80*VALENTINIAN III (35; r.425-455) (W)
Vandal Kingdom (431-534)
The Vandals are believed to have migrated from southern Scandinavia across the Baltic Sea into today’s Poland during the second century BC and to have settled in Silesia (southwest) from around 120 BC. In 166 the Asdingi Vandals raided Dacia, and in 171 they were given permission to settle there. By 270 some Asdingi had settled in Pannonia. In 400/1 the Vandals (Asdingi and Silingi), along with their allies the Alani and Suebi, possibly driven by the Huns, moved westwards into Roman territory. In 406 they crossed the Rhine and moved towards the Pyrenees, which they traversed in 409 and proceeded to divide Hispania between them to settle.
In 418 the Silingi Vandals were destroyed by the Visigoths. By 428 the Asdingi Vandals had captured Cartagena and Seville, but their king Gunderic died in the latter city and was succeeded by his half-brother Gaiseric (77; r.428-477). In 429 Gaiseric heard that a Suebi warlord Heremigarius (fl.427-428) was plundering Lusitania, seemingly acting independently of the Suebi king Hermeric. Gaiseric returned with some of his men and near Emerita (=Merida; central-southwest Spain) defeated this Suebi army, their leader Heremigarius drowning in the Guadiana River while trying to flee.
In spring 429 Gaiseric crossed to Africa with all the Vandal people and occupied the provinces of Mauretania. Placentia’s envoy Darius negotiated first a truce and then a treaty between Bonifacius and Sigisvultus. Bonifacius confronted the Vandals but after a defeat by Gaiseric near the city of Calama (=Guelma) in 430, he withdrew to the walled city of Hippo Regius (=Annaba, northeast corner of Algeria).
After a fourteen-month siege Bonifacius left the city, leaving it to the mercy of Gaiseric, and joined forces with Aspar who had been sent by Theodosius II. In May 431, Felix and his wife were accused of plotting against Aetius, and he had them killed. Placidia, alarmed at Aetius’ dominance, appealed to Bonifacius for help. In early 432 Bonifacius and Aspar engaged Gaiseric in battle, but they were defeated.
Soon after the departure of the Vandals to North Africa, the Suebi under their king Hermeric had attacked inland areas of Hispania but were repelled. The following year they attacked again and the provincials, presumably less than confident that they could defeat the invaders this time, sent Hydatius (c.69; fl.c.417-c.460), the bishop of Aquae Flaviae (=Chaves) in Gallaecia, to seek the intervention of Aetius. In 432 Aetius sent Hydatius back with the comes, Censorius (fl.432-448), who concluded an agreement with the Suebi.
In 432 Bonifacius returned from Africa to Italy and Placidia appointed him magister militum utriusque and patricius of the West. In a battle near Ariminum (=Rimini) in northern Italy, he defeated Aetius but was himself mortally wounded. His post of magister militum utriusque passed to his son-in-law Sebastianus (3). Aetius retreated to his country estates but after an attempt was made on his life he turned to Huns once more. In 433 he returned to Italy with sufficiently large Hunnic reinforcements to cause Sebastianus to flee to Constantinople (where he remained until 444). By the end of 433 Aetius’ position in the West, with both of his main rivals defeated, was unchallenged. In exchange for the Huns’ help, Aetius allowed them to settle in Pannonia, along the Sava River (434).
In 434 the Vandals in Africa defeated an Eastern Roman force under Aspar and forced him to withdraw. In 435 Gaiseric was given parts of the Mauretanias and Numidia in return for serving as foederati. In 439 Gaiseric broke the treaty and invaded the province of Africa Proconsularis, seizing Carthage on 19 October. The city was captured without a fight and the Vandals now in full control of North Africa could cut off the grain supplies to Italy.
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