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Osprey Campaign #84
Adrianople AD 378: The Goths crush Rome's legions
Osprey's examination of the Battle of Adrianople (378 AD), fought between Goth rebels, led by Fritigern, and the Roman army, led by Emperor Valens. 'Never, except in the battle of Cannae, had there been so destructive a slaughter recorded in our annals.' Thus the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus recorded the battle of Adrianople, which spelled the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire. Such a crushing Roman defeat by Gothic cavalry proved to the Empire, as well as to the Goths themselves, that the migratory barbarians were a force to be reckoned with. This book tells the story of the misguided Roman plans and the surprise attack of Gothic cavalry, and puts forward the most recent theories as to the true location of the battlefield.
96 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 6, 2023
ADRIANOPLE AD 378 was the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire. Even though Rome had so much in her favor, the rot that had already set in festered and became malignant after this battle. Things would never be the same.
The Roman Empire was ruled by two emperors. In the east was Emperor Valens and in the west was Gratian. Facing the Romans on their eastern border were the Goths, a race of people being driven west by other races, mainly the Huns and Alans. This migration had been going on for some time, and like western countries today being facing the mass influx of foreign people into their lands, they were viewed with alarm. After a series of battles a peace treaty was made with these foreigners. They were permitted to settle in an area south of the Danube referred to as Thracia. But it seemed that corrupt Roman officials oppressed these people. The land could barely support the people as it was, and with more Goths following starvation faced them all. Being stuck between a rock and a hard place, the Goths weighed their options.
Over the centuries, wherever the Roman soldiers marched, they built roads as well as fortifications. They still relied on their heavy infantry, meaning foot soldiers well armored and armed, for their field armies. But their borders were long and extensive, so what they did was rely on natural barriers wherever possible, such as the rivers Rhine and the Danube. In other areas at strategic locations they fortified cities that were connected by their massive road network. The areas in between these points were patrolled by small mobile elite forces. Should the need arise the emperor would use the roads to concentrate his army quickly for battle. At least that was the plan.
As the Goths began to leave their assigned land both sides knew that a fight was coming. The Romans began to gather their forces. The Goths, on the other hand, had to disperse their forces so they could search for food and forage. In the meantime several smaller battles were fought.
Some of the Romans wanted to hold off attacking the Goths for they wanted to wait for the arrival of reinforcements from the Western Empire. The Goths on the other hand, couldn't afford to wait for they would starve. So the Goth leader by the name of Fritigern tricked the Romans into attacking him. What followed was a massacre of the Roman field army and the death of Valen.
The book explains the campaign and battle in pretty good detail. Nice maps are included for a bird's eye view of the event.
As stated above, things were never the same after the battle. Other tribes along the borders began their raids into Roman lands as well. Ironically, the Goths were recruited to fill the ranks of the Roman army, and even private citizens hired them for protection. In time these Goths sacked Rome, and conquest by conquest, the once mighty Roman Empire began to crumble.
The Roman Empire was ruled by two emperors. In the east was Emperor Valens and in the west was Gratian. Facing the Romans on their eastern border were the Goths, a race of people being driven west by other races, mainly the Huns and Alans. This migration had been going on for some time, and like western countries today being facing the mass influx of foreign people into their lands, they were viewed with alarm. After a series of battles a peace treaty was made with these foreigners. They were permitted to settle in an area south of the Danube referred to as Thracia. But it seemed that corrupt Roman officials oppressed these people. The land could barely support the people as it was, and with more Goths following starvation faced them all. Being stuck between a rock and a hard place, the Goths weighed their options.
Over the centuries, wherever the Roman soldiers marched, they built roads as well as fortifications. They still relied on their heavy infantry, meaning foot soldiers well armored and armed, for their field armies. But their borders were long and extensive, so what they did was rely on natural barriers wherever possible, such as the rivers Rhine and the Danube. In other areas at strategic locations they fortified cities that were connected by their massive road network. The areas in between these points were patrolled by small mobile elite forces. Should the need arise the emperor would use the roads to concentrate his army quickly for battle. At least that was the plan.
As the Goths began to leave their assigned land both sides knew that a fight was coming. The Romans began to gather their forces. The Goths, on the other hand, had to disperse their forces so they could search for food and forage. In the meantime several smaller battles were fought.
Some of the Romans wanted to hold off attacking the Goths for they wanted to wait for the arrival of reinforcements from the Western Empire. The Goths on the other hand, couldn't afford to wait for they would starve. So the Goth leader by the name of Fritigern tricked the Romans into attacking him. What followed was a massacre of the Roman field army and the death of Valen.
The book explains the campaign and battle in pretty good detail. Nice maps are included for a bird's eye view of the event.
As stated above, things were never the same after the battle. Other tribes along the borders began their raids into Roman lands as well. Ironically, the Goths were recruited to fill the ranks of the Roman army, and even private citizens hired them for protection. In time these Goths sacked Rome, and conquest by conquest, the once mighty Roman Empire began to crumble.
May 5, 2012
An Osprey book, which is about all you need to know. Solid scholarship, cool pictures, the minimum historical context. Should be read in conjunction with more ambitious monographs, but most excellent when what you want is to know the details of the campaign.
January 21, 2017
This was a harder one to rate than I expected. Most Osprey books are good throughout or bad throughout. This one jumped around in terms of quality. The best part was the actual battle and its consequences.
February 19, 2017
Good book on a very important battle. The end of the line for Rome as a superpower.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews