370-389 Ostrogoths, Visigoths and Huns

In this 20 year period the Western Roman Emperor Valentinian died in 375 and was succeeded by his son Gratian (pictured) in the West and his younger brother Valens in the East.

Valentinian II ruled over Italy, Africa and Illyricum.

In 376 the Goths of the Danube were divided into two groups known as the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths. The Huns, a powerful tribe from central Asia, were pushing into southern Russia and destroyed the kingdom of the Ostrogoths. Terrified by the Huns, the Visigoths petitioned Valens to be allowed to cross the Danube and settle in Roman territory.

In return for troops, Valens agreed and had them ferried across the Danube to settle in Thrace, where a revolt took place in 377. In 378 Valens asked for assistance from 19 year old Gratian, who sent troops, but Valens became impatient and attacked the German Goths (cavalry men) and was defeated and killed.

Gration appointed Theodosius (a Spaniard) as commander in Thrace, headquarters in Thessalonica, and in 379 appointed him emperor of Egypt, the East and the Balkans where the Goth troubles persisted.

In 382, Theodosius entered into a treaty with the Goths, allowing them to settle in the Balkans, as a self-governing federate, but providing troops for the Roman army ( under Goth command).

At first, Gratian was tolerant of religious differences, but under the influence of the aristocratic Bishop of Milan, Ambrose, (Milan having long been the imperial seat of Rome) outlawed "heretical" assemblies, and abolished the privileges of the pagan priesthoods in Rome.

Theodosius - an aggressive catholic - issued a decree in 380 advising everyone to become catholic (ie to accept the Nicene Creed) calling those who did not "demented and crazed" warranting not only God's punishment but his as well and deposed the Arian bishop of Constantinople.

In 381 he ordered that all churches should be turned over to catholic bishops, and like Gratian he banned all non-catholic assemblies issuing 18 edicts against various dissenting christian sects.

Theodosius was easier than Gratian on the Pagans. In 381 blood sacrifice was banned, but other forms of Pagan worship were allowed. However, no action was taken against "spontaneous" local acts destroying Pagan temples and in this way Paganism was virtually wiped out.

In 383, Magnus Maximus, a Spanish aristocratic miliary commander like Theodosius, proclaimed himself emperor in Britain and invaded Gaul. Gratian went to meet the usurper, but was abandoned by his troops, turned over to Maximus and executed by him.

Maximus sent envoys to Valentian II and Theodosius for recognition, but they stalled - Theodosius to work out a treaty in 387 with Persia (splitting up Armenia) before he could deal with Maximus in the west.

Maximus was a fervent Catholic, having Orthodox Christians executed in Spain - an action deplored by some Spanish Bishops - but such violence was the extreme logical result of the state becoming the defender of Catholic dogma.

In 387 Maximus invaded Italy, forcing Valentian II to flee to Thessalonica, and finally Theodosius came to Italy, did battle with Maximus, defeated him and had him executed.

While in Italy, Theodosius presented his 5 year old son Honorius to the Roman Senators as a future ruler of the west (having already secured the succession of his older son, Arcadius, as ruler of the east) and fell under the influence of Ambrose, as Gratian before him had.

In 388 a bishop in the Euphrates area, against Roman law, ordered the destruction of a synagogue. Theodosius ordered the bishop to pay for its rebuilding, Ambrose was outraged, and Theodosius deferred.