Warfare, economy and relations of production in post-roman southern Gaul

Abstract

Warfare was a widespread phenomenon in sixth-century southern Gaul. Its ubiquity was fueled largely by the nature of political dynamics in the kingdoms, by the kind of interaction between kings and aristocrats. This paper analyzes its influence on the relations of production and on the economy in the region. Specifically, it argues that warfare favored the instability of the bonds of dependency and –consequently– the economic downturn that characterized the period