s interesting to note how the first
warriors from the Asiatic steppes impressed their contemporaries!

The first effect of the invasion of the country of the Goths by the Huns
was to force the Goths to recross the Danube and trespass again on Roman
territory. They sought leave from the Emperor Valens to do this. A
contemporary historian records:

The multitude of the Scythians escaping from the murderous
savagery of the Huns, who spared not the life of woman or of
child, amounted to not less than 200,000 men of fighting age
[besides old men, women, and children]. These, standing upon the
river-bank in a state of great excitement, stretched out their
hands from afar with loud lamentations, and earnestly
supplicated that they might be allowed to cross over the river,
bewailing the calamity that had befallen them, and promising
that they would faithfully adhere to the Imperial alliance if
this boon were granted them.

[Illustration: A WOMAN OF THRACE, OF THE SHOP TRIBE, AND OF MACEDONIA
The Shops inhabit the Mountain District of Sofia]

The Emperor Valens allowed the Gothic host to cross the Danube into
Bulgaria and Thrace, and having given them shelter, starved them and
treated them so harshly and cruelly that they were close to rebellion
when another great Gothic host, under King Fritigern, crossed the Danube
without leave and came down as far as Marcianople (now Schumla). Here he
was entertained at a "friendly" banquet by the Roman general Lupicinus.
But whilst the banquet was in progress disorder arose among the Goths
and the Romans outside the hall. The Gothic historians tell:

News of this disturbance was brought to Lupicinus as he was
sitting at his gorgeous banquet, watching the comic performers
and heavy with wine and sleep. He at once ordered that all the
Gothic soldiers, who, partly to do honour to their rank, and
partly as a guard to their persons, had accompanied the generals
into the palace, should be put to death. Thus, while Fritigern
was at the banquet, he heard the cry of men in mortal agony, and
soon ascertained that it proceeded from his own followers shut
up in another part of the palace, whom the Roman soldiers at the
command of their general were attempting to butcher. He drew his
sword in the midst of the banqueters, exclaimed that he alone
could pacify the tumult which had been raised among his
followe