims that not a single Roman was slain or wounded. Without an escape route, the Gothic forces were surrounded and starved out. Radagaisus attempted to break out-presumably to one of the other two smaller groups- and fight on there, but was captured and shortly executed. His starved troops-some 12,000 men-promptly surrendered and were absorbed into the Roman force. One of the remaining two groups was quickly defeated by the Huns, and this was likely the fate of the other group as well, with some escaping into Gaul. So many followers were captured, that slaves swelled the markets, and the prices plummeted. Stilicho was the man of the hour, and any opposition in the senate dwindled for the moment. Now Stilicho finally possessed an army capable of, for the first time, possible of going on the offensive, instead of being forced to remain on the defensive.
Note: The divergence point has not been reached yet. It will be reached in the next update. This was just the intro for some background info.
Stilicho
Radagaisus’s Invasion (Late 405-Early 406)
We are not entirely sure on the origins of Radagaisus. He was called “King of The Goths” and the logical assumption is that he was a ruler of one of the Gothic tribes who had not crossed the Danube, and consequently, were now under Hunnic control. As the Hunnic King, Uldin, extended his power, it is likely that he claimed control over Radagaisus, who lacked the ability to effectively counter him. This would have ultimately lead to Uldin’s control growing to levels that were unacceptable to Radagaisus. Unable to stand up to the Uldin, he instead decided to invade Rome. It is probable that he hoped to achieve what Alaric had, and gain land for his men and a title for himself, in the western empire. The idea that he seriously thought he could completely topple the western empire is unfounded, and highly unlikely.
Turning to Zosimus’s account, Radagaisus gathered his men as well as others who were tired of remaining under Hunnic rule, and crossed the Danube and the Rhine into the empire.
Zosimus says: “While, however, Alaric was standing by ready to obey Stilicho’s orders, Radagaisus gathered 400,000 Gauls and Germans from over the Danube and the Rhine and started to invade Italy.”
It is often claimed that Radagaisus passed through Pannonia, but the statement by Zosimus that he crossed the Danube and Rhine contradicts this. On the contrary, he pillaged Raetia in the summer, and then towards the end of the year he crossed the Brenner Pass into Italy. This would help explain why Alaric (who was in Pannonia) didn’t join him, as he certainly would not have taken the chances of revolting and losing everything on the hopes that a force nowhere near him, lead by a commander he would certainly become subordinate too, would be worth the risk.
However, it is an extreme overexaggeration on Zosimus’s part, to say the forces numbered 400,000. Another source, Orosius, puts the figure at 200,000, but this is still too high. More than likely, this is the result of the fears of the Italians than having any basis in fact. In actuality, the force was more than likely around 50,000 men, with a lot of them being non-combatants, bring the full fighting force to around 20-30 thousand. This had a huge effect on his strategy, as it would force him to make a move that would be his undoing, splitting his forces into 3 to better be able to feed them over winter. Throughout the winter however, Radagaisus and his men pillaged through northern Italy while an outnumbered Stilicho bided his time at Ticinum, sending orders for troops from the Rhine to proceed to Italy, and any available Alans and Huns to join him. All the while, he ordered a recruitment programme to bolster his forces in Italy.
At the start of the campaigning season, Radagaisus, controlling the largest force, moved on Florentia, while the two other forces continued their pillaging through Italy. After Stilicho received his reinforcements and swelled his men to some 20,000, he began to take action to move on Radagaisus. Included in his force were the Alans and Huns, the latter probably lead by Uldin himself, who would have it in his interest to work with the Romans in defeating his former subject. The Goths Stilicho had absorbed into the army after the battle of Verona with Alaric also took part in the action.
Stilicho took Radagaisus completely by surprise, and he was forced to take refuge on the heights around Faesulae, with claims that not a single Roman was slain or wounded. Without an escape route, the Gothic forces were surrounded and starved out. Radagaisus attempted to break out-presumably to one of the other two smaller groups- and fight on there, but was captured and shortly executed. His starved troops-some 12,000 men-promptly surrendered and were absorbed into the Roman force. One of the remaining two groups was quickly defeated by the Huns, and this was likely the fate of the other group as well, with some escaping into Gaul. So many followers were captured, that slaves swelled the markets, and the prices plummeted. Stilicho was the man of the hour, and any opposition in the senate dwindled for the moment. Now Stilicho finally possessed an army capable of, for the first time, possible of going on the offensive, instead of being forced to remain on the defensive.
Note: The divergence point has not been reached yet. It will be reached in the next update. This was just the intro for some background info.