05-13-2015, 01:10 PM
There is an account of a Sarmatian attack on two Roman legions in Ammianus-
'By these stumbling-blocks (so to speak) the barbarians were turned from attacking the city, having little skill in such refinements of warfare as well as being impeded by their packs of booty, and turned to the pursuit of Aequitius. And when they learned from the information of prisoners that he had gone to the remote spaces of Valeria, they quickly made their way thither, grinding their teeth and bent upon cutting his throat for this reason — that they believed that it was he who had brought their guiltless king to destruction. When this became known, at headlong speed two legions were sent to meet them in battle, the Pannonica and the Moesiaca, a strong combination for fighting, which, if they had acted in harmony, would undoubtedly have come off victorious. But while they were hastening to attack the bands of plunderers separately, they were made ineffective by quarrels that broke out between them, and contended for honour and prestige. When the Sarmatians, who were very keen-witted, learned of this, without waiting for the usual signal for battle, they attacked the Moesiaca first; and while the soldiers were somewhat slow in getting their arms ready because of the confusion, they killed a great number of them, and then with increased confidence broke through the line of the Pannonica. They thus threw the whole army into disorder, and with repeated attacks would almost have annihilated it, had not speedy flight saved some from the danger of death.' Amm Bk XXVIIII, 6, 12-15
The Alan's from at least the AD36's were enaged in a war with the Greuthungi Goth's and were joined by the Huns. Hun's and Alan's pursued the Goths to the Danube in 376AD and bands of Alan's either joined the Goth's or assisted in Hunnic attacks on them. A band of Alan's were responsible for delaying Gratian's arrival at Adrianople in 378AD and Gratian himself was stated as installing Alan's as his personal bodyguard which led to resentment and Gratian's assassination.
'By these stumbling-blocks (so to speak) the barbarians were turned from attacking the city, having little skill in such refinements of warfare as well as being impeded by their packs of booty, and turned to the pursuit of Aequitius. And when they learned from the information of prisoners that he had gone to the remote spaces of Valeria, they quickly made their way thither, grinding their teeth and bent upon cutting his throat for this reason — that they believed that it was he who had brought their guiltless king to destruction. When this became known, at headlong speed two legions were sent to meet them in battle, the Pannonica and the Moesiaca, a strong combination for fighting, which, if they had acted in harmony, would undoubtedly have come off victorious. But while they were hastening to attack the bands of plunderers separately, they were made ineffective by quarrels that broke out between them, and contended for honour and prestige. When the Sarmatians, who were very keen-witted, learned of this, without waiting for the usual signal for battle, they attacked the Moesiaca first; and while the soldiers were somewhat slow in getting their arms ready because of the confusion, they killed a great number of them, and then with increased confidence broke through the line of the Pannonica. They thus threw the whole army into disorder, and with repeated attacks would almost have annihilated it, had not speedy flight saved some from the danger of death.' Amm Bk XXVIIII, 6, 12-15
The Alan's from at least the AD36's were enaged in a war with the Greuthungi Goth's and were joined by the Huns. Hun's and Alan's pursued the Goths to the Danube in 376AD and bands of Alan's either joined the Goth's or assisted in Hunnic attacks on them. A band of Alan's were responsible for delaying Gratian's arrival at Adrianople in 378AD and Gratian himself was stated as installing Alan's as his personal bodyguard which led to resentment and Gratian's assassination.
Adrian Coombs-Hoar
