Professor Peter Heather

As soon as he started to move his troops, there was some trouble on the Rhine. Because the people on the other side of the frontier watch. frontier like a hawk. So they're looking at Roman army movements for any opportunities that might arise. So Gratian is slow, and then Valens is sitting not far from Constantinople with his army waiting for Gratian. The idea is clearly that you're going to

As soon as he started to move his troops, there was some trouble on the Rhine. Because the people on the other side of the frontier watch. frontier like a hawk. So they're looking at Roman army movements for any opportunities that might arise. So Gratian is slow, and then Valens is sitting not far from Constantinople with his army waiting for Gratian. The idea is clearly that you're going to

catch the Goths between these two field armies the eastern and western one and Restore order as it were normal patterns of events But he gets some intelligence that I think what it told him is that only one of the two gothic groups was by itself near Hadrianople

catch the Goths between these two field armies the eastern and western one and Restore order as it were normal patterns of events But he gets some intelligence that I think what it told him is that only one of the two gothic groups was by itself near Hadrianople

catch the Goths between these two field armies the eastern and western one and Restore order as it were normal patterns of events But he gets some intelligence that I think what it told him is that only one of the two gothic groups was by itself near Hadrianople

So he rushes forward, thinking that he's got a chance with his army just to take out one of the Gothic groups, which he should be able to do. But actually, they're both there. And we're told his army is not fully deployed, and the other Gothic group hits them from the side. The result is the deaths of two-thirds of his army.

So he rushes forward, thinking that he's got a chance with his army just to take out one of the Gothic groups, which he should be able to do. But actually, they're both there. And we're told his army is not fully deployed, and the other Gothic group hits them from the side. The result is the deaths of two-thirds of his army.

So he rushes forward, thinking that he's got a chance with his army just to take out one of the Gothic groups, which he should be able to do. But actually, they're both there. And we're told his army is not fully deployed, and the other Gothic group hits them from the side. The result is the deaths of two-thirds of his army.

Yeah. I mean, higher estimates think the Valens came with 30,000 men, so 20,000. I think you probably came with 15, more like 15, and so 10,000 died, but either way. And it is the cream. I mean, this is the thing. The way that the late Roman army is set up, the regiments that go with the emperor, the so-called praesental forces, they are the cream. They are

Yeah. I mean, higher estimates think the Valens came with 30,000 men, so 20,000. I think you probably came with 15, more like 15, and so 10,000 died, but either way. And it is the cream. I mean, this is the thing. The way that the late Roman army is set up, the regiments that go with the emperor, the so-called praesental forces, they are the cream. They are

Yeah. I mean, higher estimates think the Valens came with 30,000 men, so 20,000. I think you probably came with 15, more like 15, and so 10,000 died, but either way. And it is the cream. I mean, this is the thing. The way that the late Roman army is set up, the regiments that go with the emperor, the so-called praesental forces, they are the cream. They are

better paid, better equipped, better trained. So it is the crème de la crème of the East Roman army is lost on that afternoon.

better paid, better equipped, better trained. So it is the crème de la crème of the East Roman army is lost on that afternoon.

better paid, better equipped, better trained. So it is the crème de la crème of the East Roman army is lost on that afternoon.

You can't get out of the Balkans eastwards because the Romans control the sea crossings into Turkey, and you can't get out westwards because Gratian is still there with his forces. But the Romans decide that they cannot, in the end, get together enough forces properly to subdue the Goths. They try.

You can't get out of the Balkans eastwards because the Romans control the sea crossings into Turkey, and you can't get out westwards because Gratian is still there with his forces. But the Romans decide that they cannot, in the end, get together enough forces properly to subdue the Goths. They try.

You can't get out of the Balkans eastwards because the Romans control the sea crossings into Turkey, and you can't get out westwards because Gratian is still there with his forces. But the Romans decide that they cannot, in the end, get together enough forces properly to subdue the Goths. They try.

So Gratian appoints a colleague, the Emperor Theodosius I, who puts together, improvises another Eastern army. He's appointed clearly from his own propaganda as the man who's going to win the Gothic war, but his army falls apart. We don't quite know what happens. the sources are evasive. They said, we're not going to do that, thanks very much.

So Gratian appoints a colleague, the Emperor Theodosius I, who puts together, improvises another Eastern army. He's appointed clearly from his own propaganda as the man who's going to win the Gothic war, but his army falls apart. We don't quite know what happens. the sources are evasive. They said, we're not going to do that, thanks very much.

So Gratian appoints a colleague, the Emperor Theodosius I, who puts together, improvises another Eastern army. He's appointed clearly from his own propaganda as the man who's going to win the Gothic war, but his army falls apart. We don't quite know what happens. the sources are evasive. They said, we're not going to do that, thanks very much.