30.7. 7. Different Ways of dividing the Land.
After the Goths and
Burgundians had, under various pretences, penetrated into the heart of
the empire, the Romans, in order to put a stop to their devastations,
were obliged to provide for their subsistence. At first they allowed
them corn,
[10]
but afterwards chose to give them lands. The emperors, or
the Roman magistrates, in their name, made particular conventions with
them concerning the division of lands,
[11]
as we find in the chronicles
and in the codes of the Visigoths
[12]
and Burgundians.
[13]
The Franks did not follow the same plan. In the Salic and Ripuarian
laws, we find not the least vestige of any such division of lands; they
had conquered the country, and so took what they pleased, making no
regulations but among themselves.
Let us, therefore, distinguish between the conduct of the
Burgundians and Visigoths in Gaul, of those same Visigoths in Spain, of
the auxiliary troops under Augustulus and Odoacer in ltaly,
[14]
and that
of the Franks in Gaul, as also of the Vandals in Africa.
[15]
The former
entered into conventions with the ancient inhabitants, and in
consequence thereof made a division of lands between them; the latter
did no such thing.
Footnotes
[10]
The Romans obliged themselves to this by treaties. See Zozimus,
v, upon the distribution of corn demanded by Alaric. — ED.
[11]
Marius' "Chronicle" in the year 456.
[12]
Book x, tit. 1, sections 8, 9, & 16.
[13]
Chapter 54, section 1, 2. This division was still subsisting in
the time of Louis the Debonnaire, as appears by his Capitulary of the
year 829, which has been inserted in the "Law of the Burgundians," tit.
79, section 1.
[14]
See Procopius, "War of the Goths."
[15]
See Procopius, "War of the Vandals."
