.

A.D. 377.

Sec. 1. This news from Thrace was received with great sorrow, and caused
the Emperor Valens much anxiety.[192] He instantly sent Victor, the
commander of the cavalry, into Persia, to make such arrangements in
Armenia as were required by the impending danger. While he himself
prepared at once to quit Antioch and go to Constantinople, sending
before him Profuturus and Trajan, both officers of rank and ambition,
but of no great skill in war.

2. When they arrived at the place where it seemed most expedient to
combat this hostile multitude in detail and by ambuscades and surprises,
they very injudiciously adopted the ill-considered plan of opposing the
legions which had arrived from Armenia to barbarians who were still
raging like madmen. Though the legions had repeatedly proved equal to
the dangers of a pitched battle and regular warfare, they were not
suited to encounter an innumerable host which occupied all the chains of
the lofty hills, and also all the plains.

3. Our men had never yet experienced what can be effected by
indomitable rage united with despair, and so having driven back the
enemy beyond the abrupt precipices of the Balkan, they seized upon the
rugged defiles in order to hem in the barbarians on ground from which
they would be unable to find any exit, and where it seemed they might be
overcome by famine. They themselves intended to await the arrival of
Frigeridus, the duke, who was hastening towards them with the
auxiliaries from Pannonia and other countries, and whom, at the request
of Valens, Gratian had commanded to march to the camp to aid those who
were menaced with total destruction.

4. After him, Richomeres, at that time count of the domestics, who also,
by the command of Gratian, had moved forwards from Gaul, hastened
towards Thrace,[193] bringing with him some cohorts, which were cohorts
in name, though the greater portion of them had already deserted (if we
would believe some people), by the persuasion of Merobaudes, fearing
lest Gaul, now divested of all the troops, would be ravaged without
check after the barbarians had forced the passage of the Rhine.

5. But Frigeridus was prevented from moving by the gout, or at all
events (as some of his malicious detractors represented it), he pleaded
sickness as an excuse for not being present in the struggles which were
expected, and so Richomeres, being unanimously called to the chief
command, with Profuturus and Trajan for his co