The
&
ensued in which Litorius was defeated, and the the expence both of the tax-payers and of the
Goths carried him a prisoner into the city which he Fiscus.
&
ensued in which Litorius was defeated, and the the expence both of the tax-payers and of the
Goths carried him a prisoner into the city which he Fiscus.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
While giving an audience to the deputies for Theodosius I.
: but in August, A.
D.
387, he
of the Quadi, and speaking with great heat, he suddenly crossed the Alps, and advanced towards
fell down in a fit and expired suddenly on the Milan, the usual residence of Valentinian. The
17th of November, after a reign of twelve years, emperor and his mother Aed to the Hadriatic,
all but a hundred days. His body was embalmed where they took shipping and arrived at Thessalonica.
and carried to Constantinople to be interred. In A. D. 388, Theodosius defeated Maximus, and
Gibbon's sketch of the reign of Valentinian and restored Valentinian to his authority as emperor of
Valens (c. 25) has great merit: it is rapid, exact the West. (THEODOSIUS I. ] In a. d. 389, Valen-
and instructive Tillemont (Histoire des Empe- tinian went into Gaul to conduct operations against
reurs, v. ) is painfully minute as usual ; but his the Franks on the Rhine. Arbogast was at that
authorities are always valuable, and his judgment, time commander of the Roman forces in Gaul.
when not biassed by his peculiar way of thinking, Nothing further is recorded of this campaign, er-
is generally sound, The reign of Valentinian is cept that Valentinian had a conference with Mar.
worth a careful study in his extant legislative | comir and Sunnon, the chiefs of the Franks, who
## p. 1211 (#1227) ##########################################
LENTINIANUS
VALENTINIANUS. 1211
VALENTINIANUS.
many great qualities entitle bia
the most distinguished of the
[GL]
P VALENTINIANTS L
ANUS II. , Romance
a son of Valentinian 1, 72
Justina, about one bedred De
Bregetio, when his father died
His brotber Gratau ra:
Gian and his mother were som
tio, when the arter printed
nzstus, six days after his babes
ben only four or fire years of 23;
only about serenteen. Grazia
soice of the army, and a dissa
made between tbe tro brite
Taly, Illyricum and Asia ls
anis, Spain and Briza Ibi
, if it actualy took place *
and Gratian as long as be led
eror of the West Ode trasa ir
zrian realls retained all the in
the fact that after the desto
D. 379, Gratian ceded a part de
dosius I, whom be declareis
SODAS
COIN OF VALENTINIANUS IL
gave him hostages. Valentinian spent the winter funeral oration to assure us of the salvation of a
at Trèves, as appears from a constitution dated the prince, who had not received the sacrament of
8th of November.
salvation, but had asked for it, and was disposed
Tillemont remarks, "that Theodosius, who spent to receive it. ” (Tillemont) On this point, see
about three years in Italy, after the defeat of Gibbon, c. 27. note 108.
Maximus, bad by his wise advice effaced from the Justina, the mother of Valentinian, was dead ;
mind of the youthful emperor all the bad impres she had not long survived the restoration of her son
sions which his mother Justina had fixed in him to his throne, and her influence expired before she
against the faith and St. Ambrose, and forming died. Justa and Grata, the sisters of the emperor,
himself after the example of Theodosius, he had a remained unmarried ; and Galla, the wife of 'Theo-
fervent devotion towards God, and loved St. Am- dosius, who deeply lamented her brother's death,
brose with such affection, that he cherished him as died in A. d. 394, in childbed, when Theodosius
much as he had formerly persecuted him. " In was leaving Constantinople to avenge the death of
A. D. 391, Q. Aurelius Symmachus, who was consul Valentinian.
with Tatianus, was the head of a deputation from The reign of Valentinian is of little importance ;
the Roman senate to Valentinian, the object of and what concerns the Roman legislation of this
which was to ask of the emperor the restoration period belongs to the history of Theodosius I.
of the privileges which Gratian had taken from the (Gibbon, Decline and Fall, &c. ; Tillemont,
temples of the idols. The emperor however posi- Ilistoire des Empereurs, V. , where the authorities
tively refused to grant the petition.
are collected. )
[G. L. ]
At this time, the barbarians were in motion, on
the side of the Illyrian Alps, and it was appre-
hended that they might disturb Italy. Valentinian
set out for Italy, with the intention of going to
Milan. He was at Vienna (Vienne), when he
sent for Ambrosius to baptize him before he entered
Italy, for he was yet only a catechumen. There
were many bishops in France, but Valentinian
wished to receive this Christian rite at the hands
of Ambrose. “After having written to Ambrose,
he passed the two following days in such inquietude
and such impatience to see the saint, that having VALENTINIANUS III. , Roman empeior
despatched a courier in the evening, he asked on A. D. 425—455. Honorius, emperor of the West,
the morning of the third day, which was the last died in August, A. D. 423, and Joannes, the Pri-
of his life, if the courier had not returned, and if micerius, or first of the secretaries, assumed the
the saint was not coming. ” (Tillemont. )
imperial dignity at Rome. Joannes sent to the
Arbogast, a Frank by origin, a man probably of emperor Theodosius 11. to ask for his consent to his
violent temper, though on this point there is a dif- usurpation ; but the emperor's answer was not
ference in the testimony, but a rude soldier and a favourable, and Joannes sent the general Aetius to
man of courage and address, was aiming at govern- the Huns, to seek their help. Joannes, wishing to
ing Valentinian, who was still a youth. Gratian secure the support of this able commander, gave him
employed Arbogast and sent him in A. D. 38) under the rank of Curopalates, as the mayor of the palace
Bauton to assist Theodosius who was pressed by was afterwards called. Theodosius (A. D. 424)
the Goths. After the death of Bauton, Arbogast sent Ardaburius, and his son Aspar with a powerful ·
assumed the cornmand of the troops without, it is army against the usurper. They were accompanied
said, waiting for the orders of Valentinian. During by Placidia, and her young son Valentinian, who,
the usurpation of Maximus, Arbogast was faithful pursuant to the orders of Theodosius, was invested
to his master, and contributed greatly to the over- with the title of Caesar at Thessalonica by Helion,
throw of Maximus. Presuming however on his the Magister Officiorum, and the emperor also
abilities, his influence with the army, and the betrothed to him his daughter Eudocia, who was
youth of Valentinian, Arbogast kept the emperor in born A. D. 422. Valentinian was now between
a kind of tutelage, of which Valentinian complained five and six years of age. Valentinian was the son
to Theodosius. At last the emperor mustered of Constantius III. by Placidia, the sister of Hono-
courage to give into the hands of Arbogast a written rius, and the daughter of Theodosius I.
order by which he was deprived of his military In A. D. 425, Theodosius II. was consul for the
rank ; but the proud soldier told him to his face, eleventh time, with Valentinianus Caesar for his
that he had not given him his office and that it colleague. Aspar, accompanied by Valentinian
was not in his power to take it away. With these and Placidia, arrived in Italy before the usurper
words he tore the writing, threw it on the ground, expected them, and took possession of Aquileia.
and quitted the ediperor's presence.
Ardaburius came with a fleet, but a storm having
There are different accounts of the death of arisen in the Hadriatic, he was separated from his
Valentinian. The most probable is, that he was fleet, and with two galleys fell into the hands of
strangled by order of Arbogast. His body was the soldiers of Joannes, who took him to the
taken to Milan for interment by the side of his usurper at Ravenna. Joannes treated the general
father, and Ambrose pronounced the funeral oration. kindly, in the hope of securing him as a friend, but
Valentinian II. died on the 15th of May, being only Ardaburius made use of his opportunity to gain over
a few months above twenty years of age. Justa and the officers of Joannes, and sent his son Aspar in.
Grata, the two sisters of Valentinian, deplored with structions to approach Ravenna. Aspar arrived
sincere affection the untimely end of their brother. with his cavalry, and being conducted across the
“ Ambrose, who was so well instructed in the marshes by a shepherd, or, as Socrates says, by an
doctrine of the church, does not hesitate in his angel, found the gates of Ravenna open, and took
- This seems to sbor a les
f the empire of the West betren
aitinian was not completed *
sius received a part of Iron
Gratian was murdered a: Ire
HEODOSIUS I. ] Vilas was the
Valentinian II from the time
Teach, and he was in this on
He made Symmachus prezenta
abont the case of
til at Jilan in the 9 biti
twards at Aquileia Hisz:ube
. in his name, and 728 27. 1. 18
,
persecuting the Catholydex
ing rear. In d. D. , Tae-
· letter to Salustiis, ibe sent
he ordered bim to rebuie
1, near Rome, on the med?
ch was rebuilt, bat spas
an the time of this crca.
ad usurped the throne of Gaia
precarious authority oet dit vir
but in Algas, A. D. ,
be Alps, and adraped 13
residence of Valenti2 I'll
mother bed to the Hadria
pping and arrived at Theatrica
dosius defeated Marza
z to his authority as es
posits L] In 4. Delo, 12
au) to conduct operation 223*
Rhine Arbogast 5253
of the Roman forces in lib.
recorded of this contes
lan had a conference su Vrs
, the chiefs of the Fai,
## p. 1212 (#1228) ##########################################
1213 VALENTINIANUS.
VALENTINIANUS.
quesession of the place without any difficulty. I had with him in these campaigns Avitus, who
Joannes was seized and sent to Aquileia, where was afterwards emperor. In A. D. 431 he also
he was ignominiously put to death. Little is reduced the Vindelici, having the same enemies to
known of this usurper, but it is certain that the contend against whom Tiberius and Drusus had
ecclesiastics were his enemies, for he attempted to subdued in the time of Augustus. In A. D. 432
destroy the privileges of the church ; and as an Aetius was consul with Valerius ; and in the same
instance, he compelled all ecclesiastics to submit to year apparently while Aetius was in Gaul, Boni-
the jurisdiction of the civil judge.
facius was recalled to Italy by Placidia, who had
In the meantime Aetius entered Italy with the discovered the knavery of Aetius, and gave him
Huns, and there was a bloody battle between him the rank of master general of the forces. As early
and Aspar, which was followed by a peace. The as A. D. 430 Placidia and Bonifacius knew the
barbarians retired at the instance of Aetius and by treachery of Aetius and were reconciled ; and
the stronger persuasion of money ; and Aetius was Bonifacius then attempted to check the formidable
pardoned and raised to the dignity of Comes. The enemy whom he had invited. After maintaining
first measure of Valentinian, or rather of Placidia, himself against the Vandals for some time in Hippo
who acted in his name, was to restore to the ec- Regius and losing a battle, he retired from Africa
clesiastics all their privileges of which the usurper and was welcomed at the court of Ravenna. On
had deprived them. The same edict excluded hearing of the promotion of his rival, Aetius re-
Jews and Heathens from the practice of the law, turned to Italy, and the two generals settled their
and from all military rank. Manichacans and quarrel by a battle, in which Aetius was defeated,
other heretics and schismatics and astrologers were and Bonifacius received a mortal wound from the
driven out of the towns. Placidia was zealous for spear of Aetius, who fled to the Huns in Pannonia;
the church.
but he was soon pardoned and restored : he was
On the 23rd of October, A. D. 425, Valentinian, too dangerous a man to make an enemy of.
who was then probably at Rome, received from his In February A. D. 435 Valentinian made peace
cousin Theodosius the imperial purple and the title with Genseric ; but at the same time disturbances
of Augustus. Placidia also received the title of Au- broke out in Gaul, caused by the Bagaudae. The
gusta, and probably at the same time when her son name first occurs in the time of Diocletian, and
was made Augustus. In this year Theodoric, king appears to have been adopted by the peasants
of the Goths, took several places within the limits themselves, who rose in arms, as it appears, against
of the empire, and laid siege to Arelate (Arles) in the oppression of their governors. (Eutropius, ix.
Gaul, but on the approach of Aetius the Goths re- 20, and the note in Verheyk's edition. ) The
tired with some loss. In January A. D. 426, Bagaudae were put down again, but they were
Valentinian was at Rome, as appears from the not destroyed, for to destroy them it would have
date of the imperial constitutions, which contained been necessary to remove the causes that called
various provisions against informers (delatores), for forth these bands of armed peasants, and the
the maintenance of the privileges of senators and cause was the evils under which they groaned,
magistrates, and other matters. Some constitutions heavy taxation, and all kinds of oppression. The
of this year, dated from Ravenna, were intended picture of their sufferings, drawn by Salvianus,
to maintain the Christian faith : Jews and Samari- bears no small resemblance to the condition of the
tans were prohibited from disinheriting their chil. French peasantry before the revolution of 1789.
dren because they had turned Christians.
In this year is also recorded a defeat of the Bur-
Bonifacius, comes of Africa, had assisted the gundians on the Rhine by the Romans, under
cause of Placidia and her son by refusing to ac- Aetius.
knowledge the usurper Joannes, while Aetius had The Western empire had enemies on all sides.
supported him ; and Bonifacius had received from The Goths who had been settled in Aquitania and
Placidia during a visit to Italy testimonials of her the bordering countries since A. D. 419, broke out
gratitude. But on his return to Africa, Aetius, in hostilities in A. D. 436, and besieged the ancient
who was jealous of Bonifacius, accused him to Roman colony of Narbonne under their king Theo-
Placidia of having a design to make himself in- doric, the son of Alaric. The siege lasted some
dependent in his province, and advised her to test time, but the Goths finally abandoned the under-
his fidelity by summoning him to appear before taking, when the town had received a supply of
her. With double treachery, he at the same time provisions through the vigor of some Hunnish aus-
warned Bonifacius not to come, because Placidia iliaries, headed by Comes Litorius. At this time
designed him no good, and Bonifacius, believing the western part of the Mediterranean and the
what he heard, disobeyed the summons of Placidia. shores of the ocean were infested by pirates, some
Troops were sent against Bonifacius, and he called of whom were Saxons.
in to his aid (A. D. 428) the Vandals from Spain On the 21st of October A. D. 437, Valentinian,
and their king Genseric. The subsequent history being then eighteen years of age, came to Constan-
of Bonifacius is told elsewhere. [BONIFACIUS. ] tinople to celebrate his marriage with Eudocia, the
Aetius, who had stirred up an enemy in Boni- daughter of Theodosius, who had been betrothed
facius, was employed at the same time in fighting to him in A. D. 424. Valentinian surrendered to
against the Franks, whom he defeated A. D. 428, his father-in-law the western Illyricum, which had
and recovered from them those parts on the Rhine, been already promised to the Eastern emperor by
where they had settled. In the following year Placidia. He passed the winter with his wife at
Aetius was made commander of the Roman Thessalonica, and returned to Ravenna in the fol-
Armies, in place of Felix, and he defeated the lowing year. By this marriage Valentinian had
Goths near Arles, and took prisoner their chief two daughters, Eudoxia and Placidia.
Ataulphus. He also defeated the Juthongi, a In A. D. 439 the Gothic war still continued, and
Gernian tribe near Rhaetia, and reduced the Litorius was besieging Theodoric in Toulouse, who
tribes of Noricun, which had revolted. Aetius | asked for peace, which Litorius refused. A battle
## p. 1213 (#1229) ##########################################
VALENTINIANUS
VALENTINIANUS. 1213
VALENTINIANUS.
im in these campagna Arita, vie
irds emperor. In A. D. 43] bt 29
l'indenci, haring the same enerzis a
15 wbom Tiberius and Drusus nad
the time of Augustus. In 4. 4! !
onsui wtb l'alerius ; and in the
up while Aetius was in Gat, Be
alled to lua'y by Pacdi, she had
le kravery of Aetins, and
water general of the forces. As such
Pacidia and Bonifacius kbes De
Aetius and were reconcied; sed
Po attempted to check the force
he had invited. After master
the l'andals for some time in time
eing a batzle, be retired from dina
med at the court of Rarena on
promotion of his rival
, eta
r, and the two genera's setzled ezt
atz'e, in which Åetus vas deinde
received a Dorta) wound frac che
who fled to the Hone in Pizda,
on pardoned and restored : be was
, man to make an enemy of
A. D. 435 Valentinian Eade pere
but at the same time istorice
aul, caused br the Brzda. The
is in the time of Diocletian,
e been adopted by the peasant
rose in arms, as it appears
, 4233
í their govertors (Estream
ste in Verberk's edition to
put down again, bar set met
or to destroy them it woud bar
o remore the causes that a
is of armed peacut, ad
rils under which they are
ind all kinds of oppressen.
The
&
ensued in which Litorius was defeated, and the the expence both of the tax-payers and of the
Goths carried him a prisoner into the city which he Fiscus. Oppressive taxation is the symptom of
had hoped to take. Notwithstanding this success, vicious government and of the approaching ruin of
Theodoric concluded a peace with Aetius, who a state.
threatened with a formidable army to dispute the Theodosius II. died on the 28th of July A. D.
further conquests of the Gothic king.
450, and Marcianas succeeded him withont waiting
The Westem empire was gradually losing its ex- for the approbation of Valentinian, who, however,
treme possessions. Merida in Spain was taken confirmed his election. On the 27th of November
by Richila, king of the Suevi; and Genseric in the same year, Placidia, emperor's mother,
seized Carthage by surprise on the 9th of October died at Rome just when hostilities were going to
A. D. 439. This was the more unexpected as a break out between Valentinian and Attila, king of
treaty had hecn made with him in A. D. 435. the Huns. The result of this war was the defeat
The capture of Carthage, which had been in the of Attila by Aetius, near Châlons sur Marne in
hands of the Romans for near six hundred years, the former French province of Champagne, in A. D.
destroyed the Roman power in a large part of 451. [AETIUS; ATTILA. ] The history of Vn-
western Africa ; but Valentinian still retained the lentinian's unfortunato sister Honoria is connected
two provinces of Mauritania, and some other parts with that of Attila (Grata, No. 2. )
Valentinian was at Rome in January and in The Western empire was in a deplorable state,
March A. D. 440, ng appears from the date of several overrun by barbarians who brought with them
Novellae. In the month of June Genseric left “ the detestable heresy of the Arians with which
Carthage with a great fleet. He landed in Sicily, they were infected. ” Italy however scems to have
ravaged the country and laid siege to Palermo. been free from barbarians, though it contained
Aetius was still in Gaul, where he restored tran- many Goths under the name of confederates ; and
quillity and set out for Italy. It was about this they were Arians too. The Visigoths, whose capital
time that Salvianus wrote his work on the Judg- was Toulouse, had a new king in consequence of
ment of God, in which he shows that the Romans the death of Theodoric who fell in the great battle
had brought upon themselves, by their sins, the at Châlons, fighting on the side of the Romans.
calamities under which they were then suffering. He was succeeded by his son Thorismond.
The grievous burden of taxation and the oppression In A. D. 452 Attila made a descent into Italy
of the powerful made the Romans prefer the form and spread consternation. Aetius had returned to
of servitude under the Franks, Huns, and Vandals, Italy, and he and Valentinian sent Pope Leo to
under which they enjoyed real liberty and paid no Attila to sue for peace, and the barbarian retired
taxes, to the semblance of liberty under the Roman after he had devastated the north of Italy. [AT-
government whose exactions were intolerable. The TILA. ) A constitution of Valentinian of this year,
barbarians were in possession of a large part of which a zealous Roman Catholic writer calls“
Gaul and a still larger part of Spain ; Italy had scandalous law and altogether unworthy of a
been ravaged several times, Rome had been be-Christian prince,” declares that the law does not
sieged, Sicily and Sardinia devastated, and Africa allow bishops and priests to have jurisdiction in
was in the hands of the Vandals. Trèves had civil affairs, and that they can only take cognizance
been several times sacked, and yet, says Salvianus, of matters pertaining to religion; and it requires
while the place was reeking with the blood of the even bishops to appear before the ordinary judges
slain, the citizens still eagerly called for the games, in all suits to which they were parties, unless the
which were exhibited in their amphitheatre, the other party consented to submit to the judgment
ruins of which still exist on the site of the ancient of the church. It also forbids ecclesiastics to
city of the Treviri.
traffic, or if they do, they are allowed no particular
By a constitution of the 20th of February A. D. privilege.
44), the emperor made some regulations for making Valentinian was relieved in a. D. 453 from a
the property of the great dignitaries of the church formidable enemy by the death of Attila, and in
and of the city of Rome liable to equal taxation the same year Thorismond, king of the Visigoths,
with other property, and also liable for the repair who was of a restless and warlike character, was
of the roads and the walls of the towns and all murdered by his brothers, one of whom, Theo-
other imposts. In A. D. 442 Valentinian made doric II. , succeeded him.
peace with the Vandals, who were left in undis- The power and influence of Aetius had long ex-
turbed possession of part of Africa.
cited the jealousy and fears of Valentinian, and the
In A. D. 446, the Romans abandoned Britain. suspicious temper of the unwarlike and feeble em-
The Picts and Scots were ravaging the country, peror was encouraged by the calumnies of the
and the Britons in vain applied for help to Aetius eunuch Heraclius. Aetius was too powerful to be
who was then consul. A revolt took place in the subject of a contemptible master ; and the
Armorica in A. D. 448 which was however soon betrothal of his son Gaudentius to Eudoxia, the
settled.
daughter of Valentinian, may have excited his am-
· Ravenna was the ordinary residence of the em- bitious designs and awakened his treacherous dis
peror ; but he went to Rome early in A. D. 450 position. His pride and insolence were shown in
with his wife and mother, when by a constitution, a hostile declaration against his prince, which was
date the 5th of March, he remitted all the taxes followed by a reconciliation and an alliance, the
that had become due up to the 1st of September terms of which were dictated by Aetius. After
A. D. 448 ; from which we may conclude that the this insult he had the imprudence to venture into
people were unable to pay them. Sardinia and the emperor's palace at Rome, in company with
Africa were excepted from this indulgence. The Boethius, Praefectus Praetorio, and to urge the
emperor spoke of the exactions of the commissioners marriage of the emperor's daughter with his son.
who were sent into the provinces to prevent the In a fit of irritation the emperor drew his sword
exactions of others ; they enriched themselves at and plunged it into the general's body. The slaughter
sufferings, drawz br Sa/234
semblance to the conc. con city
before the rerolata af 12
50 recorded a detrar of the Bar
Rhide by the Romans, de
npire had enemies ar al cos
d been settled in içr: 23
tries since 4. D. 419, iroke i
2. 436, and besie. red the ances
arbende under wel king The
aric The siege se KOE
i finally abardared tše
own had received a cari
be rigor of some Has all-
Cornes Litorius At téa ce
the Mediteranean and the
vere infested' by puzles
, &DE
itober 4. D. 437, Valenciana,
ears of age, came to a
$ marriage with Endoca
us, who had been berri
Valentiniai surendants
restern Illyricum, vb. ca 131
I to the Eastera esperanto
the winter witá i ze in
med to Rarezza in the for
mariage laetitia bad
and Placida
e var st* coctiszer
Theodoric in Tedde, 3)
Literius refused
## p. 1214 (#1230) ##########################################
1214
VALENTINUS.
VALENTINUS.
the
the
tha:
Val
took
W be
Toto
sence
Siang
and, a
bad
trily
retum
by Ce
Medior
Tresini
despera
legates
against
strong
entered
the two
Treviri
now
was completed by the attendants of Valentinian, ciple of St. Paul might be still alive. (Clinton,
and Boethius, the friend of Aetius, also shared his Fast. Rom. 8. aa. 140, 144. )
fate. (A. D. 454. ) The principal friends of Aetius Valentinus was one of the boldest and most in-
were singly summoned to the palace, and mur. fluential heresiarchs of the Gnostic sect. A minute
dered. Thus the bravest man, the ablest com- account of his doctrines, into which it is not con-
mander of the age, the last great Roman soldier, sistent with the plan of this work to enter, will
perished by the treacherous hand of the most un be found in the works quoted below: perhaps, for
warlike of the Roman Caesars.
general readers, the brief but clear exposition of
A grievous insult to Petronius Maximus is said Valentinianism by Mosheim will be found the
to have been the immediate cause of Valentinian's most useful.
death. Maximus had a handsome wife, who re- There is also a good and brief account in Giese-
sisted the emperor's solicitations, but he got her ler, which we extract, as the work is not so well
within the palace by an artifice, and compelled her known to the English reader, as that of Mosheim :
to yield to force what she had refused to persuasion. -“ From the great original (according to him,
The injured husband resolved on the emperor's de- Bubós, apoTÁTwp, apoapx"), with whom is the
struction, and he gained over some of the domestics consciousness of himself (évvola, oirh), emanate
of Valentinian who had been in the service of in succession male and female aeons (Nous or
Aetius. While he was amusing himself in the | Μονογενής and αλήθεια, λόγος and αλήθεια, λόγος
field of Mars with some spectacle, two of these and swń, &v@pwtos and ekkanoia, &c. ), so that 30
men fell upon him; and, after killing the guilty aeons together (distinguished into the 'Ozdoás,
Heraclius, despatched the emperor without any Δεκάs, and Δωδεκάς) form the πλήρωμα. From
resistance from those who were about him, A. D. the passionate striving of the last aeon, the copia,
455. This was the end of Valentinian III. , a to unite with Bythos itself, arises an untimely
feeble and contemptible prince, the last of the being (ή κάτω σοφία, ενθύμησις, Αχαμώθ, ε. ε.
family of Theodosius. He was ill brought up, and ripan7), which, wandering about outside the
had all the vices that in a princely station dis- pleroma, communicates the germ of life to matter,
grace a man's character. Even his zeal for the and forms the Anuloupyós of psychical material,
Catholic faith and the church is not allowed to have who immediately creates the world. In this
been sincere.
three kinds of material are mixed, το πνευματικών,
(Gibbon, Decline and Fall, c. 33, &c. ; Tille-70 yuxuóv, td údınóv. The result of the course
mont, Histoire des Empereurs, vol. vi. ) [G. L. ] of the world is, that the two first should be se-
parated from the last, and that To TvEVMATIKóv
should return to the pleroma, το ψυχικόν into the
τόπος μεσότητος, where the Achamoth
dwells. In the mean time, two new aeons, Christ
and the Holy Spirit, had arisen, in order to re-
store the disturbed harmony in the pleroma ; then
there emanated from all the aeons Jesus (owthp),
who, as future associate (ousupos) of the Acha-
moth, shall lead back into the pleroma this and
the pneumatic natures. The owthe united itself
at the baptism with the psychical Messiah pro-
mised by the Demiurgus. "Just so is the letter of
VALENTI'NUS (Ovalevtivos), the celebrated the doctrines of Jesus for psychical men. On the
Gnostic heresiarch of the second century, was a other hand, the spirit introduced by the Soter or
native of Egypt, whence he went to Rome, and Saviour, is for the spiritual. These theosophic
there propagated his heresy, having seceded from dreams were naturally capable of being moulded
the church, if we may believe 'Tertullian (c. Va in many different ways; and, accordingly, among
lent. 4) in consequence of being disappointed in Valentine's disciples are found many departures
the hope of obtaining a bishopric. The chrono- from their teacher. The most important of his
graphers fix the time at which he flourished in the followers were Heracleon, Ptolemy, and Marcus. "
reign of Antoninus Pius, from A. D. 140, when they It must, however, be remembered that our
represent him as coming to Rome, and onwards. knowledge of his system is derived almost entirely
(Euseb. Chron. s. a. 2155; Hieron. 3. a. 2156 ; from the works of the writers against the heresies,
Syncell
. p. 351, a. ) Eusebius (H. E. iv. 11) also whose expositions of their opponents' views are often
tells us, on the authority of Irenaeus, that Valen- very unfair. Nothing is extant of his own works,
tinus came to Rome in the episcopate of Hyginus, except a few insignificant fragments, quoted by the
flourished under Pius, and survived till the epis- writers referred to. (Irenaeus, adv. Haeres. i.
copate of Anicetus, about A. D. 140—155. (Comp. 1–7; Tertullian, c. Valentinianos ; Clem. Alex.
Euseb. Chron. and Hieron. , s. a. 2159. ) Some passim ; Epiphanius, Haeres. 31 ; J. F. Buddeus,
writers assign to him an earlier date, chiefly on de Haeresi Valentin. , appended to his Introd. in
the authority of the tradition, preserved by Cle-Hist. Philos. Hebr. ; Cave, Hist. Litt. s. a. 120,
mens Alexandrinus (Strom. vii. p. 764), that he had pp. 50, 51, ed. Basil. ; Mosheim, de Reb. Christ.
heard Theodas, a disciple of St. Paul: hence Cave ante Const. pp. 371-389, Eccl. Hist. B. i. cent. ii.
places him at the year A. d. 120. The two opi- pt. ii. c. 5. SS 15—17, vol.
of the Quadi, and speaking with great heat, he suddenly crossed the Alps, and advanced towards
fell down in a fit and expired suddenly on the Milan, the usual residence of Valentinian. The
17th of November, after a reign of twelve years, emperor and his mother Aed to the Hadriatic,
all but a hundred days. His body was embalmed where they took shipping and arrived at Thessalonica.
and carried to Constantinople to be interred. In A. D. 388, Theodosius defeated Maximus, and
Gibbon's sketch of the reign of Valentinian and restored Valentinian to his authority as emperor of
Valens (c. 25) has great merit: it is rapid, exact the West. (THEODOSIUS I. ] In a. d. 389, Valen-
and instructive Tillemont (Histoire des Empe- tinian went into Gaul to conduct operations against
reurs, v. ) is painfully minute as usual ; but his the Franks on the Rhine. Arbogast was at that
authorities are always valuable, and his judgment, time commander of the Roman forces in Gaul.
when not biassed by his peculiar way of thinking, Nothing further is recorded of this campaign, er-
is generally sound, The reign of Valentinian is cept that Valentinian had a conference with Mar.
worth a careful study in his extant legislative | comir and Sunnon, the chiefs of the Franks, who
## p. 1211 (#1227) ##########################################
LENTINIANUS
VALENTINIANUS. 1211
VALENTINIANUS.
many great qualities entitle bia
the most distinguished of the
[GL]
P VALENTINIANTS L
ANUS II. , Romance
a son of Valentinian 1, 72
Justina, about one bedred De
Bregetio, when his father died
His brotber Gratau ra:
Gian and his mother were som
tio, when the arter printed
nzstus, six days after his babes
ben only four or fire years of 23;
only about serenteen. Grazia
soice of the army, and a dissa
made between tbe tro brite
Taly, Illyricum and Asia ls
anis, Spain and Briza Ibi
, if it actualy took place *
and Gratian as long as be led
eror of the West Ode trasa ir
zrian realls retained all the in
the fact that after the desto
D. 379, Gratian ceded a part de
dosius I, whom be declareis
SODAS
COIN OF VALENTINIANUS IL
gave him hostages. Valentinian spent the winter funeral oration to assure us of the salvation of a
at Trèves, as appears from a constitution dated the prince, who had not received the sacrament of
8th of November.
salvation, but had asked for it, and was disposed
Tillemont remarks, "that Theodosius, who spent to receive it. ” (Tillemont) On this point, see
about three years in Italy, after the defeat of Gibbon, c. 27. note 108.
Maximus, bad by his wise advice effaced from the Justina, the mother of Valentinian, was dead ;
mind of the youthful emperor all the bad impres she had not long survived the restoration of her son
sions which his mother Justina had fixed in him to his throne, and her influence expired before she
against the faith and St. Ambrose, and forming died. Justa and Grata, the sisters of the emperor,
himself after the example of Theodosius, he had a remained unmarried ; and Galla, the wife of 'Theo-
fervent devotion towards God, and loved St. Am- dosius, who deeply lamented her brother's death,
brose with such affection, that he cherished him as died in A. d. 394, in childbed, when Theodosius
much as he had formerly persecuted him. " In was leaving Constantinople to avenge the death of
A. D. 391, Q. Aurelius Symmachus, who was consul Valentinian.
with Tatianus, was the head of a deputation from The reign of Valentinian is of little importance ;
the Roman senate to Valentinian, the object of and what concerns the Roman legislation of this
which was to ask of the emperor the restoration period belongs to the history of Theodosius I.
of the privileges which Gratian had taken from the (Gibbon, Decline and Fall, &c. ; Tillemont,
temples of the idols. The emperor however posi- Ilistoire des Empereurs, V. , where the authorities
tively refused to grant the petition.
are collected. )
[G. L. ]
At this time, the barbarians were in motion, on
the side of the Illyrian Alps, and it was appre-
hended that they might disturb Italy. Valentinian
set out for Italy, with the intention of going to
Milan. He was at Vienna (Vienne), when he
sent for Ambrosius to baptize him before he entered
Italy, for he was yet only a catechumen. There
were many bishops in France, but Valentinian
wished to receive this Christian rite at the hands
of Ambrose. “After having written to Ambrose,
he passed the two following days in such inquietude
and such impatience to see the saint, that having VALENTINIANUS III. , Roman empeior
despatched a courier in the evening, he asked on A. D. 425—455. Honorius, emperor of the West,
the morning of the third day, which was the last died in August, A. D. 423, and Joannes, the Pri-
of his life, if the courier had not returned, and if micerius, or first of the secretaries, assumed the
the saint was not coming. ” (Tillemont. )
imperial dignity at Rome. Joannes sent to the
Arbogast, a Frank by origin, a man probably of emperor Theodosius 11. to ask for his consent to his
violent temper, though on this point there is a dif- usurpation ; but the emperor's answer was not
ference in the testimony, but a rude soldier and a favourable, and Joannes sent the general Aetius to
man of courage and address, was aiming at govern- the Huns, to seek their help. Joannes, wishing to
ing Valentinian, who was still a youth. Gratian secure the support of this able commander, gave him
employed Arbogast and sent him in A. D. 38) under the rank of Curopalates, as the mayor of the palace
Bauton to assist Theodosius who was pressed by was afterwards called. Theodosius (A. D. 424)
the Goths. After the death of Bauton, Arbogast sent Ardaburius, and his son Aspar with a powerful ·
assumed the cornmand of the troops without, it is army against the usurper. They were accompanied
said, waiting for the orders of Valentinian. During by Placidia, and her young son Valentinian, who,
the usurpation of Maximus, Arbogast was faithful pursuant to the orders of Theodosius, was invested
to his master, and contributed greatly to the over- with the title of Caesar at Thessalonica by Helion,
throw of Maximus. Presuming however on his the Magister Officiorum, and the emperor also
abilities, his influence with the army, and the betrothed to him his daughter Eudocia, who was
youth of Valentinian, Arbogast kept the emperor in born A. D. 422. Valentinian was now between
a kind of tutelage, of which Valentinian complained five and six years of age. Valentinian was the son
to Theodosius. At last the emperor mustered of Constantius III. by Placidia, the sister of Hono-
courage to give into the hands of Arbogast a written rius, and the daughter of Theodosius I.
order by which he was deprived of his military In A. D. 425, Theodosius II. was consul for the
rank ; but the proud soldier told him to his face, eleventh time, with Valentinianus Caesar for his
that he had not given him his office and that it colleague. Aspar, accompanied by Valentinian
was not in his power to take it away. With these and Placidia, arrived in Italy before the usurper
words he tore the writing, threw it on the ground, expected them, and took possession of Aquileia.
and quitted the ediperor's presence.
Ardaburius came with a fleet, but a storm having
There are different accounts of the death of arisen in the Hadriatic, he was separated from his
Valentinian. The most probable is, that he was fleet, and with two galleys fell into the hands of
strangled by order of Arbogast. His body was the soldiers of Joannes, who took him to the
taken to Milan for interment by the side of his usurper at Ravenna. Joannes treated the general
father, and Ambrose pronounced the funeral oration. kindly, in the hope of securing him as a friend, but
Valentinian II. died on the 15th of May, being only Ardaburius made use of his opportunity to gain over
a few months above twenty years of age. Justa and the officers of Joannes, and sent his son Aspar in.
Grata, the two sisters of Valentinian, deplored with structions to approach Ravenna. Aspar arrived
sincere affection the untimely end of their brother. with his cavalry, and being conducted across the
“ Ambrose, who was so well instructed in the marshes by a shepherd, or, as Socrates says, by an
doctrine of the church, does not hesitate in his angel, found the gates of Ravenna open, and took
- This seems to sbor a les
f the empire of the West betren
aitinian was not completed *
sius received a part of Iron
Gratian was murdered a: Ire
HEODOSIUS I. ] Vilas was the
Valentinian II from the time
Teach, and he was in this on
He made Symmachus prezenta
abont the case of
til at Jilan in the 9 biti
twards at Aquileia Hisz:ube
. in his name, and 728 27. 1. 18
,
persecuting the Catholydex
ing rear. In d. D. , Tae-
· letter to Salustiis, ibe sent
he ordered bim to rebuie
1, near Rome, on the med?
ch was rebuilt, bat spas
an the time of this crca.
ad usurped the throne of Gaia
precarious authority oet dit vir
but in Algas, A. D. ,
be Alps, and adraped 13
residence of Valenti2 I'll
mother bed to the Hadria
pping and arrived at Theatrica
dosius defeated Marza
z to his authority as es
posits L] In 4. Delo, 12
au) to conduct operation 223*
Rhine Arbogast 5253
of the Roman forces in lib.
recorded of this contes
lan had a conference su Vrs
, the chiefs of the Fai,
## p. 1212 (#1228) ##########################################
1213 VALENTINIANUS.
VALENTINIANUS.
quesession of the place without any difficulty. I had with him in these campaigns Avitus, who
Joannes was seized and sent to Aquileia, where was afterwards emperor. In A. D. 431 he also
he was ignominiously put to death. Little is reduced the Vindelici, having the same enemies to
known of this usurper, but it is certain that the contend against whom Tiberius and Drusus had
ecclesiastics were his enemies, for he attempted to subdued in the time of Augustus. In A. D. 432
destroy the privileges of the church ; and as an Aetius was consul with Valerius ; and in the same
instance, he compelled all ecclesiastics to submit to year apparently while Aetius was in Gaul, Boni-
the jurisdiction of the civil judge.
facius was recalled to Italy by Placidia, who had
In the meantime Aetius entered Italy with the discovered the knavery of Aetius, and gave him
Huns, and there was a bloody battle between him the rank of master general of the forces. As early
and Aspar, which was followed by a peace. The as A. D. 430 Placidia and Bonifacius knew the
barbarians retired at the instance of Aetius and by treachery of Aetius and were reconciled ; and
the stronger persuasion of money ; and Aetius was Bonifacius then attempted to check the formidable
pardoned and raised to the dignity of Comes. The enemy whom he had invited. After maintaining
first measure of Valentinian, or rather of Placidia, himself against the Vandals for some time in Hippo
who acted in his name, was to restore to the ec- Regius and losing a battle, he retired from Africa
clesiastics all their privileges of which the usurper and was welcomed at the court of Ravenna. On
had deprived them. The same edict excluded hearing of the promotion of his rival, Aetius re-
Jews and Heathens from the practice of the law, turned to Italy, and the two generals settled their
and from all military rank. Manichacans and quarrel by a battle, in which Aetius was defeated,
other heretics and schismatics and astrologers were and Bonifacius received a mortal wound from the
driven out of the towns. Placidia was zealous for spear of Aetius, who fled to the Huns in Pannonia;
the church.
but he was soon pardoned and restored : he was
On the 23rd of October, A. D. 425, Valentinian, too dangerous a man to make an enemy of.
who was then probably at Rome, received from his In February A. D. 435 Valentinian made peace
cousin Theodosius the imperial purple and the title with Genseric ; but at the same time disturbances
of Augustus. Placidia also received the title of Au- broke out in Gaul, caused by the Bagaudae. The
gusta, and probably at the same time when her son name first occurs in the time of Diocletian, and
was made Augustus. In this year Theodoric, king appears to have been adopted by the peasants
of the Goths, took several places within the limits themselves, who rose in arms, as it appears, against
of the empire, and laid siege to Arelate (Arles) in the oppression of their governors. (Eutropius, ix.
Gaul, but on the approach of Aetius the Goths re- 20, and the note in Verheyk's edition. ) The
tired with some loss. In January A. D. 426, Bagaudae were put down again, but they were
Valentinian was at Rome, as appears from the not destroyed, for to destroy them it would have
date of the imperial constitutions, which contained been necessary to remove the causes that called
various provisions against informers (delatores), for forth these bands of armed peasants, and the
the maintenance of the privileges of senators and cause was the evils under which they groaned,
magistrates, and other matters. Some constitutions heavy taxation, and all kinds of oppression. The
of this year, dated from Ravenna, were intended picture of their sufferings, drawn by Salvianus,
to maintain the Christian faith : Jews and Samari- bears no small resemblance to the condition of the
tans were prohibited from disinheriting their chil. French peasantry before the revolution of 1789.
dren because they had turned Christians.
In this year is also recorded a defeat of the Bur-
Bonifacius, comes of Africa, had assisted the gundians on the Rhine by the Romans, under
cause of Placidia and her son by refusing to ac- Aetius.
knowledge the usurper Joannes, while Aetius had The Western empire had enemies on all sides.
supported him ; and Bonifacius had received from The Goths who had been settled in Aquitania and
Placidia during a visit to Italy testimonials of her the bordering countries since A. D. 419, broke out
gratitude. But on his return to Africa, Aetius, in hostilities in A. D. 436, and besieged the ancient
who was jealous of Bonifacius, accused him to Roman colony of Narbonne under their king Theo-
Placidia of having a design to make himself in- doric, the son of Alaric. The siege lasted some
dependent in his province, and advised her to test time, but the Goths finally abandoned the under-
his fidelity by summoning him to appear before taking, when the town had received a supply of
her. With double treachery, he at the same time provisions through the vigor of some Hunnish aus-
warned Bonifacius not to come, because Placidia iliaries, headed by Comes Litorius. At this time
designed him no good, and Bonifacius, believing the western part of the Mediterranean and the
what he heard, disobeyed the summons of Placidia. shores of the ocean were infested by pirates, some
Troops were sent against Bonifacius, and he called of whom were Saxons.
in to his aid (A. D. 428) the Vandals from Spain On the 21st of October A. D. 437, Valentinian,
and their king Genseric. The subsequent history being then eighteen years of age, came to Constan-
of Bonifacius is told elsewhere. [BONIFACIUS. ] tinople to celebrate his marriage with Eudocia, the
Aetius, who had stirred up an enemy in Boni- daughter of Theodosius, who had been betrothed
facius, was employed at the same time in fighting to him in A. D. 424. Valentinian surrendered to
against the Franks, whom he defeated A. D. 428, his father-in-law the western Illyricum, which had
and recovered from them those parts on the Rhine, been already promised to the Eastern emperor by
where they had settled. In the following year Placidia. He passed the winter with his wife at
Aetius was made commander of the Roman Thessalonica, and returned to Ravenna in the fol-
Armies, in place of Felix, and he defeated the lowing year. By this marriage Valentinian had
Goths near Arles, and took prisoner their chief two daughters, Eudoxia and Placidia.
Ataulphus. He also defeated the Juthongi, a In A. D. 439 the Gothic war still continued, and
Gernian tribe near Rhaetia, and reduced the Litorius was besieging Theodoric in Toulouse, who
tribes of Noricun, which had revolted. Aetius | asked for peace, which Litorius refused. A battle
## p. 1213 (#1229) ##########################################
VALENTINIANUS
VALENTINIANUS. 1213
VALENTINIANUS.
im in these campagna Arita, vie
irds emperor. In A. D. 43] bt 29
l'indenci, haring the same enerzis a
15 wbom Tiberius and Drusus nad
the time of Augustus. In 4. 4! !
onsui wtb l'alerius ; and in the
up while Aetius was in Gat, Be
alled to lua'y by Pacdi, she had
le kravery of Aetins, and
water general of the forces. As such
Pacidia and Bonifacius kbes De
Aetius and were reconcied; sed
Po attempted to check the force
he had invited. After master
the l'andals for some time in time
eing a batzle, be retired from dina
med at the court of Rarena on
promotion of his rival
, eta
r, and the two genera's setzled ezt
atz'e, in which Åetus vas deinde
received a Dorta) wound frac che
who fled to the Hone in Pizda,
on pardoned and restored : be was
, man to make an enemy of
A. D. 435 Valentinian Eade pere
but at the same time istorice
aul, caused br the Brzda. The
is in the time of Diocletian,
e been adopted by the peasant
rose in arms, as it appears
, 4233
í their govertors (Estream
ste in Verberk's edition to
put down again, bar set met
or to destroy them it woud bar
o remore the causes that a
is of armed peacut, ad
rils under which they are
ind all kinds of oppressen.
The
&
ensued in which Litorius was defeated, and the the expence both of the tax-payers and of the
Goths carried him a prisoner into the city which he Fiscus. Oppressive taxation is the symptom of
had hoped to take. Notwithstanding this success, vicious government and of the approaching ruin of
Theodoric concluded a peace with Aetius, who a state.
threatened with a formidable army to dispute the Theodosius II. died on the 28th of July A. D.
further conquests of the Gothic king.
450, and Marcianas succeeded him withont waiting
The Westem empire was gradually losing its ex- for the approbation of Valentinian, who, however,
treme possessions. Merida in Spain was taken confirmed his election. On the 27th of November
by Richila, king of the Suevi; and Genseric in the same year, Placidia, emperor's mother,
seized Carthage by surprise on the 9th of October died at Rome just when hostilities were going to
A. D. 439. This was the more unexpected as a break out between Valentinian and Attila, king of
treaty had hecn made with him in A. D. 435. the Huns. The result of this war was the defeat
The capture of Carthage, which had been in the of Attila by Aetius, near Châlons sur Marne in
hands of the Romans for near six hundred years, the former French province of Champagne, in A. D.
destroyed the Roman power in a large part of 451. [AETIUS; ATTILA. ] The history of Vn-
western Africa ; but Valentinian still retained the lentinian's unfortunato sister Honoria is connected
two provinces of Mauritania, and some other parts with that of Attila (Grata, No. 2. )
Valentinian was at Rome in January and in The Western empire was in a deplorable state,
March A. D. 440, ng appears from the date of several overrun by barbarians who brought with them
Novellae. In the month of June Genseric left “ the detestable heresy of the Arians with which
Carthage with a great fleet. He landed in Sicily, they were infected. ” Italy however scems to have
ravaged the country and laid siege to Palermo. been free from barbarians, though it contained
Aetius was still in Gaul, where he restored tran- many Goths under the name of confederates ; and
quillity and set out for Italy. It was about this they were Arians too. The Visigoths, whose capital
time that Salvianus wrote his work on the Judg- was Toulouse, had a new king in consequence of
ment of God, in which he shows that the Romans the death of Theodoric who fell in the great battle
had brought upon themselves, by their sins, the at Châlons, fighting on the side of the Romans.
calamities under which they were then suffering. He was succeeded by his son Thorismond.
The grievous burden of taxation and the oppression In A. D. 452 Attila made a descent into Italy
of the powerful made the Romans prefer the form and spread consternation. Aetius had returned to
of servitude under the Franks, Huns, and Vandals, Italy, and he and Valentinian sent Pope Leo to
under which they enjoyed real liberty and paid no Attila to sue for peace, and the barbarian retired
taxes, to the semblance of liberty under the Roman after he had devastated the north of Italy. [AT-
government whose exactions were intolerable. The TILA. ) A constitution of Valentinian of this year,
barbarians were in possession of a large part of which a zealous Roman Catholic writer calls“
Gaul and a still larger part of Spain ; Italy had scandalous law and altogether unworthy of a
been ravaged several times, Rome had been be-Christian prince,” declares that the law does not
sieged, Sicily and Sardinia devastated, and Africa allow bishops and priests to have jurisdiction in
was in the hands of the Vandals. Trèves had civil affairs, and that they can only take cognizance
been several times sacked, and yet, says Salvianus, of matters pertaining to religion; and it requires
while the place was reeking with the blood of the even bishops to appear before the ordinary judges
slain, the citizens still eagerly called for the games, in all suits to which they were parties, unless the
which were exhibited in their amphitheatre, the other party consented to submit to the judgment
ruins of which still exist on the site of the ancient of the church. It also forbids ecclesiastics to
city of the Treviri.
traffic, or if they do, they are allowed no particular
By a constitution of the 20th of February A. D. privilege.
44), the emperor made some regulations for making Valentinian was relieved in a. D. 453 from a
the property of the great dignitaries of the church formidable enemy by the death of Attila, and in
and of the city of Rome liable to equal taxation the same year Thorismond, king of the Visigoths,
with other property, and also liable for the repair who was of a restless and warlike character, was
of the roads and the walls of the towns and all murdered by his brothers, one of whom, Theo-
other imposts. In A. D. 442 Valentinian made doric II. , succeeded him.
peace with the Vandals, who were left in undis- The power and influence of Aetius had long ex-
turbed possession of part of Africa.
cited the jealousy and fears of Valentinian, and the
In A. D. 446, the Romans abandoned Britain. suspicious temper of the unwarlike and feeble em-
The Picts and Scots were ravaging the country, peror was encouraged by the calumnies of the
and the Britons in vain applied for help to Aetius eunuch Heraclius. Aetius was too powerful to be
who was then consul. A revolt took place in the subject of a contemptible master ; and the
Armorica in A. D. 448 which was however soon betrothal of his son Gaudentius to Eudoxia, the
settled.
daughter of Valentinian, may have excited his am-
· Ravenna was the ordinary residence of the em- bitious designs and awakened his treacherous dis
peror ; but he went to Rome early in A. D. 450 position. His pride and insolence were shown in
with his wife and mother, when by a constitution, a hostile declaration against his prince, which was
date the 5th of March, he remitted all the taxes followed by a reconciliation and an alliance, the
that had become due up to the 1st of September terms of which were dictated by Aetius. After
A. D. 448 ; from which we may conclude that the this insult he had the imprudence to venture into
people were unable to pay them. Sardinia and the emperor's palace at Rome, in company with
Africa were excepted from this indulgence. The Boethius, Praefectus Praetorio, and to urge the
emperor spoke of the exactions of the commissioners marriage of the emperor's daughter with his son.
who were sent into the provinces to prevent the In a fit of irritation the emperor drew his sword
exactions of others ; they enriched themselves at and plunged it into the general's body. The slaughter
sufferings, drawz br Sa/234
semblance to the conc. con city
before the rerolata af 12
50 recorded a detrar of the Bar
Rhide by the Romans, de
npire had enemies ar al cos
d been settled in içr: 23
tries since 4. D. 419, iroke i
2. 436, and besie. red the ances
arbende under wel king The
aric The siege se KOE
i finally abardared tše
own had received a cari
be rigor of some Has all-
Cornes Litorius At téa ce
the Mediteranean and the
vere infested' by puzles
, &DE
itober 4. D. 437, Valenciana,
ears of age, came to a
$ marriage with Endoca
us, who had been berri
Valentiniai surendants
restern Illyricum, vb. ca 131
I to the Eastera esperanto
the winter witá i ze in
med to Rarezza in the for
mariage laetitia bad
and Placida
e var st* coctiszer
Theodoric in Tedde, 3)
Literius refused
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1214
VALENTINUS.
VALENTINUS.
the
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Val
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entered
the two
Treviri
now
was completed by the attendants of Valentinian, ciple of St. Paul might be still alive. (Clinton,
and Boethius, the friend of Aetius, also shared his Fast. Rom. 8. aa. 140, 144. )
fate. (A. D. 454. ) The principal friends of Aetius Valentinus was one of the boldest and most in-
were singly summoned to the palace, and mur. fluential heresiarchs of the Gnostic sect. A minute
dered. Thus the bravest man, the ablest com- account of his doctrines, into which it is not con-
mander of the age, the last great Roman soldier, sistent with the plan of this work to enter, will
perished by the treacherous hand of the most un be found in the works quoted below: perhaps, for
warlike of the Roman Caesars.
general readers, the brief but clear exposition of
A grievous insult to Petronius Maximus is said Valentinianism by Mosheim will be found the
to have been the immediate cause of Valentinian's most useful.
death. Maximus had a handsome wife, who re- There is also a good and brief account in Giese-
sisted the emperor's solicitations, but he got her ler, which we extract, as the work is not so well
within the palace by an artifice, and compelled her known to the English reader, as that of Mosheim :
to yield to force what she had refused to persuasion. -“ From the great original (according to him,
The injured husband resolved on the emperor's de- Bubós, apoTÁTwp, apoapx"), with whom is the
struction, and he gained over some of the domestics consciousness of himself (évvola, oirh), emanate
of Valentinian who had been in the service of in succession male and female aeons (Nous or
Aetius. While he was amusing himself in the | Μονογενής and αλήθεια, λόγος and αλήθεια, λόγος
field of Mars with some spectacle, two of these and swń, &v@pwtos and ekkanoia, &c. ), so that 30
men fell upon him; and, after killing the guilty aeons together (distinguished into the 'Ozdoás,
Heraclius, despatched the emperor without any Δεκάs, and Δωδεκάς) form the πλήρωμα. From
resistance from those who were about him, A. D. the passionate striving of the last aeon, the copia,
455. This was the end of Valentinian III. , a to unite with Bythos itself, arises an untimely
feeble and contemptible prince, the last of the being (ή κάτω σοφία, ενθύμησις, Αχαμώθ, ε. ε.
family of Theodosius. He was ill brought up, and ripan7), which, wandering about outside the
had all the vices that in a princely station dis- pleroma, communicates the germ of life to matter,
grace a man's character. Even his zeal for the and forms the Anuloupyós of psychical material,
Catholic faith and the church is not allowed to have who immediately creates the world. In this
been sincere.
three kinds of material are mixed, το πνευματικών,
(Gibbon, Decline and Fall, c. 33, &c. ; Tille-70 yuxuóv, td údınóv. The result of the course
mont, Histoire des Empereurs, vol. vi. ) [G. L. ] of the world is, that the two first should be se-
parated from the last, and that To TvEVMATIKóv
should return to the pleroma, το ψυχικόν into the
τόπος μεσότητος, where the Achamoth
dwells. In the mean time, two new aeons, Christ
and the Holy Spirit, had arisen, in order to re-
store the disturbed harmony in the pleroma ; then
there emanated from all the aeons Jesus (owthp),
who, as future associate (ousupos) of the Acha-
moth, shall lead back into the pleroma this and
the pneumatic natures. The owthe united itself
at the baptism with the psychical Messiah pro-
mised by the Demiurgus. "Just so is the letter of
VALENTI'NUS (Ovalevtivos), the celebrated the doctrines of Jesus for psychical men. On the
Gnostic heresiarch of the second century, was a other hand, the spirit introduced by the Soter or
native of Egypt, whence he went to Rome, and Saviour, is for the spiritual. These theosophic
there propagated his heresy, having seceded from dreams were naturally capable of being moulded
the church, if we may believe 'Tertullian (c. Va in many different ways; and, accordingly, among
lent. 4) in consequence of being disappointed in Valentine's disciples are found many departures
the hope of obtaining a bishopric. The chrono- from their teacher. The most important of his
graphers fix the time at which he flourished in the followers were Heracleon, Ptolemy, and Marcus. "
reign of Antoninus Pius, from A. D. 140, when they It must, however, be remembered that our
represent him as coming to Rome, and onwards. knowledge of his system is derived almost entirely
(Euseb. Chron. s. a. 2155; Hieron. 3. a. 2156 ; from the works of the writers against the heresies,
Syncell
. p. 351, a. ) Eusebius (H. E. iv. 11) also whose expositions of their opponents' views are often
tells us, on the authority of Irenaeus, that Valen- very unfair. Nothing is extant of his own works,
tinus came to Rome in the episcopate of Hyginus, except a few insignificant fragments, quoted by the
flourished under Pius, and survived till the epis- writers referred to. (Irenaeus, adv. Haeres. i.
copate of Anicetus, about A. D. 140—155. (Comp. 1–7; Tertullian, c. Valentinianos ; Clem. Alex.
Euseb. Chron. and Hieron. , s. a. 2159. ) Some passim ; Epiphanius, Haeres. 31 ; J. F. Buddeus,
writers assign to him an earlier date, chiefly on de Haeresi Valentin. , appended to his Introd. in
the authority of the tradition, preserved by Cle-Hist. Philos. Hebr. ; Cave, Hist. Litt. s. a. 120,
mens Alexandrinus (Strom. vii. p. 764), that he had pp. 50, 51, ed. Basil. ; Mosheim, de Reb. Christ.
heard Theodas, a disciple of St. Paul: hence Cave ante Const. pp. 371-389, Eccl. Hist. B. i. cent. ii.
places him at the year A. d. 120. The two opi- pt. ii. c. 5. SS 15—17, vol.
