[pierrem15]

Yes. The Roman response to that disaster was to use quite a bit of money to set up client kingdoms (foederati) among the German tribes to provide some control over the frontier.

The Romans' ability to "manage" the Germans already began to break down during the reign of Marcus Aureleus at the end of the second century as attacks on the Empire by the Persians drained both money and troops from the Rhine and Danube frontiers.

As civil wars and wars with Sassanid Persia ravaged the Empire in the third century, this system began to break down completely and large barbarian raids deep into the Empire took place, which resulted in huge "punishment" raids into Germany when the distracted Romans had the opportunity.

[DCBryan1]

[Verginius Rufus]

The Persians don't become a problem until the 220s--until then the enemy in the east was the Parthian kingdom. There was a major war against the Parthians in the 160s, commanded by Lucius Verus (co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius).

Marcus Aurelius spent much of his time on the Danube frontier fighting the Marcomanni and Quadi--he died either in Vindobona (modern Vienna) or at another place on the Danube. His successor Commodus quickly ended the war--sort of the Roman counterpart to Obama being eager to end Bush's war in Iraq regardless of the consequences.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Thanks!