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

THONORIUS. HONORIUS., l8
R nlinart's Historia Persecutionis Vandalicae, 8vo. to be commander-in-chief in the ~West. Theodosius
Paris, 1694, pt. ii. c. 4. p. 433. [W. R.] died shortly after making this arrangement, Jan.
HONO'RIA. [GRATA, No. 2.] 17. 395, and Honorins succeeded to the possession
HONO'RIUS. 1. This name is given by Au- of the West, under the energetic guardianship of
relius Victor (Epit. 48) to the father of the em- Stilicho, who had married Serena, daughter of Hoperor Theodosius I. the Great; but all other writers norius, the late emperor's brother [see above, No.
call him Theodosius. [THEODOSIUS.] 2], and therefore first cousin to the young emperor.
2. A brother of the emperor Theodosius the Honorius was but little more than ten years old
Great, died before A. D. 384. He left by his wife, at his father's death, and his tender years comwho is thought to be the Maria mentioned by bined with his natural inertness of character to
Claudian (Laus Seren. 69), two daughters, Ther- render him a mere cipher in the state. Milan was
mancia and Serena, the former married to a military for some years his place of residence, while Stilicho
officer, whose name is not known, the latter to was negotiating with the Franks on the Rhenish
Stilicho. [SERENA; ST1LICHO.] (Zosim. v. 4.; frontier, or attempting to engross the management
Claudian, Laus Serenae. passim; Ducange, Fam. of affairs in the Eastern as well as in the Western
Byzant. p. 75; Tillemont, Hist. des Emp. vol. v. empire. [STILICHO.] The exemption from tribute
p. 190.) was granted at the commencement of his reign to a
3. FLAVIUS HONORIus AUGUSTUS (reigned A. D. considerable district of Campania; the acts of grace
395-423), was the second son of Theodosius the towards the partisans of Eugenius, and the payGreat, by his first wife, Aelia Flacilla. [FLACILLA.] ment of the legacies bequeathed by. Theodosius to
Honorius was born, according to the most trust- individuals, are to be ascribed less to Honorius than
worthy accounts, 9th Sept. A. D. 384. There is to his ministers though consistent enough with the
some difference in the ancient authorities, but we generally mild and humane disposition of the young
agree with Tillemont, who has discussed the matter emperor. In A. D. 396 he was consul for the third
in a careful note, that Constantinople was his birth- time, and still remained at Milan, while Stilicho
place. (Claudian. In IV. Consulat. IHonorii, 121 was engaged in Greece, carrying on the war against
— 140.) He was made consul A. D. 386, and ap- Alaric, king of the Visi-Goths. [ALARICUS.] In
pears in the Fasti of Idatius with the designation A. D. 398 he was consul for the fourth time. This
of Nobilissimus, and in the Chronicon of Prosper year was distinguished by the war against Gildo,
Aquitanicus of Nobilissimus Puer; but in the who, being taken and imprisoned, destroyed himself
Chronicon of Marcellinus and the Chronicon Pas- [GILDO]; and, by the marriage of Honorius, who
ciasle with that of Caesar. In A. D. 388 or 389, espoused Maria, the daughter of' Stilicho and of
most probably the latter, at any rate after the Serena, the cousin of Honorius. The marriage was
usurper Maximus had been defeated, Honorius was a marriage of form only, for the bridegroom was not
sent for from Constantinople into Italy by his fa- yet fourteen, and the bride apparently still younger.
ther, whom he accompanied (A. D. 389) when with Claudian composed two poems (De SNuptiis HoValentinian II. he made his triumphal entry into norii et lMariae, and Fescennina in Nuptias Honor.
Rtome. et Alar.) in honour of the nuptials of these children;
In A. D. 393, while his father was preparing but the regal progeny which he foretold was to
for the war against Eugenius, he was declared spring from the union never appeared. Maria died;
Augustus, or, according to Marcellinus, Caesar. a virgin long before the year 408; but the exact
But Marcellinus is in this instance not consistent year of her death does not seem to be known.
with himself, having designated Honorius Caesar (Zosim. v. 28.) About the close of the year 398
in his first consulship. The time of year at which Honorius appears to have had some transactions at
Honorius was declared Augustus has been disputed, Milan, under the guidance of Stilicho, with the
and is discussed very minutely by Tillemont; but envoys of the Germanic nations, but the nature of
he is misled in his decision, we think, by identify- them can hardly be ascertained from the vague paing the darkness, " tenebrae," which is said by negyric of Claudian. (In Eutrop. i. 378, &c.) In
Marcelliniius and Prosper to have occurred at the 399 Honorius left Milan, apparently for the first
time of his inauguration, with an eclipse of the sun, time since his accession'; and the Theodosian Code
which theidescription of Claudian (In IV. Consulat. enables us to trace his progress. His first journey
Honor. 172, &c.) shows it was not, but simply an was in February to Ravenna, from whence he reunusually thick darkness from clouds or fog. The turned to Milan; his subsequent journeys were in
inauguration took place at the palace or justice June and the following months to Brixia (Brescia),
court, Hebdomum ('EGfopov), near Constantinople. Verona, Patavium (Padua), and Altinum (Al(Comp. Ducange, Constanztinop. Chistian. ii. 6. ~ tino).
3.) The statement of the Clhronicon Paschale that The year 399 was distinguished by the rigorous
Theodosius had crowned Honorius Augustus (Els persecution of paganism. From Constantine to
cacrTLea) at Rome, on occasion of their triumphal Valentinian I., with the exception of the short
entry in A. D. 389, must be rejected, as inconsistent reign of Julian, the Christian religion had indeed
with the recognised right of Valentinian II. (then been supported by the example and countenance of
living) to the dominion of the West. It is pro- the emperors; but direct persecution appears to
bable that the error arose from the circumstance, have been avoided. The decay of paganism had
that Theodosius, after his victory over Eugenius, perhaps been somewhat retarded by the patronage
the successor of Valentinian II., A. D. 394, again of the Roman senate (Zosim. iv. 59), jealous of the
sent for Honorius, who was consul for the second favour which the Christian emperors had shown to
time that year, into Italy, and at Milan (or, ac- Constantinople, Milan, and Treves; and increasing
cording to Zosimus, at Rome) solemnly declared by their opposition in religious matters the repughim emperor of the West, assigning to him Gaul, nance of the emperors to Rome as a permanent
Spain, Italy, and Africa, of which he had now come residence. Under Gratian [GRATIANUS], and still
into undisputed possession, and appointing Stilicho more under Theodosius, the force of prohibitory
VOL. II. L L