Count Theodosius facts for kids
Flavius Theodosius (who died in 376) was a very important Roman general. People also called him Count Theodosius or Theodosius the Elder. He worked for Emperor Valentinian I (who ruled from 364 to 375) and helped protect the western Roman empire during a time called Late Antiquity. Under his leadership, the Roman army won many battles against enemies, invaders, and people trying to take over the empire. He was the father of Theodosius the Great (who ruled from 379 to 395), who later became a Roman emperor, starting the Theodosian dynasty (which ruled from 379 to 457).
Emperor Valentinian gave Theodosius the special title of comes rei militaris per Britanniarum (Commander of the Troops of the Diocese of the Britains). He earned this title for his great work in Britain. There, he stopped a big uprising called the Great Conspiracy (from 367 to 368) and put down a rebellion led by Valentinus. After making Britain safe again, he went back to Europe. He fought against the Alemanni people. As Valentinian's magister equitum (Master of Horse, a top military commander), he successfully went into Alemannic lands around 370 or 371. In 372, Theodosius also led a successful fight against the Sarmatians. In the same year, Firmus, a prince from Mauretania, rebelled against Roman rule. Theodosius was sent to Africa. In two tough campaigns (from 373 to 374), he stopped this rebellion. In 376, after Emperor Valentinian died, Theodosius was arrested and executed. This probably happened because some people saw him as a threat to the new western emperors, Gratian and Valentinian II.
Theodosius's title, Latin title: comes rei militaris, lit. 'companion of soldiers' affairs', comes from the Latin word Latin: comes, lit. 'companion'. This is where the medieval European title of count comes from.
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Military Achievements
Theodosius is first mentioned in history books by Ammianus Marcellinus. He writes about Theodosius being chosen to bring order back to Britain. Before this important job, Theodosius must have been a trusted friend of Emperor Valentinian. His skills as a military leader were well-known and respected. However, we do not know much about his earlier career.
Stopping the Great Conspiracy
In 368, Theodosius was given the high Roman military rank of comes rei militaris. He was sent to northern Gaul and Britannia. His mission was to take back lands lost during the Great Barbarian Conspiracy the year before. Theodosius was given command of part of Valentinian's comitatensis (the Imperial Field Army). Early in the year, he marched to Bononia (Boulogne-sur-Mer). This was Rome's harbor on the Channel.
Theodosius took advantage of a break in the weather. He crossed the Channel and landed at Rutupiae (Richborough). He left most of his troops in Bononia to wait for clearer weather. At Rutupiae, Theodosius started gathering information about the situation in Britain. He found out that the Roman troops in Britain had either refused to fight or were on leave when the invasion started. He also learned that the enemy had split into small groups. These groups were plundering and stealing everywhere.
When his army finally crossed the Channel in clear spring weather, Theodosius was ready. The Roman army marched on Londinium (London). They quickly brought Britain's largest city back under Roman control. Londinium became Theodosius's main base. He divided his army into smaller groups. He sent them to attack the enemy groups near the city. The Romans quickly defeated these small enemy parties. They killed or captured many invaders. They also took back stolen goods, supplies, and prisoners. Theodosius also sent messages offering forgiveness to Roman soldiers who had deserted. He ordered them to come to Londinium.
During the winter of 368–369, many soldiers returned to their units. They brought important information that helped Theodosius plan the next part of his campaign. In 369, Theodosius campaigned all over Roman Britain. He restored its main towns and hunted down enemy groups and traitors. Ammianus Marcellinus wrote that Theodosius also stopped a rebellion by Valentinus from Pannonia. At the end of the fighting season, he sent a message to Valentinian. He told the emperor that the provinces of Britain were back under the Empire's control. He also told the emperor that he had created a new province. He named it Valentia, probably after Emperor Valentinian.
His younger son, Theodosius (who later became emperor), was with him on this trip. So was Magnus Maximus, who would later try to become emperor himself.
Leading the Imperial Cavalry
After returning from Britain, Theodosius took over from Jovinus as the magister equitum praesentalis. This was a top military role at the court of Emperor Valentinian I. In this role, he led another successful campaign (in 370 or 371) against the Alemanni people. In 372, Theodosius was sent to Illyricum. He led an army against the Sarmatians. He won a battle and successfully ended the campaign.
In 372, Firmus, a prince from Mauretania, rebelled against Roman rule. This caused a lot of trouble in the Diocese of Africa. Valentinian decided to give Theodosius the job of stopping the rebellion. The army was reorganized, and more troops were recruited. Theodosius's son was made dux Moesiae Primae, taking his father's place as commander in Illyricum. Theodosius himself started gathering his troops at Arles.
In the spring of 373, Theodosius sailed to Africa. He led a successful campaign against the rebels in eastern Mauretania. At the end of the fighting season, he led his army into western Mauretania. There, he faced a major setback. In 374, Theodosius invaded western Mauretania again. This time he was more successful. He defeated the rebels and captured Firmus. Around 373 or 374, the younger Theodosius was made dux of the province of Moesia Prima.
In 375, Emperor Valentinian suddenly died. Theodosius was still in Africa. Orders came for Theodosius to be arrested. He was taken to Carthage and executed in early 376. The exact reasons are not clear. It is thought to have been due to a power struggle in Italy after Emperor Valentinian's sudden death in November 375. Shortly before his death, Count Theodosius was baptized as a Christian. This was a common practice at the time, even for people who had been Christian their whole lives.
Family and Legacy
According to Polemius Silvius, Theodosius the Elder's son, Theodosius the Great, was born on January 11, 346 or 347. The epitome de Caesaribus says he was born in Cauca (Coca, Segovia) in Hispania. Theodosius also had another son named Honorius. He had a daughter whose name is not known. He also had a grand-niece named Serena.
After his father's death, Theodosius the dux of Moesia Prima went back to his family lands in the Iberian Peninsula. There, he married Aelia Flaccilla in 376. Their first child, Arcadius, was born around 377. Their daughter, Pulcheria, was born in 377 or 378. Theodosius returned to the Danube border by 378. He was then appointed magister equitum. After his successes in the field, Emperor Gratian (who ruled from 367 to 383) made him augustus (emperor) at Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica) on January 19, 379.
When his son became augustus, Theodosius the Elder was honored as a god. He was given the title consecratio in Latin: Divus Theodosius Pater, lit. 'the Divine Father Theodosius'.
The younger Theodosius later married into the ruling Valentinianic dynasty (which ruled from 364 to 455). He married Galla, who was the sister of Theodosius's co-emperor Gratian. Galla was also the daughter of Valentinian the Great and his second wife Justina. Theodosius the Great went on to create his own imperial family line. This made Count Theodosius the ancestor and founder of a line of Roman emperors and empresses.
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