Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom: Map & History
In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the Roman Empire's western provinces collectively during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court.
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In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the Roman Empire's western provinces collectively during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. Particularly from AD 395 to 476, there were separate, coequal courts dividing the governance of the empire into western and eastern provinces with a distinct imperial succession in the separate courts. The terms Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire were coined in modern times to describe political entities that were de facto independent; contemporary Romans did not consider the Empire to have been split into two empires but viewed it as a single polity governed by two imperial courts for administrative purposes. The Western Empire collapsed in 476, and the Western imperial court in Ravenna disappeared by 554, at the end of Justinian's Gothic War, marking one of the most transformative political changes during the era of late antiquity.
Modern Countries Once Part of Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom
At its mapped extent, Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom covered territory in 22 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Switzerland426–475 CE · nearly all
- Bosnia and Herzegovina426–454 CE · nearly all
- Luxembourg426–461 CE · nearly all
- Slovenia426–475 CE · nearly all
- Andorra426–475 CE · nearly all
- Liechtenstein426–475 CE · nearly all
- San Marino426–475 CE · nearly all
- Vatican (Holy See)426–475 CE · nearly all
- Belgium426–461 CE · most
- Austria426–475 CE · most
- France426–475 CE · most
- Italy426–475 CE · most
- Tunisia426–442 CE · most
- Croatia426–475 CE · most
- Hungary426–450 CE · a large part
- Spain426–475 CE · a large part
- Portugal458–475 CE · a large part
- Germany426–475 CE · a small part
- Netherlands426–438 CE · a small part
- Morocco426–438 CE · a small part
- Algeria426–442 CE · a small part
- Libya426–442 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom in Depth
History
Honorius, the younger son of Theodosius I, was declared Augustus (and as such co-emperor with his father) on 23 January in 393, at the age of 9. Upon the death of Theodosius, Honorius inherited the throne of the West at the age of ten whilst his older brother Arcadius inherited the East. The western capital was initially Mediolanum, as it had been during previous divisions, but it was moved to Ravenna in 401 upon the entry of the Visigothic king Alaric I into Italy. Ravenna, protected by abundant marshes and strong fortifications, was far easier to defend and had easy access to the imperial fleet of the Eastern Empire but made it more difficult for the Roman military to defend the central parts of Italy from regular barbarian incursions.
Legacy
As the Western Roman Empire crumbled, the new Germanic rulers who conquered its constituent provinces maintained most Roman laws and traditions. Many of the invading Germanic tribes were already Christianized, although most were followers of Arianism. They quickly changed their adherence to the state church of the Roman Empire. This helped cement the loyalty of the local Roman populations, as well as the support of the powerful Bishop of Rome. Although they initially continued to recognize indigenous tribal laws, they were more influenced by Roman law and gradually incorporated it. Roman law, particularly the Corpus Juris Civilis collected on the orders of Justinian I, is the basis of modern civil law. In contrast, common law is based on Germanic Anglo-Saxon law.
Background
As the Roman Republic expanded, it reached a point where the central government in Rome could not effectively rule the distant provinces. Communications and transportation were especially problematic given the vast extent of the Empire. News of invasion, revolt, natural disasters, or epidemic outbreak was carried by ship or mounted postal service, often requiring much time to reach Rome and for Rome's orders to be returned and acted upon. Therefore, provincial governors had de facto autonomy in the name of the Roman Republic. Governors had several duties, including the command of armies, handling the taxes of the province and serving as the province's chief houses.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Western Roman Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom: Key Facts
| Capital | Ravenna |
|---|---|
| Religion | Christianity |
| Form of government | autocracy, monarchy |
| Currency | Roman currency |
| Founded | 17 January 395 CE |
| Dissolved | 476 CE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Kingdom of Italy
- Visigothic Kingdom of Tolosa
- Byzantine Empire
- Kingdom of the Suebi
- Vandal Kingdom
Facts from Wikidata Q42834 (CC0).
Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,593,188 km² in 432 CE.
Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom exist?
The Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom is dated to 426 CE – 475 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of the Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom?
The capital of the Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom was Mediolanum, (395–401), Ravenna, (401–403, 408–450, 457–461, 475–476), Rome (403–408, 450–457, 461–475), Salona/Spalatum, (475–480).
How large was the Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom at its peak?
At its peak in 432 AD the Alliance between Western Roman Empire and Visigothic Kingdom covered about 1,593,188 km².