Editing Quadi (section)

==Fourth century==
In the first part of the 4th century there is evidence that the Quadi had developed a better relationship with the Romans. Their region of influence spread down the Danube towards present-day Budapest and it seems that their economy support a wealthy Romanised nobility.{{sfn|Kolník|2003|p=634}}
[[File:Heidentor Carnuntum 4479.jpg|thumb|The so-called Heidentor in Carnuntum.]]
[[File:Restored head of Valentinian I (cropped) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Restored head of Valentinian I]]
In 357 a new phase of confrontation began during the reign of [[Constantius II]] (reigned 337-361) which gives insight into the way in which the culture of the Quadi had changed. The Quadi and Sarmatians were making raids across the Danube into Roman Pannonia and Moesia. The account given by [[Ammianus Marcellinus]] shows that in this period the Quadi had become more accustomed to actions on horseback.<ref>{{harvtxt|Kolník|2003|p=635}} citing Ammianus, History, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/17*.html 17]</ref> He reported that the involved Quadi and Sarmatians "were neighbours and had like customs and armour", "better fitted for brigandage than for open warfare, have very long spears and cuirasses made from smooth and polished pieces of horn, fastened like scales to linen shirts". They had "swift and obedient horses" and they generally had more than one, "to the end that an exchange may keep up the strength of their mounts and that their freshness may be renewed by alternate periods of rest".<ref>Ammianus, History, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/17*.html 17]</ref> 

In 358 the emperor crossed the Danube and resistance quickly fell apart. The leaders who came to negotiate with the emperor represented different parts of the populations who had participated. An important one was prince Araharius, who ruled "a part of the Transiugitani and the Quadi". An inferior of his was Usafer, a prominent noble, who led "some of the Sarmatians". In the negotiations the emperor declared that the Sarmatians were Roman dependents and demanded hostages. He then learned that there had been social upheaval among the Sarmatians, and some of the nobility had even fled to other countries. He gave them a new king, Zizais, a young prince who was the first leader to surrender. He then met with Vitrodorus the son of Viduarius the King of the Quadi. They also gave hostages and they drew their swords "which they venerate as gods" in order to swear loyalty. As a next step he moved to the mouth of the [[Tisza]] and slaughtered or enslaved many of the Sarmatians who lived on the other side and had felt themselves protected by the river from the Romans.<ref>Ammianus, History, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/17*.html 17]</ref> King Viduarius was probably king of the western Quadi. Constantius erected a triumphal arch in Carnuntium, today known as the [[Heidentor]], but raids did not stop.{{sfn|Kolník|2003|p=635}}

Some years after the death of Constantius, the new emperor [[Valentinian I]] (reigned 364-375) reinforced the borders. He fortified the northern and eastern banks of the Danube, and by 373 AD he ordered construction of a garrisoned fort within Quadi territory itself. In 374, when complaints from the Quadi delayed construction the Roman general charged with getting it done invited their king [[Gabinius]] to dinner and then murdered him. As Ammianus wrote "the Quadi, who had long been quiet, were suddenly aroused to an outbreak". Neighbouring tribes including the Sarmatians sprung into action and began raids across the Danube, repulsing the Roman military's first poorly coordinated attempts to confront them.<ref>{{harvtxt|Kolník|2003|p=635}} citing Ammianus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0082:book=29:chapter=6&highlight=quadi 29.6]</ref> 

Valentinian moved to the Danube border and went first to Carnuntum, which was damaged and deserted, and then [[Aquincum]] (now part of Budapest). He sent one force north into the Quadi heartlands, and took another force across the Danube near present-day Budapest, where the enemies had settlements, and they slaughtered everyone they could find. He then made his winter quarters on the Roman side of the Danube in Bregetio (present-day [[Komárom]]). Here Quadi envoys came to plead for peace. However, when they maintained that the building of a barrier was begun "unjustly and without due occasion", which had roused rude spirits to anger, Valentinian was enraged, became sick, and died. This ended this round of conflict, and the Romans and Quadi were soon preoccupied with bigger problems in the Danubian region.<ref>{{harvtxt|Kolník|2003|p=636}} citing Ammianus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0082:book=30:chapter=6&highlight=quadi 30.6]</ref>

In 380 the Romans suffered a major defeat at the [[Battle of Adrianople]], which was caused by a sudden movement of peoples including [[Goths]], [[Alans]] and [[Huns]] coming from present-day Ukraine. According to Ammianus, the region of the Marcomanni and Quadi were among the areas first affected by the "a savage horde of unknown peoples, driven from their abodes by sudden violence".<ref>Ammianus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0082:book=31:chapter=4&highlight=quadi 31.4]</ref> Although there is no consensus about the details, the Romans tried new approaches to settling newcomers in large numbers.{{sfn|Halsall|2007|pp=180-185}}{{sfn|Kulikowski|2007|pp=152-153}} One of the armed groups responsible for the defeat, led by [[Alatheus and Saphrax]], were settled into the Pannonian part of the Roman empire, near the Quadi homeland, and expected to do military service for Rome. 

It is not clear how the Quadi reacted to the changed situation, but their name no longer appears in the records of this region. It is however likely that many crossed into Roman territory while others participated in the large movements of mixed peoples which were happening on both sides of the Danube. After the death of emperor [[Theodosius I]] in 395, [[Saint Jerome]] listed the Marcomanni and Quadi together with several of the eastern peoples causing devastation in the Roman provinces stretching from Constantinople to the [[Julian Alps]], including Dalmatia, and all the provinces of Pannonia: "Goths and Sarmatians, Quadi and Alans, Huns and Vandals and Marcomanni".<ref>{{harvtxt|Castritius|2005}} citing Jerome's ''Letters'' 60.16.2 f.</ref> Claudian describes them crossing the frozen Danube with wagons, and then setting wagons rigged around themselves like a wall at the approach of the Roman commander Stilicho. He says that all the fertile lands between the Black Sea and Adriatic were subsequently like uninhabited deserts, specifically including Dalmatia and Pannonia. At the same time, the Gothic general [[Alaric I]], who had loyally served with his Gothic troops under Theodosius I at the [[Battle of Frigidus]] only a few months early, was beginning his rebellion, and started leading his army south, first towards Constantinople, and later towards Greece. This was triggered by internal Roman conflicts after the death of Theodosius. Claudian claimed that they were all incited by an Eastern Roman consul and enemy of Stilicho, [[Rufinus (consul)|Rufinus]].<ref>See for example {{harvtxt|Halsall|2007|p=194}} and {{harvtxt|Heather|1995|p=9}} citing Claudian ''[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Claudian/In_Rufinum/2*.html 2nd poem Against Rufinus]''</ref> The exact connection between Alaric and those who crossed the Danube remains unclear.{{sfn|Meier|2010}}