Res Gestae

Ammianus Marcellinus

Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).

While these events were taking place, spring being now at hand, Julian was stirred by an unexpected piece of news, which turned him to sadness and grief. For he learned that the Alamanni had sallied forth from Vadomarius’ canton, a quarter from which he looked for no danger since the conclusion of the treaty,[*](With Constantius; see xvi. 12, 17; xviii. 2, 19.) and were devastating the regions bordering on Raetia, and, ranging widely with bands of plunderers, were leaving nothing untried.

Since to ignore this would arouse new causes for war, he sent a certain Libino, a count, with the Celts and Petulantes, who were wintering with him, to set matters in order according as conditions demanded.

When Libino had quickly come to the neighbour- hood of the town of Sanctio,[*](Modern Seckingen, on the right bank of the Rhine, opposite the country of the Rauraci.) he was seen from afar by the savages, who, already meditating battle, had hidden themselves in the valleys. Thereupon encouraging his men, who, though fewer in numbers,

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were inspired with an ardent longing for battle, he rashly attacked the Germans and at the beginning of the fighting was himself the first of all to fall. Since his death increased the confidence of the savages and fired the Romans with a desire to avenge their leader, an obstinate struggle ensued, in which our men, overcome by vast numbers, were put to flight after a few of them had been killed or wounded.

With this Vadomarius and his brother Gundomadus, who was also king, Constantius (as I have already said) had concluded a peace.[*](xviii. 2, 19.) When, after that event, Gundomadus[*](xvi. 12, 17.) died, Constantius, thinking that Vadomarius would be loyal to him, made him the secret and efficient executor of his plots (if rumour alone is to be trusted), and wrote to him that he should pretend to break the treaty of peace from time to time and attack the districts bordering on his domain; to the end that Julian, in fear of this, should nowhere abandon the defence of Gaul.

These commands Vadomarius obeyed (if it is right to believe the tale) and perpetrated this and similar outrages, wonderfully skilled as he was from the beginning of his life in deception and fraud, as he also showed later when governor of the province of Phoenicia.[*](xxvi. 8, 2.) But when he was actually proved to be acting treacherously, he ceased his activities. For a secretary whom he had sent to Constantius was captured by the soldiers on guard, and when he was searched, to see if he carried anything, a letter from Vadomarius was found, in which besides many other

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things he had written this also: Your Caesar lacks discipline.[*](Implying that it was necessary to keep an eye on him.) But he was constantly addressing Julian in letters as Lord, Augustus and God.