Were the Goths and Vandals who conquered Rome in the final years of the empire truly barbarians? Why did the eastern provinces struggle to recruit legionnaires for cohort battle tactics? How did professionalization and reforms carried out by Caracalla affect the Roman army? These topics are discussed with Andrey Valeryevich Bannikov, a candidate of historical sciences and author of the book "Phalanxes and Legions," in the context of Rome’s loss of its former might.