Valentinian I, sometimes called Valentinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 364 to 375. He ruled the Western half of the empire, while his brother Valens ruled the East. During his reign, he fought successfully against the Alamanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians, strengthening the border fortifications and conducting campaigns across the Rhine and Danube. His general Theodosius defeated a revolt in Africa and the Great Conspiracy, a coordinated assault on Roman Britain by Picts, Scoti, and Saxons. Valentinian founded the Valentinianic dynasty, with his sons Gratian and Valentinian II succeeding him in the western half of the empire.
The Quadi were a Germanic people during the Roman era, who were prominent in Greek and Roman records from about 20 AD to about 400 AD. By about 20 AD they had a kingdom centred in the area of present-day western Slovakia, north of the Roman border on the Danube river. After probably first settling near the Morava river the Quadi expanded their control eastwards over time until they also stretched into present day Hungary. This was part of the bigger region which had been partly vacated a generation earlier by the Celtic Boii, and their opponents the Dacians. The Quadi were the easternmost of a series of four related Suebian kingdoms that established themselves near the river frontier after 9 BC, during a period of major Roman invasions into both western Germania to the northwest of it, and Pannonia to the south of it. The other three were the Hermunduri, Naristi, and the Quadi's powerful western neighbours the Marcomanni. Despite frequent difficulties with the Romans, the Quadi survived to become an important cultural bridge between the peoples of Germania to the north, the Roman Empire to the south, and the Sarmatian peoples, most notably the Iyzyges, who settled in the same period to their east in present day Hungary.
Alamannia, or Alemania, was the kingdom established and inhabited by the Alemanni, a Germanic tribal confederation that had broken through the Roman limes in 213.
Chrodobert, Crodobert, or Choadebert was an Aleman dux of the early seventh century. He probably ruled in the south of the region later known as Swabia.
Macrian or Makrian was the king of the Bucinobantes, an Alemannic tribe, in the late fourth century and the brother of Hariobaudes. Macrian tried to confederate all the north Germanic and Alemannic tribes together against Rome.
Mallobaudes or Mellobaudes was a 4th-century Frankish king who also held the Roman title of comes domesticorum. In 354 he was a tribunus armaturarum in the Roman army in Gaul, where he served under Silvanus, who usurped power in 355. Mallobaudes tried unsuccessfully to intervene on his behalf. Appointed comes domesticorum by Gratian, he was second-in-command of the army in Gaul in 378 when he defeated the Alemannic tribes under King Priarius at Battle of Argentovaria according to Ammianus Marcellinus. In 380 he killed Macrian, king of the Bucinobantes and Roman ally, who had invaded Frankish territory. During the usurpation of Maximus, Mallobaudes was killed shortly after the assassination of the emperor Gratian.
Vestralpus was an Alemannic petty king of the Bucinobantes in the 4th century AD. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz in 359 and concluded peace treaties with the Alemannic kings Vestralpus, Macrian, Hariobaudes, Urius, Ursicinus and Vadomarius after they had returned all Roman prisoners.
Dagalaifus was a Roman army officer of Germanic descent. A pagan, he served as consul in 366. In the year 361, he was appointed by Emperor Julian as comes domesticorum. He accompanied Julian on his march through Illyricum to quell what remained of the government of Constantius II that year. He led a party into Sirmium that arrested the commander of the resisting army, Lucillianus. In the spring of 363, Dagalaifus was part of Julian's ultimately-disastrous invasion of Persia. On June 26, while still campaigning, Julian was killed in a skirmish. Dagalaifus, who had been with the rear guard, played an important role in the election of the next emperor. The council of military officers finally agreed on the new comes domesticorum, Jovian, to succeed Julian. Jovian was a Christian whose father Varronianus had himself once served as comes domesticorum.
Hariobaudes was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century AD. The Roman writer Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz in 359 and concluded a peace treaty with the Alemannic kings Hariobaud, Macrian, Urius, Ursicinus, Vadomarius and Vestralpus after they agreed to return all prisoners.
Urius was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century AD. The Roman writer Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz in 359 and concluded a peace treaty with the Alemannic kings Urius, Hariobaudes, Macrian, Vadomarius, Ursicinus and Vestralpus.
Bitheridus was a chieftain of the Bucinobantes, an Alemannic tribe. In 372, along with his kinsman Hortarius, Bitheridus served as a troop leader in the Roman army under Valentinian I.
Agenaric, also called Serapio, was an Alemannic prince in the 4th century. Agenaric was the son of petty king Mederic and the nephew of another petty king, Chnodomarius. In 357, together with his uncle, Agenaric commanded the Alemannic army at the Battle of Strasbourg, in which the Alemanni were defeated by Julian.
Gundomad or Gundomar, was an Alemannic petty king in the area around Breisgau, Germany in the 4th century. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus reports that Gundomad, together with his brother Vadomarius, in 354 concluded a peace treaty at Augst after having been defeated in battle by emperor Constantius II. In 357, Gundomad was killed by his own people for having been too loyal to the Romans. They then made an uprising against emperor Julian.
Mederic was an Alemannic petty king. His brother Chnodomarius was the petty king of another district. Mederic spent much time in Gaul, where he was introduced to ancient Greek culture. Because of this influence, Mederic gave his son Agenaric the name Serapio, after the Graeco-Egyptian god Serapis.
Priarius was a king of the Lentienses, a sub-tribe of the Alemanni, in the 4th century. He is mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus. In 378, Priarius fought the Western Roman Empire at Battle of Argentovaria, near Neuf-Brisach, France, in which he was defeated and killed.
Rando was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century. In 368, Rando invaded the city Mogontiacum, where the Christian festival was being celebrated. Since Roman emperor Valentinian I was stationed at Trier with his troops, Rando was free to raid with impunity. After campaigning against the Brisgavi, who had been rendered leaderless after the murder of their king Vithicabius, Valentinian conducted a revenge campaign against Rando. Rando entrenched himself at a high-altitude fortress and continued his campaign against the Romans. In an ambush at the Battle of Solicinium, Rando almost succeeded in killing Valentinian. Rando's army, which had encamped on a towering mountain, was surrounded by Valentinian's forces. After the Romans scaled the northern slope the Alemanni fled taking heavy casualties.
Suomarius was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century.
Vadomarius was an Alemannic king and Roman general, who shared power with his brother Gundomadus. After instigating an indecisive campaign in Gaul against the Romans, Vadomarius and his brother signed a treaty with the Roman emperor Constantius II in AD 356. Encouraged by Constantius II, Vadomarius employed his Alemanni forces in an attack against Julian. Vadomarius then concluded a treaty with Julian, after which, he unsuccessfully attempted to play the two Roman figures against one another. When Julian was made aware of this, he arrested Vadomarius and banished him to Hispania. His son Vithicabius succeeded him as king. Later, Vadomarius allied himself with Rome under emperors Jovian and Valens, leading his forces against the usurper Procopius and fighting the Persians on Rome's behalf.
Ursicinus was an Alemannic petty king in the 4th century AD. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus notes that Julian defeated the Alemannic kings Ursicinus, Macrian, Hariobaudes, Urius, Vadomarius and Vestralpus at the Battle of Strasbourg in 357. Apparently, no general Alemannic kingship existed. The groups only acted together in larger military campaigns. According to recent research it is possible that Ursicinus and the other Alemannic commanders only sent troops, rather than participating in the battle themselves. In 359 Julian crossed the Rhine at Mainz. After the Romans had devastated Alemannic territory, the Alemanni agreed to return all prisoners and to conduct a peace treaty. Ursicinus is not mentioned in the sources again.
Vithicabius was an Alemannic petty king from 360 to 368. He was a son of Vadomarius, and succeeded his father as king after the latter had been banished to Hispania by emperor Julian. He had grown up in Roman custody. Ammianus Marcellinus describes Vithicabius as a physically weak, but a brave and aggressive leader. Although having promised Julian to maintain peace, Vithicabius continued raiding Roman territory. He was assassinated in 368 under Valentinian I by a bribed servant, but the Alemannic raids on Roman territory continued nevertheless.
