ATHAWARIC, a king of the western Goths, whose settlements lay on the n. bank of the lower Danube, in the 4th century. Having taken advantage of the weakness of the Roman empire when the imperial armies were engaged in suppressing the rebellion of Procopius, war was declared against him by the emperor Valens. A. acted strictly on the defensive during two campaigns, in which the Romans gained no advantage over him ; but in the third year of the war (369 A.D.), lie hazarded a general battle, and was defeated, whereupon he sued for peace, and, with that object, had a conference with Valens in a boat on the Danube. Peace was concluded, and A. had his attention occupied in settling dissensions arising out of the Arian controversy which then agitated his people, when the first advance of the Huns on Europe alarmed the Gothic nation. A. attempted to secure the eastern borders of his kingdom; but the Huns forced the passages of the Dnieper, defeated the Goths, and advanced in great force into the plains of Dacia. When,
in 374, the western Goths were received by the Romans as allies, and had settlements granted them on the s. of the Danube, A., with a part of his people, refused to accom pany them, removing to the west, and fortifying himself against the new enemy. In 380, however, he was obliged to retire, when he accepted the hospitality of the empire, and removed to Constantinople, where he met with a cordial and honorable reception by the emperor Theodosius. At this time died Pritigern, the king of the Goths that had settled on the s. of the Danube; and A. being made king of the whole western Gothic nation, concluded a treaty of peace, in behalf of the whole, which had the effect of incorporat ing that people with the other subjects of the empire. He d. at Constantinople in 381.