_Suevians_, _Quades_, and _Marcomans_; for they were all in arms at this
time. The _Quades_ and _Marcomans_ were _Suevian_ nations; and they and the
_Suevians_ came originally from _Bohemia_, and the river _Suevus_ or
_Sprake_ in _Lusatia_; and were now united under one common King called
_Ermeric_, who soon after led them into _Gallia_. The _Vandals_ and _Alans_
might also about this time extend themselves into _Noricum_. _Uldin_ also
with a great body of _Hunns_ passed the _Danube_ about the time of
_Chrysostom_'s banishment, that is, A.C. 404, and wasted _Thrace_ and
_Mæsia_. _Radagaisus_, King of the _Gruthunni_ and succesor of _Winithar_,
inviting over more barbarians from beyond the _Danube_, invaded _Italy_
with an army of above two hundred thousand _Goths_; and within a year or
two, A.C. 405 or 406., was overcome by _Stilico_, and perished with his
army. In this war _Stilico_ was assisted with a great body of _Hunns_ and
_Ostrogoths_, under the conduct of _Uldin_ and _Sarus_, who were hired by
the Emperor _Honorius_. In all this confusion it was necessary for the
_Lombards_ in _Pannonia_ to arm themselves in their own defence, and assert
their liberty, the _Romans_ being no longer able to protect them.

And now _Stilico_ purposing to make himself Emperor, procured a military
prefecture for _Alaric_, and sent him into the _East_ in the service of
_Honorius_ the _Western_ Emperor, committing some _Roman_ troops to his
conduct to strengthen his army of _Goths_, and promising to follow soon
after with his own army. His pretence was to recover some regions of
_Illyricum_, which the _Eastern_ Emperor was accused to detain injuriously
from the _Western_; but his secret design was to make himself Emperor, by
the assistance of the _Vandals_ and their allies: for he himself was a
_Vandal_. For facilitating this design, he invited a great body of the
barbarous nations to invade the _Western Empire_, while he and _Alaric_
invaded the _Eastern_. And these nations under their several Kings, the
_Vandals_ under _Godegisilus_, the _Alans_ in two bodies, the one under