foederati
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌfɔɪdəˈrɑːti/
- Archaic
- Many foederati were once independent tribes that allied with Rome to ensure their survival and gain territories.
Examples
-
The defense of both regions was not based on large army units, but on a combination of local militia and treaties with desert tribes known as foederati (Pringle 1981, 13-16).
Academic text (1991) -
The foederati provided essential military support to the Roman legions in exchange for land and protection.
-
The foederati conquered Rome repeatedly and ultimately ended the Western Empire.
Blog text (2) -
After the non-Roman auxiliaries were assimilated into the legions, there was a greater need for foederati with their own internal organizations.
Blog text (31) -
It's just as if they were talking about Honorius Flavius Impotus ordering the Foederati deported!
Blog text (32) -
As foederati, these groups were crucial in defending the Roman Empire from external threats while receiving land in return.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Foederati comes from the Latin foedus, which means 'treaty' or 'agreement' and is related to English words like federal and federation. So foederati were groups who made a treaty with Rome and were often given land in return for military help.