The Vandals And The Decline Of Mediterranean Navigation Essay, Research Paper
?
439 Gaiseric an
Vandals conquer Carthage with a fleet they had been using for destructive raids
on Sicily. Romans try to make agreements with Gaiseric, he broke, and 3
unsuccessful expeditions to try and get it back. ?
Persistently pillaged
Sicily in fifties and sixties 0 took land Sardinia, Baleari, Corsica etc.? Rome in 455.? Eventually put down by Justinian in 533 huge fleet, not naval power,
but land logistics. ?
Rouge – Gradual
decline shipping in Med from 3rd century? – decline before Vandals foregone conclusion.? Linked to virtual disappearance of effect
military fleet. Capable of policing the waters.? Vandals, with piracy, step into this vacuum. ?
Hodges and Whitehouse
? show some trade, maybe small flotillas but re-emergence of trade end 5th
century coincides with Vandal peace ? Justinian?s wars of reconquest that
really slowed trade ?
Vandal domination of
Western waters was a political and military problem, not an economic or
commercial one ? linked to decline in Med. Navigation as this allowed Vandals
to operate without obstruction at sea.?
Economic point of view Justinian?s war entirely indispensable ? peace
with Vandal realm contributed to relative prosperity under Anastasius in B. and
Theoderic in West at turn 5th century. ?
Long run ? military
and political view Eastern emperors, imbued with Roman heritage, could not take
peace and stability of Eats procured at expense of cessation of its stern part
to forces beyond Constantinople?s control. ?
Vandals more of a
psychological factor ? like piracy on BCE ? sharpened awareness of importance
Mediterranean in minds of people who dreamt of Roman unification. ?
Justinian: intolerable
dilemma – urge to reconquer Empire greater than political convenience.? Attempt to reconquer tore apart economic
fabric of Mediterranean basic.? West
suffered first but then East itself suffered, vulnerable to attacks from
neighbours. ?
Sassanid Persians
still most dangerous enemy.? B relations
with SP and commitments in MB totally linked ? made a confrontation between
these two great power os late antiquity entirely unavoidable.