Ignorantia de Barbaris. Complacency, Boastfulness and Security in the Roman Worldview in the Face of the New Bordering Peoples in the Mid-third Century A.D.: From Contempt to Bewilderment

A shift from complacency to bewilderment characterized the Roman response to new barbarian peoples, such as the Goths, during the mid-third century AD. This study reveals how Rome's traditional sense of security and boastfulness eroded under pressure from migrating groups, leading to administrative and military abandonment of provinces like Dacia. To cope with this disruption, Roman sources began investigating and assimilating these new groups' origins with ancient ones, such as the Getae and Dacians, laying the groundwork for long-lasting identity confusion and appropriation. This phenomenon extended across Europe from the 4th century onward, reshaping cultural and political realities.

CARBÓ GARCÍA, J. R. (2026). IGNORANTIA DE BARBARIS. COMPLACENCY, BOASTFULNESS AND SECURITY IN THE ROMAN WORLDVIEW IN THE FACE OF THE NEW BORDERING PEOPLES IN THE MID-THIRD CENTURY A.D.: FROM CONTEMPT TO BEWILDERMENT. Classica et Christiana, 21(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.47743/cetc-2026-21.1.61