The Gothic People and the Roman Empire
By the late 4th century, the Roman Empire was already facing significant internal challenges, including economic troubles, political instability, and military disarray. The empire was also grappling with the growing presence of various barbarian groups on its borders. Among these groups were the Goths, a Germanic people who had been in conflict with the Romans for centuries. The Goths had been migrating across Eastern Europe, pushed by the Huns and other groups, and had increasingly come into contact with the Roman Empire.
In the years leading up to the Battle of Adrianople, the Goths had suffered under the pressure of the Huns, and many of them sought refuge within Roman territory. In 376 AD, the Goths, led by their king, Fritigern, requested permission from the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens to settle within the empire’s borders, near the Danube River. Valens, eager to avoid conflict, allowed the Goths to cross the river and settle in Roman territory, but he failed to provide adequate supplies and support for the migrating tribes. This oversight would prove disastrous. shutdown123