Northern Africa 414: Gothic African expedition

Heraclian’s revolt (413) prevented promised grain shipments from reaching [[W:Athaulf’s Goths in Gaul, provoking the Goths themselves to revolt against Rome and seize Narbona that September. Driven to hunger, a force of Goths tried to sail to Africa but were destroyed in storms near the Strait of Gibraltar.

About this map

Download map
(download without labels)

This map has in-depth notes in the Journal, exclusive to Patrons on Classical Tier and above. Find them in the events descriptions, marked with the Journal icon .

Main Events

Jul 413 Death of Heraclian▲

On 5 July 413 Honorius denounced Heraclian, the recently defeated rebel comes Africae, as a public enemy and ordered his execution. The comes Marinus promptly embarked from Italy for Africa with a small force to enact his emperor’s justice, but by the time he arrived in Carthage, Heraclian was already dead, killed by his own troops in the aedes Memoriae (Temple of Memories). The revolt ended, Marinus assumed authority in Carthage, seizing Heraclian’s property in the name of Flavius Constantius. in wikipedia

Sep 413 Athaulf’s occupation of Narbona▲

Heraclian’s revolt in Africa in 413 meant that the grain that Honorius had promised to Athaulf and his Goths in return for their support against Jovinus could not be delivered. As a result Athaulf and Honorius reopened negotiations, with Honorius promising to deliver the grain when he could in return for the immediate return of his sister Galla Placidia. Refusing these terms and demanding more grain than was initially promised, Athaulf marched unopposed into Narbona (Narbonne) in September 413. With some apparent support from the famine-stricken Gallic populace, the Goths followed this move by establishing control in a number of other towns in the region, including Tolosa (Toulouse) and Burdigala (Bordeaux). in wikipedia

1 Jan 414 Marriage of Athaulf and Galla Placidia▲

By January 413 the standoff between the Gothic king Athaulf and Honorius’ regime remained unresolved, with Honorius refusing to supply the Goths with grain and the Goths refusing to return Honorius’ sister Galla Placidia. Instead, on the 1st, Athaulf married Placidia at Narbona (Narbonne) in a magnificent traditional Roman ceremony complete with gifts from Alaric’s sack of Rome. As a further threat to Honorius’ regime, Placidia gave birth to a son, named Theodosius, later that year. in wikipedia

414? Gothic African expedition▲

About a year before Wallia became King of the Goths in 415, a large party of Goths attempted to sail from Gaul or Spain to Africa. However, their ships were sunk in a storm off the Strait of Gades (Strait of Gibraltar) and almost all of them perished. in wikipedia