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

THEODOSIUS. THEODOSIUS. 1067
Arbogastes, who had served Gratian with fidelity, to the rank of Augusti, and it was arranged that
and had contributed under Theodosius to the over- the empire should be divided between them.
throw of Maximus, was appointed master-general Honorius was not in the war against Eugenius,
of the forces in Gaul. But he aspired to govern but he came to Milan before his father died, and
a master who had not vigour enough to command received from him the gift of the empire of the
obedience, and the emperor's authority gradually west. The arrival of Honorius was celebrated by
declined. In A. D. 392 Valentinian made a last the games of the Circus, at which the dying emleffort to resume his power, and he personally an- peror assisted.
nounced to Arbogastes that he was dismissed from The formal destruction of paganism marks the
all his employments. The general received the reign of this orthodox emperor. " The ruin of
announcement with contempt; and in a few days paganism, in the age of Theodosius," says Gibbon,
after Valentinian was found dead. It was believed " is perhaps the only example of the total extirthat he had been strangled by order of Arbogastes. pation of any ancient and popular superstition, and
The barbarian, who did not think it prudent to may therefore deserve to be considered as a singular
assume the imperial purple, set up Eugenius, a event ill the history of the human mind." Without
rhetorician, and formerly his secretary, as emperor admitting the truth of this remark as to the total
of the West. Theodosius received the ambassadors extirpation of paganism, we must assign to Theoof Eugenius, who announced his elevation, with dosius the design to extirpate it. His rigorous
dissembled indignation, for he was ill disposed to steps towards the overthrow of the ancient religion
renew a war in the west, which he had only just are traced by Tillemlont with minute diligence
ended. But his own pride, and the tears of his (vol. v. p. 229, &c.). Inl December 381 he prohibited
wife Galla, the sister of Valentinian, urged him to sacrifices, either by day or by night, in the temples
punish the usurper. Two years were spent in the or out of the temples; and also he forbade the
preparation for this war; but the emperor, with curious inquisition into futurity by the examination
prudent precaution, imitating the example of those of the viscera of animals. Libanius, in his oration
who consulted the god of Delphi in the times of in defence of the temples, written probably about
heathenism, sent a favourite eunuch to ask the A. D. 384, says, that the laws of Theodosius at that
advice of John of Lycopolis, an Egyptian anchorite, time had not closed the temples, nor prohibited
whether he should make war on Eugenius, or wait persons from going there, nor the burning of incense,
till Eugenius attacked him. John declared that but only the sacrifice of animals. But so long as
Theodosius would be victorious, but yet not without the temples existed, the old religion would subsist;
loss and bloodshed, as in the war with Maximus; and therefore to destroy it the temples must be
that he would die in Italy after his victory, and destroyed. Libanius complains that people, clothed
leave to his son the empire of the west. " Thus in black (no doubt he means monks,) ran in bodies
Theodosius did not engage in this war any more to the temples, overthrew the altars, pulled down the
than in the other, except by the order which God roofs and the walls, and sometimes killed the priests
gave to hiln by his prophet." (Tillemont). who resisted. He says, however, that soldiers
Theodosius prepared himself to fulfil the prophecy were also employed in this work of demolition,
by recruiting his legions, with the aid of his two and that in fact no temples were destroyed without
master-generals Stilicho and Timasius. Arbogastes, the order of the emperor. Some few temples were
iwho commanded for Eugenius, posted himself on converted into Christian churches, and thus prethe border of Italy, but allowed Theodosius to pass served;'" but in almost every province of the
the Julian Alps, and enter the plains which extend Roman world, an army of fanatics, without authoto Aquileia. Here he found the formidable army rity and without discipline, invaded the peaceful
of Arbogastes, consisting of hardy Gauls and Ger- inhabitants; and the ruin of the fairest structures
roans. Theodosius attacked the enemy, but he was of antiquity still displays the ravages of those barcompelled to retire with great loss, particularly of barians, who alone had time and inclination to
his Gothic allies. Arbogastes now occupied the execute such laborious destruction." (Gibbon.) The
passes in his rear, and the emperor's position was lands of the temples were probably given to the
inost critical. But he was saved by the treachery Christian churches as a general rule. (Tillemont.)
of the generals of Eugenius, who sent to express Cynegius, the praetorian prefect of the East, was
their readiness to desert, if the rewards which they sent by Theodosius in 386 into Egypt, the seat of
asked were granted. Theodosius accepted their all monstrous superstitions, with a commission to
conditions, and led his troops to a fresh attack on prohibit idolatry, and to close the temples. It does
the camp of the enemy. A tempest, that rose not appear that he had any power to destroy them.
during the battle, and blew full in the face of the It was probably not till 389 that the Christians
troops of Eugenius, contributed to their discomfiture obtained their great triumph over the idolatry of
and the victory of Theodosius. The head of Eugenius Egypt, by the destruction of the magnificent temple
was separated from his body, while he was suing of Serapis at Alexandria. The fill of this grcat
for mercy at the feet of his conqueror; and Arbo- idol shook the popular belief of Egypt to its foundgastes, after wandering in the mountains, terminated ation. The emperor had given his orders to destroy
his fortunes by his own sword. Theodosius re- the statue of Serapis; but the heathens believed
ceived the submission of the west, and, at the that the deity would resent the slightest affront to
intercession of Armbrosius, used his victory with his majesty. A soldier, bolder than the rest, enmoderation. couraged by the archbishop Theophilus, dealt a
Theodosius died on the seventeenth of January blow against the cheek of Serapis with a ponderous
A. D. 395, four months after the defeat of Eugenius, axe, and the face of the idol fell to the groilld.
whether,as some say, in consequence of the fatigues The deity silently submitted to his fate; tile idol
of war, or, as others, in consequence of intemperate was broken in pieces, and dragged through the
habits, it is not possible to decide. The two sons, streets of Alexandria. The overthrow of the old
Arcadius and Honorius, had already been elevated religion, which was still practised, ivas accomplished