Late Roman infantry in transition

[aligern]

Aren't these campaigns further down the Danubein the region of present day Romania?
Roy

[valentinianvictor]

Hi Roy, I dont know if you remember this thread on RAT-

http://www.romanarmytalk.com/17-roman-military-history-a-archaeology/16736-plumbata.html?start=585

After the victory at Dibaltum the Goths learnt that Gratian had despatched Frigeridus with troops to aid his uncle Valens. Frigeridus was at a fortress he had constructed in Thrace, at a place called Beroea. The Goths, recognising the threat that Frigeridus and his men posed, rushed as quickly as they could with the Hun and Alan mercenaries to Beroea where they hoped to catch Frigeridus off guard. Fortunately for the Romans, the scouts Frigeridus had sent out for the very purpose of detecting such an action by the Goths, spotted the on-rushing barbarians. This timely warning allowed Frigeridus and his army to march out of the fortress and retire to Illyricum unscathed. After successfully escaping from the Goths in Thrace Frigeridus then chanced upon the Gothic chieftain Farnobius and his band of Goths, who were now joined by another Gothic tribe, the Taifali, who had been lately been allies of the Romans during the reign of Constantius II. Frigeridus drew up his army in battle formation and launched a devastating attack on Farnobius and his men, killing that chieftain and most of the Goths he had led. The survivors were sent to Italy to work the fields around Parma, Mutina and Regium. So, there was at least one major battle in the region now covered by Serbia between the Goths and Romans, which might have led to at least some of the plumbata finds.