Page 105 - Envoys and Political Communication in the Late Antique West 411 - 533

The provincial view of Hydatius

Table 1 (cont.)

6 440 c. 121 [113] The comes Censorius, returning from an embassy to the Sueves,
is besieged at Mertola in southern Lusitania by the Suevic king
Rechila and surrenders himself. Cf. c. 139 [131]: Censorius is
killed atSeville in 449 (date: Burgess, Chronicle, 44).

Imperial campaigns against Bagaudae in Terraconensis 441–3 (cc. 125,128 [117,120])
The magister utriusque militiae Vitus campaigns against the Sueves in Carthaginiensis and
Baetica,but is defeated 446 (c. 134 [126])
The new Suevic king Rechiarius expands into the ulteriores regiones, forms a marriage
2
alliance with the Gothic king Theodoric I,and attacks Terraconensis 448–9 (cc. 137,140,142
[129,132,134])

7 453 c. 155 [147] The comes Hispaniarum Mansuetus and the comes Fronto are sent
to the Sueves and successfully obtain prescribed terms. Possibly
this refers to the return of Carthaginiensis from Suevic to
imperial authority; cf. c. 168 [161], Tranoy ii, 95.
8 454 (Multiple embassies)
c. 161 [153] After the murder of Aetius, Valentinian III sends envoys ad gentes;
Hydatius names only the envoy Justinian, sent to the Sueves.
9 455 c. 166 [159] The western emperor Avitus sends envoys to the eastern
emperor Marcian ‘on behalf of the unity of the empire’. Cf. 169
[162]; Tranoy ii, 101.

Sueves attack Carthaginiensis,previously returned to imperial authority,455 (c. 168 [161])
10–12 456
10 and 11 ( Jointembassies)
456 c. 170 [163] The emperor Avitus sends the comes Fronto (cf. (7)) to the
Sueves (10). At the same time the Gothic king Theodoric II also
sends envoys to the Sueves (11), asking the Sueves to observe
their alliances with both the Romans and the Goths (cf. cc. 140,
142; 155 [132, 134; 147]). The embassies presumably concern
renewed Suevic expansion into the province of Carthaginiensis
(cf. c. 168 [161]). The Suevic king Rechiarius rejects both the
imperial and Gothic envoys and attacks Terraconensis.
12 456 c. 172 [165] Theodoric II again sends envoys to Rechiarius. They are
ignored as the Sueves further their assault on Terraconensis.
(cf. Jordanes, Get., 231).

The Goths,at the order of the emperor Avitus,enter Gallaecia,and attack and defeat Rechiarius
(cc. 173–5 [166–8])
(cont.)

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