Visigoths Destroy Roman Army: Emperor Valens Killed
Visigoth cavalry encircled and destroyed a massive Roman army at Adrianople, killing Emperor Valens and more than half his troops in the worst Roman military defeat since Cannae nearly six centuries earlier. The Romans had underestimated the Visigoths' cavalry strength and attacked before reinforcements arrived, a miscalculation that proved fatal. The catastrophe demonstrated that Rome could no longer defend its frontiers against determined migration and accelerated the empire's dependence on barbarian mercenaries for its own survival.
August 9, 378
1648 years ago
What Else Happened on August 9
Julius Caesar met Pompey at Pharsalus in August 48 BC, and it was over in hours. Pompey had the larger army. Caesar had positioned himself on lower ground, whic…
Bulgaria was founded as a Khanate in 681 AD after Khan Asparuh's forces defeated the Byzantine army near the Danube delta. Emperor Constantine IV recognized the…
Pope Damasus II died in Rome just 23 days after his consecration, likely from malaria contracted during his journey to the city. His sudden passing left the pap…
Construction began on the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa in 1173, launching a building project that would take nearly two centuries to complete. The tower b…
Quilon was designated as the first Indian Christian diocese in 1329 by Pope John XXII, with the French Dominican friar Jordanus of Sévérac appointed bishop. Chr…
The Sistine Chapel opened in Rome with the celebration of a Mass, though the ceiling that would make it immortal — Michelangelo's frescoes — would not be painte…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.