[Footnote 24: See the first chapter of Jornandes. The Vandals, however,
(c. 22,) maintained a short independence between the Rivers Marisia and
Crissia, (Maros and Keres,) which fell into the Teiss.]

While the vigorous and moderate conduct of Aurelian restored the
Illyrian frontier, the nation of the Alemanni [25] violated the
conditions of peace, which either Gallienus had purchased, or Claudius
had imposed, and, inflamed by their impatient youth, suddenly flew to
arms. Forty thousand horse appeared in the field, [26] and the numbers
of the infantry doubled those of the cavalry. [27] The first objects
of their avarice were a few cities of the Rhaetian frontier; but their
hopes soon rising with success, the rapid march of the Alemanni traced a
line of devastation from the Danube to the Po. [28]

[Footnote 25: Dexippus, p. 7--12. Zosimus, l. i. p. 43. Vopiscus in
Aurelian in Hist. August. However these historians differ in names,
(Alemanni Juthungi, and Marcomanni,) it is evident that they mean the
same people, and the same war; but it requires some care to conciliate
and explain them.]

[Footnote 26: Cantoclarus, with his usual accuracy, chooses to translate
three hundred thousand: his version is equally repugnant to sense and to
grammar.]

[Footnote 27: We may remark, as an instance of bad taste, that Dexippus
applies to the light infantry of the Alemanni the technical terms proper
only to the Grecian phalanx.]

[Footnote 28: In Dexippus, we at present read Rhodanus: M. de Valois
very judiciously alters the word to Eridanus.]

The emperor was almost at the same time informed of the irruption, and
of the retreat, of the barbarians. Collecting an active body of troops,
he marched with silence and celerity along the skirts of the Hercynian
forest; and the Alemanni, laden with the spoils of Italy, arrived at
the Danube, without suspecting, that on the opposite bank, and in an
advantageous post, a Roman army lay concealed and prepared to intercept
their return. Aurelian indulged the fatal security of the barbarians,
and permitted about half their forces to pass the river without
disturbance and without precaution. Their situation and astonishment
gave him an easy victory; his skilful conduct improved the advantage.
Disposing the legions in a semicircular form, he advanced the two horns
of the crescent across the Danube, and wheeling them on a sudden
towards the centre, enclosed the rear of the German host. The dis