Long before the beginning of the period known as the Middle Ages, a tribe of barbarians called the Goths lived north of the Danube, the country now known as Romania. Then a part of the great Roman Empire, which at that time had two capitals, Constantinople, the new city of Constantine and Rome. The Goths reached the shores of the Baltic Sea and settled in Roman territory, and the Romans had not rejected.
During the reign of the Roman Va’lens some of the Goths joined a conspiracy against him.swiss omega replica Valens punished them in this by crossing the Danube, and destroying their country. At last the Goths had to beg for mercy. Cape Gothic afraid to set foot Roman soil, so he and Valens met on their boat in the middle of the Danube, and made a peace treaty.
Historically, the Goths were at war with another tribe of barbarians called Huns. Sometimes the Huns defeated the Goths and drove them from their camps in the mountains. Sometimes the Goths came to the plains again and defeated the Huns.
Finally, the Goths were tired of the constant fighting and thought in search of new settlements. He sent some of their leading men to the Emperor Valens to ask permission to settle in countries belonging to Rome. The messengers told the emperor:
“If we are able to make their homes in the south of the Danube, are friends of Rome, and to fight when he needs our help.”
The emperor at once granted this request. He told the leaders Gothic:
“Rome always needs good soldiers. My people are allowed to cross the Danube and settle on our lands. As long as you are true to Rome protect you against your enemies.”
These Goths became known as the Visigoths or West Goths. Other tribes of Goths who had settled in southern Russia, were called Ostrogoths or Eastern Goths.
So Alaric called his officers and told them what he had made up his mind to do. The Chiefs gave a cry of joy for those who are approved by the king’s proposals. In those days fighting was almost the only company leaders, and they were happy to be at war, especially when there was hope of a rich booty. And then the Visigoth chiefs rejoiced at the thought of the war against Rome, because they knew that if they succeeded, they would have the wealth of the richest city in the world to share them.
Soon they were preparing a large army. With Alaric in command, they marched through Thrace and Macedonia and before long reached Athens. There was now no great warriors in Athens and the city surrendered to Alaric. The Goths plundered the homes and temples of the Athenians and then marched to the state of Elis, in the south-western Greece. Here a famous Roman general named Stil’i-cho besieged in their camp. Alaric managed to fight their way through the lines of the Romans and escaped. He walked to Epirus. It was a province of Greece, lying on the eastern side of the Ionian Sea. Arcadius, Emperor of the East, now appointed governor of this district Alaric, and a large area that is near him. The whole area was called Eastern Illyricum and formed part of the Eastern Empire.