Fritigern (also Fritigernus, died c. 380 CE) was a Visigothic king best known as the victor of the decisive Battle of Adrianople in 378 CE, which decimated the Roman army and haunted Roman military commanders for decades afterwards. He was a Thervingi Goth who converted to Arian Christianity and challenged the authority of the Visigothic king Athanaric (d. 381 CE), who persecuted the Gothic Christians, plunging the region into the Gothic Civil War of the early 370's CE.
More about: Fritigern8 days left
Server Costs Fundraiser 2024
Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Please donate and contribute to covering our server costs in 2024. With your support, millions of people learn about history entirely for free every month.
$12669 / $18000
Definition
Timeline
-
c. 370 CEFritigern battles Athanaric in the Gothic Civil War.
-
376 CEFritigern formally converts to Arian Christianity in order to enter the Roman Empire.
-
376 CEFritigern and Alavivus lead their people across the Danube into Roman Thrace.
-
378 CEBeginning of the First Gothic War with Rome.
-
378 CEFritigern defeats Roman emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople.
-
378 CE - 382 CEFirst Gothic War with Rome.
-
c. 379 CE - c. 380 CEFritigern leads raids through Balkans down to Greece.
-
380 CEDeath of Fritigern.