==Expansion to the Mediterranean==Because the Romans had to fight against the Franks, who plundered Cologne and Trier in 435, and because of other events Theodoric saw the chance to conquer Narbo Martius (in 436) to obtain access to the Mediterranean Sea and the roads to the Pyrenees.
Po smrti cesarja Honorija in Joanesovi uzurpaciji oblasti leta 423 so v Rimskem cesarstvu izbruhnili notranji nemiri.