Theodosius: The Empire at BayEmperor Theodosius (379-95) was the last Roman emperor to rule a unified empire of East and West and his reign represents a turning point in the policies and fortunes of the Late Roman Empire. In this imperial biography, Stephen Williams and Gerry Friell bring together literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence concerning this Roman emperor, studying his military and political struggles, which he fought heroically but ultimately in vain. Summoned from retirement to the throne after the disastrous Roman defeat by the Goths at Adrianople, Theodosius was called on to rebuild the armies and put the shattered state back together. He instituted a new policy towards the barbarians, in which diplomacy played a larger role than military might, at a time of increasing frontier dangers and acute manpower shortage. He was also the founder of the established Apostolic Catholic Church. Unlike other Christian emperors, he suppressed both heresy and paganism and enforced orthodoxy by law. The path was a diffucult one, but Theodosius (and his successor, Stilicho) had little choice. This new study convincingly demonstrates how a series of political misfortunes led to the separation of the Eastern and Western empires which meant that the overlordship of Rome in Europe dwindled into mere ceremonial. The authors examine the emperor and his character and the state of the Roman empire, putting his reign in the context of the troubled times. |
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Contents
1 | |
61 | |
103 | |
PART IV THE UNRAVELLING | 141 |
APPENDIX I The Battle of Adrianopleits Military Significance | 177 |
APPENDIX II The Roman Army in the Later Fourth CenturyCommand Structures Composition and Size | 183 |
APPENDIX III The Dynasties of Valentinian and Theodosius | 191 |
APPENDIX IV Barbarian Settlements | 193 |
APPENDIX V FourthCentury Barbarian Officers in the Roman Army | 195 |
REFERENCES AND NOTES | 199 |
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY | 233 |
INDEX | 239 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adrianople Alans Alaric already Ambrose Ammianus Arbogast Arcadius army authority barbarian battle became bishop campaign cavalry century certainly Christian church cities civil command Constantine Constantinople continued course court Danube defeat earlier early East Eastern effective emperor empire enemy especially established face favour field fighting figure forces fourth Fritigern frontier Gaul Germanic given Gothic Goths Gratian groups Honorius immediately imperial Italy Jones king land late later leaders least losses major Matthews Maximus Milan military moved naturally needed numbers officers pagan perhaps period Persian political position Prefect probably provinces reason recruitment Roman Roman army Rome rule secure seems settled settlement significant soldiers status Stilicho successful suggests supply territory Theodosius third threat traditional treaty troops units Valens Valentinian victory Visigoths West Western Western Aristocracies whole Wolfram XXXI Zosimus