[Logophile]

The Western Roman Empire had already been ravaged by Visigoths, Vandals, Suebi, Alamanni, Burgundians and other barbarian tribes.

The Visigoths had been allowed by Theodosius the Great (AD 378–395) to settle along the Danube inside the borders of the Empire. The barbarians were recognized by treaty as an independent people having their own rulers and their own army. (Most Romans of the time were disarmed.) The Visigoths were exempted from Roman taxation and Roman civil and criminal law. In return, they agreed to help defend the Empire against other barbarians. (Doing a job that Romans wouldn't do?) That policy led directly to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476.

[indcons]

(Doing a job that Romans wouldn't do?)"

LOL.....

Thanks for the fascinating bit of history in the rest of the post.