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I'm curious as to what the impacts would be of a massive defence in depth strategy for the Western Roman Empire that used the entirety of Gaul as a playground for foederati - instead of spending money fortifying the length of the Rhine, instead leaving troops in Britannia, Hispania and Italia - fortifying the passes and building coastal defences in Britain.

The principle would be that the Foederati would be negotiated with as per OTL to protect Gaul, but the Romans wouldn't be overly fussed to reassert their authority. Instead, they'd try and use soft-power to keep the Foederati on side (trade, prestige, gold, etc) but having very little problem with Gallic Foederati going to war with each other. Perhaps an arrangement where the Romans would help out the Foederati who were attacked, and only retaking territory when the Romans had the money and manpower to spare.

I think it seems unusual as a strategy, but with Foederati vs Foederati vs Germanics fighting, and the region surrounded, I think it could provide the Empire with one major Italio-Eastern territory, the Fortresses (early Exarchs?) of Britannia and Hispania, and the Foederati territory of Gaul. It shortens the borders (overall), and creates a situation where the Empire doesn't have to defend its Rhine border, but instead both undermines the Germanic people in the region as money isn't being spent on forts to buy wheat, and leaving them to fight amongst themselves.

I'm not 100% but I think it could be a way to save the Empire - even if it does throw Gaul and Germania into possible chaos, which the Empire can take advantage of diplomatically in the meantime, and then invade once they've recovered from plagues and political issues.
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