Eugenius

  • Eugenius (392-394 CE) was a Roman Emperor of the West.
  • Despite being a Christian, Eugenius was the last Emperor to allow Paganism to resist Christianity.

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

  • NAME:
    • Flavius Eugenius
  • EUGENIUS’ DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
    • 22 August 392 CE to 6 September 394 CE.
  • EUGENIUS’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Date of birth unknown. Died 6 September 394 CE.
  • PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
  • EUGENIUS’ PREDECESSOR:
  • EUGENIUS’ SUCCESSOR:
  • HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
    • Eugenius was a usurper who was proclaimed Emperor in the West by General Arbogast, after the death of Valentinian II.
  • DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
  • WHERE BURIED:
    • Unknown.
  • EUGENIUS WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:

2. BRIEF SYNOPSIS

  • Rule from Milan (392-394 CE)

    • Three months after Valentinian II had died, the Magister Militum, Arbogast, proclaimed Eugenius as Emperor in the West. Theodosius I apparently, acquiesced to this usurpation, but waited until the time was right before striking back.
    • Arbogast had seen what had happened to Maximus when he proclaimed himself Emperor, and decided he would gain more support from the old Senatorial families by presenting a candidate as Emperor who had been taught grammar and rhetoric. Because Eugenius showed tolerance towards Paganism, this policy worked well in the West.
    • Bishop Ambrose was forced to flee from Milan, as he realised the forces of Paganism were on the rise again.
    • Eugenius travelled with Arbogast to the Rhine Frontier. Arbogast was a Frank. The Treaties with the Franks and the Alemanni were renewed. A large part of Arbogast’s Roman army consisted of soldiers drawn from the Franks and Alemanni.

  • Battle of Frigidus (5-6 SEPT 394 CE)

    • Having initially accepted Eugenius as Emperor of the West, Theodosius I then proclaimed his son Honorius in January 393 CE
    • Theodosius I raised a large army and in May 394 CE marched west from Constantinople to confront the army of Arbogast and Eugenius.
    • Theodosius I met Eugenius and his Commander Arbogast on the banks of the River Frigidus, east of Aquileia in modern Slovenia. The battle lasted two days and was brutal. Both sides used Gothic soldiers, and there were huge losses on both sides. Eugenius’ head was put on display after the battle, and Arbogast committed suicide.
    • An Solar Eclipse and a wind storm helped Theodosius I to claim a Christian victory over his Pagan rivals.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • CLASSICAL SOURCES:

 

Posted in .