Rome’s Gothic Wars by Michael Kulikowski

Author:Michael Kulikowski [Kulikowski, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780521846332
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Valens’ Three Gothic Campaigns

In the first campaign, launched in summer 367, Valens crossed the river at Daphne on a bridge of boats, which suggests that the Constantinian bridge from Oescus to Sucidava was no longer useable for large-scale military operations. The emperor laid waste the territory beyond the river, but failed to bring any large number of Goths to battle, because they fled into the Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps in the face of his advance. He was, however, inspired to set a bounty on the heads of any Goth his men could capture, and this allowed him to at least salvage some claims to victory from the campaign.[112] In 368, rains and heavy flooding hampered the army’s movements, and Valens spent much if not all of the season encamped beside the Danube to no great military effect. He did, however, undertake a considerable construction campaign, restoring old and building new quadriburgia and smaller burgi, some of them named after himself or members of his family (for example Valentia, Valentiniana, Gratiana).[113] These building efforts are attested by bronze coins showing a burgus on their reverse, and by a fragmentary inscription from Cius that is dated to 368.[114] The third year of the war was more satisfying. After crossing the river at Noviodunum in the Dobrudja, Valens marched a long way into Gothic territory, sowing fear and destruction wherever he went. The Tervingian leader Athanaric gave battle and was defeated, as barbarian armies usually were when a Roman field army could pin them down in a set-piece battle. However, rather than pursue Athanaric in his retreat Valens returned to imperial territory, possibly because of the lateness of the season.[115]

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