Why were the early medieval rulers so desperate to be associated

>>2722332

>but especially in places like Gaul you'd think the locals wouldn't be too keen on "romanitas" anyway
Yeah, it was just their way of life for like four centuries, pretty irrelevant it seems.

Because Rome was the greatest empire in history. Why wouldn't you want to emulate them if you're a ruler? The Romans during Republic times emulated Alexander for the exact same reason.

>>2722343
If you essentially conquer a civilization there would surely be the temptation to present yourself as distinct and superior to it
>>2722340
This was the case in many places and yet for example in Britain there is absolutely no effort to preserve anything Roman

>>2722340

The Gauls literally started to kill the Romans when the empire showed weakness (see Bagaudae)

>>2722359
>If you essentially conquer a civilization
lmao read up on late roman history, the Barbarian invasions weren't conquest as much as migration, most of the barbarian kingdoms that invaded the Roman empire did so because of the huns and environmental reasons, the Romans - being too weak at the time had no way of stopping the migration or properly dispersing the population so the kings carried their kingdoms into the Roman empire.

There was an understanding between the Romans and the Barbarians for most of the time that the two coexisted in the same space that the Barbarians were simply new subjects to Roman rule as nobody really had a grasp of the concept of 'no roman empire'

>>2723893
I knew all of that, thanks. This is why I wrote "essentially". Yes it wasn't literal conquest but a slow displacement of one culture by another. My point stands and so does my question

>>2722332
Because Rome even then was Romanticised, also
>being christian
>not paying your respects to the church
Can#'t tip any harder lad

>>2723906
>Yes it wasn't literal conquest but a slow displacement of one culture by another
no it wasn't, there weren't enough Barbarians to slowly displace Roman culture the two cultures just diffused into each other over time.

Early medieval rulers wanted to be associated with Rome and the church because they lived in Rome and the church was as much a part of their religion and identity at the time as it was Romes. They weren't victorious conquerors as much as "o shit there's no emperor anymore and I have this standing army that can project power I guess".