Great Conspiracy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Great Conspiracy
Part of the Roman occupation of Britain
Northern Roman Britain, c. 350–400 AD.
Date 367–368 Location Roman Britain Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Empire	Picts Scotti Attacotti Saxons Franks Roman deserters rebellious Britons
Commanders and leaders
Nectaridus  † Fullofaudes Severus Jovinus Count Theodosius	Valentinus and others

The Great Conspiracy was a year-long state of war and disorder that occurred near the end of Roman Britain. The historian Ammianus Marcellinus described it as a barbarica conspiratio, which took advantage of a depleted military force in the province; many soldiers had marched with Magnentius in his unsuccessful bid to become emperor. Few returned, and supply, pay, and discipline in the following years may have been deficient.

It is difficult to ascertain the exact chronology of the events because their main source, Ammianus, was living in Antioch at that time. His information looks second-hand and confused and some is inconsistent with that produced by other sources.

Conspiracy

According to Ammianus, the following events occurred: In the winter of 367, the Roman garrison on Hadrian's Wall rebelled and allowed Picts from Caledonia to enter Britannia. Simultaneously, Attacotti, the Scotti from Hibernia and Saxons from Germania landed in what might have been coordinated and pre-arranged waves on the island's mid-western and southeastern borders, respectively. The warbands managed to overwhelm nearly all of the loyal Roman outposts and settlements. ..... Franks and Saxons also landed in northern Gaul.

Nectaridus, the comes maritime tractus (commanding general of the sea coast region), was killed, and a Dux, Fullofaudes, was either besieged or captured. The location of their defeats are often supposed to have been in Britain, but may have been in Gaul. The remaining loyal army units stayed garrisoned inside southeastern cities.

The miles areani, the local Roman agents who provided intelligence on barbarian movements, seem to have betrayed their paymasters for bribes, which made the attacks completely unexpected. Deserting soldiers and escaped slaves roamed the countryside and turned to robbery to support themselves. Although the chaos was widespread and initially concerted, the rebels had aims simply of personal enrichment and worked as small bands rather than larger armies.

Political effects

Theodosius returned to Rome a hero and was made senior military advisor to Valentinian to replace Jovinus. A decade later, his son became emperor.

The Romans had ended much of the chaos, but raids by all of the people listed above continued.