The Franks

by Simon MacDowall

Overview

How a relatively small group of Germans came to be overlords of all of the former Roman province of Gaul—giving their name to France in the process.
 
Simon MacDowall studies the Frankish way of warfare and assesses its effectiveness, from their earliest incursions into the Empire, down to the Battle of Casilinum (554), their last battle against Romans, The size and composition of their armies, their weapons (including the characteristic Francisca axe), equipment, and tactics are discussed.
 
In this tumultuous period, the Franks had a complex relationship with the Romans, being by turns invaders, recruits to the legions, and independent allies. Accordingly, this book also covers the Franks’ role in defending the Rhine frontier against subsequent invasions by the Vandals, Alans, Suebi, and the Huns. Their success in defending their new homeland against all comers allowed them, under the leadership of the Merovingian dynasty of Clovis, to establish the Frankish kingdom as one of the most enduring of the “barbarian” successors to the power of Rome.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473889606
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	07/30/2018
Series:	Conquerors of the Roman Empire
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	773,164
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Simon MacDowall was born in England but from the age of 10 grew up in Canada. He joined the Canadian army, was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Dragoons and saw active service with the UN in Honduras and Nicuragua and with NATO in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. In 1994 he was the UN spokesman in Sarajevo. He later worked for NATO as a civilian before joining the UK civil service, where he was the Communications Director for several departments, including the Ministry of Defence and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. In his spare time he is a keen wargamer and military historian, with eight previous books to his name, including two previous volumes in this series: The Vandals and The Goths.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations vi

Maps ix

Chapter 1 The Rhine Tribes 1

Chapter 2 Gaul on the Brink 14

Chapter 3 Rome's Last Grasp 35

Chapter 4 Defending the Rhine 61

Chapter 5 Aetius and Attila 78

Chapter 6 The End of Roman Gaul 101

Chapter 7 From Gaul to Francia 116

Chapter 8 The War in Italy 135

Chapter 9 The Frankish Way of War 145

Chapter 10 The Legacy of the Franks 154

Appendix I The Fifth Century Roman Army of Gaul 158

Appendix II The Fifth Century Roman Army of Italy 162

Chronology 166

Notable Frankish, Alamannic and Burgundian Leaders 173

The Later Roman Emperors 176

Glossary 180

Select Bibliography 185

Index 188