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Valentinian I (321-375), also known as Valentinian the Great, was the son of Gratianus Major, a commander under emperors Constantine I and Constans I. Valentinian joined the army in the late 330s, but he was humiliated and his career ruined during a debacle against Alamanni raiders caused by the incompetency of others.<br/><br/> His fortunes would swiftly change when he was promoted to tribune by Emperor Jovian, whose later death led to Valentinian's ascension to emperor by civil and military assembly in 364. He selected his brother Valens as co-emperor of the east, while Valentinian managed the west. He successfully fought off various Germanic and barbarian invasions, as well as dealing with revolts in Africa and the Great Conspiracy, a massive attack on Britain by Picts, Saxons and Scots.<br/><br/> Valentinian became the last emperor to conduct campaigns across the Danube and Rhine rivers, building and improving fortresses and fortifications along the frontiers and even in enemy territory. His successes and the rapid decline that occurred after his death led many to consider Valentinian the 'last great western emperor', and he died in 375 from a burst blood vessel while angrily yelling at Quadi envoys. His sons would succeed him, making him the founder of the Valentinian Dynasty.
Valens (328-378) was the brother of Valentinian, and lived in his brother's shadow for many years. When his brother was appointed emperor in 364 CE, he chose Valens to serve as co-emperor, obtaining the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Valens made Constantinople his capital.<br/><br/> Valens was soon presented with a usurper named Procopius in 365, a surviving relative of Emperor Julian who proclaimed himself emperor in Constantinople while Valens was away. He managed to defeat Procopius in the spring of 366, executing the usurper. He then warred against the revolting Goths, before heading back east to face the Sassanid Empire. A resurgent Gothic presence, alongside Huns and Alans, led to the commencement of the Gothic War, after an attempted resettlement of Goths had resulted in them revolting in 377.<br/><br/> Rather than wait for his nephew and co-emperor Gratian to arrive with reinforcements as advised by many, Valens marched out on his own. Valens was struck down during the decisive but avoidable Battle of Adrianople. He was known by some as the 'Last True Roman', and the battle that resulted in his death was considered the beginning of the collapse of the decaying Western Roman Empire.
Valentinian III (419-455) was the son of Emperor Constantius III, and nephew of former Emperor Honorius through his mother, Galla Placidia. He was also cousin to Theodosius II, Eastern Roman emperor. When his father died in 421, barely seven months into his co-rule, Valentinian was only two years old, and he fled with his mother and sister to Constantinople from the unwanted attentions of his uncle Honorius.<br/><br/> When Honorius died in 423 and the usurper Joannes took power, Theodosius recognised Valentinian as the true emperor of the West, and placed him on the throne in 425, aged only six. Due to his age, his mother ruled as regent in his stead, desperately attempting to stablise the Western Roman Empire and negotiating with the Huns. The empire continued to lose more territory however, and internal instability wracked the empire constantly. Valentinian finally became emperor in 437, but true power remained in the hands of others.<br/><br/> Attila the Hun's invasion of the Western Roman Empire, at the behest of Valentinian's own sister Honoria, devastated much of the western provinces and was only just stopped at the gates of Rome. Valentinian was eventually assassinated in 455 after murdering one of his powerful advisors, Aetius, the year previous. Overall, Valentinian's reign is marked by the continued dismemberment and decline of the Western Roman Empire.
Valentinian II (371-392) was the son of Emperor Valentinian I and half-brother to Emperor Gratian. When his father died in 375 CE, the army generals declared the four-year-old Valentinian II as emperor, forcing Gratian to accommodate them and declare his half-brother co-emperor. As he was still just a child, his portion of the empire was effectively ruled by his mother, Empress Justina, from the imperial court at Milan.<br/><br/> Valentinian's brother Gratian died in 383 while fleeing from the usurper Magnus Maximus, whom both Valentinian and fellow co-emperor Theodosius were forced to recognise. However, in 386 Maximus crossed into Valentinian's lands, forcing him to flee with his mother to Theodosius' court. After marrying his sister Galla to Theodosius, together they marched west and defeated Maximus in 388.<br/><br/> After that Valentinian moved his court to Vienne in Gaul, with Theodosius acting as his guardian from Milan, appointing his trusted Frank general Arbogast as effective caretaker of Valentinian. Arbogast theoretically acted in the name of Valentinian, but answered only to Theodosius, campaigning in the Western provinces while Valentinian stayed in Vienne. Valentinian was eventually killed by Arbogast in 392, found hanging in his residence and made to look like a suicide.
Gratian (359-383) was the son of Emperor Valentinian I by his first wife Marina Severa. Gratian became Augustus in 367, but when his father died in 375 and the army proclaimed his half-brother Valentinian II emperor, Gratian was forced to comply and shared administration of the western provinces with his infant sibling and his stepmother, though power was still held by him in reality.<br/><br/> When his uncle Emperor Valens died in 378 during the Gothic War (376-382) after refusing to wait for Gratian to arrive and reinforce him, governance of the eastern portion of the Roman Empire fell to Gratian. Unable to fight the barbarian incursions on his own, he declared Theodosius I co-emperor of the east in 379 and together they drove the Alans, Goths and Huns out of the empire.<br/><br/> Gratian devolved from his initial successes and achievements, becoming an easily manipulated tool of his Frankish general Merobaudes and the bishop St. Ambrose of Milan. He also raised the ire and contempt of Roman troops by taking Alan barbarians into his personal service, leading to the revolt of Roman general Magnus Maximus, who invaded Gaul with a large army from Britain. Gratian's troops deserted him, and he fled to Lyon, where he was betrayed by the governor and handed over to the rebel generals, who assassinated him in 383.
Valens (328-378) was the brother of Valentinian, and lived in his brother's shadow for many years. When his brother was appointed emperor in 364 CE, he chose Valens to serve as co-emperor, obtaining the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Valens made Constantinople his capital.<br/><br/> Valens was soon presented with a usurper named Procopius in 365, a surviving relative of Emperor Julian who proclaimed himself emperor in Constantinople while Valens was away. He managed to defeat Procopius in the spring of 366, executing the usurper. He then warred against the revolting Goths, before heading back east to face the Sassanid Empire. A resurgent Gothic presence, alongside Huns and Alans, led to the commencement of the Gothic War, after an attempted resettlement of Goths had resulted in them revolting in 377.<br/><br/> Rather than wait for his nephew and co-emperor Gratian to arrive with reinforcements as advised by many, Valens marched out on his own. Valens was struck down during the decisive but avoidable Battle of Adrianople. He was known by some as the 'Last True Roman', and the battle that resulted in his death was considered the beginning of the collapse of the decaying Western Roman Empire.
Italy: Gratian (359-383), 67th Roman emperor, from the book <i>Icones imperatorvm romanorvm</i> (Icons of Roman Emperors), Antwerp, c. 1645. Gratian was the son of Emperor Valentinian I by his first wife Marina Severa. Gratian became Augustus in 367, but when his father died in 375 and the army proclaimed his half-brother Valentinian II emperor, Gratian was forced to comply and shared administration of the western provinces with his infant sibling and his stepmother, though power was still held by him in reality.
Valentinian I (321-375), also known as Valentinian the Great, was the son of Gratianus Major, a commander under emperors Constantine I and Constans I. Valentinian joined the army in the late 330s, but he was humiliated and his career ruined during a debacle against Alamanni raiders caused by the incompetency of others.<br/><br/> His fortunes would swiftly change when he was promoted to tribune by Emperor Jovian, whose later death led to Valentinian's ascension to emperor by civil and military assembly in 364. He selected his brother Valens as co-emperor of the east, while Valentinian managed the west. He successfully fought off various Germanic and barbarian invasions, as well as dealing with revolts in Africa and the Great Conspiracy, a massive attack on Britain by Picts, Saxons and Scots.<br/><br/> Valentinian became the last emperor to conduct campaigns across the Danube and Rhine rivers, building and improving fortresses and fortifications along the frontiers and even in enemy territory. His successes and the rapid decline that occurred after his death led many to consider Valentinian the 'last great western emperor', and he died in 375 from a burst blood vessel while angrily yelling at Quadi envoys. His sons would succeed him, making him the founder of the Valentinian Dynasty.
Valentinian III (419-455) was the son of Emperor Constantius III, and nephew of former Emperor Honorius through his mother, Galla Placidia. He was also cousin to Theodosius II, Eastern Roman emperor. When his father died in 421, barely seven months into his co-rule, Valentinian was only two years old, and he fled with his mother and sister to Constantinople from the unwanted attentions of his uncle Honorius.<br/><br/> When Honorius died in 423 and the usurper Joannes took power, Theodosius recognised Valentinian as the true emperor of the West, and placed him on the throne in 425, aged only six. Due to his age, his mother ruled as regent in his stead, desperately attempting to stablise the Western Roman Empire and negotiating with the Huns. The empire continued to lose more territory however, and internal instability wracked the empire constantly. Valentinian finally became emperor in 437, but true power remained in the hands of others.<br/><br/> Attila the Hun's invasion of the Western Roman Empire, at the behest of Valentinian's own sister Honoria, devastated much of the western provinces and was only just stopped at the gates of Rome. Valentinian was eventually assassinated in 455 after murdering one of his powerful advisors, Aetius, the year previous. Overall, Valentinian's reign is marked by the continued dismemberment and decline of the Western Roman Empire.
Valentinian II (371-392) was the son of Emperor Valentinian I and half-brother to Emperor Gratian. When his father died in 375 CE, the army generals declared the four-year-old Valentinian II as emperor, forcing Gratian to accommodate them and declare his half-brother co-emperor. As he was still just a child, his portion of the empire was effectively ruled by his mother, Empress Justina, from the imperial court at Milan.<br/><br/> Valentinian's brother Gratian died in 383 while fleeing from the usurper Magnus Maximus, whom both Valentinian and fellow co-emperor Theodosius were forced to recognise. However, in 386 Maximus crossed into Valentinian's lands, forcing him to flee with his mother to Theodosius' court. After marrying his sister Galla to Theodosius, together they marched west and defeated Maximus in 388.<br/><br/> After that Valentinian moved his court to Vienne in Gaul, with Theodosius acting as his guardian from Milan, appointing his trusted Frank general Arbogast as effective caretaker of Valentinian. Arbogast theoretically acted in the name of Valentinian, but answered only to Theodosius, campaigning in the Western provinces while Valentinian stayed in Vienne. Valentinian was eventually killed by Arbogast in 392, found hanging in his residence and made to look like a suicide.
Valens (328-378) was the brother of Valentinian, and lived in his brother's shadow for many years. When his brother was appointed emperor in 364 CE, he chose Valens to serve as co-emperor, obtaining the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Valens made Constantinople his capital.<br/><br/> Valens was soon presented with a usurper named Procopius in 365, a surviving relative of Emperor Julian who proclaimed himself emperor in Constantinople while Valens was away. He managed to defeat Procopius in the spring of 366, executing the usurper. He then warred against the revolting Goths, before heading back east to face the Sassanid Empire. A resurgent Gothic presence, alongside Huns and Alans, led to the commencement of the Gothic War, after an attempted resettlement of Goths had resulted in them revolting in 377.<br/><br/> Rather than wait for his nephew and co-emperor Gratian to arrive with reinforcements as advised by many, Valens marched out on his own. Valens was struck down during the decisive but avoidable Battle of Adrianople. He was known by some as the 'Last True Roman', and the battle that resulted in his death was considered the beginning of the collapse of the decaying Western Roman Empire.
Valens (328-378) was the brother of Valentinian, and lived in his brother's shadow for many years. When his brother was appointed emperor in 364 CE, he chose Valens to serve as co-emperor, obtaining the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Valens made Constantinople his capital.<br/><br/> Valens was soon presented with a usurper named Procopius in 365, a surviving relative of Emperor Julian who proclaimed himself emperor in Constantinople while Valens was away. He managed to defeat Procopius in the spring of 366, executing the usurper. He then warred against the revolting Goths, before heading back east to face the Sassanid Empire. A resurgent Gothic presence, alongside Huns and Alans, led to the commencement of the Gothic War, after an attempted resettlement of Goths had resulted in them revolting in 377.<br/><br/> Rather than wait for his nephew and co-emperor Gratian to arrive with reinforcements as advised by many, Valens marched out on his own. Valens was struck down during the decisive but avoidable Battle of Adrianople. He was known by some as the 'Last True Roman', and the battle that resulted in his death was considered the beginning of the collapse of the decaying Western Roman Empire.