Res Gestae

When this series of events was noised abroad by one message coming after another, Sueridus and Colias, Gothic chieftains, who had long since been received

But when on a sudden a letter came from the emperor, in which they were ordered to cross to Hellespontus,[*](The province; see Index to this volume. I.e., the duumvir. ) without any arrogance they asked for money for the journey, food, and a postponement of two days. At this the chief magistrate of the city[*](There was a large munitions factory in Hadrianopolis.) was vexed—for he was incensed at them besides, because of the pillaging of his own property in his suburban villa; so he brought out and armed for their destruction all the lowest of the populace, along with the Armourers, of whom there is a large force there,[*](There was a large munitions factory in Hadrianopolis.) and ordering the horns to sound the alarm, threatened them all with the utmost punishment, if they did not leave at once, as had been ordered.

The Goths, shocked by this unexpected ill-treatment, and alarmed by the attack of the citizens, rather excited than well-considered, remained immovable; but when they were finally driven desperate by curses and abuse, and a few missiles were hurled at them, they broke out into open rebellion. They slew very many citizens, whom their too impudent attack had entrapped, and put to flight the rest, wounding them with various kinds of weapons. Then, plundering the dead bodies and arming themselves in the Roman equipment, they joined forces with Fritigern, whom they saw to be near at hand, as compliant allies, and beleaguered the city. visiting it with all the horrors of a siege. Remaining in this difficult situation for some time, they made scattered and promiscuous attacks; the conspicuous audacity of some perished

Then Fritigern, seeing that his men, being inexperienced in conducting a siege, were carrying on the struggle with such loss of life, left a sufficient force there and persuaded the rest to go away without finishing the task; he reminded them that he kept peace with walls and advised them to attack and devastate the rich and fruitful parts of the country, which were still without protectors and could be pillaged without any danger.

They approved the counsel of the king, who they knew would be an active participator in the plan, and advancing cautiously they spread over every quarter of Thrace, while their prisoners or those who surrendered to them pointed out the rich villages, especially those in which it was said that abundant supplies of food were to be found. Besides their native self-confidence, they were encouraged especially by this help, that day by day great numbers of their countrymen flocked to them, including those who had been sold some time before by the traders, as well as many other persons, whom those who were half-dead with hunger when they first crossed into the country had bartered for a drink of bad wine or bits of the poorest of bread.

Besides these there were not a few who were expert in following out veins of gold,[*](There were gold-mines in Thrace and Macedonia; of. Claudian, Panegyr. Theodori, 40 f., quidquid luce procul venae rimata sequaces, abdita pallentis fodit sollertia Bessi (a Thracian people).) and who could no longer endure the heavy burden of taxes; these were welcomed with the glad consent of all, and rendered great service to the same, as they wandered through strange places, by pointing out hidden stores of grain, and the secret refuges and hiding-places of the inhabitants.

With such guides nothing that was not

Finally many aged men, crying that they had lived long enough after losing their possessions and their beautiful women, were led into exile with their arms pinioned behind their backs, and weeping over the glowing ashes of their ancestral homes.

This news, received from Thrace with great sorrow, distracted the emperor Valens with manifold cares. He quickly sent Victor, commander of the cavalry, to Persia, that he might, in view of great impending dangers, arrange about the status of Armenia[*](I.e., to have an understanding with the King, before withdrawing troops from Armenia.) ; he himself, planning to leave Antioch at once and go to Constantinople in the meantime, sent on in advance Profuturus and Trajanus, both generals who had high aspirations, but were unfit for war.

When these men had come to places where it was more fitting in small divisions to diminish the enemy’s numbers by stealthy and guerilla warfare, they turned to the ruinous and untimely plan of opposing to the barbarians, who were still breathing out madness, the legions brought from Armenia; these had indeed often given a good

These troops, who had not yet learned the power of unbridled madness combined with desperation, drove the enemy beyond the precipitous crags of Mount Haemus and forced them into the steep defiles, in order that shut up in deserted and solitary places, and finding nowhere an outlet, they might be worn out by long continued hunger; they themselves in the meantime would await the coming of the general Frigeridus, who was on his way with the Pannonian and the transalpine auxiliaries, since Gratian, at Valens’ request, had directed him to take the field and bear aid to those who were harassed to the point of utter destruction.

After him Richomeres,[*](He was later magister militum under Gratian, then magister utriusque militiae under Theodosius, who made him consul in 384. On the military titles, see Introd., Vol. I, p. xxxv) then commander of the household troops, who had been moved from Gaul, also at the order of Gratian, hastened to Thrace at the head of some so-called cohorts,[*](That is, they did not have the full number of men, as is explained by what follows.) of which the greater part had deserted,[*](With deseruerat sc. militiam. ) induced (as some maintained) by Merobaudes, who feared that if Gaul should be deprived of its defences, it would be laid waste at will by raids from across the Rhine.

But since Frigeridus was disabled by an attack of gout, or at any rate, as his envious detractors alleged, feigned illness in order to avoid taking part in the hot contests, Richomeres by common consent took command of the whole force, and was joined by Profuturus and Trajanus, who were encamped near

The Roman leaders, therefore, led by hopes for a more favourable turn of affairs, and intending to dare some glorious deed when chance brought the opportunity, were keenly watching for any movement that the Goths might attempt; making ready of course for this, that in case the enemy moved their camp to any other place, as they very frequently did, they might attack the hindermost in the rear, kill many of them with their pikes, and appropriate a great part of their spoils.

When the Goths perceived this, or were informed by the reports of deserters, through whom everything was made known to them, they remained for a long time in the same position. But overwhelmed with fear of the opposing army, and of the additional soldiers that they now expected to flock to it, by means of the message used by their race[*](Cf. 5, 8, above; vexillis de more sublatis, auditisque triste sonantibus classicis . . . concursabant. ) they summoned the predatory bands scattered over various places near by; these at once, in obedience to the orders of their chiefs, like fire-darts,[*](See xxiii. 4, 14; xxi. 9, 6.) returned with winged speed to their wagon city (as they themselves call it)[*](In Greek, καραγός; for a description see Claudian, In Ruf. ii. 127 ff.; Vegetius, iii. 10.) and gave their countrymen an incentive to greater deeds of daring.

After this there was no rest for either side except for a short armistice. For upon the return of those whom necessity had called forth, the whole multitude,

For their part the Romans, on learning this, also spent the night without sleep, because they feared the enemy and their insane leaders as they might fear madly raging beasts; and although the outcome was doubtful, since they were considerably fewer in number, yet because of the greater justice of their cause they looked for success with unterrified minds.