Transformation of Gothic power institutions during the migration to the Roman territory

The article is devoted to the period of 369-382 A.D. It was the time in the historyof the Goths and the Roman Empire, when there was a direct clash of the Romans and the Goths. It seems that this was the key periodfor the Barbarians and for the Empire, as during this time the Goths changed the status of the border residents-federates to the habitantsof the empire. Transformation of the power institutions of the Goths in connection with this change is considered in the article. It seemscertain that the leading impetus for this transformation was a system need to interact with the empire. The article presents the interactionstrategies that were used by the Gothic chiefs, as well as Roman emperors; their success or failure on the way to integration of the Gothsin the imperial structure. Sustained contact of the Goths and the Empire created a necessity of the formation of representatives andpower structures. These contacts were limited to treaties based on individual agreements of the leaders of the Goths and Romans. Thetreaty extended for patrilineal descendants of these leaders. This stimulated the transformation of power institutions of the Goths in thedirection of centralization. On the territory of the Empire the dominant trend is the integration of Gothic tribal institutions in the Empire,the situation of crisis of identity and multiple alternatives in the Gothic history. The Empires institutions are not ready for a possiblesettlement of the barbarians on its territory. The events leading to the Battle of Adrianople and following it prove it. In such circumstances,the Goths are returned to the traditional dominant tribal relations - coordinated raids of any kinds. There is disorganization ofpower institutions in the Gothic society in the crisis of the Gothic-Empire relations. Signing a treaty with Theodosius marks the end ofthis period, but the system of these relations is naturally different now than before. Theodosius maintains separate Gothic clans to preventany new general representative of what appears to be reasonable in order to ease the Gothic military capabilities in the situation ofconfrontation with the Empire and promotes the Roman hierarchy in the Gothic society. Strengthening Gothic integration in the Romanarmy meant the growing importance of the Roman military status for the Goths. The death of the Emperor put an end to the new systemof relations between the Goths and Romans in the borders of the empire, and marked the beginning of spontaneous search for alternativestrategies for the development of the power evolution of the Gothic society.

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