Editing Battle of Adrianople (section)

==Background==
In 376, the [[Goths]], led by [[Alavivus]] and [[Fritigern]], asked to be allowed to settle in the [[Eastern Roman Empire]] after being displaced by [[History of the Huns#First conquests|the invasions]] of the [[Huns]]. Hoping that they would become farmers and soldiers, the Eastern Roman emperor Valens allowed them to establish themselves in the Empire as allies (''[[foederati]]''). Once across the [[Danube]] and into Roman territory, however, the dishonesty of the Roman provincial commanders [[Lupicinus (comes per Thracias)|Lupicinus]] and Maximus led the newcomers to revolt after suffering many hardships.

Valens then asked [[Gratian]], the western emperor, for reinforcements to fight the Goths. Gratian sent the general [[Frigeridus (general)|Frigeridus]] with reinforcements, as well as the leader of his guards, [[Richomeres]]. For the next two years preceding the Battle of Adrianople there were a series of running battles with no clear victories for either side.<ref>Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Historiae'', book 31, chapters 3–9.</ref>
	
In 378, Valens decided to take control himself and assembled additional troops from his own resources in [[Roman Syria|Syria]] and from the reserves of the [[Western Roman Empire]] in [[Roman Gaul|Gaul]].<ref>Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Historiae'', book 31, chapters 7–11.</ref>

Valens left [[Antioch]] for [[Constantinople]], and arrived on 30 May. He appointed [[Sebastianus (magister peditum)|Sebastianus]], newly arrived from Italy, to reorganize the Roman armies already in [[Thrace]]. Sebastianus picked 2,000 of his [[legionaries]] and marched towards Adrianople. Along the way, they came upon and ambushed small detachments of Goths. Fritigern as the leader of the Goths assembled his forces at [[Nicopolis ad Istrum|Nicopolis]] and [[Stara Zagora|Beroe]] (now [[Stara Zagora]]) in order to deal with the Roman threat.<ref name="Historia Nova book 4" /><ref>Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Historiae'', book 31, chapter 11.</ref><ref>Socrates Scholasticus, ''Church History'', book 1, chapter 38.</ref>

At the time, much of Gratian's army was in [[Pannonia]] where they were in the interim attacked across the [[Rhine]] by the [[Lentienses]] (part of the [[Alamanni]]). After the Romans regrouped and defeated the Lentienses near Argentaria (near modern-day [[Colmar]], France), Gratian's army traveled east partly by sea and partly overland.<ref name="Historia Nova book 4" /><ref>Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Historiae'', book 31, chapters 10–11.</ref>

Upon learning of Sebastianus's success against the Goths and of Gratian's victory over the Lentienses, Valens was more than ready for a victory of his own. To link up with Sebastianus's forces before confronting the Goths, Valens moved his army from [[Melantias]] to Adrianople. On 6 August, reconnaissance informed Valens that approximately 10,000 Goths were advancing toward Adrianople from a position 25 kilometers to the north. In preparation at Adrianople, Valens fortified his camp with both ditches and ramparts.<ref name="Marcellinus Chapter 12">Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Historiae'', book 31, chapter 12.</ref>

Richomeres, sent in advance to Adrianople by Gratian, carried a letter asking Valens to wait for his arrival with reinforcements before engaging in battle. Valens' officers also recommended that he wait for Gratian, but Valens decided to fight without waiting, ready to claim the ultimate prize.<ref name="Marcellinus Chapter 12" />

The Goths were also watching the Romans, and on 8 August, Fritigern sent an emissary to propose peace and an alliance in exchange for Roman territory. Sure that he would be victorious due to his supposed numerical superiority, Valens rejected these proposals.<ref name="Marcellinus Chapter 12" /> Valens' estimates of manpower, however, neglected to take into consideration part of the Gothic cavalry that had gone extended distances to forage.<ref name="Roman Empire">[http://www.roman-empire.net/army/adrianople.html Roman Empire – Adrianople] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329073239/http://www.roman-empire.net/army/adrianople.html |date=29 March 2007 }} roman-empire.net. ''Illustrated History of the Roman Empire''. Retrieved 2 April 2007.</ref>