REGERE RELIQVIÆ
IMPERII ROMÆ
PARS I: INTRODUCTIO
Sectio I: Oritur Theodosius
Flavius Theodosius Augustus, Theodosius Magnus, or simply Theodosius I, was born in Hispania, in either Italica or Cauca. Prior to becoming Imperator Romanorum, he helped quell the Great Conspiracy along with his father, who shared his name, in the province of Britannia in 368. He was also the province of Moesia’s dux in 374. However, his father was executed soon afterward, and Theodosius retired to Spain, either due to his father’s death or due to Valentinianus I dismissing him from his command.
However, Imperator Valentinianus I, who had ruled the Western Roman Empire while his brother Valens ruled the East, died in 375. Gratianus and Valentinianus II became the emperors of the West thereafter, while Valens remained Imperator Orientalis. Valens was killed in 378 during the Battle of Adrianopolis, which was against Gutanic rebels.
After Valens’ death, Gratianus invited Theodosius to take command of the Balkan army. Since Valens had no successor, Theodosius essentially became the eastern co-Emperor. In 383, Gratianus was assassinated by a rebel general. Then in 392, Valentinianus II too died, strung up on a noose. Arbogast, magister militum of the West, Theodosius’ trusted general, was the killer.
Thus, Theodosius became the ruler of a united Imperium Romanum.
He would be the last.