Thread by @annalesbelli

-Battle of Adrianople (part 2)- 🧵
It’s 378, emperor Valens has managed to track and follow a large group of Goths in the vicinity of the city of Adrianople. Gratian, the western roman emperor, send troops to help the uncle facing the barbarians,(1/6)
#svagaiature #Battlegrounds

... but Valens was too impatient and decided to move the troops.
Before the beginning of the battle an embassy was sent to Valens to find a way to avert the battle. The Goths proposed the same condition of 376: to be given land in the empire and to serve for the Roman army. (2/6)

The talks were useless as the roman light cavalry decided on its own to charge the enemy, thus beginning the battle. The cavalry attack caused the counter attack of the Goths' light cavalry, which overwhelmed the romans. (3/6)

Seeing the situation the cataphracts had to intervene.
In the meantime the roman infantry advanced in the battle. With the confusion at the start of the battle, the infantry flank remained without the protection of the cavalry, open to a flanking manoeuvre. (4/6)

The Goth’s cavalry did exactly that, causing the roman legion to collapse and soldiers to flee.
In the battle, or massacre, 30.000 of the 40.000 roman soldiers were killed and among them was emperor Valens. The victory gave the Goths a moral boost, (5/6)

... in the following months they continued pillaging the countryside and even considered besieging Costantinople. (6/6)
@Varangian_Tagma @SNicotinus