The year is 378. The Roman Empire is on its last legs. It is surrounded by external foes, and is also crumbling from within thanks to internal conflicts, decadence and corruption. It is clear as day that without major changes, the empire that had lasted for over 800 years so far, and had dominated the Mediterranean, would collapse. In this year, something did change, something that was to prove to have been vital to Rome’s survival.
In the early fourth century, the Visigoths, a Germanic people seeked refuge within the borders of the Roman Empire. They had fled their lands north of the Danube in Dacia after invasions from other Germanic tribes – who themselves were fleeing from the Huns. They had been pushed to the point of famine. The Visigoths – who numbered around 200,000 – approached the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens in 376, for permission to cross the Danube, and to form a permanent settlement within Roman Thrace.
The Emperor agreed. While it seemed unthinkable for a bunch of barbarians to be allowed to emigrate en masse, Valens saw several reasons for doing so. The Visigoths were regarded as fierce warriors, and Valens hoped to add these men into his armies, which already counted many Visigoths among its number. These new soldiers could be used to fight the Persians. He also realised that these refugees would bring with them a certain amount of wealth – which could be taxed. In return for his false generosity and humanitarianism, Valens asked that the Visigoths lay down their weapons before crossing the river. The Visigoths did not comply.
As soon as they were ashore, it seemed the Roman officials began coming up with new and creative ways to shake the last pieces of gold out of the hands of the refugees. For a people who had suffered and journeyed so long, this would not stand. The Visigoths fought back. In 377 they began a revolt, in which a Roman army was defeated. It began to spread to other disaffected groups within the empire such as miners, slaves and servants. Eventually the revolt grew so large and powerful, it forced a Roman retreat from Thrace.
The Emperor Valens began preparing a counterattack in the spring of 378 – that fateful year. His nephew Gratian – the Western Emperor - began marching to his aid from Raetia*, where he had finished defeating other Germanic invaders. As Gratian’s army marched across the Empire, Valens took the time to build up his army, and to prepare them for the coming battle. Gratian and his army arrived as reinforcements sometime in late August. The Romans now outnumbered the Visigoths almost 3 to 1.
The Visigoth leader – Fritigern – sent various negotiators to the Romans in order to stall the beginning of the battle. Valens refused. He and Gratian both marched their armies into battle on July 2nd. With advanced warnings the Visigoths had prepared and met the Roman legions in the open field. Like a sudden thunderstorm the Gothic cavalry burst out and assailed the Roman flanks. The Roman cavalry – along with Valens himself – counterattacked and drove back the Visigoth cavalry. Unfortunately it cost Valens his life. Gratian now took over full command of the battle and sent the infantry out to engage the outnumbered Visigoths. Under immense pressure and taking heavy casualties the Visigoths attempted a withdrawal. However, it was too late, the Roman cavalry had by now cut off their retreat. The entire Visigoth army was annihilated.
The Visigoth threat had been eliminated. Rome still had more problems and crisis’s to deal with however. Most pressing was the need for a new Eastern Roman Emperor. Gratian declared Flavius Theodosius the new emperor, to replace the fallen Valens. After that business was taken care of, Gratian returned to the Western Empire, and to Rome itself, where he was greeted as a hero. Or so he thought. Shadowy figures with a distaste and a grudge against Gratian were plotting his downfall.
While the empire seemed to have averted disaster, on the frontiers an unending darkness still reigned. There was no shortage of new barbarians to probe Roman defences. However, the defeat of the Visigoths had allowed a little, tiny, streak of light to shine through the cracks of the decaying empire.
*Modern day Switzerland.