No More Learning

Iliaca, as appears from an inscription on its back, In A. D. 372, Firmus, a Moor, the son of Nabal or
which runs thus, EOANPHOSHITEXNH, that is, Nubal, the most powerful of the Moorish princes
codúpelos Ý Téxvn. (Lehrs, Rhein. Mus. 1843, who professed obedience to the sovereignty of Rome,
vol. ii. p. 355 ; Jahn, in Gerhard's Archäol. Zci- revolted against the Roman authority; and the
tung, vol. i. p. 302 ; R. Rochette, Lettre à M. natives, who were exasperated at the tyranny of
Schorn, p. 416, 2d ed. )
Count Romanus, the governor of Africa, joined the
5. A Theban statuary, mentioned by Diogenes standard of Firmus. The Moorish chieftain plun-
Laërtius, in his list of persons of the name (ii. 104). dered Caesarea, on the site of the modern Algiers,
Nothing more is known of him, nor of the three and made himself master of Mauritania and Nu-
other painters whose names are found in the same midia ; and he is said to have assumed the title of
list.
king. Romanus being unable to oppose this active
6. A painter mentioned by Polemon (Ding. I. c. ). enemy, Theodosius was sent to Africa about the
7. An Athenian painter, mentioned by Meno- close of 372 or the beginning of 373. He sailed
dotus. (Diog. I. c. )
from the Rhone and landed at Igilgilis, before the
8. An Ephesian painter, mentioned by Theo. Moorish chief heard of his coming. The first step
phanes, in his work on painting. (Diog. l. c. ) of Theodosius was to arrest Romanus, whose mal-
9. A painter, whose name is contained in Pliny's administration was considered to be the cause of
list of those who were primis proximi (H. N. the revolt. The campaign against Firmus is re-
xxxv. 8. s. 40. § 40), and who may very probably corded by Ammianus (xxix. 5) in a long, most
be identical with one of the three mentioned by confused, and corrupt chapter, out of which Gibbon
Diogenes. Pliny ascribed to him the following has extracted a narrative. Firmus had the cun-
works : Se inungenlem, which appears to mean ning and treachery of Jugurtha, and Theodosius
an athlete anointing himself ; the murder of Cly- displayed all the talents of Metellus, in his nego-
temnestra and Aegisthus by Orestes ; the Trojan tiations with the Moor, and in pursuit of him
War, a composition on several panels, preserved at through a country which presented unexpected
Rome in the portico of Philip ; Cassandra, also at difficulties to regular troops. Firmus at last fled
Rome, in the temple of Concord (comp. Welcker, to Igmazen, king of the Isaflenses, a people of
au Philostr. Imat. p. 459); Leontium Epicuri cogi- whose position Ammianus gives no indication.
tantem, which ought perhaps to be read like the simi- Igmazen was summoned to surrender Firmus, and
lar passage a little above (10. s. 36. § 19) Leontio after having felt the Roman power, and the con-
nem pictorem ; and king Demetrius. This last sequences of refusal, he determined to give him
work, if a portrait taken from life, would place the up. Firmus escaped by a voluntary death. He
artist's date at, or a little before, B. C. 300. first made himself drunk, and while his guards
10. A Samian painter, the disciple of Nico- were asleep, hanged himself by a rope, which he
sthenes, mentioned by Pliny in his list of those fixed to a nail in the wall. The dead body was
painters who were non ignobiles quidem, in trans. given up to Tbeodosius, who led his troops back to
cursu tamen dicendi. (H. N. xxxv. 11. s. 40. s Sitifis. ' In the reign of Valens, A. D. 376, Theo-
42. )
[P. S. ] dosius was beheaded at Carthage. The cause of
THEODOʻSIUS. This able general, from whom his execution is unknown. (Gibbon, Decline and
descended a line of Roman emperors, after having Full, vol. iv. c. 25; Tillemont, Histoire des Em-
acquired a great military reputation, was sent pereurs, vol. v. , where all the authorities are referred
A. D. 367 by Valentinian I. to drive away the to. )
[G. L. )
Picts and Scots, who were ravaging Britain. Theo- THEODO'SIUS I. , was the son of Theodosius,
dosius crossed the straits from Boulogne with his who restored Britain to the empire, and was be-
troops of Heruli, Batavians, Jovii, and Victores, headed at Carthage. The family of Theodosius
and landed at Sandwich. On his road to London was Spanish, and the future emperor was born in
he defeated several hordes of the barbarian in- Spain, about A. D. 346, as some say at Italica, the
vaders ; and the citizens of London, who were birth-place of Trajan, though other authorities say
despairing of their safety, gladly received him that he was a native of Cauca in Gallicia. His


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THEODOSIUS.
1063
THEODOSIUS.
" The
paneg; rists derive his descent from Trajan, but a great number of captives with four thousand
this lofty lineage seems not to have been dis- waggons (Zosimus, iv. 25). In A. D. 38), Atha-
covered until Theodosius was invested with the naric was compelled to leave his forests, and to
imperial purple.
cross the Danube ; and many of those who had
Theodosius received a good education ; and he formerly acknowledged Fritigern as their leader,
learned the art of war under his own father, whom and were weary of anarchy, now yielded obedience
he accompanied in his British campaigns. During to this Gothic judge. Tillemont conjectures that
bis father's life-time he was raised to the rank of Athanaric was expelled by Fritigern, Alatheus,
Duke (dux) of Moesia, where he defeated the and Saphrax ; but Gibbon's narrative seems to
Sarmatians (A. D. 374), and saved the province. signify (for scems is all the meaning that in many
On the death of his father (a. D. 376), he retired cases can be imputed to it) that Fritigern was
before court intrigues to bis native country, where already dead. However Athanaric was too old and
he cultivated his own lande, which probably lay too prudent to carry on war with the new em-
near his native place between Segovia and Valla- peror: he listened to proposals of peace, and he
dolid. At this time he was already married to a even went to Constantinople to visit the emperor.
Spanish woman, Aelia Flacilla or Placilla, who is Theodosius left the city to meet him, and received
sometimes called Placidia, by whom he became the him with the greatest respect. The Goth was
father of Arcadius, Honorius, and a daughter Pul- struck with amazement at the magnificence of
cheria. From this peaceful retirement he was Constantinople, and exclaimed that the Roman
called in the thirty-third year of his age to receive emperor was an “ earthly God. " Athanaric fell
the imperial purple. Valens, the colleague of ill at Constantinople, and died there. Theodosius
Gratian, had recently lost his life at Hadrianople gave him a splendid funeral, and erected a monu-
(A. D. 378), where the Roman army was com- ment to his memory. This politic behaviour gained
pletely broken by the Goths, and Gratian, feeling over the whole army of Athanaric ; and the ad-
himself unable to sustain the burden of the empire, hesion of so large a body of the Visigoths was
invited Theodosius to fill the place of Valens. followed by the submission of the rest.
Theodosius was declared Augustus by Gratian at general or rather final capitulation of the Goths
Sirmium in Pannonia, on the 19th of January may be dated four years, one month, and twenty-
A. D. 379. He was intrusted with the administra- five days after the defeat and death of the emperor
tion of Thrace, Asia, and Egypt, which had been Valens. ” (Gibbon ; comp. Tillemont, Histvire des
held by Valens, together with Dacia and Macedonia. Empereurs, vol. v. p. 216. )
The new emperor of the East had the conduct of The Ostrogoths, who had retired from the
the war against the Goths.
provinces of the Danube ahout four years ago, re-
The history of Ammianus Marcellinus ends with turned (A. D. 386) to the lower course of that
the death of Valens, and the authorities on which river recruited by an army of Scythians, whom
the historian of the reign of Theodosius has to none of the inhabitants on the banks of the Danube
rely, are greatly inferior to Ammianus. Their had ever seen before (Zosimus, iv. 38). Promotus,
character is well expressed by Gibbon in a few the general on the Thracian frontier, who knew
words, and they are referred to by Tillemont that he was a match for the invaders, thought it
(Histoire des Empereurs, v. ), with his usual dili- prudent to draw them over to the south bank,
gence and accuracy.
without letting them wait for their opportunity in
The Romans were disheartened by the bloody the winter ; and by his spies he encouraged them
defcat which they had sustained on the plains of to hope that by secretly crossing the river, they
Hadrianople, and the Goths were insolent in their might destroy the Roman army. The passage was
victory. Theodosius was too prudent to lead dis made on a dark night in numerous canoes ; but
pirited troops against a successful enemy, and he the Ostrogoths discovered their mistake when they
formed his head quarters at Thessalonica, the found the south bank of the Danube guarded by a
capital of the diocese or division of Macedonia, triple row of vessels through which they could not
from whence he could watch the movements of the penetrate. At the same time the Roman galleys
Goths. In four years' campaigns (a. D. 379—descending the river, swept before them the frail
382), of which the particulars are imperfectly re- boats of the Ostrogoths, and Alatheus the king,
corded, Theodosius revived the courage of the and his bravest troops, were either drowned in the
Roman soldiers, and while he seems to have pru- Danube or destroyed by the sword. Those who
dently kept aloof from any general engagement, he escaped sued for mercy to the Romans. It is un-
took all opportunities of attacking his enemy in certain whether Theodosius had personally any
detail, and securing for his men the advantage of share in this victory. Zosimus says that after the
victory without the danger of defeat. The Goths, victory Promotus sent for Thevdosius, who was
who were not held together by any well-constituted at no great distance. If the historian Zosimus
authority, and only by the ability of their com- unjustly deprives Theodosius of all merit, the poet
mander Fritigern, became disorganised by his Claudian made amends for it by flattery and exag-
death, and were split up into numerous bands geration.
which went about seizing all that they wanted, A treaty was made with the Goths, the precise
and destroying that which they had not the pru- date and terms of which do not appear to be
dence to reserve for another time. Jealousy arose known; but they were settled within the limits of
between the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths; and the empire, in tracts which were neglected or unoc-
Theodosius by his agents added the inducement of cupied. A colony of Visigoths was established in
money to those who were discontented. Modares, Thrace, and the remains of the Ostrogoths were
a chieftain of rank, went over to the Romans, planted in Phrygia and Lydia. They were not
among whom he obtained the rank of master- scattered among the population of Thrace or Asia
general, and he earned his reward by surprising Minor, but they obtained whole districts in which
and massacring a body of Goths, and carrying off they still lived as a Gothic people, acknowledging
3. Y 4


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1064
TIIEODOSIUS.
THEODOSIUS.
the emperor as their sovereign, but probably re- , respectable appellation of churches: besides the
taining jurisdiction in all disputes among them condemnation of divine justice, they must expect
selves. The chieftains still governed their fol- to suffer the severe penalties which our authority,
lowers, but there was no kingly dignity. Forty guided by heavenly wisdom, shall think proper to
thousand Goths were kept in the service of the inflict on them ” (Gibbon, vol. v. c. 27). The faith
Eastern empire, under the title of Foederati, and which Theodosius so ardently embraced can hardly
were distinguished from the other troops by golden be supposed to be the result of a subtle inquiry
collars, better pay, and more licence. But though into the metaphysical distinction between the
the Goths were thus converted froin enemics into silmeness of substance or strict homoousian doctrine
dubious allies, their settlement within the limits of of Athanasius, and the similarity of substance in
the empire is justly viewed as the immediate cause the Father and the Son, or the homoiousian doctrine
of the downfal of the western division. In the in which some of the Arians sought refuge. A
civil war against Maximus (A. D. 388), some of singular anecdote is told of Ampliilocbius, bishop
those barbarians who were in his army listened to of Iconium and afterwards a saint, who admi-
the proposals of Maximus, but their treachery nistered to Theodosius a practical lesson on the
being discovered, they filed into the marshes and homoousian doctrine. It was in A. D. 383, just
forests of Macedonia, where they were pursued by after Theodosius had raised his son Arcadius to
Theodosius and cut to pieces.
the rank of Augustus, and the two emperors were
Maximus, a native of Spain, like Theodosins, seated on a throne to receive the homage of their
was living in Britain in retirement or in exile. subjects. Amphilochius saluted Theodosius with
When this province revolted against Gratian, reverence ; his son he addressed with the fami-
Maximus was chosen their leader, and he invaded liarity of an equal. The emperor, indignant at
Gaul with a powerful army. Gratian fled from this rudeness, ordered the bishop to be dragged from
Paris to Lyon, where he was overtaken by An- his presence, when he exclaimed, “Such is the
dragathius, the commander of the cavalry of Maxi- treatment, o emperor, which the King of heaven
mus and put to death (A. D. 383). Maximus sent has prepared for those impious men who afect to
an envoy to Theodosius to explain and justify his worship the Father, but who refuse to acknowledge
conduct, to excuse the assassination of Gratian as the equal majesty of his divine Son. " Theodosius
having been accomplished without his orders, and embraced the bishop, and never forgot the lesson.
to offer to the emperor of the East peace or war. Arcadius was at this time about six years of age.
A war with the fierce soldiers of the north would Constantinople was the head-quarters of Arian-
perhaps have been an unequal contest for Theo- ism at the time of the accession of Theodosius;
dosius, whose dominions had recently suffered but his baptism in the orthodox faith and his
fron the ravages of the Goths; and reluctantly, as edict gave the Catholics hopes of their supremacy
we may conclude, he made a treaty with Maximus, being re-established. The emperor entered Con-
whom he acknowledged emperor of the countries stantinople with his army, and offered Damophilus
north of the Alps, but he secured to Valentinian the the Arian prelate the alternative of subscribing to
brother of Gratian, Italy, Africa, and western Il- the creed of Nicaea or of resignation. Damophilus
lyricum. Thus the empire was divided into three resigned his dignities, and retired into exile and
parts ; one of which, an empire won by usurpation, poverty. Gregory of Nazianzus, who had laboured
consisted of three rich countries, - Spain, Gaul, hard to restore the Catholic faith at Constantinople,
and Britain.
was placed on the archiepiscopal throne which
Theodosius was the son of a Christian father, Damophilus had left vacant. Early in A. D. 38),
whose ancestors acknowledged the creed of Nicaea ; Theodosius declared his intention to expel from all
and next to Constantine he became the great the churches both bishops and clergy who should
glory of the Christian church. The merits of refuse to profess the creed of Nicaea ; and Sapor,
Gratian secured him from the orthodox Christians his lieutenant, was armed with full powers to effect
a rank equivalent to that of a saint ; and after his a change, which was accomplished without disturb
death they found a worthy successor to his ortho- ance in all the Eastern empire. In the month of
doxy in the more vigorous emperor of the East. May (A. D. 381) a meeting of one hundred and
Theodosius was not baptized until the end of the fifty bishops who formed the first general council
first year of his reign, wben he was admonished of Constantinople, and the second of the oecu-
by a serious illness no longer to delay this ceremenical general councils, was assembled to confirm
mony. In A. D. 380, before he commenced opera- and complete the creed that had been established
tions against the Goths, he was baptized at Thes by the council of Nicaea. The council had to
salonica by the archbishop Ascolius, in the orthodox explain some things which were ambiguous, and to
faith of the Trinity ; and his baptism was im- dispose of the sect of the Macedonians, who, to
mediately followed by a solemn edict which fixed the heresy of homoiousianism, added that of a belief
the faith of his subjects (Tillemont, Histoire des that the Holy Ghost was created (KT10TÓv). * The
Empereurs, vol. v. p. 198 ; Cod. Theod. 16. tit. 1. council declared the equal divinity of the Holy
B. 2), and branded with the name of heretics all who Ghost, the third person in the Trinity, which doe-
dissented from the imperial creed. The edict de trine has prevailed in the Eastern church without
clared “ according to the discipline of the apostles, interruption to the present time. After the death
and the doctrine of the gospel, let us believe the of Meletins, Gregory of Nazianzus presided in
sole deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy this council, and he has left a picture of the tur-
Ghost, under an equal Majesty and a pious Trinity: bulent and disorderly proceedings which charac-
we authorise the followers of this doctrine to terised its close.
assume the title of Catholic Christians ; and as we Theodosius, after establishing the supremacy of
judge that all others are extravagant madmen, we
brand them with the name of heretics, and declare * Gibbon seems to have misunderstood the na-
that their conventicles shall no longer usurp the ture of this heresy.
:


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THEODOSIUS
1065
THEODOSIUS.
the Catholic faith by the council of Constantinople, and Galla a year before the visit to Thessalonica
proceeded to give it effect. In the course of fifteen at the close of A. D. 386 ; or lie would make a
years (A. D. 380—391) he published fifteen de compromise by admitting that Theodosius asked
crees against heretics, or those who were not of her in marringe in A. D. 386, but did not actually
his own creed. The penalties were most particu- marry her till A. D. 387 (1/istoire, fc. vol. v. p. 740):
Jarly directed against those who rejected the doc- his desire was to protect the piety of Theodosiuis
trine of the Trinity ; and they extended to from the scandal of a sensual inotive. But Zogi-
ministers, assemblies, and the persons of heretics. mus (iv. 44) states that Justina, a woman of in-
It was about the time that the council was sitting fluence, who knew the amorous propensities of
that he deprived all persons who apostatised from Theodosius, prevailed over the irresolution of the
Christianity to Paganism of the right which every «mperor by her daughter's tears and beauty.
Roinan citizen had enjoyed at least from the time Theodosius saw her and was captivated : he asked
of the Twelve Tables, of disposing of his property her of her mother for his wife, but he only oben
by testament. In July (a. D. 381) le forbade tained her on condition of restoring Valentinian.
the Arians and Eunomians to build any church ; Though Gibbon bas preferred the nuthority of
and the law appears to mean that every place of Zosimus, there is some evidence opposed to it; and
worship which they already possessed should be yet the narrative of Zosimus is so precise and cir-
taken from them. The various enactments against cumstantial that it is difficult not to give credit to
heretics are contained in the Code of Thcodosius it. There is nothing improbable in the fact of a
(16. tit. 5. s. 6—23; and the commentary of Go- passion for a woman determining a political
thofredus): the Eunomians, whose guilt consisted question.
in denying any resemblance between the two sub- After Theodosius had decided on his course, his
stances, and who were accordingly Anomoeans, operations were rapid and vigorous. He found
were also deprived of the power of testamentary Maximus encamped near Siscia, in Pannonia, a
disposition, and of taking by testamentary gift: city situated on the great river Save. Maximus
they seem, in fact, to have been deprived of all had not talent equal to his ambition, and Theo-
the rights of citizens. The Manichaean heresy dosius had a force which confounded the soldiers
was punishable with death ; and the same penalty of the usurper by a mode of attack to which they
threatened the Audians or the Quartodecimans, were unaccustomed. His Huns, Alans, and his
who celebrated the festival of Easter on the wrong Goths were mounted archers, who annoyed th:
day. To the reign of Theodosius belonged the heavy troops of Gaul and Germany by the irregu-
glory or the infamy of establishing Inquisitors of larity of a Parthian attack. Maximus, after sus
Faith, who seem to have been specially enjoined taining one defeat on the banks of the Save, and
to look after the crime of the Quartodecimans. probably a second, fled across the Alps, and shut
Though Theodosius thus established the principle himself up in Aquileia, just before Theodosius
of persecution, it is said that his rival Maximus reached the gates. But in spite of his Moorish
was the first Christian prince“ who shed the blood guard, he was given up to Theodosius by his own
of his Christian subjects on account of their re- soldiers and the people of Aquileia, with his hands
ligious opinions. " It is fortunate for the fame of tied behind him. Theodosius, according to his
Theodosius that there is not the same evidence of panegyrist Pacatus, was not indisposed to pardon ;
his giving effect to his own laws as there is for the but his soldiers saved him the difficulty of a
severity of Maximus, under whose reign Priscil decision, by dragging Maximus from his presence
lianus and others suffered death for heresy at and beheading him. Maximus had left his son
Treves, A. D. 385.
Victor in Gaul, with the title of Caesar, or per-
In á. n. 387 Maximus, not content with the haps of Augustus. Arbogastes, the active general
possession of Spain, Gaul, and Britain, aspired to of Theodosius, seized the youth, and put him to
wrest Italy from the feeble hands of Valenti- death a short time after his father. Theodosius
nian II. , who as an Arian was disliked by his spent the winter at Milan, and in the following
Catholic subjects of Italy, and was opposed in his year (June 13th, 389) he entered Rome in triumph,
heretical projects by the zeal of Ambrose, the accompanied by Valentinian and his own
Catholic archbishop of Milan. Maximus was in Honorius.
sight of Milan, before Valentinian and his mother Two events in the life of Theodosius may be
Justina, who directed the administration, were brought into juxtaposition as evidence of his un-
aware of his hostile intentions; and he entered certain character and his savage temper. In A. D.
the city without resistance. Justina and her son 387, the city of Antioch complained of increased
embarked from one of the harbours in the north taxation, the necessary consequence of the wars in
part of the Hadriatic and arrived in safety at which the emperor had been engaged ; and An-
Thessalonica. No resistonce was made to Maxi- tioch, as it had not suffered from an enemy whose
mus, except by the small town of Aemona, on the ravages had been confined to Europe, was unwilling
border of Italy. Theodosius visited Justina and to bear its share of the expense of the Gothic cam-
her son at Thessalonica, and reminded Valentinian paigns. The complaints of the citizens were soon
that his opposition to the faith of Nicaea was the changed into active riot (February): the statues
cause of his own ruin and of the success of Maximus. of the emperor, of his father, and of his wife Pla-
Valentinian, it is said, acknowledged his errors, cilla, were thrown down; but these idle demon-
and returned to the true faith ; and the orthodox strations were quickly suppressed by an armed
emperor promised to restore him to his throne: but force. The governor sent to the emperor at Con-
perhaps he was influenced by other motives than stantinople an account of these riots, and the citi-
gratitude to Gratian, and zeal in support of the zens of Antioch, in great alarm, despatched Flavian
Catholic faith. Theodosius was a widower; and their bishop, and the senator Hilarius, to acknow-
Valentinian had a sister Galla, young and beautiful. ledge their guilt and to pray for forgiveness. In
Tillemont would fix the marriage of Thcodosius | March the judgment of the emperor was brought
son


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1066
THEODOSIUS.
THEODOSIUS.
;
66
by Hellebicus and Caesarius, two of his officers, mency of Theodosius in the affair of Antioch, ob-
who declared that Antioch was degraded from the serves, “ that this year (a. D. 390) is celebrated
rank of a city, was stripped of its possessions and for the cruelties which the order of Theodosius
privileges, and reduced to the condition of a village caused to be committed at Thessalonica, and still
dependent on Laodicea. The places of public more celebrated for the penance which Theodosius
amusement were shut up, and the usual distribu. performed to expiate so great a crime. We only
tion of corn was stopped, which was equivalent to touch, in a few words, on an event so illustrious
a sentence of starvation against those who were and important, because we reserve it for the his-
accustomed to receive this pauper's allowance. A tory of St. Ambrosius. " The illustrious and im-
severe investigation was made into the circum- portant event was the penance, more illustrious
stances of the riot, and those who were convicted and important in the eyes of the pious historian
by the extraordinary commissioners of the em- than the unpardonable crime of massacring thou-
peror lost their property, and were reduced to sands. It is singular, as Gibbon remarks, that
beggary. Some of the rioters, or of the accused, Zosimus, who is certainly not partial to Theodosius,
were put to death. The commissioners, however, perhaps hardly just, and exposes his faults, does
suspended the complete execution of the emperor's not mention the massacre of Thessalonica ; and yet
sentence against the city, and Caesarius went to the fact is not doubtful.
Constantinople to obtain a final answer from the Ambrosius, the archbishop of Milan, thought
emperor to the petition of the people and the that the civil administration was an affair in which
prayers of the monks and hermits, who left their the clergy had an interest; and a riot at Callinicum
solitudes, and crowded to Antioch, to intercede for on the Persian frontier, in which the fanatics
the metropolis of the East. The emperor hnd of the place, at the instigation of their bishop, had
already relented at the entreaty of the bishop and burnt a place of worship of the Valentinians, and
the eloquent address of the senator ; the senate of the synagogue of the Jews, found an apologist in
Constantinople had interceded for Antioch, and the archbishop of Milan. The provincial magis-
Theodosius pardoned the city, and all who had trate had condemned the bishop to rebuild the
taken part in the riot. The property of those who synagogue, or to make good the damage, and the
had been convicted was restored, the poor got rioters to be punished ; and the emperor confirmed
their allowance again, and Antioch resumed its this equitable and moderate sentence. But to to-
former dignity and jurisdiction. Tillemont has lerate difference of opinion was, in the archbishop's
collected all the circumstances of this affair of An- judgment, the same as to persecute the orthodox ;
tioch (Histoire, &c. , vol. v. p. 261, &c. ), at great and Theodosius was compelled, by the archbishop's
length.
monitions and lectures, to let the bishop and his
In A. D. 390, Thessalonica, the metropolis of the turbulent flock go unpunished. “St. Ambrosius,"
Illyrian provinces, was disturbed by a riot during says Tillemont, “ thought that a prince who par-
the emperor's residence at Milan. Botheric, who doned so many other similar acts, ought not to
commanded the soldiers there, had imprisoned one expose the Christian religion to the insults of its
of the charioteers of the Circus, who had solicited enemies by so rigorous an order. ” The massacre
a youth to a shameless intercourse. The populace of Thessalonica was a trial for the firmness of Am-
in vain called for their favourite charioteer during brosius: he who thought that the burning of a
the celebration of the games: the general kept him Jew synagogue ought not to be punished could
in the prison which his crime had merited. It hardly overlook the massacre of a Christian city.
seems that the populace was ready for insurrection; He retired from the emperor's presence, but he
a trifling cause was enough to set them in motion, represented his crime to him in a letter, and he
and the garrison was weak. Botheric and his officers told him that penitence alone could efface his
were overpowered and assassinated by the people, guilt. But the archbishop was prudent in his
and their bodies were dragged about the streets. remonstrances, and to protect himself, he called in
An inquiry into the riot, and the punishment of the aid of a vision, in which he said that he had
the guilty, was necessary and just ; but Theodosius been warned not to offer the oblation in the name
punished a whole city, guilty and innocent together. of Theodosius, nor in his presence. When the
It is said that his minister Rufinus prompted the emperor proceeded to perform his devotions in the
emperor to issue his savage orders, notwithstanding usual manner in the great church of Milan, the
the intercession of the bishops. An army of bar- archbishop stopped him at the door, and demanded
barians was sent to Thessalonica instead of a civil a further acknowledgment of his guilt. The con-
commission supported by a sufficient force. The science-struck Theodosius humbled himself before
people were invited to the games of the Circus, the church, which has recorded his penance as
and they came without suspicion; but as soon as one of its greatest victories. He laid aside the
the place was full, the soldiers received the signal insignia of imperial power, and in the posture of a
for a massacre. For three hours the spectators suppliant in the church of Milan, entreated pardon
were indiscriminately exposed to the fury of the for his great sin before all the congregation. After
soldiers, and seven thousand of them, or, as some eight months, the emperor was restored to com-
accounts say, more than twice that number, paid munion with the church, at Christmas, A. D. 390.
the penalty of the insurrection. The soldiers, it is Theodosius spent three years in Italy, during
said, were ordered to produce a certain number of which he established Valentinian on the throne of
heads, an order which aggravates the guilt of the West, a measure for which his historians may
Theodosius, who, if not softened by the usual claim the merit of generosity; for he probably would
feelings of humanity, might have remembered the have had no difficulty in keeping the western
city in which he had so often resided. This mas- empire, which he had wrested from the usurpation
sacre, unparalleled in history, is a stain on the of Maximus. Theodosius returned to Constan-
name of Theodosius, an eternal brand of infamy. tinople early in November A. D. 391.
Tillemont, who has so minutely recorded the cle- Valentinian II. did not long maintain his power,


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THEODOSIUS.
1067
THEODOSIUS.
&
Arbogastes, who had served Gratian with fidelity, to the rank of Augusti, and it was arranged that
and had contributed under Theodosius to the over- the empire should be divided between them.
throw of Maximus, was appointed master-general | Honorius was not in the war ngainst Eugenius,
of the forces in Gaul. But he aspired to govem but he came to Milan before his father died, and
a master who had not vigour enough to command received from him the gift of the empire of the
obedience, and the emperor's authority gradually west. The arrival of Honorius was celebrated by
declined. In A. D. 392 Valentinian made a last the games of the Circus, at which the dying em.
effort to resume bis power, and he personally an-
peror assisted.
nounced to Arbogastes that he was dismissed from The formal destruction of paganism marks the
all his employments. The general received the reign of this orthodox emperor. * The ruin of
announcement with contempt ; and in a few days paganism, in the age of Theodosius," says Gibbon,
after Valentinian was found dead. It was believed ** is perhaps the only example of the total extir-
that he had been strangled by order of Arbogastes. pation of any ancient and popular superstition, and
The barbarian, who did not think it prudent to may therefore descrve to be considered as a singular
assume the imperial purple, set up Eugenius, a event in the history of the human mind. " Without
rhetorician, and formerly his secretary, as emperor admitting the truth of this remark as to the total
of the West. Theodosius received the ambassadors extirpation of paganism, we must assign to Theo-
of Eugenius, who announced his elevation, with dosius the design to extirpate it. His rigorous
dissembled indignation, for he was ill disposed to steps towards the overthrow of the ancient religion
renew a war in the west, which he had only just are traced by Tillemont with minute diligence
ended. But his own pride, and the tears of his (vol. v. p. 229, &c. ). In December 381 he prohibited
wife Galla, the sister of Valentinian, urged him to sacrifices, either by day or by night, in the temples
punish the usurper. Two years were spent in the or out of the temples ; and also he forbade the
preparation for this war ; but the emperor, with curious inquisition into futurity by the examination
prudent precaution, imitating the example of those of the viscera of animals. Libanius, in his oration
who consulted the god of Delphi in the times of in defence of the temples, written probably about
heathenism, sent a favourite eunuch to ask the A. D. 384, says, that the laws of Theodosius at that
advice of John of Lycopolis, an Egyptian anchorite, time had not closed the temples, nor prohibited
whether he should make war on Eugenius, or wait persons from going there, nor the burning of incense,
till Eugenius attacked him. John declared that but only the sacrifice of animals. But so long as
Theodosius would be victorious, but yet not without the temples existed, the old religion would subsist;
loss and bloodshed, as in the war with Maximus ; and therefore to destroy it the temples must be
that he would die in Italy after his victory, and destroyed. Libanius complains that people, clothed
leare to his son the empire of the west. “ Thus in black (no doubt he means monks,) ran in bodies
Theodosius did not engage in this war any more to the temples, overthrew the altars, pulled down the
than in the other, except by the order which God roofs and the walls, and sometimes killed the priests
gave to himn by his prophet. " (Tillemont). who resisted. He says, however, that soldiers
Theodosius prepared himself to fulfil the prophecy were also employed in this work of demolition,
by recruiting his legions, with the aid of his two and that in fact no temples were destroyed without
master-generals Stilicho and Timasius. Arbogastes, the order of the emperor. Some few temples were
who commanded for Eugenius, posted himself on converted into Christian churches, and thus pre-
the border of Italy, but allowed Theodosius to pass served ; “ but in almost every province of the
the Julian Alps, and enter the plains which extend Roman world, an army of fanatics, without autho-
to Aquileia. Here he found the formidable army rity and without discipline, invaded the peaceful
of Arbogastes, consisting of hardy Gauls and Ger- inhabitants ; and the ruin of the fairest structures
mans. Theodosius attacked the enemy, but he was of antiquity still displays the ravages of those bar-
compelled to retire with great loss, particularly of barians, who alone had time and inclination to
his Gothic allies. Arbogastes now occupied the execute such laborious destruction. " (Gibbon. ) The
passes in his rear, and the emperor's position was lands of the temples were probably given to the
most critical. But he was saved by the treachery Christian churches as a general rule. (Tillemont. )
of the generals of Eugenius, who sent to express Cynegius, the praetorian prefect of the East, was
their readiness to desert, if the rewards which they sent by Theodosius in 386 into Egypt, the seat of
asked were granted. Theodosius accepted their all monstrous superstitions, with a commission to
conditions, and led his troops to a fresh attack on prohibit idolatry, and to close the temples. It does
the camp of the enemy. A tempest, that rose not appear that he had any power to destroy them.
during the battle, and blew full in the face of the It was probably not till 389 that the Christians
troops of Eugenius, contributed to their discomfiture obtained their great triumph over the idolatry of
and the victory of Theodosius. The head of Eugenius Egypt, by the destruction of the magnificent temple
was separated from his body, while he was suing of Serapis at Alexandria. The fall of this great
for mercy at the feet of his conqueror; and Arbo- idol shook the popular belief of Egypt to its found-
gastes, after wandering in the mountains, terminated ation. The emperor had given his orders to destroy
his fortunes by his own sword. Theodosius re- the statue of Serapis ; but the heathens believed
ceived the submission of the west, and, at the that the deity would resent the slightest affront to
intercession of Ambrosius, used his victory with his majesty.