Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/1223

Rh VALENTINIANUS. rave him hostaures. Valentinian spent the winter It Treves, as appears from a constitution dated the jth of November. Tillemont remarks, "that Theodosiiis, who spent ibout three years in Italy, after the defeat of Vlaximus, had by his wise advice effaced from the nind of the youtliful emperor all the bad impres- lions which his mother Justina had fixed in him igainst the faith and St. Ambrose, and forming lim.self after the example of Theodosius, he had a iervent devotion towards God, and loved St. Am- )rose with such affection, that he cherished him as iiuch as he had formerly persecuted him." In i. D. 391, Q. Aurelius Symmachus, Avho was consul viih Tatianus, was the head of a deputation from he Roman senate to Valentinian, the object of v^hich was to ask of the emperor the restoration if the privileges which Gratian had taken from the emples of the idols. The emperor however posi- ively refused to grant the petition. At this time, the barbarians were in motion, on he side of the Illyrian Alps, and it was appre- ended that they might disturb Italy. Valentinian et out for Italy, with the intention of going to I'lilan. He was at Vienna (Vienne), when he ent forAmbrosius to baptize him before he entered taly, for he was yet only a catechumen. There rere many bishops in France, but Valentinian i^ished to receive this Christian rite at the hands f Ambrose. " After having written to Ambrose, e passed the two following days in such inquietude nd such impatience to see the saint, that having espatched a courier in the evening, he asked on he morning of the tliird day, which was the last f his life, if the courier had not returned, and if lie saint was not coming." (Tillemont.) Arbogast, a Frank by origin, a man probably of iolent temper, though on this point there is a dif- n'ence in the testimony, but a rude soldier and a lan of courage and address, was aiming at govern- ig Valentinian, who was still a youth. Gratian mployed Arbogast and sent him in a. d. 381 under Jauton to assist Theodosius who was pressed by he Goths. After the death of Bauton, Arbogast ssumed the command of the troops without, it is aid, waiting for the orders of Valentinian. During, he usurpation of Maximus, Arbogast was faithful t) his master, and contributed greatly to the over- hrow of Maximus. Presuming however on his bilities, his influence with the army, and the outh of Valentinian, Arbogast kept the emperor in kind of tutelage, of which Valentinian complained 9 Theodosius. At last the emperor mustered ourage to give into the hands of Arbogast a written rder by which he was deprived of his military ank ; but the proud soldier told him to his face, hat he had not given him his office and that it /as not in his power to take it away. With these •'ords he tore the writing, threw it on the ground, nd quitted the eniperor's presence. There are different accounts of the death of Valentinian. The most probable is, that he was
 * rangled by order of Arbogast. His body was

liken to Milan for interment by the side of his hher, and Ambrose pronounced the funeral oration, [alentinian II. died on the 1 5th of Maj^, being only ifew months above twenty years of age. Justa and •rata, the two sisters of Valentinian, deplored with [Ambrose, who was so well instructed in the pctrine of the church, does not hesitate in his VALENTINIANUS. 1211 funeral oration to assure us of the salvation of a prince, who had not received the sacrament of salvation, but had asked for it, and was disposed to receive it." (Tillemont.) On this point, see Gibbon, c. 27. note 108. Justina, the mother of Valentinian, was dead ; she had not long survived the restoration of her son to his throne, and her influence expired before she died. Justa and Grata, the sisters of the emperor, remained unmarried ; and Galla, the wife of Theo- dosius, who deeply lamented her brother's death, died in a. d. 394, in childbed, when Theodosius was leaving Constantinople to avenge the death of Valentinian. The reign of Valentinian is of little importance ; and what concerns the Roman legislation of this period belongs to the history of Theodosius I. (Gibbon, Decline and Fall, &c. ; Tillemont, Histoire des Empereurs^ v., where the authorities are collected.) [G. L.] COIN OF VALENTINIANUS II. VALENTINIA'NUS III., Roman empeior A. D. 425 — 455. Honorius, emperor of the West, died in August, A. D. 423, and Joannes, the Pri- micerius, or first of the secretaries, assumed the imperial dignity at Rome. Joannes sent to the emperor Theodosius II. to ask for his consent to his usurpation ; but the emperor's answer was not favourable, and Joannes sent the general Aetius to the Huns, to seek their help. Joannes, wishing to secure the support of this able commander, gave him the rank of Curopalates, as the mayor of the palace was afterwards called. Theodosius (a, d. 424) sent Ardaburius, and his son Aspar with a powerful army against the usurper. They were accompanied by Placidia, and her young son Valentinian, who, pursuant to the orders of Theodosius, was invested with the title of Caesar at Thessalonica by Helion, the Magister Officiorum, and the emperor also betrothed to him his daughter Eudocia, who was born A. D. 422. Valentinian was now between five and six years of age. Valentinian was the son of Constantius III. by Placidia, the sister of Hono- rius, and the daughter of Theodosius I. In A. D. 425, Theodosius II. was consul for the eleventh time, with Valentinianus Caesar for his colleague. Aspar, accompanied by Valentinian and Placidia, arrived in Italy before the usurper expected them, and took possession of Aquileia. Ardaburius came with a fleet, but a storm having arisen in the Hadriatic, he was separated from his fleet, and with two galleys fell into the hands of the soldiers of Joannes, who took him to the usurper at Ravenna. Joannes treated the general kindly, in the hope of securing him as a friend, but Ardaburius made use of his opportunity to gain over the officers of Joannes, and sent his son Aspar in- structions to approach Ravenna. Aspar arrived with his cavalry, and being conducted across the marshes by a shepherd, or, as Socrates says, by an angel, found the gates of Ravenna open, and took
 * ncere affection the untimely end of their brother.