The Roman Empire's strength lay in its ability to incorporate diverse peoples, which was lost as it resisted integrating the Goths.

By the 3rd century, the Romans were fighting wars on their own territory, leading to a long-term degradation of their military and political power.

The Romans would often take the sons of conquered tribal leaders, raise them as Romans, and incorporate them into their society, turning enemies into allies. As early as the second century AD, Roman emperors and senators began to come from provinces like Spain and North Africa, rather than just Italy.

The Roman Empire's vast size made effective governance challenging, leading to slow communication and a natural fragmentation of power.

The Roman military was a massive force of half a million people, integrating foreigners and turning them into Romans over time.

The Romans, facing their darkest hour during the Second Punic War, adapted their strategies to survive and ultimately became an unbeatable force in the Mediterranean.

The crisis of the 3rd century saw multiple generals declaring themselves emperor, leading to civil wars and vulnerabilities that allowed barbarian invasions.

The loss of a unifying enemy like Carthage contributed to the breakdown of political cohesion in Rome, allowing for civil wars and the rise of personalist armies.

The Romans focused on flexibility in their military organization, allowing them to adapt and overcome traditional heavy infantry tactics used by their enemies.