Arbogast (magister militum) facts for kids

Arbogast (died September 8, 394) was a powerful Roman army general. He was from the Frankish people, a Germanic tribe. He became very important in the Western Roman Empire.

Arbogast: A Frankish General

Arbogast was the nephew of another famous Frankish general, Richomeres. He was born in a place called Galatia Minor. Arbogast joined the Roman army under Emperor Gratian. Gratian was the son of Emperor Valentinian I. Arbogast quickly became known as a very skilled and loyal commander.

Fighting the Goths

In 380, Gratian sent Arbogast to help Emperor Theodosius I. They fought against the Goths, who were attacking parts of the Roman Empire. The combined armies of the West and East defeated the Gothic leader Fritigern. They pushed the Goths out of Macedonia and Thessaly. This led to a peace treaty with the Visigoths in 382. Arbogast was seen as one of Gratian's most important officers.

Dealing with Maximus

In 383, a man named Magnus Maximus took over the Western Roman Empire. He killed Emperor Gratian. Arbogast did not want to serve Maximus. Instead, he joined Emperor Theodosius I in the East. Arbogast became a very respected commander under Theodosius.

Maximus later tried to take control of the entire empire. In 387, he invaded Italy. Theodosius I gathered his armies to stop Maximus. Arbogast and Richomeres were among his trusted generals. The war ended in 388. Maximus was defeated and killed.

After Maximus's death, Arbogast was sent to kill Maximus's son, Victor. This was done easily. Theodosius I then gave control of the West to Valentinian II. Valentinian II was very young. So, Theodosius stayed in Italy to help him rule. In 391, Theodosius returned to Constantinople. He made Arbogast the main commander of the Western armies. Arbogast was to watch over the young Emperor Valentinian II.

Arbogast and Valentinian II

Arbogast became the most powerful military leader in the Western Empire. He was in charge of armies in Gaul, Spain, and Britain. He reported only to Emperor Theodosius I. However, Arbogast was not Roman by birth. So, he had to rule in the name of Valentinian II.

By 391, Valentinian II felt trapped in Vienne. He had little real power. The Western armies were loyal to Arbogast. Arbogast also placed his own loyal people in important positions at the Emperor's court. Arbogast became very harsh towards Valentinian II. He even killed one of the Emperor's friends in front of him.

Valentinian II realized how much power Arbogast had. He secretly sent messages to Theodosius I and Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. He asked them for help. He even asked Ambrose for baptism, fearing he might die soon.

The Death of Valentinian II

The tension between Arbogast and Valentinian II grew. In 392, Valentinian II tried to fire Arbogast. Arbogast reportedly threw the dismissal order to the ground. He told the Emperor, "You didn't give me my command, and you can't take it away."

Soon after, they had another argument. Valentinian II tried to stab Arbogast with a sword. But he was stopped. A few days later, on May 15, 392, Valentinian II was found dead. He was found hanging in his room.

Debate About Valentinian II's Death

Historians have different ideas about Valentinian II's death. Some ancient writers believed Arbogast killed him. They thought Arbogast either murdered him directly or forced him to take his own life. Other historians were not so sure. They said no one really knew what happened.

Bishop Ambrose suggested the death was due to a disagreement. This disagreement was about who would lead the armies into Italy. Some people also thought Arbogast, who had some pagan beliefs, wanted to bring back paganism. He might have chosen Eugenius, who was seen as friendly to paganism, for this reason.

The closest historical account says that no one was truly certain. This means many stories about the event might have been made up.

Arbogast and Eugenius

After Valentinian II's death, Arbogast chose Eugenius to be the new Western Emperor. Eugenius was a Roman teacher. This happened in August 392.

One of Arbogast's first actions was to fight his own Frankish people. They had attacked areas near the Rhine River. Arbogast successfully restored the city of Cologne. He also made a peace treaty with the Franks. This treaty brought new Frankish soldiers into the Roman army. This was seen as a great success for Arbogast.

Pagan Revival and Conflict

Trouble began when a pagan revival movement started during Eugenius's rule. Many pagan temples that had been closed were now reopened. This made Emperor Theodosius I in the East unhappy. Theodosius was a strong Christian.

In 393, Theodosius made his youngest son, Honorius, a full Emperor. This weakened Eugenius's power. Communication between the East and West also became difficult. Arbogast and Eugenius decided to march into Italy in April 393. They wanted to show their power. They even threatened to turn a church in Milan into a stable. Eugenius, though Christian, allowed pagan symbols to be restored. This was the last time paganism was openly practiced in the Roman Empire.

Emperor Theodosius I saw this as a serious problem. He began preparing his armies for war against Arbogast and Eugenius. He saw it as a "Holy War" because of the pagan revival. In 394, he marched his armies through the Julian Alps. He aimed to defeat Arbogast and Eugenius at the Battle of the Frigidus.

Battle of the Frigidus

Arbogast and Eugenius moved their forces to the Julian Alps. They planned to use the mountains for ambushes. Theodosius I left Constantinople in May 394. He was delayed on his journey. Arbogast thought Theodosius was trying to attack from the south. So, Arbogast sent a large part of his army to the south. This turned out to be a mistake.

Theodosius reached Arbogast's location in September. He saw Arbogast's army ready for battle. On September 5, 394, Theodosius attacked. The fighting was brutal all day. Theodosius's army suffered heavy losses. He retreated to the Alps and prayed for help.

Meanwhile, Arbogast's men celebrated. Arbogast sent some of his army to attack Theodosius from behind. But Theodosius offered these soldiers money, and they joined him instead.

The next day, September 6, 394, Theodosius attacked again. Arbogast and Eugenius tried to ambush him. But a strong wind called the "Bora" began to blow. This wind blew in the faces of Arbogast's troops. It made them shield their eyes from dust. It also blew their arrows and spears back at them. This extreme wind greatly weakened Arbogast's attack. His forces were defeated by Theodosius I.

Deaths of Arbogast and Eugenius

After the battle, Eugenius was captured. He begged for his life, but he was killed. His head was shown around the provinces. Arbogast escaped into the mountains. But he knew his cause was lost. He took his own life on September 8, 394.

Meaning of the Battle

Christian writers saw God's help in this battle. They believed the strong winds were a sign from God. Modern historians, however, point to the important role of the barbarian troops. This battle was one of the first times such a large number of non-Roman soldiers were used by Theodosius.

Legacy

Arbogast was seen as a very skilled military leader. He was popular with his soldiers. He was also loyal to the Roman emperors he served.

Historians described him as:

• "a first-class military commander with a fine record"
• "very popular with the army and wholly loyal"
• "a brave and well-trained soldier, probably the best General in the Roman Empire"
• "completely immune to bribes, and outstanding as regards to warfare in brain and brawn"

He was respected by his soldiers. He was brave and experienced. He was not interested in money. He gained great power and could even speak freely to the Emperor. He would stop actions he thought were wrong. This was because he had the support of all the soldiers.

See also

In Spanish: Arbogasto de Estrasburgo para niños

• Roman Civil War of 394 AD
• Battle of the Frigidus
• Valentinian II
• Theodosius I
• Eugenius
• Flavius Stilicho
• Magnus Maximus