A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

83Xr GRATIANUS. GRATIANUS.
brother's elevation, and Zonaras adds that he the camp he cultivated poetry; and the flattering
severely rebuked the troops for their share in the panegyric of Ausonius declares that Achilles had
Wetwi.a A.' o. theia provinces of'the found in him a Roman Homer. He was pious,
West was ma e' betweertife wruter - brtht e chaste, and temperate; but his character was too
greater age of Gratian gave him pre-eminence. As- yfel!dhin-.piant, it wanted force; and the influthe eastern provinces remained subject to Valens, ence of others- Tec tta~ severities that were
brother and colleague of Valentinian I., the part foreign to his own character.- y t e. instigation
immediatety subject to the government of Gratian of his mother, he had, at the commencement of hi
comprehended Gaul, Spain, and Britain. But there reign,.put to death Maximus, praefectus praetorio
is some doubt both as to the time when the pro- in Gaul, Simplicius, and others of his father's
vinces of the West were partitioned, and as to the officers. It is difficult to determine how far he is
authority, if any, which Gratian retained or exer- answerable for the death of Count Theodosius,
cised in the provinces of his brother. (See Tille- father of the emperor, who was put to death at
mont and Gothofredus, Not. ad Cod. T/leod. 16. tit. Carthage soon after Gratian's accession, unless we
9. s. 4, 5.) Treviri, now TrYves, seems to have could ascertain whether the partition of the western
been his usual residence. provinces had then been made; and if so, whether
In the early part of his reign hostilities were Gratian retained any authority in the provinces
fiercely carried on along the Danubian provinces allotted to his brother. His piety and reverence
and in Illyricum, where Frigeridus, Gratian's for ecclesiastics, especially for Ambrose of Milan,
general, defeated the Taifali; and Gratian him- rendered him too willing a party to the persecuself was preparing to march into Thrace to assist tions which the Christians, now gaining the ascenhis uncle Valens against the Goths, but was de- dancy, were too ready to exercise, whether against
tained in the West by an incursion of the Len- the heathens or against heretics of their own body.
tienses, who formed part of the great confederation Valentinian I. had wisely allowed religious liberty;
of the Alamanni. The invading host, to the but under Gratian this was no longer permitted.
number of 40,000 (some accounts, probably exag- (Cod. Theod. 16. tit. 9. s. 4, 5, with, the notes. of
gerated, make them 70,000), was encountered and Gothofredus.) He refused to put on the insignia
cut to pieces by the army of Gratian, under his of Pontifex Maximus, on the plea that a Christian
generals Nannienus and Mellobaudes the Frank, could not wear them; and herein he only acted
who held the office of Comes Domesticorum at consistently. Tillemont, on the authority of AmArgentovaria or Argentaria (at or near Colmar, in brose, ascribes to him the removal of the Altar of
Alsace), about May, A.D. 378 or according to some Victory at Rome, and the confiscation of its reauthorities in 377. Whether Gratian was present venues; and the prohibition of legacies of real proat the battle does not appear; but he conducted perty to the Vestals, with the abolition of their
his army in person across the Rhine, and compelled other privileges, steps of which the justice is more
the Lentienses to submit. He afterwards advanced questionable. Ambrose also ascribes to him the
towards or into the eastern empire, where the prohibition of heathen worship at Rome, and the
Goths, who had defeated and..killed Valens near purging of the church from all taint of sacrilegious
Adrianople (Aug. 378), were committing great heresy —vague expressions, but indicative of the
devastation. By the death of his uncle, Valens, persecuting spirit of his government. The Priscilthe eastern empire had devolved upon him; but lianists indeed are said to have obtained readmishis consciousness of his inadequacy to this increased sion into the church by bribing the officers of his
charge led him to send for Theodosius [THEODO- court; and during the short time after Valens'
sIus. AUG.] from Spain, and after appointing death that he held the Eastern empire, he conhim in the first instance general against the Goths, tented himself with relieving the orthodox party
he soon after (Jan. 19, 379), at Sirmium, raised from persecution, and tolerated the Arians, probably
him to be his colleague in the empire, and com- from the conviction that in the critical period of the
mitted the East to him. Gothic war, it would not do to alienate so powerful
For some time after this the pressure of affairs a body. The Eunomians, Photinians, and Manicompelled Gratian to exert himself. He sanctioned chaeans were not, however, tolerated even then.
the settlement in Pannonia and Upper Maesia of (Suidas, s. v. rpa'ravJs, and notes of Gothofredus
some German nations, who were pressing upon the to Cod. Theod. 1. c.) Sulpicius Severus intimates that
frontier of the empire; perhaps thinking thus to at one time he issued an edict for the banishment
repair the waste of population in the Gothic war, of all heretics; but it is difficult to believe that
or to raise up a barrier against further invasion. this could have been effected or even attempted.
His generals, the Franks, Bauto and Arbogastes, The religious meetings of heretics were, however,
with their army, were sent to assist Theodosius; interdicted by him, (Cod. Theod. 1. c.) After these
and Gratian himself, if we may trust an obscure indications of his zeal, we do not wonder that Amexpression -of Idatius, gained a victory over some brose addressed to him his treatise De Fide.
hostile army, but of what nation is not said. He While these persecuting measures were cooling
also, during the illness of Theodosius, arranged or the attachment of those of his subjects who were
strengthened a treaty with the Goths. After these exposed to his severity, his constant engagement in
transactions, which may be referred to the year field sports, to the neglect of more serious matters,
380 at latest, we hear little of any warlike or other incurred contempt. The indulgence and flattery
transactions in which- Gratian was engaged. of his councillors and courtiers allowed and induced
Historians, Pagan and Christian, are agreed as him to devote himself to amusement. Night and
to the character of this prince. In person he was day, says Aurelius Victor, he was thinking of nowell made and good looking; in his disposition thing else than arrows, and considered that to hit
gentle and docile; submissive. as a youth, to his the mark was the greatest of pleasures arid the
instructors, possessed of a cultivated understanding perfection of art. So sure was his aim, that his
and of a ready and pleasing eloquence. Even in arrows were said to be endowed with intelligence.