Editing Bastarnae (section)

=== Later Roman empire (305 onwards) ===

The remaining transdanubian Bastarnae disappear into historical obscurity in the late empire. Neither of the main ancient sources for this period, [[Ammianus Marcellinus]] and [[Zosimus (historian)|Zosimus]], mention the Bastarnae in their accounts of the fourth century, possibly implying the loss of their separate identity, presumably assimilated by the regional hegemons, the Goths. Such assimilation would have been facilitated if, as is possible, the Bastarnae spoke an [[East Germanic]] language closely related to [[Gothic language|Gothic]]. If the Bastarnae remained an identifiable group, it is highly likely that they participated in the vast Gothic-led migration, driven by [[Hun]]nic pressure, that was admitted into Moesia by Emperor [[Valens]] in 376 and eventually defeated and killed Valens at [[Battle of Adrianople|Adrianople]] in 378. Although Ammianus refers to the migrants collectively as "Goths", he states that, in addition, "Taifali and other tribes" were involved.<ref>Zosimus IV.104-7; 107</ref>

However, after a gap of 150 years, there is a final mention of Bastarnae in the mid-5th century. In 451, the Hunnic leader [[Attila]] invaded Gaul with a large army which was ultimately routed at the [[Battle of Châlons]] by a Roman-led coalition under the general [[Flavius Aetius|Aetius]].<ref>Jordanes 38–40</ref> Attila's host, according to [[Jordanes]], included contingents from the "innumerable tribes that had been brought under his sway".<ref>Jordanes 38</ref> This included the Bastarnae, according to the Gallic nobleman [[Sidonius Apollinaris]].<ref>Sidonius ''Carmina'' 7.341</ref> However, E.A. Thompson argues that Sidonius' mention of Bastarnae at Chalons is probably false: his purpose was to write a [[panegyric]] and not a history, and Sidonius added some spurious names to the list of real participants (e.g. [[Burgundians]], [[Sciri]] and [[Franks]]) for dramatic effect.<ref name="Thompson 1996 149">Thompson (1996) 149</ref>