The rebellious Gothic mercenary troops investing Constantinople…

The rebellious Gothic mercenary troops investing Constantinople continue to hold the city, whose Graeco-Roman populace intensely resents barbarian Goths.

Arcadius’ Gothic magister militum Gainas, frustrated further by his inability to control the situation, orders the removal of more ministers.

The ambitious Gainas is attempting in effect to copy the success of Stilicho in the West.

While he is a somewhat competent military commander, he is patently unable to control the largest inhabited city of his time.

Gainas' compromises with Ostrogoth leader Tribigild lead to rumors that he had colluded with his fellow Goth and, when he returns to Constantinople in mid-400, riots break out among the populace.

The citizens, incited to action by the Empress, trap and murder seven thousand of Gainas’s armed fellow Goths.

In response, Gainas and his surviving troops attempt to flee back across the Hellespont, but their ragtag fleet is met and destroyed by a third Gothic chieftain in Imperial service, Fravitta.

After this battle, Gainas and his few remaining forces are caught by a body of Huns under Uldin while trying to escape north of the Danube.

Gainas is killed and his head sent by Uldin to Arcadius as a diplomatic gift.