Zosimus, New History 5.13

Zosimus (Greek Ζώσιμος): Early Byzantine, pagan author of a history of the Roman Empire, published in the first quarter of the sixth century CE.

The translation of Zosimus' New History offered here was printed in 1814 by W. Green and T. Chaplin in London, and was probably prepared by J. Davis of the Military Chronicle and Military Classics Office. The translator is anonymous. The text was found at Tertullian.org. The notes were added by Jona Lendering.


[5.13.1] As the emperors on both sides were in this state, all of the senatorial order were grieved that affairs were so badly circumstanced, particularly Gainas, who had neither been rewarded with honor in proportion to his long services, nor could indeed be satisfied with any presents that were or could be bestowed on him, so insatiable was his avarice. What stung him more than the rest was, that the money all flowed into the chests of Eutropius. 

[5.13.2] Being, therefore, highly enraged, he made Tribigild an associate in his design, who was a man of extraordinary boldness, and ready for any hazardous enterprise. He had under his command not Romans but barbarians, who were stationed in Phrygia, where the care of them was committed to him by the emperor. 

[5.13.3] Pretending to go into Phrygia, to inspect the barbarians under his command, Tribigild left Constantinople. Leading with him the barbarians whom he commanded, he attacked all places or persons that he met with in his march, nor did he refrain from murdering men, women, or children, but destroyed all before him.

[5.13.4] In a short time he had collected such a multitude of slaves and other desperate men, that he placed all Asia in extreme danger. Not only was Lydia filled with tumult, the inhabitants flying to the sea-coasts, and from thence sailing with their families into the islands, or to some other country; but the whole of Asia situated by the sea was in expectation of greater dangers than they had ever experienced.