Battle of Adrianople

This article is about the battle of 378 AD. For the subsequent siege, see Siege of Adrianople (378). For other uses, see Battle of Adrianople (disambiguation).
Battle of Adrianople
Part of the Gothic War of 376–382
and Roman–Germanic Wars

Map of the battle, according to the History Department of the US Military Academy
Date9 August 378
Location
Near Adrianople, Eastern Roman Empire
(modern-day Edirne, Turkey)
41°49′N 26°30′E / 41.81°N 26.50°E / 41.81; 26.50
Result Gothic victory
Belligerents
Goths
Alans		 Eastern Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Fritigern
Alatheus
Saphrax		 Emperor Valens †
Sebastianus †
Traianus †
Victor
Ricomer
Strength
20,000[1] 30,000[2]
Casualties and losses
Unknown 10,000–15,000[3] or 20,000[4] (roughly two-thirds of the Roman force)[5]

The Battle of Adrianople also known as Battle of Hadrianopolis was fought between the Eastern Roman army led by the Roman emperor Valens and Gothic rebels (largely Thervings as well as Greutungs, non-Gothic Alans, and various local rebels) led by Fritigern. The battle took place in the vicinity of Adrianople, in the Roman province of Thracia (modern Edirne in European Turkey). It ended with an overwhelming victory for the Goths and the death of Emperor Valens.[6]

As part of the Gothic War of 376–382, the battle is often considered the start of the events which led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century.

A detailed contemporary account of the lead-up to the battle from the Roman perspective was written by Ammianus Marcellinus and forms the culminating point at the end of his history.[7]

  1. ^ Williams and Friell, p. 179
  2. ^ Williams, S. Friell, G., Theodosius: The Empire at Bay. p. 177
  3. ^ Heather, Peter, 1999, The Goths, p. 135
  4. ^ Williams and Friell, p. 18
  5. ^ Williams and Friell, p. 19
  6. ^ Zosimus, Historia Nova, book 4.
  7. ^ Ammianus Marcellinus, Historiae, book 31, chapters 12–14.