Transformations in the Roman West

Abstract

This chapter examines the processes of transformation that took place in the Roman West between the third and fifth centuries AD, with particular reference to the case of the Alamanni. More precisely, it discusses the historic processes and corresponding archaeological remains in the region between the rivers Main and Rhine and the Danube valley in what is known today as southern Germany. Specific sites such as military facilities, urban and rural settlements, and hoards and cemeteries from late antiquity and the early migration period are explored. The chapter concludes by citing archaeological evidence showing the early Alamanni experiencing profound changes in infrastructure and local organization as well as its continued integration into the Roman Empire’s system of border defence.