WestwardoftheGoths，thenumeroustribesoftheVandalswerespreadalongthebanksoftheOder，andthesea—coastofPomeraniaandMecklenburgh。Astrikingresemblanceofmanners，complexion，religion，andlanguage，seemedtoindicatethattheVandalsandtheGothswereoriginallyonegreatpeople。^17ThelatterappeartohavebeensubdividedintoOstrogoths，Visigoths，andGepidae。^18ThedistinctionamongtheVandalswasmorestronglymarkedbytheindependentnamesofHeruli，Burgundians，Lombards，andavarietyofotherpettystates，manyofwhich，inafutureage，expandedthemselvesintopowerfulmonarchies。
[Footnote13:Tacit。Germania，c。44。]
[Footnote14:Tacit。Annal。ii。62。IfwecouldyieldafirmassenttothenavigationsofPytheasofMarseilles，wemustallowthattheGothshadpassedtheBalticatleastthreehundredyearsbeforeChrist。]
[Footnote15:Ptolemy，l。ii。]
[Footnote16:BytheGermancolonieswhofollowedthearmsoftheTeutonicknights。TheconquestandconversionofPrussiawerecompletedbythoseadventurersinthethirteenthcentury。]
[Footnote17:PlinyHist。Natur。iv。14andProcopiusinBell。
Vandal。l。i。c。lagreeinthisopinion。Theylivedindistantages，andpossesseddifferentmeansofinvestigatingthetruth。]
[Footnote18:TheOstroandVisi，theeasternandwesternGoths，obtainedthosedenominationsfromtheiroriginalseatsinScandinavia。Inalltheirfuturemarchesandsettlementstheypreserved，withtheirnames，thesamerelativesituation。WhentheyfirstdepartedfromSweden，theinfantcolonywascontainedinthreevessels。Thethird，beingaheavysailer，laggedbehind，andthecrew，whichafterwardsswelledintoanation，receivedfromthatcircumstancetheappellationofGepidaeorLoiterers。Jornandes，c。17。
Note:ItwasnotinScandinaviathattheGothsweredividedintoOstrogothsandVisigoths；thatdivisiontookplaceaftertheirirruptionintoDaciainthethirdcentury:thosewhocamefromMecklenburghandPomeraniawerecalledVisigoths；thosewhocamefromthesouthofPrussia，andthenorthwestofPoland，calledthemselvesOstrogoths。Adelung，Hist。All。p。202
Gatterer，Hist。Univ。431。—G。]
[Footnote*:Thisopinionisbynomeansprobable。TheVandalsandtheGothsequallybelongedtothegreatdivisionoftheSuevi，butthetwotribeswereverydifferent。Thosewhohavetreatedonthispartofhistory，appeartometohaveneglectedtoremarkthattheancientsalmostalwaysgavethenameofthedominantandconqueringpeopletoalltheweakerandconqueredraces。SoPlinycallsVindeli，Vandals，allthepeopleofthenorth—eastofEurope，becauseatthatepochtheVandalsweredoubtlesstheconqueringtribe。Caesar，onthecontrary，rangesunderthenameofSuevi，manyofthetribeswhomPlinyreckonsasVandals，becausetheSuevi，properlysocalled，werethenthemostpowerfultribeinGermany。WhentheGoths，becomeintheirturnconquerors，hadsubjugatedthenationswhomtheyencounteredontheirway，thesenationslosttheirnamewiththeirliberty，andbecameofGothicorigin。TheVandalsthemselveswerethenconsideredasGoths；theHeruli，theGepidae，&c。，sufferedthesamefate。Acommonoriginwasthusattributedtotribeswhohadonlybeenunitedbytheconquestsofsomedominantnation，andthisconfusionhasgivenrisetoanumberofhistoricalerrors。—
G。
M。St。MartinhasalearnednotetoLeBeau，v。261ontheoriginoftheVandals。ThedifficultyappearstobeinrejectingthecloseanalogyofthenamewiththeVendorWendishrace，whowereofSclavonian，notofSuevianorGerman，origin。M。St。
MartinsupposesthatthedifferentracesspreadfromtheheadoftheAdriatictotheBaltic，andeventheVeneti，ontheshoresoftheAdriatic，theVindelici，thetribeswhichgavetheirnametoVindobena，Vindoduna，Vindonissa，werebranchesofthesamestockwiththeSclavonianVenedi，whoatonetimegavetheirnametotheBaltic；thattheyallspokedialectsoftheWendishlanguage，whichstillprevailsinCarinthia，Carniola，partofBohemia，andLusatia，andishardlyextinctinMecklenburghandPomerania。
TheVandalrace，oncesofearfullycelebratedintheannalsofmankind，hassoutterlyperishedfromthefaceoftheearth，thatwearenotawarethatanyvestigesoftheirlanguagecanbetraced，soastothrowlightonthedisputedquestionoftheirGerman，theirSclavonian，orindependentorigin。TheweightofancientauthorityseemsagainstM。St。Martin\'sopinion。
Compare，ontheVandals，MalteBrun。394。AlsoGibbon\'snote，c。
xli。n。38。—M。]
IntheageoftheAntonines，theGothswerestillseatedinPrussia。AboutthereignofAlexanderSeverus，theRomanprovinceofDaciahadalreadyexperiencedtheirproximitybyfrequentanddestructiveinroads。^19Inthisinterval，therefore，ofaboutseventyyears，wemustplacethesecondmigrationofaboutseventyyears，wemustplacethesecondmigrationoftheGothsfromtheBaltictotheEuxine；butthecausethatproduceditliesconcealedamongthevariousmotiveswhichactuatetheconductofunsettledbarbarians。Eitherapestilenceorafamine，avictoryoradefeat，anoracleofthegodsortheeloquenceofadaringleader，weresufficienttoimpeltheGothicarmsonthemilderclimatesofthesouth。Besidestheinfluenceofamartialreligion，thenumbersandspiritoftheGothswereequaltothemostdangerousadventures。Theuseofroundbucklersandshortswordsrenderedthemformidableinacloseengagement；themanlyobediencewhichtheyyieldedtohereditarykings，gaveuncommonunionandstabilitytotheircouncils；^20
andtherenownedAmala，theheroofthatage，andthetenthancestorofTheodoric，kingofItaly，enforced，bytheascendantofpersonalmerit，theprerogativeofhisbirth，whichhederivedfromtheAnses，ordemigodsoftheGothicnation。^21
[Footnote19:SeeafragmentofPeterPatriciusintheExcerptaLegationumandwithregardtoitsprobabledate，seeTillemont，Hist，desEmpereurs，tom。iii。p。346。]
[Footnote20:Omniumharumgentiuminsigne，rotundascuta，brevesgladii，etergaragesobsequium。Tacit。Germania，c。43。TheGothsprobablyacquiredtheirironbythecommerceofamber。]
[Footnote21:Jornandes，c。13，14。]
ThefameofagreatenterpriseexcitedthebravestwarriorsfromalltheVandalicstatesofGermany，manyofwhomareseenafewyearsafterwardscombatingunderthecommonstandardoftheGoths。^22ThefirstmotionsoftheemigrantscarriedthemtothebanksofthePrypec，ariveruniversallyconceivedbytheancientstobethesouthernbranchoftheBorysthenes。^23ThewindingsofthatgreatstreamthroughtheplainsofPolandandRussiagaveadirectiontotheirlineofmarch，andaconstantsupplyoffreshwaterandpasturagetotheirnumerousherdsofcattle。Theyfollowedtheunknowncourseoftheriver，confidentintheirvalor，andcarelessofwhateverpowermightopposetheirprogress。TheBastarnaeandtheVenediwerethefirstwhopresentedthemselves；andthefloweroftheiryouth，eitherfromchoiceorcompulsion，increasedtheGothicarmy。TheBastarnaedweltonthenorthernsideoftheCarpathianMountains:theimmensetractoflandthatseparatedtheBastarnaefromthesavagesofFinlandwaspossessed，orratherwasted，bytheVenedi；^24wehavesomereasontobelievethatthefirstofthesenations，whichdistinguisheditselfintheMacedonianwar，^25andwasafterwardsdividedintotheformidabletribesofthePeucini，theBorani，theCarpi，&c。，deriveditsoriginfromtheGermans。Withbetterauthority，aSarmatianextractionmaybeassignedtotheVenedi，whorenderedthemselvessofamousinthemiddleages。^26Buttheconfusionofbloodandmannersonthatdoubtfulfrontieroftenperplexedthemostaccurateobservers。
^27AstheGothsadvancedneartheEuxineSea，theyencounteredapurerraceofSarmatians，theJazyges，theAlani，^!!andtheRoxolani；andtheywereprobablythefirstGermanswhosawthemouthsoftheBorysthenes，andoftheTanais。IfweinquireintothecharacteristicmarksofthepeopleofGermanyandofSarmatia，weshalldiscoverthatthosetwogreatportionsofhumankindwereprincipallydistinguishedbyfixedhutsormovabletents，byaclosedressorflowinggarments，bythemarriageofoneorofseveralwives，byamilitaryforce，consisting，forthemostpart，eitherofinfantryorcavalry；andaboveall，bytheuseoftheTeutonic，oroftheSclavonianlanguage；thelastofwhichhasbeendiffusedbyconquest，fromtheconfinesofItalytotheneighborhoodofJapan。
[Footnote22:TheHeruli，andtheUregundiorBurgundi，areparticularlymentioned。SeeMascou\'sHistoryoftheGermans，l。
v。ApassageintheAugustanHistory，p。28，seemstoalludetothisgreatemigration。TheMarcomannicwarwaspartlyoccasionedbythepressureofbarbaroustribes，whofledbeforethearmsofmorenorthernbarbarians。]
[Footnote23:D\'Anville，GeographieAncienne，andthethirdpartofhisincomparablemapofEurope。]
[Footnote24:Tacit。Germania，c。46。]
[Footnote25:Cluver。Germ。Antiqua，l。iii。c。43。]
[Footnote*:TheBastarnaecannotbeconsideredoriginalinhabitantsofGermanyStraboandTacitusappeartodoubtit；
PlinyalonecallsthemGermans:PtolemyandDiontreatthemasScythians，avagueappellationatthisperiodofhistory；Livy，Plutarch，andDiodorusSiculus，callthemGauls，andthisisthemostprobableopinion。TheydescendedfromtheGaulswhoenteredGermanyunderSignoesus。TheyarealwaysfoundassociatedwithotherGaulishtribes，suchastheBoll，theTaurisci，&c。，andnottotheGermantribes。Thenamesoftheirchiefsorprinces，Chlonix，Chlondicus。Deldon，arenotGermannames。ThosewhoweresettledintheislandofPeuceintheDanube，tookthenameofPeucini。
TheCarpiappearin237asaSueviantribewhohadmadeanirruptionintoMaesia。AfterwardstheyreappearundertheOstrogoths，withwhomtheywereprobablyblended。Adelung，p。
236，278。—G。]
[Footnote26:TheVenedi，theSlavi，andtheAntes，werethethreegreattribesofthesamepeople。Jornandes，24。
NoteDagger:TheyformedthegreatSclavoniannation。—G。]
[Footnote27:Tacitusmostassuredlydeservesthattitle，andevenhiscautioussuspenseisaproofofhisdiligentinquiries。]
[Footnote!!:Jac。Reineggssupposedthathehadfound，inthemountainsofCaucasus，somedescendantsoftheAlani。TheTartarscallthemEdeki—Alan:theyspeakapeculiardialectoftheancientlanguageoftheTartarsofCaucasus。SeeJ。
Reineggs\'Descr。ofCaucasus，p。11，13。—G。
AccordingtoKlaproth，theyaretheOssetesofthepresentdayinMountCaucasusandwerethesamewiththeAlbaniansofantiquity。Klaproth，Hist。del\'Asie，p。180。—M。]
ChapterX:EmperorsDecius，Gallus，Aemilianus，ValerianAndGallienus。
PartII。
TheGothswerenowinpossessionoftheUkraine，acountryofconsiderableextentanduncommonfertility，intersectedwithnavigablerivers，which，fromeitherside，dischargethemselvesintotheBorysthenes；andinterspersedwithlargeandleafyforestsofoaks。Theplentyofgameandfish，theinnumerablebee—hivesdepositedinthehollowofoldtrees，andinthecavitiesofrocks，andforming，eveninthatrudeage，avaluablebranchofcommerce，thesizeofthecattle，thetemperatureoftheair，theaptnessofthesoilforeveryspeciesofgain，andtheluxuriancyofthevegetation，alldisplayedtheliberalityofNature，andtemptedtheindustryofman。^28ButtheGothswithstoodallthesetemptations，andstilladheredtoalifeofidleness，ofpoverty，andofrapine。
[Footnote28:GenealogicalHistoryoftheTartars，p。593。Mr。
Bellvol。ii。p379traversedtheUkraine，inhisjourneyfromPetersburghtoConstantinople。Themodernfaceofthecountryisajustrepresentationoftheancient，since，inthehandsoftheCossacks，itstillremainsinastateofnature。]
TheScythianhordes，which，towardstheeast，borderedonthenewsettlementsoftheGoths，presentednothingtotheirarms，exceptthedoubtfulchanceofanunprofitablevictory。ButtheprospectoftheRomanterritorieswasfarmorealluring；andthefieldsofDaciawerecoveredwithrichharvests，sownbythehandsofanindustrious，andexposedtobegatheredbythoseofawarlike，people。ItisprobablethattheconquestsofTrajan，maintainedbyhissuccessors，lessforanyrealadvantagethanforidealdignity，hadcontributedtoweakentheempireonthatside。ThenewandunsettledprovinceofDaciawasneitherstrongenoughtoresist，norrichenoughtosatiate，therapaciousnessofthebarbarians。AslongastheremotebanksoftheNiesterwereconsideredastheboundaryoftheRomanpower，thefortificationsoftheLowerDanubeweremorecarelesslyguarded，andtheinhabitantsofMaesialivedinsupinesecurity，fondlyconceivingthemselvesataninaccessibledistancefromanybarbarianinvaders。TheirruptionsoftheGoths，underthereignofPhilip，fatallyconvincedthemoftheirmistake。Theking，orleader，ofthatfiercenation，traversedwithcontempttheprovinceofDacia，andpassedboththeNiesterandtheDanubewithoutencounteringanyoppositioncapableofretardinghisprogress。TherelaxeddisciplineoftheRomantroopsbetrayedthemostimportantposts，wheretheywerestationed，andthefearofdeservedpunishmentinducedgreatnumbersofthemtoenlistundertheGothicstandard。Thevariousmultitudeofbarbariansappeared，atlength，underthewallsofMarcianopolis，acitybuiltbyTrajaninhonorofhissister，andatthattimethecapitalofthesecondMaesia。^29Theinhabitantsconsentedtoransomtheirlivesandpropertybythepaymentofalargesumofmoney，andtheinvadersretreatedbackintotheirdeserts，animated，ratherthansatisfied，withthefirstsuccessoftheirarmsagainstanopulentbutfeeblecountry。IntelligencewassoontransmittedtotheemperorDecius，thatCniva，kingoftheGoths，hadpassedtheDanubeasecondtime，withmoreconsiderableforces；thathisnumerousdetachmentsscattereddevastationovertheprovinceofMaesia，whilstthemainbodyofthearmy，consistingofseventythousandGermansandSarmatians，aforceequaltothemostdaringachievements，requiredthepresenceoftheRomanmonarch，andtheexertionofhismilitarypower。
[Footnote29:InthesixteenthchapterofJornandes，insteadofsecundoMaesiamwemayventuretosubstitutesecundam，thesecondMaesia，ofwhichMarcianopoliswascertainlythecapital。SeeHieroclesdeProvinciis，andWesselingadlocum，p。636。
Itinerar。ItissurprisinghowthispalpableerrorofthescribeshouldescapethejudiciouscorrectionofGrotius。
Note:LudenhasobservedthatJornandesmentionstwopassagesovertheDanube；thisrelatestothesecondirruptionintoMaesia。GeschichtedesTV。ii。p。448。—M。]
DeciusfoundtheGothsengagedbeforeNicopolis，oneofthemanymonumentsofTrajan\'svictories。^30Onhisapproachtheyraisedthesiege，butwithadesignonlyofmarchingawaytoaconquestofgreaterimportance，thesiegeofPhilippopolis，acityofThrace，foundedbythefatherofAlexander，nearthefootofMountHaemus。^31Deciusfollowedthemthroughadifficultcountry，andbyforcedmarches；butwhenheimaginedhimselfataconsiderabledistancefromtherearoftheGoths，Cnivaturnedwithrapidfuryonhispursuers。ThecampoftheRomanswassurprisedandpillaged，and，forthefirsttime，theiremperorfledindisorderbeforeatroopofhalf—armedbarbarians。Afteralongresistance，Philoppopolis，destituteofsuccor，wastakenbystorm。Ahundredthousandpersonsarereportedtohavebeenmassacredinthesackofthatgreatcity。^32Manyprisonersofconsequencebecameavaluableaccessiontothespoil；andPriscus，abrotherofthelateemperorPhilip，blushednottoassumethepurple，undertheprotectionofthebarbarousenemiesofRome。^33Thetime，however，consumedinthattedioussiege，enabledDeciustorevivethecourage，restorethediscipline，andrecruitthenumbersofhistroops。HeinterceptedseveralpartiesofCarpi，andotherGermans，whowerehasteningtosharethevictoryoftheircountrymen，^34intrustedthepassesofthemountainstoofficersofapprovedvalorandfidelity，^35
repairedandstrengthenedthefortificationsoftheDanube，andexertedhisutmostvigilancetoopposeeithertheprogressortheretreatoftheGoths。Encouragedbythereturnoffortune，heanxiouslywaitedforanopportunitytoretrieve，byagreatanddecisiveblow，hisownglory，andthatoftheRomanarms。^36
[Footnote30:TheplaceisstillcalledNicop。D\'Anville，GeographieAncienne，tom。i。p。307。Thelittlestream，onwhosebanksitstood，fallsintotheDanube。]
[Footnote31:Stephan。Byzant。deUrbibus，p。740。Wesseling，Itinerar。p。136。Zonaras，byanoddmistake，ascribesthefoundationofPhilippopolistotheimmediatepredecessorofDecius。
Note:NowPhilippopolisorPhiliba；itssituationamongthehillscausedittobealsocalledTrimontium。D\'Anville，Geog。
Anc。i。295。—G。]
[Footnote32:Ammian。xxxi。5。]
[Footnote33:Aurel。Victor。c。29。]
[Footnote34:VictorioeCarpicoe，onsomemedalsofDecius，insinuatetheseadvantages。]
[Footnote35:ClaudiuswhoafterwardsreignedwithsomuchglorywaspostedinthepassofThermopylaewith200Dardanians，100heavyand160lighthorse，60Cretanarchers，and1000
well—armedrecruits。Seeanoriginalletterfromtheemperortohisofficer，intheAugustanHistory，p。200。]