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Theodosius the Great and the Reunification of Rome in 392 CE
In the year 392 CE, the Roman Empire was in a state of division and turmoil. The empire had been split into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires, a division that had become increasingly pronounced since the reign of Diocletian in the late 3rd century. The Western Roman Empire, with its capital in Milan (and later Ravenna), was struggling with internal instability, barbarian invasions, and economic decline. The Eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople, was relatively more stable and prosperous.
Theodosius I, also known as Theodosius the Great, was the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire at this time. He had already proven himself a capable ruler, having successfully dealt with the Gothic threat and consolidated his power in the East. In 392 CE, the Western Roman Emperor Valentinian II was found dead under mysterious circumstances, likely murdered by his own general, Arbogast. Arbogast then elevated a puppet emperor, Eugenius, to the throne in the West.
Theodosius, a devout Christian and a staunch defender of Nicene Christianity, viewed Eugenius as a usurper and a threat to the unity of the empire. Moreover, Eugenius was supported by pagan senators and elements within the Roman aristocracy who sought to revive traditional Roman religious practices, which had been increasingly suppressed under Christian emperors. This religious and political tension set the stage for a decisive confrontation.
In 394 CE, Theodosius marched his forces westward to confront Eugenius and Arbogast. The two armies met at the Battle of the Frigidus, fought in the eastern Alps. The battle was fierce and bloody, but Theodosius emerged victorious. Eugenius was captured and executed, and Arbogast committed suicide shortly thereafter. With this victory, Theodosius became the sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire, effectively reuniting the Eastern and Western halves under his rule.
Theodosius's reunification of the empire was short-lived, however. He died just a few months later, in January 395 CE, and the empire was once again divided between his two sons: Arcadius, who ruled the East, and Honorius, who ruled the West. This division would prove to be permanent, as the Western Roman Empire continued to decline and eventually fell in 476 CE, while the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, endured for nearly a thousand more years.
Theodosius's reign marked a significant turning point in Roman history. His efforts to reunite the empire, his promotion of Christianity as the state religion, and his suppression of paganism had lasting impacts on the cultural and religious landscape of the Roman world. Theodosius the Great is remembered as one of the last strong emperors of a unified Roman Empire, and his reign represents the end of an era in the ancient world.