matter of mystery and conjecture. After meeting up with, and raiding the edges of, the weakening Roman Empire, the Goths set up a nation-state of sorts in Dacia (modern-day Romania), which the Romans had abandoned as unprofitable a few years earlier.
They developed a more-or-less friendly trading relationship with the nearby Byzantines. After Byzantium was conquered by the Romans, becoming Nova Roma (New Rome), and then Constantinople (known today as Istanbul, Turkey), the Goths became increasingly Romanized. Most of them spoke at least a little Latin, they adopted the rudiments of Roman-style government and dress and their state religion, Christianity.
The Goths divided themselves into two distinct groups—the Ostrogoths and Visigoths. Although the Romans thought the names meant “eastern Goths” and “western Goths,” both “ostro” and “visi” basically meant “good” in the Gothic language, so a modern translation would be more like “excellent Goths” and “awesome Goths.”
Under severe pressure from another proto-European tribe, the Huns, the Ostrogoths asked the Romans for permission to cross the Danube and settle in the Empire under Roman protection. In exchange for land and grain, the Ostrogoths were expected to act as a buffer zone between the Romans and the Huns.
It worked out pretty well for both sides until a major famine hit the Empire in 376. The Romans cut the Ostrogoths’ grain rations to nothing, but continued supplying the Roman garrisons in the area as usual. When the starving Ostrogoths appealed to the garrisons for help, they were offered dog meat in exchange for female slaves.
Enraged, the Ostrogoths marched to the nearest major Roman city, Marcianopolis in what is now Bulgaria. Many of their sick, children, elderly and even healthy adult women died along the way, leaving them largely a band of very angry and desperate young men. When they arrived at Marcianopolis, they were barred from the walled city, and the local governors clumsily attempted to assassinate the Ostrogoths’ leaders at a hastily arranged summit meeting.
At that point, the Ostrogoths decided the Romans were their enemies, and that they had nothing left to lose. Avoiding the undermanned Roman garrisons in the area, the Ostrogoths raided and looted the countryside at will, taking everything they could from the largely defenseless local people. When the Romans stood idly by, the Goths were encouraged by their success and drew reinforcements from locals eager to get rid of their Imperial overlords. The rebellious Ostrogoths managed to occupy much of what is now Bulgaria, Eastern Greece and the European part of Turkey.
The Romans sent a military expedition under the command of Emperor Valens himself to put down the revolt. It didn’t work. At the Battle of Adrianople in 378, the combination of a strong Gothic cavalry charge and a group of over-eager Romans who attacked before they were ordered to do so led to an impressive rout by the Goths. Valens, abandoned by his guards, was killed in the ensuing massacre.
The very idea of a barbarian tribe defeating a Roman army—let alone killing the Emperor—was absolutely unthinkable, and the area collapsed into chaos. The Ostrogoths and their allies began to ravage the Balkans, killing Roman administrators and destroying Imperial infrastructure.
The Romans eventually responded, pushing the Ostrogoths to negotiate a peaceful settlement with Valens’ successor Theodosius in 382. But the Ostrogoths had made a powerful point. The so-called barbarian tribes surrounding the Roman Empire had gained enough technology, discipline and will to take on the Romans and win—it was the beginning of the end of the Empire.
After the peace agreement, the Ostrogoths were ostensibly allies of the Empire again, but mutinies and looting raids against the Romans became commonplace. Eventually the Ostrogoths allied with other tribes—including the fearsome Vandals, Huns and Alans—to
They developed a more-or-less friendly trading relationship with the nearby Byzantines. After Byzantium was conquered by the Romans, becoming Nova Roma (New Rome), and then Constantinople (known today as Istanbul, Turkey), the Goths became increasingly Romanized. Most of them spoke at least a little Latin, they adopted the rudiments of Roman-style government and dress and their state religion, Christianity.
The Goths divided themselves into two distinct groups—the Ostrogoths and Visigoths. Although the Romans thought the names meant “eastern Goths” and “western Goths,” both “ostro” and “visi” basically meant “good” in the Gothic language, so a modern translation would be more like “excellent Goths” and “awesome Goths.”
Under severe pressure from another proto-European tribe, the Huns, the Ostrogoths asked the Romans for permission to cross the Danube and settle in the Empire under Roman protection. In exchange for land and grain, the Ostrogoths were expected to act as a buffer zone between the Romans and the Huns.
It worked out pretty well for both sides until a major famine hit the Empire in 376. The Romans cut the Ostrogoths’ grain rations to nothing, but continued supplying the Roman garrisons in the area as usual. When the starving Ostrogoths appealed to the garrisons for help, they were offered dog meat in exchange for female slaves.
Enraged, the Ostrogoths marched to the nearest major Roman city, Marcianopolis in what is now Bulgaria. Many of their sick, children, elderly and even healthy adult women died along the way, leaving them largely a band of very angry and desperate young men. When they arrived at Marcianopolis, they were barred from the walled city, and the local governors clumsily attempted to assassinate the Ostrogoths’ leaders at a hastily arranged summit meeting.
At that point, the Ostrogoths decided the Romans were their enemies, and that they had nothing left to lose. Avoiding the undermanned Roman garrisons in the area, the Ostrogoths raided and looted the countryside at will, taking everything they could from the largely defenseless local people. When the Romans stood idly by, the Goths were encouraged by their success and drew reinforcements from locals eager to get rid of their Imperial overlords. The rebellious Ostrogoths managed to occupy much of what is now Bulgaria, Eastern Greece and the European part of Turkey.
The Romans sent a military expedition under the command of Emperor Valens himself to put down the revolt. It didn’t work. At the Battle of Adrianople in 378, the combination of a strong Gothic cavalry charge and a group of over-eager Romans who attacked before they were ordered to do so led to an impressive rout by the Goths. Valens, abandoned by his guards, was killed in the ensuing massacre.
The very idea of a barbarian tribe defeating a Roman army—let alone killing the Emperor—was absolutely unthinkable, and the area collapsed into chaos. The Ostrogoths and their allies began to ravage the Balkans, killing Roman administrators and destroying Imperial infrastructure.
The Romans eventually responded, pushing the Ostrogoths to negotiate a peaceful settlement with Valens’ successor Theodosius in 382. But the Ostrogoths had made a powerful point. The so-called barbarian tribes surrounding the Roman Empire had gained enough technology, discipline and will to take on the Romans and win—it was the beginning of the end of the Empire.
After the peace agreement, the Ostrogoths were ostensibly allies of the Empire again, but mutinies and looting raids against the Romans became commonplace. Eventually the Ostrogoths allied with other tribes—including the fearsome Vandals, Huns and Alans—to
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