Alan Military Tactics

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Vita Germani: Chapter 78:

Aetius . . . gave permission to Eothar [Goar], the savage king of the
Alans, to subdue Armorica; and Eothar [Goar], with the greed of a bar-
barian, was eager for the wealth of the area. So an old man [St.
Germanus] was pitted against an idolatrous king but, under
Christ's protection, the former proved greater and stronger than
all of his enemies. He set out quickly because preparations for
the campaign had already been made. The Alans were already
on the march and their armored horsemen crowded all the roads.
Nevertheless, our priest took the road moving toward the place
where he hoped to encounter the king who arrived after he did.
The march was already underway when the meeting took
place and thus the priest faced an armored magnate surrounded
by his followers. First the priest made requests through an in-
terpreter. Then, as Eothar [Goar] disregarded these requests, Germanus
scolded him. Finally, Germanus reached out his hand, grabbed
Eothar's [Goar's] horse's bridle, and stopped him, and with him he
stopped the entire army. At this the barbarian king's anger was
turned by God to admiration. Eothar [Goar] was stunned by such firm-
ness, awed by such dignity, and moved by the strength of such
tenacious authority. The war gear and the commotion of arms
were set aside and their place was taken by the courtesies of
peaceful talks. Laying aside his arrogance, the king dismounted
and entered into a discussion which ended not in the satisfaction
of his desires but in satisfying the priest's requests."