E02046: According to Hydatius, in AD 429 the Suevic leader Heremigarius offended the martyr *Eulalia (virgin and martyr of Mérida, S00407) while pillaging Lusitania (south-west Spain); consequently, his army was defeated, and Heremigarius himself drowned. Account in Hydatius' Chronicle, written in Latin, probably in Chaves (north-west Spain), c 468/469.

Hydatius, Chronicle 80 [90]

Gaisericus rex de Beticae prouinciae litore cum Vandalis omnibus eorumque familiis mense Maio ad Mauritaniam et Africam relictis transit Hispaniis; qui priusquam pertransiret, admonitus Heremigarium Sueuum uicinas in transitu suo prouincias depraedari, recursu cum aliquantis suis facto predantem in Lusitania consequitur; qui aud procul de Emerita, quam cum sanctae martyris Eulaliae iniuria spreuerat, maledictis per Gaisericum caesis ex his quos secum habebat, arrepto, ut putauit, euro uelocius fugae subsidio in flumine Ana diuino brachio precipitatus interiit; quo ita extincto mox quo caeperat Gaisericus enauigauit.

'In the month of May, King Gaiseric abandoned Spain and with all the Vandals and their families crossed over from the shores of the province of Baetica to Mauritania and Africa. Before crossing, he was warned that the Sueve Heremigarius was passing through the neighbouring provinces and pillaging them as he went. Gaiseric therefore doubled back with some of his men and followed the Sueve as he plundered in Lusitania. Not far from Emerita, which Heremigarius had scorned, thereby causing an affront to the holy martyr Eulalia, Gaiseric slaughtered the accursed soldiers who were with the Sueve, but Heremigarius, who thought that he had saved himself by turning to flight more swiftly than the wind, was cast headlong into the river Ana by the hand of God and died. Thus perished Heremigarius. Soon afterwards Gaiseric sailed off to his original destination.'

Text and translation: Burgess 1993, 90-91.