by the late Roman Empire the so-called barbarians who were initially dominated and incorporated into Roman armies or used as slaves now dominated many parts of the empire As a young man Aetius had been held hostage by barbarians. first by the Goths under Alaric and then by the Huns. Roman relations with these barbarians are indicative of how things had changed since the Republic. Alaric was both a ferocious enemy and an ally so much so that in 405 he was appointed one of ther senior-most generals of the Roman army. The arrangement was temporary however. By408 ' Alaric was fighting against the Romans invading italy and sacking Rome