Athanaric or Atanaric ( presumably from aþni "year" and reiks "king"; ; died 381) was king of several branches of the Thervingian Goths for at least two decades in the 4th century. Athanaric made his first appearance in recorded history in 369, when he engaged in battle with the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens and ultimately negotiated a favorable peace for his people. During his reign, many Thervings had converted to Arian Christianity, which Athanaric vehemently opposed, fearing that Christianity would destroy Gothic culture. According to the report of Sozomenos, more than 300 Christians were killed in Athanaric's persecution during the 370s.