Theodosius. The Empire at Bay

Gerard Friell, Stephen Williams9780203981986, 9780415170406, 0415170400, 071346691X, 9780713466911, 9780203975961

Emperor Theodosius (379-95) was the last Roman emperor to rule a unified empire of East and West and his reign represents a turning point in the policies and fortunes of the Late Roman Empire. In this imperial biography, Stephen Williams and Gerry Friell bring together literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence concerning this Roman emperor, studying his military and political struggles, which he fought heroically but ultimately in vain.Summoned from retirement to the throne after the disastrous Roman defeat by the Goths at Adrianople, Theodosius was called on to rebuild the armies and put the shattered state back together. He instituted a new policy towards the barbarians, in which diplomacy played a larger role than military might, at a time of increasing frontier dangers and acute manpower shortage. He was also the founder of the established Apostolic Catholic Church. Unlike other Christian emperors, he suppressed both heresy and paganism and enforced orthodoxy by law.The path was a diffucult one, but Theodosius (and his successor, Stilicho) had little choice. This new study convincingly demonstrates how a series of political misfortunes led to the separation of the Eastern and Western empires which meant that the overlordship of Rome in Europe dwindled into mere ceremonial. The authors examine the emperor and his character and the state of the Roman empire, putting his reign in the context of the troubled times.

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Table of contents :
BOOKCOVER……Page 1
HALF-TITLE……Page 2
TITLE……Page 4
COPYRIGHT……Page 5
CONTENTS……Page 6
PLATES……Page 9
MAPS……Page 11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……Page 12
DEDICATION……Page 13
PART I THE CRUCIBLE……Page 14
2 THE BURDENS OF EMPIRE……Page 23
3 IMPERIAL DIVISIONS……Page 34
4 CATHOLIC ASCENDANCY……Page 43
5 VICTORY IN THE WEST……Page 55
1 ADRIANOPLE AND AFTER……Page 15
PART II THE CHANGED BACKGROUND……Page 66
6 THE WAR MACHINE……Page 67
7 THE BARBARIAN SETTLEMENTS: FROM LAETI TO FOEDERATI……Page 81
8 THE TOPHEAVY EMPIRE……Page 91
PART III CONFRONTATION……Page 102
9 CONTRA PAGANOS……Page 103
10 TRIUMPH AND DEATH……Page 131
PART IV THE UNRAVELLING……Page 137
11 STILICHO: LAST GUARDIAN OF A UNITED EMPIRE……Page 138
12 THE INEVITABLE?……Page 152
APPENDIX I The Battle of Adrianople-its Military Significance……Page 165
APPENDIX II The Roman Army in the Later Fourth Century-Command Structures, Composition and Size……Page 170
APPENDIX III The Dynasties of Valentinian and Theodosius……Page 176
APPENDIX IV Barbarian Settlements……Page 177
APPENDIX V Fourth-Century Barbarian Officers in the Roman Army……Page 179
REFERENCES AND NOTES……Page 183
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY……Page 211
INDEX……Page 217