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

912 STILICHO. STILICHO.
wife Serena and his daughter Maria, who had titles of pater and dominus were given to him,.
been betrothed to Honorius in the lifetime of The war with Alaric had meanwhile taken its
Theodosius, and was married to him soon after- course, and in 402 became extremely dangerous
wards. Stilicho began his reign by dividing the to Italy, where the Gothic chief had already more
imperial treasury in equal shares between Honorius than once made his appearance. In 403 Alaric
and Arcadius; prevailed upon Honorius to grant made an irresistible push as far as Milan, whence
the amnesty promised by the late Theodosius to the emperor Ilonorius fled to Ravenna, after abanthe partisans of the rebel Eugenius; quelled a mi- doning, at the persuasion of Stilicho, the cowardly
litary outbreak at Milan; and finally set out to plan of transferring the seat of the empire into
make his and the emperor's authority respected in Gaul. In this crisis Stilicho acted with surprising
Gaul and Germany, where the barbarians pursued boldness, energy, and military wisdom. At the
an audacious course of invasions. His march up approach of the Goths he hastened to Rhaetia,
the Rhine was triumphant, and his force was in- where the main force of the Italian troops was
creased by an alliance with the Suevi and Ale- employed against the natives, and after giving
manni. Marcomir, the principal chief of the the latter a severe chastisement, and compelling
Franks, fell into his hands, and was sent to Italy, them to accept peace, he returned to Milan with
where he ended his days in captivity; the Saxon the whole of the Rhaetian corps. At the same
pirates, the scourge of the northern coast, were time most of the Roman troops were withdrawn
severely chastised, and shrunk back into their own from Gaul and Germany, and even the Caledonian
seas; and such was the terror caused by the rapid legion was recalled from the frontiers of Britain.
and crushing advance of Stilicho, that the Picts With his army thus augmented, he occupied Milan,
made a sudden retreat from Britain into their where he was besieged, or, as it seems, rather
native mountains, from mere fear that Stilicho blockaded by Alaric. However, at the close of
would effect a landing on the British coast, al- March (403), he suddenly sallied out, and at Polthough he never did so. All this was achieved in lentia (not far from Turin) obtained a decisive
the course of one summer; and Stilicho had no victory over the Goths. The dispersion of the
sooner returned to Milan than he set out again for barbarians, an immense booty, the rich spoil of
the purpose of ruining Rufinus in Constantinople. Greece and Illyricum, and thousands of captives
One pretext for this expedition was the invasion of among whom was the wife of Alaric, were the fruit
Greece by Alaric; another the conducting back of of this great victory. Soon afterwards Alaric sufthe eastern legions, which were stationed in Italy, fered another defeat under the walls of Verona, in
and proved a heavy burden to the country. His consequence of which he withdrew from Italy.
success in this bold undertaking, and the death of Stilicho was rewarded with the honour of a. triRufinus, are related in the life of the latter. [Ru- umph on his return to Rome (in 404).
FINUS.] These victories and the subsequent increase of
The downfal of his rival enabled Stilicho to influence and power raised the ambition of Stilicho
turn the full weight of his power against Alaric, to so high a pitch, that he aspired to make himself
who, in 396, had penetrated into the Pelopon- master of the whole Roman empire, Eastern and
nesus. With a powerful army raised in Italy, Western. Ilonorius had no children, and ArcaStilicho hastened to Greece, and Alaric soon found dius only one son, after whose death or removal
himself blocked up within that peninsula, whence both the empires would become the inheritance of
no escape by land was possible but across the isth- Placidia, the daughter of Theodosius and Galla, to
mus of Corinth, which was guarded by a strong whom Stilicho accordingly undertook to marry his
Roman force. Owing to the presumption of Stilicho, own son, Eucherius. This plan, however, could not
however, who seems to have thought he had caught be executed without the assistance of his mortal
his enenimy as if in a trap, or perhaps to the negli- foe Alaric; but as ambition prevailed over hatred
gence of his lieutenants, who might have indulged in both the rivals, Stilicho did not hesitate to make
in similar hopes, Alaric extricated himself from his proposals to that effect to the Gothic chief, and
dangerous position by a rapid march towards the Alaric gladly entered into the plan. The concert
gulf of Corinth; which he crossed at its narrowest of their action was for some time interrupted by
point near Rhium, with his whole army, captives the invasion of Radagaisus, one of the most danand booty, and was soon safely encamped in Epei- gerous and destructive by which Italy was ever
rus. Thence he carried on negotiations with the visited, but from which it was delivered by the
ministers of Arcadius, who were afraid that if Alaric valour of Stilicho in 406. [RADAGAISUS.] In the
were undone, Stilicho would make himself master following year (407), Gaul was inundated and
of'the East also, and ere long (398) Alaric was laid waste by that innumerable host of Suevi,
appointed master general of Eastern Illyricum, Vandals, Alalli, and Burgundians, who caused the
which was one of the most important posts in the downfal of the Roman authority beyond the Alps,,empire of Arcaditls. The presence of Stilicho in and in the same year the legions in Britain
Greece was now no longer required, and he re- proclaimed Constantine emperor in that province
turned to Italy with rage and thoughts of revenge and in Gaul. This torrent Stilicho had either
against Alaric. A war between the two rivals no means, or, more probably, no inclination to
broke out soon afterwards, for which Stilicho made check, his whole activity being absorbed by his
tile most active preparations. Nor was he neg- schemes upon Constantinople and his intrigues
ligent in increasing his authority in Italy, and the with Alaric. Already had lie thrown the gauntlet
people felt his sway, or worshipped his power so to the ministers of Arcadius, by annexing all Illymuch, that in 398 they caused a splendid statue to ricum to the Western Empire, whither he sernt
be erected to him in Rome; in the same year the Jovinus as prefect, and his lofty plans became
marriage between his daughter Maria and Hono- manifest after Alaric had openly renounced his
rius was celebrated at Milall. In 400, Stilicho was allegiance to the Eastern court, and entered into
consul together with Aurelianus, and the honorary that of the Western, upon which Stilicho com