[Footnote43:ThishypothesisofaVandalkingreigningoverSarmatiansubjects，seemsnecessarytoreconciletheGothJornandeswiththeGreekandLatinhistoriansofConstantine。ItmaybeobservedthatIsidore，wholivedinSpainunderthedominionoftheGoths，givesthemforenemies，nottheVandals，buttheSarmatians。SeehisChronicleinGrotius，p。709。
Note:Ihavealreadynoticedtheconfusionwhichmustnecessarilyariseinhistory，whennamespurelygeographical，asthisofSarmatia，aretakenforhistoricalnamesbelongingtoasinglenation。Weperceiveithere；ithasforcedGibbontosuppose，withoutanyreasonbutthenecessityofextricatinghimselffromhisperplexity，thattheSarmatianshadtakenakingfromamongtheVandals；asuppositionentirelycontrarytotheusagesofBarbariansDacia，atthisperiod，wasoccupied，notbySarmatians，whohaveneverformedadistinctrace，butbyVandals，whomtheancientshaveoftenconfoundedunderthegeneraltermSarmatians。SeeGatterer\'sWelt—Geschiehtep。464—
G。]
Thismotiveofenmitymusthaveinflamedthesubjectsofcontention，whichperpetuallyariseontheconfinesofwarlikeandindependentnations。TheVandalprinceswerestimulatedbyfearandrevenge；theGothickingsaspiredtoextendtheirdominionfromtheEuxinetothefrontiersofGermany；andthewatersoftheMaros，asmallriverwhichfallsintotheTeyss，werestainedwiththebloodofthecontendingBarbarians。Aftersomeexperienceofthesuperiorstrengthandnumbersoftheiradversaries，theSarmatiansimploredtheprotectionoftheRomanmonarch，whobeheldwithpleasurethediscordofthenations，butwhowasjustlyalarmedbytheprogressoftheGothicarms。AssoonasConstantinehaddeclaredhimselfinfavoroftheweakerparty，thehaughtyAraric，kingoftheGoths，insteadofexpectingtheattackofthelegions，boldlypassedtheDanube，andspreadterroranddevastationthroughtheprovinceofMaesia。
Toopposetheinroadofthisdestroyinghost，theagedemperortookthefieldinperson；butonthisoccasioneitherhisconductorhisfortunebetrayedtheglorywhichhehadacquiredinsomanyforeignanddomesticwars。HehadthemortificationofseeinghistroopsflybeforeaninconsiderabledetachmentoftheBarbarians，whopursuedthemtotheedgeoftheirfortifiedcamp，andobligedhimtoconsulthissafetybyaprecipitateandignominiousretreat。TheeventofasecondandmoresuccessfulactionretrievedthehonoroftheRomanname；andthepowersofartanddisciplineprevailed，afteranobstinatecontest，overtheeffortsofirregularvalor。ThebrokenarmyoftheGothsabandonedthefieldofbattle，thewastedprovince，andthepassageoftheDanube:andalthoughtheeldestofthesonsofConstantinewaspermittedtosupplytheplaceofhisfather，themeritofthevictory，whichdiffuseduniversaljoy，wasascribedtotheauspiciouscounselsoftheemperorhimself。