The Alans in Gaul

The barbarian invasions of the fifth century have been studied in great detail, and the major participants in these invasions — the Franks, Visigoths, Vandals, and Huns — have rightly received the bulk of scholarly attention. Smaller groups of invaders such as the Alans, several bands of which settled in Gaul, have not received notice commensurate with their importance. While most of the better histories of the late empire mention the Alans, no adequate study has been made of their settlement in Gaul. In this paper an attempt will be made to ascertain the role played by the Alans in Gaul during the fifth century.