on the Danube'',
Eduard Bendemann, 1860 Athanaric made his first appearance in recorded history in 369, when he engaged in
battle with the
Roman emperor Valens and ultimately negotiated a favorable peace for his people. During his reign, many Thervingi had converted to
Arian Christianity, which Athanaric vehemently opposed, fearing that
Christianity would destroy
Gothic culture. According to the report of
Sozomen, more than 300 Christians were killed in
Athanaric's persecution during the 370s.
Fritigern, Athanaric's rival, was an Arian and had the favor of Valens, who shared his religious beliefs. In the early 370s, Athanaric successively fought Fritigern in a
civil war. Along with his generals
Muderic and Lagarimanus, Athanaric was later defeated by the invading
Huns. Temporarily fleeing to
Caucaland in the
Carpathians, Athanaric was received by
Theodosius I in
Constantinople in 381, where he signed a treaty of friendship with the
Roman Empire.
Socrates Scholasticus,
Sozomen, and
Zosimus refer to conflicts between Fritigern and Athanaric.
Ammianus Marcellinus and
Philostorgius do not record such conflicts. According to Socrates, Fritigern and Athanaric were rival leaders of the
Thervingian Goths. As this rivalry grew into warfare, Athanaric gained the advantage, and Fritigern asked for Roman aid.
Emperor Valens and the Thracian field army intervened, Valens and Fritigern defeated Athanaric, and Fritigern converted to Christianity, following the same teachings as Valens followed.
Orosius (
Historiae adversum paganos 7, 34) and
Zosimus (
New History 4, 34, 3-5) affirm this, but another source,
Ammianus Marcellinus (
Res gestae 27, 5, 10) narrates an entirely different story. According to him, Athanaric was banished by his fellow tribesmen and forced to seek asylum in Roman territory. Cf.
Themistius (
oratio 15, 190-1) likewise describes Athanaric as a supplicant and a refugee. A peace treaty with the Thervingi (or Visigoths), who still fought the Romans in
Thrace, was concluded in 382 and it lasted until the death of Theodosius of Constantinople, in 395. ==See also==