After Jovian's death and the brief revolt of Procopius, Valentinian
(with his brother Valens) ruled effectively until his death in 375. Valens fell in battle
against the Goths three years later. Gratian and Valentinian II succeeded in the West, Theodosius in the
East. Magnus Maximus overthrew Gratian in 383 and Valentinian II fled to the East.
Theodosius then overcame Maximus to restore Valentinian, who was again overthrown
in 392
by Eugenius, whom Theodosius also defeated and executed
in 394. Theodosius died in
395, upon which the empire was divided between his sons, who proved to be very weak emperors. Arcadius had an uneventful reign; that of Honorius was longer and
much more troubled, as the Goths sacked Rome and
usurpers Priscus Attalus, Jovinus and Constantine III briefly held
power. The energetic general Constantius did much to restore western Roman fortunes in the
latter part of this reign; he married Honorius' half-sister and was proclaimed Augustus in
421, but died six months later. Honorius expired in Ravenna in 423. |
