Tribigild, also calledTarbigilus (Latin:Tribigildus;Ancient Greek:Τριβιγίλδος;fl. 399) was anOstrogothic general whose rebellion against theEastern Roman Empire precipitated a major political crisis during the reign of EmperorArcadius.
Tribigild appears in the historical record as the leader of a colony ofGreuthungi mercenary cavalrymen inNakoleia,[1]Phrygia and as a military confederate of the Roman state, holding the rank ofcomes.[2][3] This group of Goths and Greuthungi that had settled in Phrygia were mostly remnants of the group of Goths which had been under the command ofOdotheus before he was defeated in battle. Tribigild was given command of this group, and the rank ofcomes, due to a victory against theHuns in 386. In 399, due to an insult to his honor caused by an insufficiently extravagant reception at the imperial court in Constantinople, he revolted against Arcadius. Tribigild marched his armies to sack the interior ofAsia Minor, including regions and settlements such asPamphylia andPisidia.[4][5][6] His army was ambushed and destroyed by a local militia, with the few survivors and Tribigild escaping by bribing a Roman officer to let them escape. When the imperial legions arrived, he was easily able to subvert the loyalty of the fellow Goths that were the fighting core of the force, and scatter the rest.
The resulting population upheavals and rumors of Tribigild's increasing power forced Arcadius's prime minister, the eunuchEutropius, to send an expeditionary force led by the generalGainas across theHellespont.[7] According to the writerClaudian in his workIn Eutropium, another general named Leo was dispatched to fight Tribigild. This general fought under badomens, with weak and undisciplined men. During the battle, his cavalry and infantry got in the way of each other, and Tribigild captured them in an ambush.[8] Gainas, who was of the same tribe as Tribigild, and may have been a kinsmen,[9] possibly saw potential in using the mutiny to depose Eutropius. He returned to report that the rebel was insurmountable and that negotiation would be the safest tactic. A demand for the lifeblood of Eutropius, perhaps negotiated in advance by Gainas and Tribigild, was met. SinceAelia Eudoxia, the wife of Arcadius, was already opposed to Eutropius, Arcadius was motivated to agree to the demands, and removed Eutropius from power.[4]
Praetorian PrefectFlavius Aurelianus replaced Eutropius and became consul for the year 400. Gainas, enraged as he had not been rewarded, marched onChalcedon, and demanded to be given the position ofmagister militum and the deposition of Aurelianus as compensation.[10] Both of these wishes were granted, however, Gainas lacked major influence over the court as he very few political connections, and had made enemies of Emperor Arcadius and Empress Eudoxia. Gainas openly allied with Tribigild, and together they marched across theBosporus on Constantinople. Tribigild was killed while fighting in Thrace,[9] while Gainas survived and occupied Constantinople. His time in Constantinople proved disastrous, the citizenry organized a pogrom that killed many of his men. Gainas and his army were then defeated in battle by the generalFlavius Fravitta. Gainas escaped across theDanube and was killed by the Hunnic leaderUldin.[4][11][12]
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