Athanaric (died c. 381 CE) was a king of the Thervingi Goths (better known as the Visigoths) and, according to some sources, the first and greatest king. He was of the noble Balts family of the Thervingi tribe and a relative of the later king of the Visigoths Alaric I (reigned 395-410 CE), best known for the sack of Rome. As the ruling judge of his tribe, it was Athanaric's responsibility to foster and encourage the ancient pagan faith of his people which informed their cultural identity and, because of this, he violently persecuted those Goths who embraced Christianity in the 4th century CE.
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Definition
Timeline
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365 CE - 380 CEReign of Athanaric, King of the Goths.
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367 CE - 369 CEAthanaric repels Roman invasion of his territory by Valens of the Eastern Roman Empire.
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369 CEAthanaric and Valens sign peace treaty in the middle of the Danube River.
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369 CE - 372 CEAthanaric's persecution of Gothic Christians.
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c. 370 CEGothic Civil War between Athanaric and Fritigern.
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c. 376 CEHun invasion of Gothic region.
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376 CEGoths under Fritigern flee to Rome; Athanaric fights the Huns alone.
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c. 376 CE - c. 379 CEAthanaric tries to fight back against increasing Hun invasion.
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c. 379 CEAthanaric abandons tribal lands to the Huns and leads his people to Caucaland region.
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380 CEAthanaric is expelled from office and exiled from his tribe.
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381 CEAthanaric is received with honors at Constantinople.
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381 CEDeath of Athanaric at Constantinople from unknown causes.
