[darkagebritain] Re: Aetius' fourth consulship
- From: "Dane Pestano" <dane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <darkagebritain@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 16:17:54 +0100
Hi Robert,
I think our debate depends on a translation of Hydatius. This is the one I
have :
"In the second year of the reign of Emperor Marcian, when the Huns
who were plundering Italy had also taken some cities by storm, they
were struck through divine providence by heaven-sent disasters, some
with hunger and some with a disease. They were also slaughtered by
auxiliaries sent by Marcian and commanded by Aetius and, at the same
time, were subdued in their homelands by the heaven-sent disasters
as well as by the army of Marcian. And so, subdued, they made peace
with the Romans and all returned to their homelands. Their king,
Attila, died there soon after his return."
Here quite clearly Aetius commands the army in Italy but it is not said who
commanded them in the army that slaughtered the Huns in their homeland. So
in effect it looks to me like two separate armies. A few auxiliaries sent to
Aetius to harry Atilla and then a larger force, an Army, was sent to the
Hunnish homeland to finish them off.
This is how I read it but it could be read the other way I suppose. You are
better with Latin. What do you make of the distinction between the
auxiliaries of Aetius and that of the army of the homeland slaughter.
Regards
Dane
-----Original Message-----
From: darkagebritain-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:darkagebritain-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of hotmail
(vortigernstudies)
Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 3:42 PM
To: darkagebritain@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [darkagebritain] Re: Aetius' fourth consulship
Hi Dane,
It's not not said that he 'never could be', but it's also not said that he
needs to be the same man. Constantines and Theodosioi are all over the
place, names like Bassus and Symmachus are to be found as consuls all over
the 4th and 5th c, obviously not the same men due to age differences. So in
theory it could be another Aetius. The difficult part is, as Thompson
admits, that only Hydatius in far-off Spain reports this fact - but then
Hydatius reports other factiods not reported by eastern chronists.
I think the main point to be considered is that Aetius cannot be in two
places at once: the western Aetius, working in his own jurisdiction, is
shadowing Attila. He is reported as having only a small force (apparently
the Goths withdrew their support now that Attila left Gaul?). The eastern
Aetius however, working for Marcian (NOT 'our' Aetius' lord and master) is
sent with a large enough force to attack the Huns homelands. Hydatius is
obviously not referring to an attack on Attila in Italy, but way back in the
Huns' rear. Hydatius does not need to say anything about an eastern or
western general, if you command eastern forces on orders of Constantinople
you're an eastern general :)
Aetius cannot be in two places at once (both in Italy in 452 and north of
the Danube in 452), nor can he be serving two lords at once (I have yet to
encounter a Western patrician who was also an Eastern dux).
The consular list indeed mentions 'an' Aetius as consul, but that does not
mean he was the same one either. But even if the Aetius from the consular
list is Flavius Aetius, the general from Hydatius is probably a different
man anyway.
Do we have sources confirming the 4th consulship of Flavius Aetius outside
the consular list?
Best,
Robert
Vortigern Studies
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Dane Pestano" <dane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 4:46 PM
To: <darkagebritain@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [darkagebritain] Re: Aetius' fourth consulship
> Hi Robert and Mat
>
> Good stuff. But why could this Aetius not be `our Aetius'? (Hydatius
> refers
> to both as Aetio Duce) He had recently defeated the Hun in Gaul in 451
> and
> would be available to take them on in Italy in 452, having made sure the
> Visigoths had returned home. Gibbon says that Aetius harried Atilla with a
> smaller force as Atilla made his way through Italy. This may be what
> Hydatius is referring to. Or is Gibbon using Hydatius to make this
> connection. Hydatius doesn't seem to indicate it is an eastern General? He
> just says that Aetius commanded the auxiliaries sent by Marcian.
>
> The consular lists do seem to list Aetius as 4th consul according to
> Mommsen, so I agree with you in that it's not at all clear there was an
> eastern general of the same name.
>
> Regards
> Dane
Other related posts:
