Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

the fall of the western empire 29
of Gaul with the Burgundians (Sid. Ap. Ep. 1.7.5). Shortly afterwards,
another high civilian imperial official, Seronatus, possibly vicarius to the
Gallic prefect, visited Euric on several occasions and encouraged him in
the same direction. Seronatus was brought to trial and executed before 475
(PLRE ii.995f.). By the mid 470s, Romans were holding high civilian
appointments under Gothic kings. The first known example is Leo of
Narbonne, who became Euric’s chief civilian adviser (PLRE ii.662f.).
As Gothic influence increased, more Romans took up service among the
Goths, prompted by a wide variety of motives. Some probably did think
that accommodation with the Goths and others was the best way to maintain
order in a changing political climate (cf. Paulinus of Pella, Euch. 290ff.).
Others were probably more personally ambitious. Sidonius is perhaps
being ironic in commenting, in a letter to Namatius, on how sensible it is
of him to follow ‘the standards of a victorious people’ (Ep. 8.6.16). In addition,
recent studies have stressed how competitive were the lives of Gallo-
Roman aristocrats. They were constantly in dispute with one another for
prestige and financial gain. 78 In circumstances where Gothic power was
increasing, it became only natural to look to the Goths for assistance in
both climbing to the top and staying there.
This whole process of accommodation between immigrants and Roman
élites was, however, far from smooth. In the fifth century, as we have seen,
western imperial authorities conducted a whole series of major campaigns
and fought countless minor engagements to maintain their control. Local
assertions of independence and the so-called bagaudic movements also
involved violence and disruption on a very considerable scale. Even relatively
peaceful transfers of loyalty among the landowners of southern Gaul
could be traumatic. A good case in point is that of Arvandus, the Gallic
prefect toppled for plotting with the Goths. He was taken before the senate
in Rome, where his accusers were fellow Gallic aristocrats. All were related
to, or associates of, Sidonius, whose letter describing the trial is strongly
critical of Arvandus. Yet, despite being sentenced to death, Arvandus was
eventually spared, partly because Sidonius and his friends appealed for his
life (Sid. Ap. Ep. 1.7.4ff.). The rise of Gothic power thus split opinion in
southern Gaul. Nor is Arvandus an isolated example. Calminius, correspondent
of Sidonius, fought for the Goths at Clermont, at the same time
as Sidonius was busy conducting its defence (Sid. Ap. Ep. 5.12).
While some were willing to work with Gothic kings, therefore, others
were not, especially when the Goths threw off their allegiance to the
empire. Sidonius himself is representative of this strand of opinion. He
was happy to work with, and even praise, the Goths when they were a plank
of Avitus’ regime (see p. 20 above). He was also willing to accept Gothic
78 Van Dam, Leadership and Community 57ff.; Brown (1982); Harries (1995) ch. 1.
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