o Arbon (Arbor
Felix), Bregenz (Brigantium), and thence farther eastward, thus
preserving the connection between the Western and Eastern portions of
the Empire, and facilitating the movements of the troops. The men were
sometimes forced to hasten from the Rhine to the Danube to meet the
Goths in the East, and anon from the Danube to the Rhine to contend
with the Franks on the lower, or the Alemanni on the upper portion of
the stream.

This year also such assistance seemed necessary--this time in the
eastern provinces, where the Gothic tribes, especially the Visigoths,
fleeing before the Huns, had found refuge on Roman territory, but,
driven to desperation by the ill-treatment of the Roman governor, had
risen in arms.

True, Valens, the Emperor of the Eastern Empire, hoped to cope
successfully with them alone; he would have been reluctant to share the
fame of victory with his young nephew and fellow-ruler Gratianus, lord
of the Western portion. Yet, nevertheless, he had been compelled to ask
the latter to hold himself in readiness to come to his uncle's
assistance with his Gallic legions in the territory bordering on the
Danube.

Gratianus, however, thought that he could not leave Gaul and the Rhine
until he had first punished the Alemanni for their recent incursions
across the frontier, and--at least for a while--deterred them from
making new inroads. At the same time he desired, in case the summons
for help should arrive, to have traversed a portion of the long
distance and thus be able to give his uncle aid more speedily. So,
toward the end of July, he left his residence, Trier, with the larger
portion of his troops, and marched by way of Zabern and Strassburg to
the left bank of the Rhine near Augst and Basle. Here and at Windisch
he formed two camps and kept the main body of his troops near him,
busying himself in the reorganization of the province and eagerly
awaiting news from the East.

The expedition against the Alemanni on the northern shore of the lake
was entrusted to a small band of troops which, being able to move more
swiftly, seemed better suited for the marches through swamp and forest
and, moreover, amply sufficient in number; for the attack was directed
against only the Linzgau, so called from the little river, which at the
present time is still known as the Linz, or more frequently the Ach.
This was the home of the Lentian Alemanni, who lived on the northern
and western shores of the lake and, d