The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. IX. The expedition of Valentinian and Gratian against the Alemans in battaile discomfited and put to flight with a great overthrow.

ABout the same time well neere, whiles Valentinian was gone forth warily, as he thought, to an expedition, an Aleman * 1.1 Prince, named Rando, ma∣king preparation long before for that which he designed, entred by stealth with a crue of souldiors lightly appointed to kill and rob, into * 1.2 Magontiacum, when it was without a garrison. And for that he found there by chance a solem∣nitie holden of the Christians, he led away without any let and impeachment a sort of both sexes undefended, it skilled not of what estate they were of, together with no small store of household goods. Within a little while after there shone up∣on the Romane Empire an unexpected hope of better dayes. For when king Vi∣thicabius, the sonne of Vadomarius, in shew an effeminate and diseased prince, but of courage bold and valiant, kindled oftentimes hote warres against us, great care and diligence was employed, that he might be made away and murthered, it mattered not how: and for that being assayled sundrie times, he could not either be openly vanquished, or privily betrayed, at the earnest sollicitation of our men murthered he was by the deceitfull hand of one of his owne ministers, belonging to the privie chamber. After whose death, the enemies in some sort gave over their hostile rodes and incursions: howbeit, the murtherer, for dread of punishment which he feared, in case the businesse had beene discovered, got himselfe over as fast as he could in∣to Romane ground. After this, preparation was made with good pause and deli∣beration, as also by sundrie kinds of forces, of an expedition against the Alemanes, and the same of greater puissance than usually had beene, considering that the de∣fence of the State required no lesse; because the faithlesse stirres of a nation, whose forces might soone be renewed, were feared: and our souldiors neverthelesse were enkindled against them, for their suspected conditions; who feeble now and sup∣pliants, yet shortly after threatening deadly and mortall hostilitie, gave them no rest at all, nor cessation of armes. Valentinian therefore, together with Gratian, having assembled an huge hoast, well furnished as well with armes as victuals, and sent for Sebastian the lieutenant, together with the bands of Illyricum and Italie, whereof hee had the regiment to joyne with them, in the very fresh prime of the yeare set forward, marching in foure square battailons close together and undivided; him∣selfe in the middest having Iovinus and Severus, ^s expert and approoved warriors, flanking the sides of the rankes on both hands, for feare they might be suddainely assayled. And so from thence, by the guidance of those that were perfect in the wayes, having discovered beforehand the avenues through the plaine countries, lying out a great length, the souldiors advauncing softly forward, yet very eagre of fight, as if they had found the enemies alreadie, in threatening manner gnashed their teeth for anger. And for that during certaine daies journey they could meet with none that made resistance, there was put forth a regiment of certaine cohorts, who with the devouring flame of fire consumed the standing corne and houses that they could set eye upon, all save only such food, as their doubtfull state where∣in they stood forced them to gather and keepe. This done, the prince going fur∣ther forward with a milder pace, when he was come neere to a place named * 1.3 Soli∣cinium, stood still, as if a barre had beene set in his way, enformed by a most true

relation of his out-riders, that the barbarous enemies were discovered afarre off; who seeing no way or meanes left to save their lives, unlesse by a speedie encoun∣ter they defended themselves, presuming boldly upon their skilfulnesse in the wayes, with one mind and accord gained a verie high mountaine, by the meanes of rough and craggie hills, steepe and unaccessable on everie side, save onely the North, whence it hath an easie and gentle fall or descent. Where having out of hand pitched downe their standerds, as their manner is, and cryed the alarme on all hands, our souldiors easie to be directed at the commaundement of the Prince and leaders, stood their ground, waiting untill the banner were set up aloft, which was the signall to begin battaile in convenient time. Now, for as much as there was little or no time allowed to take any deliberation, whiles the impatient Ro∣man souldiors terribly tooke on and fumed on the one side, and the Alemans made horrible noyses on the other, this course onely the shortnesse of time and quicke dispatch admitted, namely, That Sebastian with his companies should possesse himselfe of that North part of the hills, which I said had an easie descent, there with little adoe, if good luck were, to have the killing of the Germans as they shold flie. Which was not thought good to be put in practise in hast. And while Gra∣tian was detained backe about the Corps de guard, and ensignes of the Ioviani, as who for his tender yeares could not yet endure the toylesome perils of battails, Va∣lentinian as a captaine that liked well to hold off, and worke safely, vailing bonet, and saluting the centuries and maniples (without making any of the great com∣maunders privie to his secret designement, and having none of his guard about his person) rode out with some few in his companie, whose industrie and fidelitie he had good proofe of, to view and discover the bottomes of the hills; giving it out (as he was an arrogant prizer and prayser of himselfe) That there might bee some other way found out, leading up to those high and difficult cliffs, beside that which the fore-riders had discovered. As he went therefore out of the way, through un∣knowne and moist marishes, he had surely lost his life by a sodaine rode of the ene∣mie, bestowed in ambush among the craggie and broken cliffes, but that he tooke himselfe to the last helpe in time of necessitie, and setting spurres to his horse, gal∣loped through the slipperie mire, got away, and shrowded himselfe within the bo∣some of the legions, and so escaped a sodaine and unlooked for daunger, whereto he was so neere, that a gentleman of his chamber who carried his helmet richly set with gold and pretious stones together with the verie case perished quite, and could never after be found alive or dead. After rest therefore graunted for the re∣freshing of their bodies, and the banner erected, which is woont to give signall and warning to battaile, at the menacing sound of the trumpets kindling their courage, Salvius and Lupicinus, two valiant young Knights, chosen of purpose to give the onset in daungerous service; the ^t one a * 1.4 Targuetier, the other of the Gentiles band before all others readily stepped forth and led the way with a most bold reso∣lution, toward the battailons as they began to advance, with a terrible noise stirring and inticing them forward: and thus brandishing their speares, when they were come to the foresaid cliffes that stood against them, and endevoured maugre the Alemans (who shoved and thrust sore upon them) to gaine the higher ground, thither came all the maine force of the armie: and in the end, following hard after these ring-leaders through the thickets of bushes, and rough brambles and bryers, with much straining of their strength got up to the high toppes of the mountaine. With a great stomacke therefore of both parts the conflict began by the deadly

dint & point of the sword to be tried: and of the one side the Romans more skilfull souldiors, and on the other the barbarous enemies, though fierce, yet unwarie and inconsiderat, coped and joyned hand to hand. And verily our armie displayed ve∣rie large, and spreading forth the wings to enclose the enemies on both sides, assai∣led them sore, terrified as they were with hideous outcries, neighing of horses, and sounding of trumpets: yet neverthelesse tooke they heart againe and boldly resi∣sted. And thus for a while the hosts in equall ballance of fortune maintained fight with no small ado and endevour, whiles the conflict continued with mutual killing and slaying on either side. At length such was the valiant courage of the Romans, that the enemies rankes were broken, and for feare so shufled together, that the for∣most were mingled with the hindmost: and whiles they seeke to get away by good footmanship, pierced through they were with casting darts and javelins that the e∣nemies launced at them. And in the end, whiles they run fetching their wind short and all wearie, they laid open to them that followed their hammes, the calves of their legges, and their backes. In conclusion, after many of them were beaten downe, Sebastian placed with a fresh companie for supply at the back of the moun∣taines, slew part of them that had slipped and escaped away, by reason they were hemmed in on that side that they tooke no heed of: the rest dispersed, betooke themselves to the lurking corners of the woods. In this conflict there dyed of our part also, men of no small account, among whom was Valerianus, the principall of all the * 1.5 guard in ordinarie, and a certaine esquier or targuetier, borne a verie evirate Eunuch, but such an expert and approved warriour, that he might be compared ei∣ther with old Sicinius or Sergius. These exploits thus performed with such varietie of accidents, the souldiors returned unto their Winter harbours, and the Empe∣rours to Triers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Regalu.
• * 1.2

  Moguntia, Maj∣ence, or Mentz.
• * 1.3

  Solms. Heroldo. Bretta. Lazio.
• * 1.4

  or one of the guard.
• * 1.5

  Domestici.