Between the years 409 and 411, the Germanic peoples of the Vandals and the Suebi, similarly like the Iranian Alans,[1] migrated into the Iberian Peninsula via the Pyrenees Mountains after having already conquered the Gallo-Roman province of Gaul and subjected it to a three-year system of plunder and pillage.

The following periods would be marked with failed peace treaties and even the sending of a native embassy to solicit the help of the Gallo-Roman general Flavius Aetius by Bishop Hydatius that would also end in failure.

[4] The details of the confrontation between the two tribes are not clear, but it is possible to deduce that it was the Suebi who took the initiative in commencing hostilities seeing as the Nervasos Mountains (named for either the ancient Narbasi people or for the Roman General Erbasius),[5] due to their imprecise location, could have been situated in the region of El Bierzo in today's Province of Leon, then the conventus iuridicus asturum, which under the pact of 409-411, belonged to the Hasdingi Vandals under Gunderic.

[1] The Vandals built a grand fleet which they used to gain naval dominance in the region and were able to conquer a large portion of southeastern Spain, sacking the cities of Carthago Nova and Hispalis amongst others.

He is succeeded to the throne by his half brother Gaiseric, who decided that best place for his people to settle would be North Africa, which was being ravaged by internal disputes which would nullify the Roman resistance.

[3] Gaiseric began preparations to cross the Straits of Gibraltar with over 80,000 people, 15,000 of whom were warriors, however he was attacked from the rear by a large force of Suebi under the command of Heremigarius who had managed to take Lusitania.