THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO GEISERIC THE STATESMAN A STUDY OF VANDAL FOREIGN POLICY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DIVISION OF THE HUMANITIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICAL LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES BY FRANK METLAR CLOVER, III CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DECEMBER, 1966 PREFACE A study of the foreign relations of the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa should extend at least from the accession of the Vandal King Geiseric in Spain in 428 to the end of the Vandal Kingdom in 533. Because of the vast scope of such an undertaking, I have ended the current study with the death of Geiseric in 477. I will probably extend my investigation to the year 533 before attempting publication. During the preparation of this dissertation I received considerable assistance from many members of the faculty of the University of Chicago. Professors Edward L. Bassett, Richard T. Bruère, and Benedict Einarson helped me interpret many a difficult passage in the sources. Professor Eric Hamp aided me in dealing with certain problems of German nomenclature. Professor Walter Kaegi gave me valuable help on many difficult points of Byzantine history. I am particularly indebted to Professor Stewart I. Oost for suggesting the topic to me and for providing critical and bibliographical assistance at every stage of preparation. ii For a dissertation of this size, proofreading is an extremely difficult chore. My father-in-law, Walter S. Wagner, and my wife, Dorothy Helen, not only undertook this task, but also contributed many helpful suggestions regarding the content of my work. ill TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE................................................. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS................................... v Chapter I. THE INVASION.................................. 1 II. TOWARD CARTHAGE................................ 32 III. CARTHAGE....................................... 65 IV. THE WARY ENTENTE.............................. 103 V. R O M E ........................................... I38 VI. UT IPSE IN AFRICA QUIETUS REGNARET............ 163 APPENDIX............................................... 227 LIST OF REFERENCES..................................... 229 iv