04-25-2014, 01:48 PM
My own research, with the last 2.5 years intensive, leads me to believe that the initial Gothic attack was against the Roman right wing cavalry. The Roman left wing was at first unware of this as they had advanced right up to the Gothic wagons and were assaulting the Goths defending behind them when Gothic cavalry, either a group that had split off from the main group who were attacking the Roman right wing or another group coming from the other flank, attacked and drove off the Roman left wing cavalry. This forced the Roman infantry on the left to break off the assault and they moved towards their right and the perceived protection of the legions stationed there.
The Roman army was fully deployed and not straggling along the road by the time the Gothic cavalry appeared, had that been the case then the Roman infantry on the left would not have been in a position to assault the wagons.
The Roman army was fully deployed and not straggling along the road by the time the Gothic cavalry appeared, had that been the case then the Roman infantry on the left would not have been in a position to assault the wagons.
Adrian Coombs-Hoar
