The Chronicle of Hydatius: Translation and Overview
The Collapse of the Roman Empire in Iberia
Writings that were contemporaneous with events in the Western Roman Empire in the late fourth century CE and the fifth century CE and provide a continuous account of those events are generally few and far between. This is why the chronicle of Hydatius- a fifth century Catholic bishop of the Galicia region in northwest Iberia- is a valuable work, particularly in attesting to the disintegration of Roman power and authority in what is now Spain and Portugal. In Hydatius’ own region, the Suevi- generally understood to be a Germanic people- replaced the collapse of Roman authority as they established their own kingdom in the region. For Hydatius, the affairs of Galicia are marked by the calamities of the Suevi’s repeated plundering of the region’s Hispano-Roman/Galician inhabitants. The Goths, who fought with the Suevi and would eventually put an end to Suevi sovereignty in the sixth century CE, also engaged in such predatory behaviour.
Like any historical source, Hydatius’ chronicle is certainly not perfect, nor has manuscript transmission likely preserved in its entirety the autograph text as originally written by Hydatius. Indeed, there appear to be multiple gaps in the manuscripts that transmit the text, and there are some difficulties that arise with reading the text.
As in any field of research where the dataset is relatively limited, historians and analysts (hello, ‘jihadologists’ and ‘terrorism analysts’) should avoid the temptation to regard the sparse primary source material they work with as infallible or some kind of Gospel truth. Rather Hydatius’ account should be treated for what it is: an important but fallible account of events written from a particular perspective with its own biases, which will no always match with other sources. As Robert Burgess noted in his doctoral thesis that presented a new critical edition of the chronicle that forms the basis of my open-access translation here (NB: Burgess has also produced his own translation, which you can buy here for a hefty sum), analysis of the chronicle, which spans a period of almost 90 years (c. 379-468 CE), has sometimes tried to rearrange or rework some parts of the text to enforce conformance with subsequent/modern understandings of chronologies, supposing alterations and interpolations on no reasonable basis.
Below is my translation of the text, which aims for a readable and idiomatic style rather than sticking too literally to the original structure and phrases of the text (something I have been prone to do in past years). I have kept the annotations fairly light, and have inserted the corresponding CE years following Burgess’ edition and annotation of the Latin text. Any suggested amendments, please write to me (I will be most grateful!).
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As 39th emperor of the Romans, Theodosius was taken up by Gratian to be co-ruler. He ruled with him and the younger Valentinian[i] for 17 years.
I [379 CE]. Theodosius, a Spaniard by nation (from the city of Cauca[ii] of the province of Galicia) was named Augustus by Gratian.
Many struggles occurred between the Romans and Goths.
II [380 CE]. Theodosius entered Constantinople in his first consulate that he undertook with Gratian the Augustus.
(Olympiad[iii] 290)
Theophilus (a very erudite man) is considered to have been 21st bishop of Alexandria. He was renowned for the fact that from the time of the first consulate of Theodosius the Augustus he composed a Laterculus[iv] spread over 100 years regarding the observation of Easter.
III [381 CE]: Athanaric, the king of the Goths, died at Constantinople on the 15th day after he had been received by Theodosius.
IV [382 CE]. The Goths handed themselves over to the Romans in a false peace agreement.
Ambrosius the bishop of Milan in Italy, and Martinus the bishop of Tours in the Gallic lands, were considered renowned for the merits of life and the miracles of their virtues that they accomplished.
V (Eus. 2400)[v] [383 CE]. Theodosius named his son Arcadius as Augustus, and made him his partner in rule.
VI [384 CE]. Theodosius’ son Honorius was born.
The Persians’ ambassadors came to Theodosius at Constantinople.
(Olympiad 291)
VII [385 CE]. The people of the Creothingi[vi] were overcome by Theodosius.
VIII [386 CE]. Priscillian, deviating into the heresy of the Gnostics, was ordained bishop of Ávila[vii] by bishops whom he had brought together for himself on the basis of the same wickedness. After he was heard in the meetings of some bishops,[viii] he made for Italy and Rome. Here he was not even received in the sight of the holy bishops Damasus[ix] and Ambrose, so he returned to the Gallic lands with those with whom he had gone. In the same place he was similarly judged a heretic by the holy bishop Martinus and by other bishops, so he appealed to Caesar because in those days the tyrant[x] Maximus held imperial power in the Gallic lands.
IX [387 CE]. The quinquennalia[xi] of Arcadius were celebrated.
Siricius is considered to have been the 36th bishop of the Roman church.
Priscillian was expelled from his episcopate because of the aforementioned heresy. He, Latronianus the lay person and some of his followers were killed at Treviri under the tyrant Maximus. Then the heresy of the Priscillianists invaded Galicia.
X [388 CE]. The tyrant Maximus was killed by Theodosius at the third milestone from Aquileia[xii] on the fifth day before the Kalends of August [28th July]. At the same time or in that year Maximus’ son called Victor was eliminated in the Gallic lands by Arbogast.
Theodosius’ prefect Cynegius was considered illustrious for the fact that he had outstanding accomplishments, penetrated all the way into Egypt, and destroyed the heathens’ idols.
(Olympiad 292)
XI [389 CE]. Theodosius entered Rome with his son Honorius.
XII [390 CE].[xiii]
XIII [391 CE].
XIV [392 CE]. The younger Valentinian was killed at Vienne through a criminal act of Count Arbogast, and Eugenius was made tyrant.
(Olympiad 293, Spanish era 430, Eus. 2410)
XV. [393 CE].
XVI [394 CE]. Eugenius was defeated and killed by Theodosius the Augustus.
XVII/I [395 CE]. Theodosius died at Milan because of the illness of dropsy in the 17th year of his reign. This year is both the 17th year of Theodosius and the first of Arcadius and Honorius at the beginning of their reign. This is thus indicated so that you should not disturb an Olympiad of five years. The addition has only been inserted in this place because of the beginning of the reign of these two.[xiv]
As the 40th emperors of the Romans, Theodosius’ sons Arcadius and Honorius ruled for 30 years after the death of their father.
II [396 CE].
(Olympiad 294)
III [397 CE]
IV [398 CE].
V [399 CE].
VI [400 CE]. A synod of bishops was held in the Carthaginian province[xv] in the city of Toledo. Among the proceedings of this synod, Symphosius, Dictinus and the other bishops of the province of Galicia with them, condemned with their signature Priscillian’s followers, his very blasphemous heresy, and the one who asserted their profession. In addition, certain observations were decreed regarding the discipline of the Church. Ortigius the bishop, who had been ordained at Caelenae,[xvi] participated in this same council. He was in exile as he had been driven away because of his Catholic faith by the actions of Priscillianist factions.
(Olympiad 295)
VII [401 CE].
VIII [402 CE]. A solar eclipse occurred on the third day before the Ides of November [11 November] on Monday.
Era 440: Innocent is considered to have been the 38th bishop of the Roman Church.
IX (Eus. 2420) [403 CE]. Arcadius’ son Theodosius was born.
X. [404 CE]. John the bishop of Constantinople was considered outstanding for the fact that because of his Catholic faith he endured Arcadius’ wife Eudoxia, a very hostile Arian.[xvii]
(Olympiad 296)
XI [405 CE] Martinus the holy bishop and apostolic man laid aside his flesh and crossed over to the Lord.[xviii] His life and wondrous works that he did are elaborated by the man Severus[xix] his foremost disciple who has written another chronicle besides this one all the way from the beginning of Genesis until the very pernicious sect of the Priscillianists.
XII [406 CE]. John of Jerusalem, Eulogius of Caesarea, Epiphanius of Cyprus and Theophilus of Alexandra (mentioned earlier) are considered to have been outstanding bishops.
The priest Jerome, who took up residency in Bethlehem of the Judea region, is considered to have been distinguished in all matters.
XIII [407 CE]. Hydatius[xx] who writes these words could not have known the previously written about Arians who would have been bishops in Jerusalem before John. Rather as a young child and orphan[xxi] he saw this holy man along with the holy men Eulogius, Theophilus and Jerome.
XIV [408 CE].
(Olympiad 297)
XV [409 CE]. The Alans, Vandals and Suevi entered the Spanish lands in era 447. Some say this happened on the fourth day before the Kalends of October [28 September], others on the third day before the Ides of October [13 October] (on Tuesday). This was when Honorius was consul for the eighth time, and Arcadius’ son Theodosius was consul for the third time.
Alaric the king of the Goths entered Rome. While massacres were being carried out inside and outside the city, all who fled to the thresholds of holy places were spared.
Theodosius’ daughter Placidia- the sister of the emperor Honorius- was captured by the Goths in the city.
Alaric died and was succeeded by Ataulph in rule.
The barbarians who had entered into the Spanish lands engaged in plundering with hostile slaughter. Pestilence played its part no less effectively.
XVI [410 CE]. While the barbarians raged through the Spanish lands, and the evil of pestilence was no less vicious, the tyrannical exactor plundered the wealth and substance found in the cities, and exhausted the soldiers. A horrible famine took hold, such that human flesh was devoured by the human race because of the intensity of the famine. Mothers even fed on the bodies of their children, killed or cooked by them. Beasts that were accustomed to the corpses of those killed by the sword, famine and pestilence, killed the stronger people, and after feeding on their flesh, raged about everywhere, bringing about the demise of the human race. Thus as four plagues of the sword, famine, pestilence and beasts raged about everywhere in the whole world, the announcements declared by the Lord through His prophets were being fulfilled.
XVII [411 CE]. As the provinces of Spain were destroyed by the aforementioned attack of the plagues, the barbarians had a change of heart to enter into peace as the Lord showed pity. They thus divided the regions of the provinces by lot for themselves to inhabit. The Vandals and Suevi occupied Galicia, situated in the extreme west of the Ocean. The Alans obtained the Lusitanian[xxii] and Carthaginian provinces, while the Vandals who were called Silingi obtained Baetica.[xxiii] The Spaniards who had survived the plagues throughout the cities and forts subjected themselves in servitude to the barbarians who held dominance throughout these provinces.
Three years after launching a coup, Constantine was killed by Honorius’ general Constantius inside the Gallic lands.
XVIII [412 CE]. The brothers Jovinus and Sebastianus and Heraclianus became haughty with equal madness of tyranny[xxiv] in Gaul and Africa[xxv] respectively.
(Olympiad 298) Boniface presided over the Roman Church as its 38th bishop.
Augustine the bishop of Hippo Regius[xxvi] is considered to have been outstanding. Among his magnificent studies, the proven trustworthy authors[xxvii] show that the Donatists were overcome by him with God’s help.
XIX [413 CE]. Jovinus and Sebastanius were crushed and killed by Honorius’ generals at Narbonne.[xxviii]
The Goths entered Narbonne in the time of the grape harvest.
Heraclianus mobilised the army from Africa against Honorius, but he was defeated at Utriculum in Italy in a battle. He thus fled to Africa. In that aforementioned place, 50,000 armed men were killed. As for this man, he was killed at the temple of Memory in Carthage by Honorius, who sent assassins.
XX [414 CE]. Ataulph married Placidia at Narbonne. In him, the prophecy of Daniel is considered to have been fulfilled, as he says that the daughter of the king of the South is to be married to the king of the North,[xxix] although none of his offspring from her survive.
XXI [415 CE]. At Jerusalem, where the aforementioned bishop John was presiding, the saint and first martyr after Christ the Lord[xxx] was revealed.[xxxi]
Jerome, who was very outstanding in all matters, and also very skilled in Hebrew matters, meditated all day and all night on the law of the Lord (as has been written),[xxxii] and left behind innumerable studies he wrote. Finally, he smashed the sect of the Pelagians and the deviser of that same sect with his adamantine hammer of truth. Against these people and against other heretics, his most excellent monuments still stand.
XXII [416 CE]. Ataulph was driven away by the patrician Constantius, such that he abandoned Narbonne and made for the Spanish lands, but he was assassinated by a certain Goth at Barcelona amid conversations with friends. He was succeeded in rule by Wallia, who soon made peace with the patrician Constantius, and opposed the Alans and Silingi Vandals who were residing in Lusitania and Baetica.
(Olympiad 299). In writing these words, I have not known who presided over the church at Alexandria after Theophilus.
Constantius married Placidia.
XXIII [417 CE]. Wallia the king of the Goths carried out great massacres of the barbarians within the Spanish lands, acting in the Romans’ name.
A solar eclipse occurred on the 14th day before Kalends of August [19 July]. This was on a Thursday.
Eulalius presided over the Roman Church as its 39th bishop.
While the earlier mentioned bishop[xxxiii] was still presiding, the holy sites in Jerusalem were shaken by a very severe earthquake etc., about which matters the writings of the same bishop offer clarification such as they occurred.
XXIV [418 CE]. The Silingi Vandals were all wiped out in Baetica by King Wallia.
The Alans who held power over the Vandals and Suevi were slaughtered in such a way by the Goths, that their king Atax was killed, and the few who had survived subjected themselves to the protection of the Vandals’ king Gunderic, who had resided in Galicia. This is because the name of their realm had been wiped out.
After the Goths suspended the struggle in which they were engaged, they were called back by Constantius to the Gallic lands, and received abodes in Aquitania[xxxiv] from Toulouse to the Ocean.
After their king Wallia died, Theodoric succeeded in rule.
XXV [419 CE]. After a struggle arose between King Gunderic of the Vandals and King Hermeric of the Suevi, the Suevi were besieged by the Vandals in the Nervasian mountains.
Valentinian[xxxv] the son of Constantius and Placidia was born.
In the Gallic region, in the city of Biterris, many terrifying signs were realised, as told by the letter of the city’s bishop Paulinus. This letter was sent everywhere.
XXVI [420 CE]. The Vandals lifted the siege of the Suevi. At the insistence of Asterius the count of the Spanish lands, they left Galicia and crossed to Baetica under the vicarius[xxxvi] Maurocellus, while some of their people were killed at Braga on their departure.
Honorius made Constantius his partner in rule at Ravenna.
(Olympiad 300)
XXVII [421 CE]. Constantius, the emperor at Ravenna, died in his third consulate.
XXVIII (era 460) [422 CE]. The magister militum[xxxvii] Castinus made war on the Vandals in Baetica with a large force and the auxiliary forces of the Goths. Although he reduced them to helplessness through the force of a siege, such that they prepared to surrender themselves, he fought them without proper consideration in an open struggle, and deceived by the trickery of his auxiliaries he was defeated and fled to Tarraco.[xxxviii]
Boniface deserted the palace and invaded Africa.
XXIX [423 CE].
XXX. [424 CE]. Honorius died at Ravenna after enacting his tricennalia.
(Olympiad 301) The very noble and eloquent Paulinus, long since made even more noble through conversion to God, and an apostolic man, is considered to have been outstanding as the bishop of Nola in Campania. Therasia, who turned from his wife into his sister,[xxxix] was his equal in the testimony and merit of their blessed life. The commendable studies of his outstanding work are still extant.
Arcadius’ son Theodosius, as 41st emperor of the Romans, held sole rule of the empire at the age of 26 after the death of his uncle Honorius. He had been ruling some years before in the regions of the East after his father had died.
Joannes carried out a coup.
I [425 CE]. Theodosius made Valentinian the son of his paternal aunt Caesar at Constantinople, and sent him against Joannes. Under Valentinian’s supervision, the latter was killed by generals who had been sent by Theodosius with Valentinian. They killed him at Ravenna in the first year he had carried out his coup. Felix was made a patrician and magister militum.
Valentinian who was Caesar, was called Augustus at Rome.
The Vandals plundered the Balearic Islands. Then after destroying Cartagena and Seville and plundering the Spanish lands, they invaded Mauritania.
II [426 CE].
Celestine presided over the Roman Church as its 40th bishop.
III [427 CE].
IV [428 CE]. After the Vandals’ king Gunderic captured Seville, amid his elation he impiously laid his hands on the city’s church, but soon he was seized by a demon and perished through God’s judgement. He was succeeded in rule by his brother Gaiseric. As some report, the latter is said to have become an apostate from the Catholic faith and crossed into the Arian perfidy.
(Olympiad 302)
V [429 CE]. King Gaiseric left the Spanish lands and crossed from the shore of the province of Baetica in the month of May into Mauritania and Africa, doing so with all the Vandals and their families. Before he could complete his crossing, he was informed that the Suevic Hermigarius was plunder the neighbouring provinces while he was crossing, and so he returned with some of his own men, and pursued the plunderer in Lusitania. Not far from Mérida, which he had spurred with injustice he did to the holy martyr Eulalia, his accursed men from among those whom he had with him were killed by Gaiseric. He then seized upon the help of flight that he thought would be swifter than the east wind,[xl] but he perished by the divine arm as he fell head-first into the river Ana. As he was thus eliminated, Gaiseric soon sailed away where he had begun.
VI [430 CE]. The Suevi under their king Hermeric plundered the middle regions of Galicia, but their men were partly slaughtered and partly taken captive by the people who held the better protected forts. Thus they restored the peace they had broken through taking back their families who were being held.
A certain band of the Goths were wiped out by Count Aetius not far from Arles, with their optimate Anaulph taken captive. The Jugunthi and Nori were similarly vanquished by him.
Felix, who was called a patrician, was killed at Ravenna in a military revolt.
VII [431 CE]. Aetius, the leader of both militaries,[xli] subdued the rebelling Nori.[xlii] Again the Suevi disturbed the peace they had entered into with the Galicians when the occasion was offered to them. On account of their plundering, the bishop Hydatius[xliii] undertook an embassy to general Aetius, who was conducting an expedition in the Gallic lands. Vetto, who had come craftily come from the Goths to Galicia, returned to the Goths without accomplishing anything.
VIII [432 CE]. After the Franks were defeated by Aetius in a struggle and received into a peace treaty, Count Censorius was sent as a legate to the Suevi, while the aforementioned Hydatius returned with him.
(Olympiad 303, era 470).
Boniface, called out of Africa by Placidia to be Aetius’ competitor, returned to the palace in Italy. Taking the place of Aetius who had been driven out, he entered into a conflict with Aetius a few months later, and thus died from a wound by which he had been struck. His son-in-law Sebastianus, who took his place, was defeated by Aetius and expelled from the palace.
The outstanding holy bishop Augustine passed away.
IX [433 CE]. After Censorius returned to the palace, Hermeric reinstated the peace with the Galicians whom he was assiduously plundering. This occurred through episcopal intervention after hostages were given to him.
The bishop Symphosius was sent as a legate by him to the count, but he was disappointed as these matters had been taken up in vain.
In the monastery of Lugo, Pastor and Syagrius were ordained bishops against the will of Agrestius the bishop of Lugo.
Aetius, the commander of both militaries, was named a patrician.
X [434 CE]. Sebastianus, who had become an exile and fugitive, sailed to the palace of the East.[xliv]
Xystus is considered to have been the 41st bishop of the Roman Church.
XI [435 CE]. We have learned from the report of Germanus the priest of the Arab region who subsequently came to Galicia, and the report of other Greeks, that Juvenal was presiding as bishop at Jerusalem. Their reports add that he and other bishops of the province of Palestine and the East were summoned to Constantinople, and that there, in the presence of Theodosius the Augustus, they participated in the council of bishops brought together to destroy the heresy of the Ebionites, which Nestorius the bishop of the same city was reviving through the wicked character of his very stupid sect.
The words of my informants have not clarified at what time the saints John, Jerome and others whom we have mentioned earlier, perished, or who succeeded John before Juvenal (as has been known that a certain senior person did for a brief time).
XII [436 CE]. The Goths began to besiege Narbonne.
The Burgundians who had rebelled were vanquished by the Romans under Aetius’ leadership.
(Olympiad 304): A letter by Cyrillus to Nestorius in which the former destroys the latter’s heresy and expounds the example of the faith shows that at one and the same time, Cyrillus was presiding as bishop of Alexandria, while Nestorius the Ebionite heretic was presiding at Constantinople. These and other things have been reported.
XIII [437 CE]. Narbonne was freed from its being besieged through Aetius’ role as commander and magister militum. 20,000 Burgundians were slaughtered.
Censorius and Fretimundus were again sent as ambassadors to the Suevi.
XIV [438 CE]. 8000 Goths were killed while Aetius was acting as general.
The Suevi affirmed the rights of peace with that part of the people of Galicia whom they were opposed to.
King Hermeric, weighed down by his illness, put his son Rechila in his place to rule. With the force that this Rechila had, he laid low Andevot in an open battle at the river Singillio of Baetica, while seizing the large riches of his gold and silver.
XV [439 CE]. After Carthage had been deceived in trickery,[xlv] King Gaiseric invaded all of Africa on the 14th day before the Kalends of November [19 October].
In the Gothic war led by King Theodoric at Toulouse, the Roman general Litorius made a charge without due consideration, along with a force of Hunnic auxiliaries. The latter were slaughtered, while he himself was captured after being wounded, and he was killed a few days later.
Peace was made between the Romans and the Goths.
Gaiseric, in his impious elation, expelled the bishop and clergy of Carthage from the city, and in accordance with Daniel’s prophecy, he changed the ministries of the holy ones and handed over the Catholic churches to the Arians.
Rechila the king of the Suevi entered Mérida.
XVI [440 CE]. After plundering Sicilia, Gaiseric besieged Palermo for a long time. On the instigation of Maximinus the Arians’ leader in Sicily who had been condemned by the Catholic bishops, he targeted the Catholics for persecution, in order to compel them to join the Arian impiety through any sort of pact. Several deviated, but quite a few persevered and achieved martyrdom in their Catholic faith.
Count Censorius, who had been sent as an ambassador to the Suevi, was besieged by Rechila while he was staying at Martylis. He thus handed himself over in a peace agreement.
(Olympiad 305)
XVII [441 CE]. The Suevi’s king Hermeric died after being afflicted with a chronic illness over the course of seven years.
King Rechila obtained control of Seville, and subjugated the Baetican and Carthaginian provinces under his power.
After bishop Sabinus was expelled from Seville by a faction, Epiphanius was fraudulently and unlawfully ordained in his place.
Asturius, the commander of both militaries, was sent to the Spanish lands, and slaughtered a multitude of the Bacaudae[xlvi] of Tarraco.
XVIII (era 480) [442 CE]. The comet star began to appear in the month of December. It was visible for some months and sent forth a sign of a forthcoming pestilent plague that was spread through almost the entire world.
After Nestorius’ expulsion, Flavianus came to preside over the church at Constantinople as bishop.
XIX. (Eus. 2460) [443 CE]. Merobaudes the son-in-law of Asturius the master of both militaries Asturius was sent to him to be his successor. He was noble by birth and endowed with the merit of eloquence or above all with his endeavour in old poems. He is even exalted by the testimony of statues. In the brief time of his power he broke the insolence of the Aracellitanian Bacaudae.[xlvii] But soon the envy of several applied heavy pressure, and so he was called back to the city of Rome by sacred order.
XX. [444 CE]: After being warned, Sebastianus fled from Constantinople (that place where he had taken refuge), as he had been made aware that plots were being made against him. He came to Theodoric the king of the Goths. Having become the latter’s enemy, he entered Barcelona that he had sought out for himself, and he held power there.
(Olympiad 306)
XXI [445 CE]. In the city of Astorga of Galicia, certain Manichaeans, who had been hiding there for some years, were uncovered in the episcopal gesta.[xlviii] These gesta were sent to Antoninus the bishop of Mérida by the bishops Hydatius and Turibius, who had learned about these people.
The Vandals suddenly came in their ships to Turonium on the shore of Galicia. They captured the families of very many people.
Sebastianus was put to flight from Barcelona and migrated to the Vandals.
The gesta concerning the Manichaean were sent throughout the provinces by the bishop who was presiding at Rome.
XXII [446 CE]. Vitus had been made master of both militaries. He was sent to the Spanish lands and had auxiliary support of not inconsiderable force. While he vexed the Carthaginians[xlix] and the Baeticans, the Suevi came there with their king. After the Goths who had come to help him in plundering were defeated in an encounter, he fled distraught with pitiful fear. Then the Suevi destroyed those provinces with great plundering.
XXIII [447 CE]. Leo presided over the Roman Church as its 42nd bishop. This man’s writings against the Priscillianists were delivered to the Spanish bishops by Pervincus the deacon of the bishop Turibius. Among these writings a complete disputation was sent to the bishop Turibius concerning the observation of the Catholic faith and the blasphemies of the heresies. This disputation was approved by some Galicians in a crafty[l] decision.
A solar eclipse occurred on the tenth day before the Kalends of January [23 December], which was a Tuesday.
XXIV [448 CE]. Rechila the king of the Suevi died a heathen at Mérida in the month of August. He was soon succeeded in rule by his Catholic son Rechiarius, though several of his people begrudged him, albeit secretly. Nonetheless after he obtained rule, he immediately attacked further regions for the sake of plunder.
A certain Manichaean called Pascentius from the city of Rome, who had fled from Astorga, was caught by Antoninus the bishop of Mérida. After learning about him, Antoninus also had him expelled from the province of Lusitania.
(Olympiad 307)
XXV [449 CE]. Censorius was assassinated at Seville by Agiulph. Rechiarius received the daughter of King Theodoric as his wife, and thus fortunate at the beginning of his reign, he plundered the Basque lands in the month of February.
As a testament to his egregious daring behaviour, Basilius gathered the Bacaudae and killed the foederati[li] in the church at Tarazona. In this place, the bishop of the same church- Leo- died after being wounded by those people who were with Basilius.
In the month of July, Rechiarius set out to his father-in-law Theodoric, and plundered the region of Caesaraugusta with Basilius on his return. He broke into the city of Ilerda through trickery, and not a small number were taken captive.
XXVI [449 CE]. The illustrious man Asturius was elevated to the honour of the consulship.
Sebastianus, who had been made an exile, fled to the power of Gaiseric that proved to be ruinous for him, as his subsequent death has shown. For shortly after he had come, Gaiseric ordered for him to be killed.
With regards to the Gallic lands: letters of bishop Flavianus sent to Bishop Leo were delivered. Together with the writings of bishop Cyrillus of Alexandria to Nestorius of Constantinople, the responses of the bishop Leo concerning Eutyches the Ebionite heretic were delivered to Flavianus. These responses were sent throughout the churches with the gesta and writings of other bishops.
XXVII [450 CE]. The Emperor Theodosius died at Constantinople aged 48.
Immediately after him, Marcian was made 43rd emperor at Constantinople by the soldiers and the army, at the insistence of queen Pulcheria the sister of Theodosius. He married her and ruled in the regions of the East.
XXVIII [451 CE]. Placidia the mother of Emperor Valentinian died at Rome.
(Olympiad 308, era 490) In Galicia very many signs of a severe earthquake were shown in the sky. For on the day before the Nones of April (a Tuesday) [4 April], after sunset, the sky grew red from the blowing of the north wind and thus became like fire or blood, with clearer lines shaped like reddish spears mixed through the fiery redness. The display of this sign lasted from the close of day until around the third hour of the night [9 p.m.]. This sign was soon made manifest with a massive death-toll.
The people of the Huns broke their peace treaty and plundered the provinces of the Gallic lands. After storming very many cities, they fought in an open battle with general Aetius and King Theodoric (who had an alliance in peacetime) in the Catalaunian plains not far from the city that they had destroyed (Metz). The former were slaughtered and overcome by the latter through divine help. The war was then broken off by the dark night. There King Theodoric was laid low and died: almost 300,000 men are said to have fallen in that struggle.
Many signs came forth in that year. On the fifth day before the Kalends of October [27 September], the moon was obscured from view in the eastern region. In the days of the following Easter, certain signs became visible in the sky in the Gallic regions. This is shown evidently by a letter written by Eufronius the bishop of Autun to Count Agrippinus regarding these matters. A comet star began to appear from the 14th day before the Kalends of July [18 June], which on the third day before those Kalends [29 June] was seen at daybreak from the east, and soon after sunset was seen from the western region. On the Kalends of August [1 August], it became apparent from the western region.
After Theodoric was killed, Thorismund his son succeeded in rule.
The Huns made for Italy with their king Attila, having abandoned the Gallic lands following the battle.
XXIX [452-453 CE]. In the second year of Emperor Marcian’s rule, the Huns who were plundering Italy were partly struck through divine intervention by hunger, and partly by a certain illness in heavenly plagues. This occurred after they had broken into certain cities. In addition, they were slaughtered by auxiliary forces sent by the Emperor Marcian under Aetius’ command. Equally in their own realms they were subdued both by heavenly plagues and Marcian’s army. Thus subdued, all of them made peace with the Romans and headed back to their own abodes. Soon after their king Attila returned to those abodes, he perished.
Mansuetus the count of the Spanish lands, and likewise Count Fronto were sent as ambassador for peace to the Suevi, and they obtained terms that were imposed.
Thorismund the king of the Goths was assassinated by his brothers Theodoric and Frederic as he was full of hostility to them. He was succeeded by Theodoric in rule.
XXX [453-454 CE]. In the third year of Emperor Marcian’s reign, Queen Pulcheria died in the month of July.
The Bacaudae of Tarraco were slaughtered by King Theodoric’s brother Frederic, who acted on Roman authority.
In Galicia there was an earthquake, and there was a sign in the Sun as it, as though it were shown a second sun was contending with it.
Aetius the general and patrician was summoned on his own in trickery and then killed inside the palace by the hand of his emperor Valentinian. Along with him, some honoured men who had been sent in one by one were assassinated by the emperor’s bodyguard.
After these things were done, Valentinian sent ambassadors to the peoples. Among them was Justinian who came to the Suevi.
XXXI [455 CE]. In the fourth year of Emperor Marcian’s reign, Valentinian the emperor at Rome was killed by two barbarian intimates of Aetius in the field, while the army stood around him. This happened when he was aged 36, and in the 31st year of his reign. After him, Maximus was soon called the 43rd Augustus at Rome by the consuls. After he became emperor, he married Valentinian’s widow, and handed over Valentinian’s daughter to be married to his son Palladius who was born from his prior wife and whom he had made Caesar. He then became distraught with the disturbance caused by great revolts he feared, and in his ambition to rule he had brought about wickedly contrived plans, causing the demise of those who had been killed by Valentinian and Valentinian’s own demise. So then he desired to abandon his rule and Rome, and with hardly four months of his own rule having passed, he was killed in the city itself in an uprising of the people and a military revolt.
In that year in the Gallic lands, Avitus- a Gallic citizen- was named Augustus by the Gallic army and the honoured ones, first at Toulouse, and then at Arles. He then went to Rome and was received there.
Up to Valentinian, the Theodosian dynasty held the principate.
As the 43rd emperor of the Romans, Marcian, now in the fourth year of his rule, held sole-rule.
Avitus, who had been summoned and received as emperor by the Romans, sent ambassadors to Marcian for the sake of the empire’s unity.
Gaiseric, on the request of Valentinian’s widow (as rumour disperses evil), entered Rome before Avitus could become the Augustus. He plundered the Romans’ wealth and returned to Carthage, taking with him Valentinian’s widow and her two daughters, as well as Aetius’ son called Gaudentius.
The Suevi plundered the Carthaginian regions they had restored to the Romans.
I [456 CE]. Marcian and Avitus agreed on application of the principate of the Roman Empire.
(Olympiad 309)
Count Fronto was sent as an ambassador to the Suevi by Avitus the Augustus. Similarly ambassadors were sent by Theodoric the king of the Goths to the same people since he was loyal to the Roman Empire. He did this so that they should keep to the promises of a sworn treaty with him and the Roman Empire, on the basis that they had been bound by one peace treaty. The Suevi sent back the ambassadors of both parties and violated every rationale of law, and thus attacked the province of Tarraco that was subject to the Roman Empire.
From the people of the Heruli,[lii] a number of men arrived on the shore of Lugo in seven ships. They were around 400 light infantry. However, on the arrival of a multitude that had been brought together,[liii] they were put to flight after only two of their own men were killed, and while they were returning to their own abodes, they plundered the maritime localities of Cantabriarum and Vardulliarum in a most cruel manner.
II [456-457 CE]. The ambassadors of the Goths again came to the Suevi. After their arrival, Rechiarius the king of the Suevi invaded the regions of the province of Tarraco with a great multitude of his own men. There he engaged in plundering, and led a great number of captives to Galicia.
Soon Theodoric the king of the Goths entered the Spanish lands with a huge army of his own. He did so by the will and order of the emperor Avitus. King Rechiarius confronted him with a multitude of the Suevi 12 miles from the city of Astorga, at the river called Urbicum, on the third day before the Nones of October (a Friday) [5 October]. Soon after the struggle was initiated, Rechiarius was overcome. Columns of his own men were slaughtered, some were taken captive and very many were put to flight. He himself barely escaped wounded and as a fugitive to the furthest abodes of Galicia.
As King Theodoric marched with his army to Braga (the furthest city of Galicia), on the fifth day before the Kalends of November (a Sunday) [28 October], a quite grievous and lamentable plundering of the same city took place, even if it was not bloody. A great number of Roman captives were taken, the basilicas of the saints were stormed, and the altars were removed and broken. The virgins of God were indeed taken but with their integrity preserved, while the clergy were stripped to the point of shameful nudity, and the entire people- both sexes with their small children- were dragged away from the holy places of refuge, and the holy places were filled with the horror of cattle, livestock and camels. These things partly recalled the written examples of heavenly anger against Jerusalem.
Rechiarius was led as a fugitive captive to King Theodoric at the place called Portucale. After he was brought into custody, the rest of the Suevi who had survived the prior struggle handed themselves over, and nonetheless a number were killed. Thus the kingdom of the Suevi was destroyed and put to an end.
In those days, through the trickery of Count Ricimer, a great multitude of the Vandals, who had moved from Carthage to the Gallic lands and Italy with 60 ships, were reported to King Theodoric to have been killed by Avitus.
Hesychius the tribune was sent with sacred gifts and came as an ambassador to Theodoric in Galicia, reporting to him the aforementioned developments: that a multitude of the Vandals had been slaughtered in Corsica, and that Avitus had come from Italy to Arles in the Gallic lands. The ships of the easterners that were coming to Seville reported that said multitude had been destroyed by Marcian’s army.[liv]
After Rechiarius was killed in the month of December, King Theodoric came from Galicia to Lusitania.
In part of the region of Braga, thugs engaged in plunder.
Aiulph[lv] abandoned the Goths and resided in Galicia.
The Suevi who had remained in the furthest region of Galicia, elected Massilia’s son called Maldras as their king.
Theodoric wanted to plunder Mérida, but was terrified by the portents of the blessed martyr Eulalia.
III [456-457 CE]. In the third year after Avitus had been made emperor by the Gauls and Goths, he lost power. Deprived of the promised help of the Goths, he also lost his life.
In the Eastern regions, Marcian died in the seventh year of his rule.
As the 44th emperor of the Romans, Majorian was named Augustus in Italy, and Leo the Augustus in Constantinople.
I [457 CE]. Terrified by the reports that were adverse to him, Theodoric soon left Mérida after the days of Easter (which was on the second day before the Kalends of April) [31 March]. As he headed back to the Gallic lands, he sent part of the multitude of various nations he had along with his generals to the plains of Galicia. They were instructed in tricks and perjury, and as they had been ordered, they entered Astorga under a peace arrangement falsified with the art of accustomed perfidy, falsely claiming that they had been ordered to engage in an expedition against the Suevi who had remained. His plunderers had already entered the city on the pretext of Roman orders. Without delay a multitude of people were found and indiscriminately slaughtered, while the holy churches were stormed, altars were plundered and destroyed, and the sacred ornaments and utensils were taken away from all of them. Two bishops found there were led away into captivity with all their clergy. The weaker ones of both sexes were taken captive in a pitiful act. The remaining and empty homes of the city were set on fire, and the places of the fields were devastated. The city of Palentina perished in a destruction enacted by the Goths that was similar to the one Astorga. However, one Coviacan fort located 30 miles from Astorga, despite being exhausted by the Goths in a long-standing struggle, nonetheless resisted the enemy and prevailed through God’s help. As very many of the Goths’ force were killed, the remaining men headed back to the Gallic lands.
While Aiulph wished to rule the Suevi, he died at Portucle in the month of June.
The Suevi, divided as they were into factions, sought peace with the Galicians. One faction of them named Frantanes as their king, while another faction named Maldras as their king. In the usual manner of their perfidy, the faction of the Suevi who followed Maldras plundered Lusitania. There they carried out a massacre of the Romans and gathered booty, and then the city of Lisbon was entered into under the guise of peace.
II [458 CE]. Frantanes died over the course of Easter and Pentecost. On Maldras’ order, the Suevi, having reverted to their usual perfidy, plundered the region of Galicia next to the river Durium. On the fifth day before the Ides of June (a Wednesday), from the fourth hour to the sixth hour, the Sun appeared diminished in terms of the light of its orb, resembling the fifth or sixth Moon.
The Gothic army under its commander Cyrila was sent by King Theodoric to the Spanish lands and came to Baetica in the month of June. The ambassadors of the Goths and Vandals both came to the Suevi, and headed back.
(Olympiad 310)
III [459 CE]. Theodoric directed some force of his army to Baetica with his general Sunieric. Cyrila was called back to the Gallic lands. Nonetheless the Suevi plundered the regions of Lusitania with Maldras, while others of them plundered Galicia with Rechimund.[lvi]
The Heruli very cruelly attacked several maritime localities of the region of Lugo, making for Baetica.
Maldras killed his own brother, and the same enemy attacked the fort of Portucale.
With a number of people of good birth killed, the evil of enmity was stirred between the Suevi and Galicians.
Ambassadors sent by Nepotianus the magister militum and Count Sunieric came to the Galicians, announcing that Majorian the Augustus and King Theodoric had affirmed the very firm rights of peace between themselves, as the Goths had been defeated in some battle.
IV [460 CE]. Maldras was assassinated at the end of February and died through a deserved demise.
In the days of Easter, some Romans who felt safe on the basis of the reverence for these days, were killed along with their leader who was of noble birth, in a sudden attack by the Suevi inhabiting Lugo.
In the month of May, Majorian entered the Spanish lands as emperor. As he headed for the Carthaginian province, the Vandals, warned by traitors, seized from the Carthaginian shore some ships that he was having prepared for himself in order to make a crossing against the Vandals. Majorian was thus thwarted in his arrangements and headed back to Italy.
Part of the Gothic army sent by counts Sunieric and Nepotianus to Galicia plundered the Suevi at Lugo. However, Dictinius, Spinio and Ascanius acted as informants and spread the poison of their perfidy to create terror. Thus betrayed, this part of the army headed back to their own people. Soon afterwards through the same aforementioned men acting as informants, Frumarius, driven on with the band of Suevi that he had, had the bishop Hydatius[lvii] captured on the seventh day before the Kalends of August [26 July] in the church of Aquaeflaviae. He destroyed the same area through inflicting great destruction.
Rechimund equally plundered the places of the Auregensians neighbouring him, as well as the maritime places of the area of Lugo.
A disagreement concerning rule of the kingdom arose between Frumarius and Rechimund.
Some semblance of peace between the Galicians and Suevi was enacted.
Ambassadors from Theodoric came to the Suevi and headed back.
Sunieric obtained control of the city of Scallabis that he fought against.
The aforementioned Hydatius, after three months of captivity passed, returned to Flaviae in the month of November by the grace of God who showed mercy and against the will and order of the aforementioned informants.
The ambassadors of the people of perfidy head back from king Theodoric.
King Gasieric demanded peace from Emperor Majorian through ambassadors.
V [461 CE]. While Majorian returned to Rome from the Gallic lands, and was making necessary arrangements for the Roman Empire and name, Ricimer, who was moved with malice and supported by the planning of jealous people, surrounded Majorian and killed him in an act of trickery.
Severus was named Augustus by the Senate at Rome in the fifth year of Leo’s rule, thus becoming the 45th emperor of the Romans.
I. [462 CE]. Sunieric returned to the Gallic lands. Nepotianus, through Theodoric’s arrangement, accepted Arborius as successor.
In the province of Galicia various signs of portents were seen. In era 500, on the sixth day before the Nones of March [2 March], while the chickens sang, the full Moon was turned into blood by the sunset. This day was a Friday.
Antiochia Major of Isauria,[lviii] not heeding the salutary warnings, was submerged as the earth opened up. From that city, only the bishop[lix] and some who showed appropriate fear of the Lord and thus followed him were saved from perishing. Meanwhile, only the tops of the towers remained over the land.
Gaiseric sent back Valentinian’s widow to Constantinople. Her daughters were legally married off: one to Gento the son of Gaiseric, the other to Olybrius the senator of the city of Rome.
(Olympiad 311). Agrippinus Gallus the count and citizen- an enemy of the outstanding man Count Aegidius- handed over Narbonne to Theodoric in order to get the support of the Goths. In the month of June, villages were burned and flocks of sheep thoroughly burned by lightning in Galicia. Flesh mixed in cut-up pieces with rain fell from the sky. Two young men solidly bound to each other through their flesh died. In the region of Braga, a portent of two sons was seen. A similar portent of four is mentioned in León.
II [463 CE]. Freteric the brother of King Theodoric rose up in the province of Armorica against Aegidius the count of both militaries, a man well pleasing to God in his good works (as fame commends). He did this with these men with whom he had been, but he was defeated and killed.
Together with Palogorius the nobleman of Galicia, who had been to the aforementioned king, the ambassador Cyrila came to Galicia. He met the ambassadors of Rechimund who were going to the same king. These ambassadors quickly returned and received Cyrila in the city of Lugo as he headed back. Soon after the latter’s departure from Galicia, the Suevi, deceptive and perfidious regarding their promises as always, plundered various localities of unhappy Galicia in the usual manner.
Remismund and Cyrila were sent back by Theodoric to the Suevi with some Goths who had previously come. While Cyrila was remaining in Galicia and Remismund was soon heading back to the king, an undisciplined disturbance between the Galicians and the Suevi predominated.
Hilarus presided over the Roman Church as its 43rd bishop.
III [464-465 CE]. Nepotianus passed away.
After Frumarius died, Rechimund called back all the Suevi to his authority through regal right, and he reconstituted the peace that had elapsed.
In the month of May, ambassadors of the aforementioned ambassador man Aegidius crossed the Ocean to the Vandals. They headed back to their own people by the same course in the month of September.
On the 13th day before the Kalends of August (Monday) [20 July], the Sun was seen diminished in terms of its light from the third hour to the sixth hour, resembling the fifth Moon.
Remismund sent back the ambassadors to Theodoric, who similarly sent his own men to Remismund, together with arms and gifts sent as well as a wife for him to have.
The Vandals were slaughtered by Marcellinus in Sicily and put to flight from it.
Aegidius died: some say this happened through an ambush, others that he was tricked by poison. Once he passed away, the Goths soon after invaded the regions that he guarded for the Roman name.
The Suevi entered Conimbria through trickery, despoiled a noble family of Cantabrum, and led away the mother as captive with her children.
In the same year, ambassadors were sent on two occasions by the king of the Suevi to King Theodoric, to whom Arborius also set out after being summoned.
IV [465-466 CE]. The returning ambassadors of the Suevi reported that Severus had died in the fourth year of his rule. They were sent back to Conimbria.
Ajax, a Galatian by nation, became an apostate and senior Arian, and emerged as an enemy of the Catholic faith and the divine Trinity among the Suevi as he was aided by their king. This pest-bearing poison of the enemy of man was brought to the Gallic land inhabited by the Goths.
The Suevi raged against the Aunonensian people. Regarding this matter, ambassadors were sent by Theodoric to Remismund in vain. Rejected by the latter, they soon returned.
From Constantinople, Anthemius the brother of Procopius was sent by Leo the Augustus to Italy through God’s arrangement. He was sent with Marcellinus, some selected counts of good standing, and a huge multitude of a large army. Thus he arrived there.
Anthemius was named Augustus eight miles from Rome, in the eighth year of the rule of Leo in the month of August. He thus became the 46th emperor of the Romans.
I. [466-467 CE]. An expedition ordered against the Vandals in Africa was called off because of the change in the sea conditions and lack of suitable opportunity for sailing.
Salla was sent as an ambassador by Theodoric to Remismund the king of the Suevi. He headed back to the Gallic lands and found that Theodoric had been killed by his brother Euric.
Euric succeeded in rule through an equal act of criminality as his brother had done. Elevated in honour and crime, he sent ambassadors to the king of the Suevi. Remismund immediately sent them back. The same king’s ambassadors were sent to the emperor, and some to the Vandals, and some to the Goths.
Opilio headed back from the Aunonensian people whom the Suevi opposed in their hostility. He did so with men who had set out with him from the king, and with some men who had been sent with him.
The Goths who had been sent to the Vandals were terrified by the rumour of the earlier mentioned expedition, and so they quickly headed back. Equally the Suevi, who behind the ambassadors had dispersed about in their usual manner through various places to engage in plundering, were called back. But a few months later the king of the Suevi crossed over to Lusitania.
[468 CE]. Conimbria was plundered after being deceived by a period of peace. Its homes were destroyed together with some part of its walls, and its inhabitants were taken captive and dispersed, and the region and city were made desolate.
(Olympiad 312). The ambassadors who headed back from the Gothic region saw some portent in the Gallic lands in sight…another visible Sun similar to the Sun immediately appeared…at sunset. Also when the Goths were gathered on a certain day of their council, the weapons that they had in their hands were changed and did not have the natural appearance of iron for some time from the part of the sword or its edge: as some were tainted with green, others with rose, others with yellow, and others with black. In those same days in the middle of the city of Toulouse blood erupted from the earth, and flowed for the whole cycle of the day.
II [468 CE]. Some force of the Goths followed the return of the ambassadors of the Suevi and made for Mérida.
Lisbon was occupied by the Suevi, as its citizen who was in charge there- Lusidius- handed it over. When the Goths who had come found out about this matter, they invaded and plundered the Suevi, as well as the Romans who were subservient to them in the regions of Lusitania.
The ambassadors who had been sent to the emperor returned, announcing that while they were present a very large army had been sent by the emperor Leo with three chosen generals against the Vandals, while Marcellinus was equally sent with a large force attached to him by the emperor Anthemius. They added that Ricimer the son-in-law of the emperor Anthemius had also been made patrician: while Asparis had been downgraded to private life and his son had been killed, as they had been discovered to be colluding with the Vandals against the Roman Empire.
Hilarius died after completing six years of his priesthood. Simplicius was ordained as the 45th bishop of the Roman Church.
The Aunonensians made peace with the king of the Suevi, who plundered and invaded certain localities of Lusitania and the region of Astorga.
The Goths raged about the same region with equal hostility, and also plundered parts of Lusitania.
Lusidius was sent by Remismund with his Suevi men as an embassy to the emperor.
In this same period was a very harsh year of winter, spring, summer and autumn beyond what is usual. This was reflected in the change of the air and all the fruits.
Also some signs and portents were seen in the places of Galicia. At the river Minius, around five miles from the municipality of Lais, four fish of new sight and appearance were captured. As reported by the Christian and religious ones who had undertaken the work, these fish were marked with Hebrew and Greek letters, as well as the Latin numbers of era, such that they contained the cycle of the year 365,[lx] with an equal interval of months. Not far from the aforementioned municipality, some form of grains that were very green like grass, shaped like lentils and full of bitterness fell from the sky. There were also many other signs that would take a while to mention.
Notes
[i] Valentinian II.
[ii] Corresponding to Coca in Segovia, Spain.
[iii] One of the calendar systems used in this chronicle, in referring to an Olympic Games that took place every four years.
[iv] A calendar-type document.
[v] Years from the birth of Abraham.
[vi] A Gothic people.
[vii] Locality in northern Spain.
[viii] This phrase is somewhat obscure but suggests that Priscillian was subject to proceedings at some councils of bishops. His motive for heading to Italy, per Sulpicius Severus’ explanation (Chronicon 2.48), Priscillian and his companions headed there to clear their names and affirm that they were not heretics.
[ix] He was the pope at the time.
[x] “Tyrant” in the sense of usurpation of imperial power.
[xi] Lit. Public games held every five years.
[xii] A locality in northeast Italy, near the border with Slovenia.
[xiii] This entry and others in the text are blank. This likely reflects gaps in manuscript transmission rather than omissions by Hydatius.
[xiv] i.e. An Olympiad is normally a period of four years. However, Hydatius has Olympiad 293 covering five regnal years, and he does not wish for a reader or subsequent scribe to correct it.
[xv] A region of central-east and south-east Spain named after the Carthaginians who had established a presence in the region prior to the Roman conquest, centred on the city of Carthago Spartaria (Cartagena).
[xvi] Probably corresponding to Ourense in the Galicia region.
[xvii] Arianism: a theological trend in Christianity that held that the Son was created at some point in time rather than being co-eternal with the Father, and was inferior to the Father. It was condemned as heretical and died out over the following centuries.
[xviii] i.e. He died.
[xix] Sulpicius Severus.
[xx] The author of this chronicle.
[xxi] Latin: “pupillus.” The ordinary meaning of this word is “orphan,” but as Burgess points out, it could also just mean “small boy” and be synonymous with “infantulus.”
[xxii] A region of southwest Iberia.
[xxiii] A region of southern Iberia.
[xxiv] Meaning that they launched coups and usurped power in their regions.
[xxv] Corresponding to the Roman region of Africa (centred on Carthage and modern-day Tunisia).
[xxvi] Now Annaba in Algeria.
[xxvii] Lit. “Proven trustworthiness of authors.”
[xxviii] There are gaps in the text here.
[xxix] Cf. Daniel 11:6.
[xxx] i.e. St. Stephen.
[xxxi] i.e. Appeared in a vision.
[xxxii] Cf. Psalm 1:2.
[xxxiii] i.e. Bishop John of Jerusalem.
[xxxiv] A region of what is now southwestern France.
[xxxv] Valentinian III, who would become Western Roman emperor.
[xxxvi] A senior regional official in the late Empire.
[xxxvii] “Master of soldiers”: a supreme military commander in the late Empire.
[xxxviii] A city in northeast Spain, corresponding to Tarragona today.
[xxxix] i.e. She had been married to him, but became his spiritual ‘sister’ in the religious life.
[xl] i.e. He probably had a very swift horse.
[xli] Equivalent to magister militum.
[xlii] Probably in the Noricum area (corresponding to modern-day Austria).
[xliii] The same bishop who wrote this chronicle.
[xliv] i.e. In Constantinople.
[xlv] Probably referring to the notion that Gaiseric had made an agreement not to invade Carthage, then proceeded to do so anyway.
[xlvi] Peasant rebels.
[xlvii] Perhaps referring to the locality of Araciel in the Navarre region of northern Spain.
[xlviii] The recorded acts of the bishops.
[xlix] Meaning here the inhabitants of the Carthaginian region of Spain.
[l] The wording might seem odd here but may suggest that Turibius had wanted a council to be convened for the matter, but the Galician bishops did not do so. For further analysis, see Carmen Cardelle de Hartmann, “El supuesto concilio de Toledo del año 447.”
[li] Referring to ‘barbarians’ who had become allies of the Roman Empire in performing military service in exchange for settled status.
[lii] Probably a Germanic people.
[liii] i.e. The locals brought together their own force to confront the Heruli raiders.
[liv] Here I follow Burgess’ reading of the text, whereby he suggests that merchant ships were claiming that contrary to Hesychius’ report, it was Marcian’s army that had destroyed the Vandal army.
[lv] Is this the same individual as Agiulph?
[lvi] Probably the same Remismund who is later named as king of the Suevi.
[lvii] The author.
[lviii] Isauria was a region of Anatolia, whereas the main Antioch we know of was in the Levant region. It has been suggested to correct Isauria to Syria, though it could simply be that Hydatius made a geographical error.
[lix] Somewhat uncertain reading, it would seem.
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