Late Roman Empire, Valentinian-Theodosian Dynasty (364-455): Valens’ Second Gothic War [5/6]

70 *VALENTINIAN II (24; r.375-392) (Italy→W)

Valens’ Second Gothic War (376-378) [5/6]

When Valentinian died on campaign in Pannonia in 375, his generals acclaimed his four-year-old son ³⁸Flavius Valentinianus augustus. Gratian had to accept the generals’ decision and took charge of the Gaul prefecture, while the Italy and Illyricum prefectures came under the rule of his brother.

From 369 to 372 Athanaric, believing that Christianity would undermine the traditions of the Goths, conducted a systematic persecution of the Christians in his realm, many of whom had been converted by the missionary Ulfilas (c.72; fl.348-383). Athanaric’s persecutions led to a division within the community when his rival, Fritigern (fl.376-380), agreed to convert to Christianity in exchange for the support of Valens.

In 375 the Huns (nomads from the Central Asian Steppes) fighting their way westwards absorbed most of the Greuthungi (now known as the Ostrogoths) and attacked the Tervingi. In 376 the Tervingi and some of the Greuthungi moved southwards to the Danube to seek permission to cross the river and be given refuge inside the Roman Empire.

Fritigern and his people were given permission to enter the Empire, while the same was denied to Athanaric’s Tervingi and Greuthungi who then looked for ways to cross the river anyway. The Roman authorities seem to have underestimated the numbers who were to cross the river because food supplies began to run out. The opportunity to exploit the situation was too great for many on the Roman side. The administrators ³³Flavius Lupicinus and the future emperor ⁴³Flavius Magnus Maximus (c.53; fl.376-388) let hunger do its work and then sold food at extortionate prices to the Tervingi.

Later in the year, Fritigern’s Tervingi began to show signs of rebellion. Lupicinus mustered his troops and began the long overdue transfer of the Tervingi to a permanent site away from the frontier. During this operation the defensive patrols along the river seem to have been neglected. Alatheus (fl.376-386) and Saphrax (fl.376-c.400), the leaders of the group of Greuthungi, took advantage of this and crossed the Danube with their warriors, hoping to link up with Fritigern.

The Tervingi were moving towards the city of Marcianopolis in eastern Thracia. Lupicinus invited Fritigern and his co-ruler Alavivus (fl.376) to a banquet, where Alavivus was assassinated, but Fritigern managed to escape. Lupicinus drew up his forces nine miles (14 km) west of Marcianopolis and advanced on the Goths. The Roman army was swept away by a furious barbarian attack and Lupicinus fled the field. 

The Tervingi moved towards the region between the Danube and the Black Sea, joined by Greuthungi and deserters from the Roman army. Valens sent forces under Traianus (fl.367-378) and Profuturus northwards, who backed the Goths into a marshy area near the mouth of the Danube. Gratian sent forces under ³⁹Flavius Richomeres (fl.377-395) eastwards and the forces met to confront the Goths at Ad Salices (the Willows). The Goths circled their wagons and fought from the inside making occasional sallies against their attackers. The battle was inconclusive and the Goths managed to slip away through the marshes to be joined by bands of Huns and Alani who had also crossed the Danube.

Valens advanced to Thracia and sent a message to Gratian asking for reinforcements. German uprisings along the Rhine forced Gratian to take his forces into Gaul. In May 378 at Argentovaria his army under Mallobaudes (fl.355-380) punished the forces of the Alamanni and Franks. Priarius, the king of the Lentienses, was killed during the battle. Gratian then marched down the Danube valley to his uncle’s position.

By summer 378 Fritigern had assembled his forces in a large wagon encampment near Adrianople (Thracia). On 9 August 378 Valens led his forces against the Gothic encampment. His light troops, leading the advance, became engaged before the rest of the army was fully deployed. Gothic cavalry and their Alani allies, who had been away foraging, returned to hit the Romans in the flank while the latter were deploying from their column of march. The Roman cavalry were routed, and the infantry were surrounded and destroyed. Valens was killed and the Roman Empire never fully recovered from the losses it sustained during the battle.

After the battle the surviving troops fell back into Adrianople with the Goths in pursuit. But the Goths lacked the siege equipment to take a strongly fortified and fiercely defended city. After suffering heavy casualties from projectiles thrown down from the walls, the Goths abandoned the attack and headed east towards Constantinople. They soon realised the futility of attempting to take the city and withdrew to Thracia from where they spread across the Balkans.